Author Archives: Virtual Farmgirl

Enjoying sundaes on Sunday. Finally, after months of planning and more bureaucratic red tape than it takes to start a small business, we had our first official Girl Scout meeting. I won’t bore you with all the nitty gritty involved in getting a troop started. But it involved background checks, online tutorials, hours of in-personContinue reading “Girl Scouts Don't Need to Buy Ice Cream When They Can Make Their Own”

This wasn’t exactly our best culinary vacation. Though I can’t complain about getting my fill of seafood. I had lobster, crab and clam chowder every chance I could get. Otherwise, our meals were pretty so so. We did get a chance to visit a winery. There are two in Cape May. Both advertise daily tastings.Continue reading “Cape May Winery Visit”

Looking for sea life. Accuweather predicted perfectly that this morning’s seemingly interminable rain would clear by around noon we’d see sun by early afternoon. It turned out to be a beautiful day. Taking a risk that the weather would indeed clear, all seven of us booked trips out to sea. Sim and the two olderContinue reading “Our Beautiful, Nauseating Afternoon Touring Cape May”

I’m still not quite believing that my big vacation this year is in New Jersey. New Jersey. The Jersey Shore no less. Really? When I think New Jersey, I think gritty, slick and rough, with a little reality TV edge.  It just doesn’t sound like a restful, relaxing, respite. But actually, I think it willContinue reading “On the Jersey Shore. No, Really”

Thanks to Becca over at Live Here Oak Park, I read an enticing intro of our newest neighborhood restaurant: Autre Monde Cafe & Spirits. I drove by tonight and it’s not open yet, but the restaurant’s Facebook page announced that it passed its inspection and plans to open this weekend. Time Out’s recent article describesContinue reading “Opening Soon in the Neighborhood: Autre Monde Cafe & Spirits”

Love this new video from Victory Acres about joining a CSA and supporting a farm that feeds bodies and souls.

Needing to use up the bitter arugula – not my favorite – from our CSA haul, I found this recipe for Arugula-Pistachio Pesto over at Epicurious. I was using what I had on hand, so here’s the modified recipe: Arugula-Pistachio Pesto 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped 3/4 cup parmesan cheese 1/3 cup salted pistachiosContinue reading “Arugula-Pistachio Pesto”

Sue Dillman assessing damage to her farm. Driving from Bloomington to Columbus yesterday, it was impossible to miss the storm damage. Trees were down all over Bloomington and power only recently restored in many areas. I passed at least 30 utility trucks headed down south to aid in the cleanup. I’d heard about the destructionContinue reading “Storm Heavily Damages Dillman Family Farm, Takes Production Offline”

We got our CSA box last Thursday, but I’m only now digging into it. I’d been away in California since Saturday and hadn’t really thought much about meal planning. So when I was quickly pulling supper together tonight, I was delighted to discover plenty of good eats, still in good shape, in the fridge. Then,Continue reading “Fresh Spring Meal: Pork Chops, Asparagus Spears & Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie”

Back in the day, when I was a single gal and fairly pessimistic about meeting Mr. Right, I made a pledge to quit saving my nice things — glassware, china and serving plates handed down by my grandmother — for later. Later? I had a hard time coming to grips with when that might be.Continue reading “What Are You Waiting For? Dust Off the Fine China and Just Use It”