Information and resources for eating only food locally produced in Whatcom County
Category : Breakfast, Main Dishes, Recipes, September
Here’s a beef sausage recipe I created as a substitute for chorizo in a recipe for Caldo Verde from the Winter Harvest Cookbook (see my review of the book). While this does not make chorizo, the spicy flavor makes a good alternative. It’s really quick and easy to make from locally grown grassfed beef. Continue Reading
This recipe is reprinted from Winter Harvest Cookbook by permission of the author, Lane Morgan (p. 68). (Read my review of the book.) I chose a robust soup for our chillier fall evenings.
Category : August, Recipes, Side Dishes
Local hazelnuts, known to some as filberts, are a wonderful counterpoint to a lot of fruit and vegetable flavors. They also can add a crunchy texture to soft foods, and ground hazelnuts make a nice finishing touch as a topping for meat sauces, desserts, and casseroles.
This recipe uses hazelnuts to add some complexity to both taste and texture in a simple side dish. It’s a good example of how you can use just a few simple locally grown ingredients to create a memorable finished dish. Continue Reading
Category : About Food Sources, Events, Farm Stands, On the Farm, U-Pick Farms
| September 8, 2012 | ||
| 10:00 am | to | 5:00 pm |
| 10:00 am | to | 5:00 pm |
Next Saturday, September 8, is one of my favorite events every year–the annual Whatcom Farm Tour! It’s a free self-guided tour of farms around the County who open their gates to visitors from 10am to 5pm. A lot of the farms offer special events, rides for the family, tastings, and more during the day. Continue Reading
Category : Recipes, Sauces and Dips
Purslane is a common weed in many parts of the world. But it’s also a green with a gourmet flavor. You’ll sometimes spot this delicious plant for sale at your Farmers Market. It’s a special treat of summer! Continue ReadingCategory : Recipes, Salads, Vegetarian, Whatcom Locavore Basics
Simplicity itself in terms of preparation, this colorful slaw salad has spectacular flavors. It makes a unique summer picnic or potluck dish. The overall effect on the palate is light and refreshing. It’s a wonderful way to try a couple of ingredients you may not have used before–daikon radishes and fennel bulb. The carrots make this look attractive, even to kids. Continue Reading
Category : Breads, Breakfast, Recipes, Vegetarian
Warm biscuits fresh out of the oven and dripping with melting butter–what a luxurious way to start a Sunday brunch!
Biscuits are quick and easy to make if you get the ingredients in the right proportions. Stir everything together, drop on a baking sheet, and bake for less than 15 minutes. It’s a perfect last minute option. Continue Reading
Category : June, Recipes, Sauces and Dips, Vegetarian
Many people were involved in creating this recipe (read about it here), and it turned out to be one of the best locavore recipes yet. Exotic looking and richly flavored garlic scapes provide the green herb for this pesto (instead of basil), and light and delicate hazelnut oil provides a robust support with a flavor strikingly different than the more commonly used olive oil.
Is there anything like the taste of the first deep red strawberries of the year? Sweet-tart and juicy, local strawberries ripened on the plant before picking are a perfect example of the advantages of eating local foods. Berries shipped in from California and elsewhere and ripened in a box are just not the same quality.
Deep red color and fruity fragrance add to the sensory pleasures of this early local berry. This recipe takes advantage of all your favorite features of strawberries to celebrate their peak season. Continue Reading
Category : June, Main Dishes, Recipes, Salads, Side Dishes
I’ve been creating locavore recipes on this web site for nearly two-and-a-half years now. This is the 138th recipe I’ve posted. I think I can honestly say this is one of the top three best in terms of flavor. Since I first prepared this salad, we’ve been having it at least once, and sometimes twice, a week. It’s taste is addictive! Continue Reading
Category : Breakfast, June, Main Dishes, Recipes, Side Dishes
Roast Beef Hash is a classic way to stretch a little leftover roast beef into a hearty dish suitable for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Quick and easy to fix, it can also be a one-dish meal. Continue Reading
Category : May, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetarian
Recently I interviewed Krista Rome, who started the Backyard Beans and Grains Project on some farmland near Everson (see an article about that interview).
I purchased some cranberry beans from Krista to experiment with in my kitchen, and I asked her if she had any cooking tips to offer. When it comes to cooking with beans, Krista recommends keeping it simple. “Also,” she says, “don’t add salt or anything acid until the very end. It stops them from softening.” Continue Reading
Fifteen years ago, Krista Rome began a small garden in her yard as a way of getting more connected with her food. Each year she enjoyed what she calls “peaceful tinkering,” tending her garden with basic hand tools. Then in 2008 she read three books back to back which changed her life: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver; Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan; and Plenty by Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon, who first wrote about the locavore “100-mile diet” (eating only foods produced within a 100-mile radius of where you live). Continue Reading
