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An Ode to Silk

May 3, 2013 by Rebecca 3 Comments

Would you like to know a random fact about me? I have spent most of my life trying to avoid drinking milk. I cook and bake with it. I love yogurt and ice cream and cheese, but a glass of milk has always made me feel oogy. When I was little, my mom would hire a babysitter from time to time. I always cringed when the only one she could get was the little old Italian grandmother from town not because she was mean -she was quite kind, in fact- but because she was unbendable, unbreakable and unbowable in her conviction that every single child needed a very large tumbler of milk before bed. My selfless, sweetheart of a little sister, Jessamine, would sit right next to me and take a giant chug from my glass every time Mrs. Paolino looked away so I wouldn’t have to drink the milk. God love ‘er, Jessie’s always been so good to me.

As an adult, I wanted to like milk because it was so good for you. Over the course of five pregnancies (I’ve spent 3.75 years of my life pregnant, all in all) I tried to cultivate at least a tolerance for drinking milk but just couldn’t do it. “Sip, blech, sip, blech, never mind.” That was the process.

Then came Silk Soymilk. I love it. I can drink it… As in a glass of it. I pour it over my baked oatmeal, into my chai, on breakfast cereal. An interesting thing I discovered with the Silk Soymilk is that what I thought was a dislike for breakfast cereal was actually just the fact that I wasn’t hot on the milk.

It has turned things upside down for me. In fact, I was so inspired by the Silk Soymilk that I decided to try to work on other weaknesses in my life.

Writing has been my forte since childhood (much like my supposed dislike of milk) but I always wanted to be great at drawing. In honour of the change in attitude Silk gave me, I thought I should revisit my attempts at drawing. I decided to tackle the brave new world of digital art figuring that if my fifteen year old could do it, so could I! Are you ready? Here is my homage to Silk Soymilk.

No really. Are you ready? ‘Cause it’s coming at you.

Ta da!

Okay, the truth is I should probably stick with writing… Let’s go with a Silk-en (ahem) haiku instead, shall we?

Ignore my cup, sis.

It is filled with Silk Soymilk.

I’ll drink happily.

Are there any other non-milk drinkers (or former non-milk drinkers)? Have you given Silk Soymilk a go?

This post is brought to you by Silk but all opinions and terrible drawings are my own. Take the Tastemaker Challenge on facebook.com/silkUS.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

A Quick Note to Foodie with Family RSS Subscribers

April 3, 2013 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

Happy Wednesday, friends! I warned ya.

There’s no getting around it. This is going to be a boring, technical -and mercifully brief- post but I need to give you all a heads-up that I’m undergoing a little technical makeover by switching my feeds from Feedburner to FeedBlitz. This is in anticipation of Feedburner biting the dust before too much more time passes.

What that translates to for all of you who subscribe by a feed reader is that you will be sent a message asking you to resubscribe to Foodie with Family updates. Oh gosh… I do hope you all re-subscribe. I am grateful for each and every one of you and would hate to lose anyone in this process.

The message asking you to resubscribe should give very clear instructions, but if anyone is confused, please ask!

Tomorrow, we have tasty things again: creamy, tasty, springy, desserty things we need to wipe this brief technical interlude from our brains.

Mwah!

XO Rebecca

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Bulk Italian Sausage and Broccoli Sausage Pasta | Make Ahead Mondays

February 11, 2013 by Rebecca 21 Comments

Have you ever been so intimidated to try making a certain thing in the kitchen that you put it off forever and a day. Then you finally work up the courage to try making it and are stunned to find it ridiculously easy? Such was the story with me and sausage a few years ago. I had made all sorts of food that makes people pause -cheesecakes, bread, homemade thises and thats- but I had always been just a bit scared of making sausage. I chalk this up to the time I spent in my teen and early adult years as a vegetarian. I had this little inferiority complex about my meat cooking skills.

Then one day, we came into a windfall of pork shoulder and decided I didn’t have much to lose since I had so very much pork lying around. I ground a couple of pounds of pork, added what I figured I liked best in sausage -fennel, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper- mixed it up with my hands, rolled it into little meatballs and fried them in a pan before building a marinara sauce around them. Holy wah.

To say that all my sausage making fears were wiped away with one succulent little pan full of saucy, moist, garlicky, spicy, browned-to-perfection-then-simmered meatballs is putting it mildly. The homemade sausage was superior in every single way from texture to flavour. It was perfect. In fact, I was so bucked up by my success that I made fresh sausage and meals from said sausage five nights in a row.

Then, although I was not nearly tired of the sausage, I was definitely tired of washing the grinder and all its little parts, and thus had an epiphany. They call it bulk sausage for a reason; I will make much and freeze some.

And the freezing? I had a trick there, too… I weighed two and a half pounds of sausage into gallon freezer bags, squeezed out as much air as I possibly could and gently pressed the sausage so that it filled the bag all the way to the corners while flattening it. Then I pressed the handle of a long wooden spoon down the center of the bag and twice more perpendicular to that first impression.

The reason I did this was two-fold. First, it would freeze faster and neater; flat bags stack up more efficiently in the freezer than wadded up bulky ones. Second, I could easily break off a square or two of the sausage without using the entire two and a half pounds. Two squares would give me between one and one and a half pounds of sausage which was just perfect for browning and scattering over pizzas or adding to pasta sauce. SCORE! (Ahem. Get it?)

Those first sausage experiments led me to many more. (See here and here for examples that I’ve posted before!) but nothing has matched the versatility and sheer usefulness of having a freezer full of bulk Italian sausage. So. Darned. Good.

Whaddya do with a freezer full beyond adding to pasta sauce or putting on pizza? Well, how about one of our favourite fast weeknight meals? Broccoli Sausage Pasta. This is one that pleases my crowd (even though I admit I have to pull some of the browned sausage from the pan before adding the broccoli to keep the No-Green-Things Contingent from revolting and BEING revolting at the table.) and feeds them for a song. You can use either fresh or frozen broccoli crowns in the dish, whichever you can procure most easily and the hearty dish is done in a flash.

Now here’s the thing. Where I live, pork shoulder is far cheaper per pound than purchased Italian sausage and it is marginally cheaper per pound than pre-ground pork. Since I prefer to grind my own, I stick with the pork shoulders. If you don’t have a grinder or food processor, you can definitely still make this using pre-ground pork. You’ll still be blown away by how wonderful it tastes!

I re-upped my Italian sausage stores this weekend while my kids were out enjoying all the snow that fell. I know it has nothing to do with food, but you have to see what my thirteen year old guy did with his time. Methinks he has had cabin fever…

When all the chilled and pink-cheeked boys came barreling in the door, I had a pan full of Broccoli Sausage Pasta ready to go. There were happy faces and full bellies that evening.

What would YOU do with a freezer full of Italian sausage?

Bulk Italian Sausage and Broccoli Sausage Pasta | Make Ahead Mondays

Rating: 51

Bulk Italian Sausage and Broccoli Sausage Pasta | Make Ahead Mondays

Homemade Bulk Italian Sausage is so simple and so much better than store-bought. Keep a stash of it in the freezer at all times so you can whip up this fast, fabulous weeknight favourite- Broccoli Sausage Pasta. You'll love this hearty, crowd-pleasing dish of garlicky, spicy, crisped Italian sausage, crisp-tender broccoli and rotini with a generous handful of grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

To Make the Bulk Italian Sausage:

8 pounds freshly ground pork shoulder {*See Notes} or purchased ground pork.
18-26 peeled garlic cloves (depending on how garlicky you like your sausage.)
8 tablespoons fennel seeds
2-5 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like your sausage.)
6 tablespoons kosher salt (you can adjust upward, but this is the minimum amount you should use.)

To Make the Broccoli Sausage Pasta:

1 pound Bulk Italian Sausage
1 pound rotini or other shaped pasta
12 ounces to 1 pound fresh or frozen broccoli florets (The pictured dish used 12 ounces of frozen baby broccoli florets.)
1/3 cup chicken stock (preferably) or water
grated Romano or Parmesan cheese to taste

Instructions

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Bulk-Italian-Sausage-ready-for-the-freezer-from-Foodie-with-Family.jpgAdd the pork to a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic cloves, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper flakes and salt to the bowl of a food processor (or pile it together on a large cutting board.) Process until the garlic is broken down very finely and is almost paste-like. If you are using a cutting board, chop them all together until the garlic is almost paste-like.

Scrape the mixture over the pork and use your hands to blend well. Test the sausage spice mixture by forming a quarter sized patty and frying it in a pan. Taste the test sausage. If you need to, adjust the spices and salt.

Divide the sausage into 4 gallon sized freezer bags. Squeeze out as much air as you can before mostly sealing the bag (leaving just a corner open to allow air to move out.) Gently push the sausage flat and fill the entire bag. Once the bag is filled to the corners, seal the little bit of the bag that you left open. Use the long handle of a wooden spoon to press a line down the middle of the bag from top to bottom, leaving a ridge in the sausage. Turn the spoon handle perpendicular to that line and press down about 1/3 of the way from the bottom of the bag and again at about 1/3 of the way from the top of the bag. This will leave 6 "rectangles" of sausage.

Lay the bag on a flat baking sheet, repeat with the remaining freezer bags of sausage and put the pan in the freezer. This will store well for up to six months before beginning to lose flavour.

You can open the bag and break off as many rectangles of frozen sausage as you need.

To Make the Broccoli Sausage Pasta:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.

In a heavy-bottomed, large skillet, break up and cook the Italian sausage over medium high heat until it is crispy and browned but still moist. If it is excessively oily, feel free to drain some of the fat, but do leave some in to help coat the pasta. The flavour is wonderful!

Add the broccoli florets and the chicken stock or water, scrape up the lovely brown sausagey bits from the pan, cover and steam until the broccoli is crisp tender. While the broccoli is steaming, cook pasta according to package directions.

Strain the pasta and add it to the pan with the broccoli and sausage. Toss to distribute evenly and serve immediately generously doused with grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Notes

You can use a food processor or meat grinder to grind your own pork for this project if you wish. I prefer to buy bone-in pork shoulder and remove the bone myself. This cut is perfect just as it is, and aside from taking out that bone, needs no further prep work other than cutting it to fit into the grinder or food processor. It is the perfect sausage-cut because of its natural marbling.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2013/02/11/bulk-italian-sausage-and-broccoli-sausage-pasta-make-ahead-mondays/

Recipe printed from Foodie With Family | Rebecca Lindamood http://www.foodiewithfamily.com

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: budget friendly, family-friendly, Food Preservation, Frugal Food, kid friendly, quick and easy, quick meal

Super Sunday Snacks Twitter Party with Prizes! | Save the Date: Tuesday, January 22nd

January 18, 2013 by Rebecca 4 Comments

Boy, do I ever have a fun announcement for you all! Like I told you all on Facebook*, we have some super neat events and giveaways coming in the next couple of weeks and today I’m kicking it off with something that has me so excited I’m doing a seriously dorky dance. Think Elaine from Seinfeld and you’ve got it just about right.

*As if continuing to observe my powerfully compelling dorkiness in another venue wasn’t enough of a reason to ‘like’ me on Facebook, you get teasers on what’s coming up! There are polls. There are discussions about Gilbert and Sullivan musicals. Come be my friend there and you can be among the first to know how much I love my new flannel jammies because honestly? My life is that glamorous.

…But we were discussing dorky happy dances and getting to why I’m doing one.

Super Bowl and Super Sunday are fast approaching. Whether it’s just going to be you and the family or a house full of friends watching the big game, you’re going to need snacks and the time to start planning is upon us.

I’m excited to announce that I’ll be co-hosting a Twitter party with Land O’Lakes, my absolute favourite deli cheese! Please join Amber from the Land O’Lakes Test Kitchen and me next Tuesday, January 22, from 8‒9p.m. EST for a #CheeseChatter Twitter party sponsored by Land O Lakes^® Deli Cheese. We’ll dish on tips for entertaining a crowd and share our favorite Super Sunday snack recipes made with the smooth, creamy taste of Land O Lakes^® Deli Cheese. To participate, use the hashtag #CheeseChatter.

When:          Tuesday, January 22, from 8— 9p.m. EST

Where:        The party will be on Twitter with the hashtag #CheeseChatter.

Who:            You are the key ingredient! Join co-hosts Amber from the Land O’Lakes Test Kitchen and me.

How:            Log in to your Twitter account and follow @LandOLakesKtchn and @FoodiewithFam. To see the whole conversation, follow the hashtag #CheeseChatter. For more details, visit landolakes.com.

What:          We’ll be sharing delicious snack recipes for Super Sunday, with tips on feeding and entertaining a crowd, and high-value giveaway prizes that you won’t want to miss!

Prizes:         Land O’Lakes is providing prize packages to be given away to a few lucky participants. The prizes will be unveiled before the Twitter party, so stay tuned! I promise they are lovely. Who’s dancin’ now?

Do you need more information? Click here!

Sweet fancy Moses, I can’t even wait to chat about cheese with you! Who’s ready to party?

Disclosure: I’ve partnered with Land O Lakes^® Deli Cheese. This blog post is sponsored by Land O’Lakes.

Filed Under: Rebecca, Uncategorized Tagged With: announcements, cheese

In Loving Memory of Valerie Mills Daly

December 26, 2012 by Rebecca 35 Comments

In honour of my stepmother’s passing -more affectionately known as my bonus mom- Foodie with Family will remain quiet the rest of this week. In the spirit of Val, I’ll be back ready to feed you next week. Below is the obituary my siblings, dad and I wrote together.

On Saturday December 22nd (her favorite day of the year) Valerie concluded her struggle with cancer and slipped away while in the loving embrace of her family. Her passing very much reflected her quiet and peaceful nature.

Valerie Lynn Mills Daly was born on August 4, 1955 in Oneonta, NY to Earl and Dawn Mills. She grew up the oldest of four siblings in Baldwinsville, where she graduated high school. She attended Houghton College, where she studied theology and raised her two children, Nathaniel Earl Thach and Christina Khemasanine Thach. In 1992, Valerie married James Daly and her family grew to include three more children, Rebecca, Jessamine and Luke Daly. Valerie and James lived and worked together running Camp Asbury United Methodist Church Camp in Silver Lake, NY where they watched their children grow up and begin families of their own. Valerie moved with Jim to Harrisburg, PA and continued to work with the United Methodist church for some years. During this time they would spend the early Fall weeks coming to the Upper Peninsula with their dog, Ginger, camping in all of their favorite spots along Lake Superior. The first time Valerie crossed the Mackinac Bridge she said, “I think I just came home.” Valerie and Jim soon had the chance to make their stay in the Upper Peninsula permanent when Jim accepted the position of Camp Manager at Camp Michigamme. Their home on the Peshekee River has been a special place for their brothers and sisters, children and grandchildren to come and spend time with them.

Valerie spent her life in the service of others, and had an insatiable hunger for literature, science, and the general pursuit of knowledge. Valerie filled her home with a rotating collection of thousands of books, many of which have been donated to local libraries in both New York and Michigan. She instilled this love of learning in her children, as her son Nathaniel has been working as a Teacher in South Korea and her daughter Christina is a Librarian in Richmond, Virginia. Valerie had an incredible ability to make those around her feel valued and loved, and many have been drawn to her table for long conversations and laughter over soup and muffins and tea. Those in her company found her laughter gratifying and contagious and her singing -whether at church or to herself in the kitchen- soothing and lovely. Her ability to turn a pun was unparalleled. She extended her generous spirit to those she didn’t know personally by being an active member of Kiva and making micro-loans to those who are starting their own businesses in developing countries such as Cambodia and Armenia.

Valerie was diagnosed with breast cancer in June of 2009. Her many friends and family members have been a constant network of support for her through this part of her journey. The family is grateful for this support and the invaluable work of those who have provided her medical care throughout this time.

Valerie Lynn Mills Daly is survived by her husband, James Daly, and her children Nathaniel (Sun Hwa) Thach, Christina (Kevin Thrasher) Thach, Rebecca (Dan) Lindamood, Jessamine (Jeremy) Daly-Griffen, and Luke (Elvi Jo) Daly. She is survived by her parents, Earl and Dawn Mills, and her siblings Michael Mills, Marcia Mills, and Gerri Jalosky, as well as all of her nieces and nephews. Valerie is also survived by her grandchildren Liam, Aidan, Ty, Leif, Rowan, Willow, Ezra, Hazel, Soliegh and Penelope.

If you wish to make memorial gifts Valerie suggested that we list the Central UP Food Bank, 1710 Ash, Ishpeming, MI 49849, 906- 485-4988. She also suggested you consider KIVA.org as a recipient. Valerie was passionate about helping women better their circumstances and Kiva was her favorite way to do that.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: family

Peppermint Mocha or Hot Chocolate and a {GIVEAWAY CLOSED}

November 29, 2012 by Rebecca 231 Comments

Update: The Pick Giveaway Winner plug-in chose Pamela and Miranda as the winners. Congratulations, ladies! Please respond to the email I just send to you with your mailing addresses and details and I will send it onto our friends at Korin.com!

I promised a Peppermint Mocha to end all Peppermint Mochas today and I am a girl of my word. I also promised a giveaway, and that’s coming up, too, but first a word or two about the ne plus ultra of mochas.

This was inspired by my poor friend who went to a place that rhymes with Flickschmonalds and ordered a seasonal Peppermint Mocha because it sounded cozy and warm and Christmasy. She left with the impression of having consumed a cup of coffee laced with vinegar and sugar immediately after brushing her teeth. I knew I could do better for my friend.

And I did.

Oh. I diddlydiddid.

Flickschmonalds, Blartucks, and Punkin’ Gonuts have nothing on my Peppermint Mocha. It screams CHRISTMAS, and WINTER, and CUDDLY, yes, but it also screams I’M AFFORDABLE ENOUGH TO DRINK EVERY DAY. …though given the quantity of half and half in it, it may not be a well-advised decision. Mmmm. Half and half.

My word people. If I carry on like this there’s gonna be trouble in the fitting-into-my-pants realm. These taste so darned good that I don’t really care, though. On the plus side, there is some coffee in it (which turns me into MRS. HYPER which is why I keep TYPING IN CAPS. Somebody stop me.) which is supposed to boost your metabolism. So there. And also, can someone come scrape me off of the ceiling where I’ve been parked since beginning working on this recipe?

It’s not enough just to have the half and half, AND the Peppermint Hot Fudge Sauce AND the coffee AND a thick cap of whipped cream. I sprinkle the top with crushed candy canes and use a chocolate covered peppermint stick as a swizzle stick. Apparently I have a thing for swizzle sticks these days.

Drive right past that drive-through window and straight to the store to buy your ingredients. I use Bogdon’s Chocolatey Candy Sticks for the job, but use whatever little peppermint sticks you can find. If it’s coated with chocolate? Well, buy two boxes -no- buy four. Those little puppies are seasonal and Peppermint Mochas are good all winter long!

Peppermint Mocha or Peppermint Hot Chocolate and a {GIVEAWAY}

Try this ultra decadent, rich, creamy Peppermint Mocha for a wintery treat. There simply isn't anything better to have on Christmas morning than this frothy treat!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Peppermint Hot Fudge Sauce
6 ounces half and half (Whole milk can be substituted for a less decadent mocha)
1 shot of espresso or 2 ounces double-strength brewed coffee (omit coffee if you're making a Hot Chocolate.)
whipped cream
2 peppermint sticks (or 2 small candy canes), divided

Instructions

Brew the espresso into a standard sized mug (or pour the still-hot double-strength coffee into your mug.) Omit the espresso or coffee if you're making a Peppermint Hot Chocolate.

Heat the hot fudge sauce and Half and Half together in a canning jar in the microwave or a small saucepan until steaming hot. Use a small whisk or a milk frother to vigorously combine the two until the hot fudge sauce is thoroughly melted into the mixture and it is slightly frothy. Pour it over the espresso or double-strength coffee in the mug. Dollop a generous amount of whipped cream on top of the drink. Crush one of the peppermint sticks or candy canes and sprinkle over the whipped cream. Use the remaining peppermint stick or candy cane to gently stir the drink and leave it in place as garnish.

Enjoy!

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/11/29/peppermint-mocha-or-hot-chocolate-and-a-giveaway/

Recipe printed from Foodie With Family | Rebecca Lindamood http://www.foodiewithfamily.com

Now for the giveaway! Do you see that gorgeous mug that’s holding the decadent mocha? Korin.com -one of my favourite online kitchen wares retailers- sent those Mugtails to me about a month ago. They have scarcely had an empty moment since. They’re so charming and so sweet and so pretty I haven’t wanted to put them on the shelf. The mugs are a beautiful stark white and the fawn and squirrel impressions in the mug are slightly thinner than the rest of the mug. When held up to the light, it comes through the shapes slightly. If you were to drop a tea light into the mugs, they’d be stunning!

For those of you who -like me- are mug crazy, these are the sort you wrap your hands around. The tail on the fawn mug is obviously not designed as a method to hold the mug. The squirrel mug’s bushy tail is perfect for holding the mug, but you can still cup your hands around it if that’s your preference.

Korin.com has kindly offered to give away one of the Fawn Mugtails (pictured above: ARV $16) and one of these adorable Squirrel Mugtails (ARV: $16).

The Fawn Mugtail is a standard sized mug that holds a generous mocha or tall cup of coffee while the Squirrel Mugtail is more of a demi-tasse, espresso sized cup. You’d still have room for a goodly cap of whipped cream in the squirrel cup if that dings your chimes… Just imagine these beautiful cups for holiday entertaining! How do you win? I’m glad you asked! Be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry method you use so they’re all counted!

Mandatory Entry

Leave a comment here telling me which of the two mugs you’d prefer and tell me what you’d use to fill the mug!

Optional Entries:

Like Foodie With Family on facebook.
Follow Foodie With Family on Twitter.
Follow Foodie With Family on Instagram.
Follow Foodie With Family on Pinterest
Like Korin Knives on facebook.
Follow @korinknives on Twitter.
Visit Korin.com and look around. Come back here and tell me what you wanted the most from their wide selection of goodies!

You have until 9 a.m. EST on Monday, December 3rd, 2012 to enter! Winners will be announced here sometime on Monday. Good luck, everyone!

Disclosure: Korin Knives provided mugs for me to review and is giving two mugs away, but I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are mine alone!

Filed Under: Beverages, Desserts, Rebecca, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: budget friendly, Christmas, family-friendly, party food, quick and easy, seasonal, winter

A Harry and David Dream

August 23, 2012 by Rebecca 18 Comments

"The sun is my oven and time is my seasoning." Matt Borman, Harry & David Orchard Director

On Monday, I mentioned that last week, I was privileged to be part of a group of food bloggers. Uncharacteristically, I’ve been struggling for a way to describe that time because I just had a hard time coming up with a way to do the trip justice. Explodingly fresh fruit, talented friends, stunning scenery, wine, cheese, and chocolate all packed wall-to-wall for three days. Would anyone else have trouble translating that into words?

My adventure started a little earlier than expected when the connecting flight from Minneapolis to Portland lifted up and sat back down. A blippy cargo door indicator light was the cause of the excitement and because of one thing or another, took over an hour to fix. Cause and effect reared its head and I missed the final connection from Portland to Medford. It was looking like I might miss the first evening’s festivities -a long anticipated dinner in the back yard of my dear friend, Sandy Coughlin, The Reluctant Entertainer- and meeting the rest of the bloggers who were attending the event. Sandy suggested I hop in a rental and drive the one-minute-shy-of-five-hours so I could make it. Oh, I was in. I was ALL in. This unexpected gift -the first of many on this trip- was the beginning of a weekend of wonder. I got to see the splendid state of Oregon almost from its top to its base. And, oh, what I saw. Mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, pines, and winding roads… It was almost too much to take in. I did not stop to take a picture the entire way because it was almost dreamlike. Who takes pictures in dreams?

When I arrived, Sandy had laid out a bounty of appetizers; goat cheese, Harry and David preserves, crackers, bread, pickled green beans, vegetables and local blackberries the size of my thumb. Reluctant Entertainer? She could’ve fooled me. Her home, her family and her table exuded welcoming warmth.

How adorable are those napkin swags from The Hip Hostess?

That dinner at the Coughlin’s home set the tone for the entire experience; fun, inspiring, and above all delicious.

We set out for the Harry & David orchards the next morning with Matt Borman, the Orchard Director, as our tour guide. Matt was passionate about what they do there and it was easy to see why. How about having this as your office?

Matt hooked us all with his clear love for his job and patience with our tweeting/i-phone-addicted/photo-heavy ways. He apologized more than once for getting ag-geeky on us, but I, for one, was thrilled. I do love a good statistic!

The sheer numbers of fruit that grow and pass through these orchards was astonishing: 800,000 pear trees on 1684 acres of land yielding 6-10 tons of pears per acre for their coveted Comice pears. My word. Even more impressive is the fact that each of these pears is picked by hand. At the height of harvest season, they have 330 full-time pickers who are picking -I’m not kidding- 700 TONS a day by hand.

If your mind flitted to these workers you’re not alone. Harry & David has one of the highest rates of return among seasonal workers in the business, and for good reason. They provide over one thousand meals DAILY for workers and their families, benefits and housing.

Another reason that I came away from this trip enamored with Harry & David is that they use “soft” growing and integrated pest management practices. Translation: they do not use full kill products because, in Matt’s words, “It takes longer for the beneficial insects to recover from a full-kill product than the harmful ones. Why would we do that?”

Living in a heavily agricultural area, I know that farmers are almost utterly dependent on weather conditions for the health and size of their harvest. I was fascinated by the large fans in the orchards that are there to protect against frosts and freezes in the early spring and late fall. I kept thinking of Don Quixote and windmills when I saw the fans peeking over the trees.

“I am I, Don Quixote, the Lord of LaMancha. My destiny calls and I go. And the wild winds of fortune will carry me onward. Oh whithersoever they blow.” The song kept flying through my mind and I was grateful that the winds of fortune blew me toward Medford, Oregon.

The attention to detail in the orchards extends into the packing facilities. All of those pears that were picked by hand are inspected by practiced human eyes. Only the best of the best are included in Harry & David gifts. Perfectly good produce that is cosmetically less than stellar is diverted to other food products -like baby food- created locally.

After a snack of fresh Harry & David peaches and local bleu cheese, we got to poke around the lovely town of Jacksonville where we were treated to lunch at the historic Jacksonville Inn (get the grilled salmon flatbread sandwich!) and then we were off again: First, to the transcendent Rogue Creamery where I tried in vain to get the lead cheesemaker to tell me at which temperature he caves his bleu cheeses then to the the beautiful Ledger David tasting room to pair their wines with Rogue’s cheese. We meandered back to our beautiful Ashland Springs Hotel in charming Ashland to get ready for dinner. I surely love a hotel that provides midnight snacks and chamomile tea!

This picture taken just before dinner at Red Lily Vineyards, for me, captures feel of the weekend because I lack the ability to describe it appropriately.

After a good night’s sleep in one of the most comfortable hotel beds I’ve ever slept in, we were allowed into the sanctum sanctorum: The Harry & David chocolate test lab. I’m fairly certain angels sang when we were shown into the room and told we were going to do a chocolate tasting and learn to hand-paint sweets. It became abundantly clear that I have no future in chocolate decorating. I will spare you the horror that was my plate of chocolates. (The truth is, yes, they looked awful, but I’m not showing you a picture mainly because I ate them all.)

This guy, though…

This man is equal parts pastry chef, chocolatier, mad scientist and pure genius. This is Charlie Douglas, Harry & David’s Manager of Research & Development. I wanted to bring him home with me. Charlie comes from a long line of chocolatiers and -as with all of the employees I met at Harry & David- is 100% invested in and passionate about what he does. He explained how their team goes about conceptualization and refinement for new treats. Charlie wasn’t full of talk, though: Charlie gave samples.

We all loved Charlie.

Madly.

We also loved Rhonda Klug, PR Manager, not just because she escorted us all over the beautiful countryside. We loved her because she gave us cookies.

What can I say? We’re an easy crowd.

I am grateful to Harry & David for giving us a glimpse into how and why they do what they do. I am now a customer for life. I am also endlessly thankful that they brought me together with this incredible group of bloggers.

Left to Right: Lori, Jessica, Jenna, Rachel, Maria, Amy, Matt, Sandy, Bridget, Kristen, me, and Heidi.

I look forward to crossing paths with all of them again. Hopefully sooner rather than later! I can’t encourage you enough to spend some time on these ladies’ blogs. I found inspiration and friendship in their company and I’m continuing to do so by reading about all of the wonderful food they turn out of their kitchens. To help you get started, check out these links and get their perspectives on the trip.

Recipe Girl

How Sweet Eats

Eat, Live, Run

A Southern Fairy Tale

Two Peas and Their Pod

She Wears Many Hats

Reluctant Entertainer (and here)

Bake at 350

Dine and Dish

Foodie Crush Magazine

A little iPhone fun from the trip…

Oh, and get back here tomorrow for a perfect summer harvest recipe. I promise it’ll be worth it.

The trip to Oregon was paid for by Harry & David, but all opinions in the post are my own. I loved Harry & David so much that I’m planning on moving into their orchards. Kidding. Kind of…

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: blogging event, Harry & David

Whole Cherry Clafoutis (Cherry Custard Tart) | Classic French Dessert

July 13, 2012 by Rebecca 12 Comments

Plrb.

That’s the genteel version of ptooey. Which is what you’re inevitably going to have to do if you eat a clafoutis whilst in France. This brings me, rather quickly, to two very important points.

Clafoutis -for the benefit of those who haven’t yet had it- is seriously good stuff. It’s a warm or room temperature custardy dessert that is usually studded with fresh fruit, usually cherries. It’s kind of a big deal in France.*
In the aforementioned Belle France, cherry clafoutis are usually made with whole fruits. Translation: they leave les pits in les fruits.

*As in a really big deal. Clafoutis is to France as apple pie is to the U.S.A.

And this is why the spitting. As an American, born and raised, I was unaccustomed to cherry desserts avec pits. I was used to having the pits removed before they reached my plate and ploughing through cherry pies at lightning speed. Thankfully, a kind soul was aware that most Americans didn’t eat pit-intact cherry desserts and warned me, otherwise, I could’ve become intimately acquainted with the dental system in France. While I’m sure it’s a wonderful system, I’m really okay with not knowing it from the inside.

Why would you want to leave the pits in when you could remove them and be done with the whole thing? There are actually two very good reasons. (Today’s post brought to you by the number Two!)

Leaving the pit in the cherries preserves the beautiful round shape of the cherries as they bake. It’s visually appealing.
The cherry pit -believe it or not- brings a lot of flavour to the party. It contributes a subtle hint of almond. This is where the bells and chimes ring out. Yes. Cherry and almond. The pairing is not an accident! If you leave the pits in place, you don’t have to add almond for that classic flavour combination.

Negotiating the pits while eating dessert is not as disconcerting as you might think, speaking from personal experience. When the cherries cook in the custard-like batter, the pits free themselves from the fruit. As you bite down, the pits tend to slip right out of the cherries and you can tuck them into your cheek to be discreetly plrb-ed or ptooeyed (depending on the company) into a napkin or into the spoon and then deposited in a small bowl next to the dessert plate.

While cherries are still at their peak of availability, try a whole cherry clafoutis. Put a little Edith Piaf on the stereo. Throw in a Gallic laugh for good measure. And do summer like the French do: with style and great taste.

P.S. These are, like most custard-based tarts, at their very best when served fresh and at room temperature. They are quite good, though, cut into wedges when cold.

Whole Cherry Clafoutis (Cherry Custard Tart)

A simple, creamy, custard-based classic French dessert made with fresh cherries. Enjoy with a generous dusting of powdered sugar.

Ingredients

1 pound of fresh, sweet cherries
3 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole milk (DO NOT SKIMP ON THE FAT. You will regret it bitterly.)
1/4 cup heavy cream
soft butter
powdered sugar, for serving

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Remove the stems from your cherries, but leave the pits intact. Generously butter the sides and bottom of a deep pie plate. Scatter the cherries as evenly as possible over the bottom of the pie plate. Set aside.

Vigorously whisk the eggs until they are frothy.

Add the sugar, salt and vanilla and beat well again with a whisk until the sugar is incorporated. Whisk in the milk and cream. Sprinkle the flour over the surface and -once again- beat enthusiastically with the whisk until you have a perfectly smooth batter. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes at room temperature then pour over the cherries in the prepared pie plate.

Bake the clafoutis for 40-50 minutes, or until puffy and golden brown in the center (but still jiggly) and darker brown at the edges. A knife, when inserted in the center of the clafoutis, should come out clean. It may be damp, but it should not have uncooked egg clinging to it.

Let the clafoutis cool in the pan on a cooling rack until it is barely warm to the touch or room temperature. Dust the clafoutis generously with powdered sugar and serve in wedges with a small bowl or napkin for the pits.

Store tightly wrapped leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/2012/07/13/whole-cherry-clafoutis-cherry-custard-tart-classic-french-dessert/

Recipe printed from Foodie With Family | Rebecca Lindamood http://www.foodiewithfamily.com