Category Archives: Uncategorized

I got a message today from Chef Daniel Orr at FARMBloomington about reducing, re-using and recycling. He does all three. In addition to farm-fresh ingredients when he can get them, the So. Indiana chef does his share of composting of kitchen waste and coffee grounds. He also uses biodegradable containers for carry out to decreaseContinue reading “Bloomington Restaurant Cooks Up Three Rs”

Thanks to Urban Dweller for sending me this great story in the New York Times this past weekend about a small town in Vermont, just the size of Gas City, that’s trying to rebuild itself as a collective farming community after its granite businesses went bust. One of my favorite parts of the story isContinue reading “Town on the Rocks Looks to Farming for Salvation”

Today I threw out an entire bottle of apple juice. I had wondered why my kids didn’t want juice anymore. Then I went through my own fruit craving period recently and tried the juice myself. Ick! It had a horrid metalic aftertaste. No wonder my Future Farmkids — who are thankfully (and cursedly) developing tasteContinue reading “Cheap Apple Juice Goes Down Down Down…the Drain”

I’ve been enjoying finding grocers and chefs who buy direct from local farmers. But this grocer in San Fran has earned a special place in this Virtual Farmgirl’s heart. Not only is Bi-Rite Market committed to selling local produce, it’s growing its own on a 1/3 acre in Sonoma. The San Francisco Chronicle has thisContinue reading “Bay Area Grocery Farms Own Produce”

More today from the Virtual Farmgirl Test Kitchen: Garlic roasted pumpkin seeds. The iFarmer claims these are the best pumpkin seeds he’s ever had. I’m not sure about that. But I do think I finally got a good Kosher salt, garlic and butter ratio. Plus, these are crispy. I’ve learned if I don’t dry themContinue reading “Throw Out the Seeds? That's Crazy Talk”

More inspiration from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle led me to pull one of my large basil plants before the bugs took over. I pulled off all the good leaves and was left with a bucketful. Later in the day, I found a basic pesto recipe from In Italy Online. I didn’t have all the Animal, VegetableContinue reading “Presto…Pesto!”

The pumpkin soup in its own shell has been in the oven for a little more than an hour now. Here’s the step-by-step, starting with making the container: Fully carved terrine: Filled with warmed milk, stock, salt, roasted garlic and sage: After about an hour in the oven. Check out how much darker the shellContinue reading “Perfecting My Pumpkin Soup”

A wagon or a cart would have been helpful this morning at the Oak Park Farmers Market, especially since I went knowing I needed a pumpkin. Even a 6-pounder along with a big bunch of bushy carrots, a 1/2 gallon of fresh pressed cider, a bag of onions, more zukes for side dishes this weekContinue reading “Don't Forget the Cart”

I’ll be spending my day at the library tomorrow for a retreat. If I have a chance, I’m going to see if I can find this relatively new book: “The Cultivated Landscape: An Exploration of Art & Agriculture.” There’s a non-spoiler review of the book in The Ontarion. The authors, according to the book’s ownContinue reading “Farming & Art”

I’m finally to the end of Barbara Kingsolver’s “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.” Here’s my recommendation to those who haven’t read it yet: Don’t read while hungry. I think I gained five pounds salivating over the recipes and food descriptions in the book. One that I plan to try this weekend seems pretty easy and ambitious atContinue reading “Caution: Reading On An Empty Stomach Can Cause Weight Gain”