Locally Me

Ready…SET….let’s see how many times I use the word “local” in one post.

Yesterday morning I went to the Farmer’s Market on a mission. I wanted to make an entire meal from only my findings. Just call me a run-of-the-mill locavore.

We bought fresh locally grown tomatoes and my thoughts immediately turned to bruschetta. My mom has some basil in her garden right now, and I found locally grown Walla Walla Onion.

“Stretch Bread” from our local Italian restaurant, Pastsbilities.

I even rubbed the bread with local garlic. I’m hardcore.

With our appetizers, we had local beer– Middle Ages Brewery Black Heart Stout.

For the main course, I used fresh pasta (from the local Italian restaurant where we purchased bread) and sauteed onion, garlic and fresh summer squash.

My mom has tons of herbs in her garden. You can’t get much more local than selecting ingredients grown 2 feet from your kitchen.

Finished with oregano, parsley and basil.

For the salad, I used fresh greens and mint from my mom’s garden.  Locally grown cherries, homemade mozzarella and green beans form the Farmer’s Market.

For dessert I blanched peaches and soaked them in simple syrup (okay not local sugar but whatever.) with blueberries. I used local Maple Yogurt, and ran it through my ice cream machine. It did not completely freeze so I used it in a “creme anglaise” style. It needed crunch so I mixed oats, coconut shreds, and slivered almonds with local honey, cinnamon, canola oil and dark brown sugar and baked it until it looked toasty. I let it sit and it was something between a brittle and granola. Very tasty and necessary for texture.

Mmmmm cream on top yogurt from Ithaca, NY. I remember the first time I had fresh yogurt. It tasted like “cow”; very different from the overly sugared grocery store varieties.  I didn’t hate it.

Local Count: 13. Not so bad. And now I’m off to some local wineries . I love the Hudson Valley, however; I miss Finger Lakes Wine!

Local,

Nora