Would all you Challengers (and future possible Challengers or other locavores) be interested in having a potluck to share our bounty? I think it might be fun to get together at one of the parks, to get to know one another and share recipes, great finds...maybe even bring your favorite farmer.
What do you think? Shall we plan for this...maybe toward the end of July?
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Is this blog format working for you?
We're trying this blog format to see if it will serve us well. If you're able to work with it easily -- or if it's not working for you -- please let us hear your comments.
another possibility is a forum-style system, but it's a little more complicated, and also more expensive (this google-blog format is free, which is ideal for a non-profit organization just starting out!).
Please let us hear from you: can you get into the blog comment area all right? (if not, contact info@sustaindoor.org). Can you navigate well enough? Are you getting the information you need? Would you like more information, more diverse, more sortable...or is this format fine for you?
Thanks!!!
another possibility is a forum-style system, but it's a little more complicated, and also more expensive (this google-blog format is free, which is ideal for a non-profit organization just starting out!).
Please let us hear from you: can you get into the blog comment area all right? (if not, contact info@sustaindoor.org). Can you navigate well enough? Are you getting the information you need? Would you like more information, more diverse, more sortable...or is this format fine for you?
Thanks!!!
Where can I get ______?? (I know, I know!!)
If anyone wants to know where to get food items, or can help someone else find something, please comment here...
does anyone know where can we get:
vinegar
salami
cranberries
wild rice
oatmeal
oat groats
white flour (for pastries)
does anyone know where can we get:
vinegar
salami
cranberries
wild rice
oatmeal
oat groats
white flour (for pastries)
Where are you finding your foods?
thought this might be a good place to start contributing food providers that we've found and enjoy. Ann shared some of her ideas in her previous blog.
Please share your comments about where you're finding good food, ok?
We found some of the best hot dogs (in natural casings) we've ever eaten at Miesfeldt's in Sheboygan...plus really great bologna. I need to find out where they actually get their raw materials, though....hopefully somewhere close.
Pepperoni: a friend gave us a stick from Konop's in Stangelville (near Manitowoc), and they do buy their meats locally. Our friend said Konop's has the best ring bologna he's ever had.
Mushrooms:Field and Forest in Peshtigo: not just mushrooms, but instruction on how to grow them.
Others???
Please share your comments about where you're finding good food, ok?
We found some of the best hot dogs (in natural casings) we've ever eaten at Miesfeldt's in Sheboygan...plus really great bologna. I need to find out where they actually get their raw materials, though....hopefully somewhere close.
Pepperoni: a friend gave us a stick from Konop's in Stangelville (near Manitowoc), and they do buy their meats locally. Our friend said Konop's has the best ring bologna he's ever had.
Mushrooms:Field and Forest in Peshtigo: not just mushrooms, but instruction on how to grow them.
Others???
Good local meals? Let's start a list!
There are so many really great combinations of food....and all right here in Door County. How about let's share meals we've made/eaten/loved....It'd be fun to have a long list....maybe compile them into a recipe book at the end of this year?
Ann mentioned some that she and her daughter have created in the past few days. One we had at our house last night I'd like to share is:
Grilled, bacon-wrapped whitefish (I borrowed this recipe from Jamie Oliver).
4 4-ounce whitefish fillets (caught locally; purchased from Bearcats in Algoma); remove skin, cut into 2" wide pieces; sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and finely chopped fresh tarragon from the garden.
Place the fillets on strips of salty smoked bacon (locally grown pig, purchased at the county fair last August)
Fry the wrapped fillets in an oven-safe sautee pan, drizzled with Wisconsin-grown canola oil until brown on one side; then bake in oven for 20 minutes.
Served with fresh peas (from Malvitz's on County C) and fresh pea pods (from the garden), slightly steamed.
Pile peas on a bed of freshly made angelhair pasta (made with Washington Island wheat and water...that's it!)
Arrange grilled fish/bacon wraps next to peas/pasta and drizzle fish and all with fresh mayonaisse (eggs also from Malvitz), and garnish with finely chopped lemon balm.
Dessert: homemade vanilla ice cream (honey purchased at Jorn's Sugarbush), and freshly sliced strawberries (again...Malvitz!)
meal total: all local (except a little bit of olive oil on the pasta)
Please, please, please contribute your own loca-dish!!
Ann mentioned some that she and her daughter have created in the past few days. One we had at our house last night I'd like to share is:
Grilled, bacon-wrapped whitefish (I borrowed this recipe from Jamie Oliver).
4 4-ounce whitefish fillets (caught locally; purchased from Bearcats in Algoma); remove skin, cut into 2" wide pieces; sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and finely chopped fresh tarragon from the garden.
Place the fillets on strips of salty smoked bacon (locally grown pig, purchased at the county fair last August)
Fry the wrapped fillets in an oven-safe sautee pan, drizzled with Wisconsin-grown canola oil until brown on one side; then bake in oven for 20 minutes.
Served with fresh peas (from Malvitz's on County C) and fresh pea pods (from the garden), slightly steamed.
Pile peas on a bed of freshly made angelhair pasta (made with Washington Island wheat and water...that's it!)
Arrange grilled fish/bacon wraps next to peas/pasta and drizzle fish and all with fresh mayonaisse (eggs also from Malvitz), and garnish with finely chopped lemon balm.
Dessert: homemade vanilla ice cream (honey purchased at Jorn's Sugarbush), and freshly sliced strawberries (again...Malvitz!)
meal total: all local (except a little bit of olive oil on the pasta)
Please, please, please contribute your own loca-dish!!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Strawberries make me happy this lovely Summer day.
As long as I keep my belly full, which has been quite easy since the beginning of this challenge, I don't crave other foods.
Breakfast is usually good. Thank goodness for local, natural sweeteners such as Maple Syrup and Honey.
Local Food potlucks will be getting better as time passes.
I'll probably miss chocolate soon.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Local food research
I thought you all might benefit from the research I have done to find local foods. I think it is a good idea to include my dead ends, as well as successes, so that you don't need to go through the same process.
Butter: Buttercup brand is made by Pine River Dairy in Manitowoc. I called them to find out where their milk comes from, and the farthest dairy farm they source from is near Fond du Lac, which, by my calculations, is just inside the 100 mile radius circle. Buttercup is available from Rendard's Cheese for $2.60/lb.
Cream: Call ahead to Renard's to find out if they have cream available. It's not available every day. I'm not sure if the Hwy 57 store has it, but the one on County Road S does. 743-6626
Cheese: Of course Renard's has cheese. They sell many types, some of which they make themselves from milk from about 30 local dairy farms. Renards makes all the cheddar they sell and also Monterey Jack, string cheese, colby, brick, and muenster. I'm not sure about mozzarella, but I know the parmesan they sell is not made by them, and therefore is not made with local milk. Because I really love parmesan, I traced the source back to the dairy that makes it to learn the hard news.
Ice cream: Schopf's dairy farm sells their milk to Land O Lakes which mixes it with milk from farms both inside and outside our Challenge area. Then they ship it to a different facility in De Pere where even more milk from other places is put into the mix. Finally the milk comes back to the Dairy View Country Store where it is made into ice cream. So, no chance for a local product there, though perhaps some of the milk molecules are actually from Schopf's cows. (I have a hard time understanding how this is cost effective, but it must be. Cost effectiveness is the impetus for many of our unsustainable behaviors.)
Hot dogs: The meat eaters in my family are fond of Salmon's hot dogs which are made in Luxemburg. I called them to learn that they get most of their meat from Packerland Packing in Green Bay. A call to Packerland revealed the fact that Salmon's hot dogs are made with meat which comes from any possible place in the country. Too bad. Marchant's in Brussels may have sausages, if not hot dogs, made from local meats. If anyone calls them, please post the results of your research.
Sorghum: I made a new discovery. Mr. Wittgreve of Rolling Meadows Farm in Elkhart Lake grows and processes delicious sorghum syrup. In a cup of hot water with cream, this will replace hot cocoa for my daughter and me this winter. It's also good on fried corn meal mush. $5.00/pint. Rolling Meadows Farm can be reached by calling 920 876-2182.
More research results later,
Ann
Butter: Buttercup brand is made by Pine River Dairy in Manitowoc. I called them to find out where their milk comes from, and the farthest dairy farm they source from is near Fond du Lac, which, by my calculations, is just inside the 100 mile radius circle. Buttercup is available from Rendard's Cheese for $2.60/lb.
Cream: Call ahead to Renard's to find out if they have cream available. It's not available every day. I'm not sure if the Hwy 57 store has it, but the one on County Road S does. 743-6626
Cheese: Of course Renard's has cheese. They sell many types, some of which they make themselves from milk from about 30 local dairy farms. Renards makes all the cheddar they sell and also Monterey Jack, string cheese, colby, brick, and muenster. I'm not sure about mozzarella, but I know the parmesan they sell is not made by them, and therefore is not made with local milk. Because I really love parmesan, I traced the source back to the dairy that makes it to learn the hard news.
Ice cream: Schopf's dairy farm sells their milk to Land O Lakes which mixes it with milk from farms both inside and outside our Challenge area. Then they ship it to a different facility in De Pere where even more milk from other places is put into the mix. Finally the milk comes back to the Dairy View Country Store where it is made into ice cream. So, no chance for a local product there, though perhaps some of the milk molecules are actually from Schopf's cows. (I have a hard time understanding how this is cost effective, but it must be. Cost effectiveness is the impetus for many of our unsustainable behaviors.)
Hot dogs: The meat eaters in my family are fond of Salmon's hot dogs which are made in Luxemburg. I called them to learn that they get most of their meat from Packerland Packing in Green Bay. A call to Packerland revealed the fact that Salmon's hot dogs are made with meat which comes from any possible place in the country. Too bad. Marchant's in Brussels may have sausages, if not hot dogs, made from local meats. If anyone calls them, please post the results of your research.
Sorghum: I made a new discovery. Mr. Wittgreve of Rolling Meadows Farm in Elkhart Lake grows and processes delicious sorghum syrup. In a cup of hot water with cream, this will replace hot cocoa for my daughter and me this winter. It's also good on fried corn meal mush. $5.00/pint. Rolling Meadows Farm can be reached by calling 920 876-2182.
More research results later,
Ann
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