Archive for September 29, 2009

29 Sep 2009
fruit • Harvest • Kitchen Garden • locavore log

On Ground Cherries

Shall we talk about ground cherries?

mmm… say you politely, really? Ground cherries?

You are not the only one to wonder… the year I gave ground cherry jam to friends for Christmas, I got some puzzled looks: this is cherry? you grind them? why? that’s an unusual color… and what about all the seeds?…

Yes, it needed a better name, and it actually goes by other names. But “ground cherry” is the name under which I initially encountered the fruit in English.

Curiously enough, it was in Quebec.

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Many stores were selling ground cherry jam. I tried it. Clearly not cherries (you know, Prunus cerasus). It did not take too long to find out this was the tiny fruit of my childhood, tomate poc-poc, Physalis peruviana. It’s also goes by the name of Cape Gooseberry. But it is no more a gooseberry than it is a cherry. A close cousin of tomatillo Physalis ixocarpa), it belongs it the nightshade family, along with tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplants. Read more

sylvie | 2 comments | Tags: , , , ,
24 Sep 2009
Farms

More on Rappahannock Farm Tour

I’ve got to say, I am tired but I am wired.

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Our first Rappahannock County Farm Tour is coming up this week-end – all volunteers organized and we are getting good pre-event coverage: check it out here on Fox News (Fox News!!!) – be sure to play both clips at the bottom, it’s a total of about 15 minutes total, filmed at The Farm at Sunnyside one of the participating farms, with also an interview of Cliff Miller of Mount Vernon Farm (also on the tour). Great interviews! Great shots!

Our local newspaper had this article too.

Come and see us this week-end. Let’s make the world a better place, one carrot and one chicken at a time.

Why are we doing this? Many reasons, each volunteer on this project has his or her own reasons. But this video from the Rappahannock County Conservation Alliance shows what motivates some of us.

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Dreamers? probably… they are needed, you know…

sylvie | One comment | Tags: ,
20 Sep 2009
locavore log • Wild Food

The Other Wild Food

A guest post from the resident hunter, Keith. Hunting season starts October 3 this year. Sylvie.

This (past) weekend we hosted an English Shakespearean acting troupe which inspired me to write on hunting.

These were young city-folk who were hosted by families in The County. I try to go over the top being a good host and trot out, among other country toys, my hunting bow. The modern hunting bow is about as similar to the English long bow as a Cuisinart is to a butcher’s knife.

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Tim & Tom, our guests, described the act of shooting an arrow as “incredibly satisfying.” There’s a whole ritual of donning arm protection, then putting on a device for releasing the arrow, gripping the bow, drawing back on the string, sighting, breathing, and finally the release. (The book Zen and the Art of Archery is a great read.) With this modern bow and minimal training, these novices were quickly releasing killing shots. Read more

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17 Sep 2009
Farms

Time for the Farm Tour!

One of my favorite farms, The Farm at Sunnyside near Washington, VA, was at the new farmers’ market that opened today next to the White House. The First Lady delivered the opening speech… right in front of Sunnyside’s truck and its colorful logo.

Sunnyside is a beautiful farm in a beautiful location and they produce truly beautiful fruit & vegetable (they taste good too). And you can tour the farm and attend some interesting programs during the upcoming Rappahannock County Farm Tour the last week-end of September.

What’s that, you say?

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Yes! Rappahannock County (65 miles west of Washington DC, population 7,200, county seat Washington, VA) is having its first farm tour the last week-end of September, Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27. Read more

sylvie | One comment | Tags: , , ,
08 Sep 2009
locavore log

A Lamb Roast Feast

We know how to celebrate in Rappahannock County. Maybe it’s in the air we breathe. Or in the soil that feed us.

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We were asked to spit roast a lamb for a large party.

We have a motorized spit that’s perfect for a whole pig roast or lamb roast (or mechoui), and since there are always some guests who don’t eat lamb, it’s a good idea to slow-smoke a few chicken, over cow-boy charcoal with some applewood. For that, we bring our smokers along.

And since this is the end of summer, often associated with harvest & abundance, what better than a few platters of grilled seasonal vegetables, mounds of bi-color green beans with roasted shallots, a huge couscous salad (couscous goes so well with lamb, don’t you think? – I like mine with a twist, though: I put dry cranberries for color, not tomatoes). Tomatoes, of course, we have plenty at this time of the year, and slow roasted (Roma type, please!), they become the base for a rustic looking tomato Tatin bursting with a very intense tomato flavor (for a large party like this, I make a rectangular Tatin, using a large rimmed cookie sheet, making it easier to cut & serve for a crowd). And the (almost) last peaches of the season find their way in a savory spicy dish. Peaches are here for a little longer than usual this year; they also started later than usual with the cool spring we had. Read more

sylvie | 5 comments | Tags: , , , , ,