uvlocalvores : field notes

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Here are some ideas and recipes (*starred items) for those wondering what’s a Localvore to eat for breakfast in January.

Breakfast:

Eggs and homefries
Cheddar Omelet or Souffle*
Farmers Diner Sausage and Bacon
Stonewall Farm Sausage
Trukenbrod Whole Wheat Toast
Pancakes: potato*, apple, squash/ pumpkin or cornmeal* pancakes
Cream of Cornmeal Hot Cereal*
Butterworks Oatmeal
Wheat Berry Porridge
Egg, Potato and Onion Frittata (Spanish Tortilla)
Butterworks Maple Yogurt and local apples
Cornbread
Hot Apple Cider

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*Cream of Cornmeal Hot Cereal

( Water can be used instead of milk or a combination of the two.)

1 cup milk to 1/4 cup local cornmeal equals one serving

Directions:
Heat the milk almost to the boiling point. Add cornmeal and stir for several minutes. Add a sprinkle of salt if desired. Reduce heat and cover pan with lid. Simmer on lowest heat for about 5 minutes until it thickens and reaches the consistency you like. Add a little maple syrup. Yum!
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*Localvore Potato Pancakes (breakfast for 2 - or a hungry one!)

(This is a quick and tasty recipe and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or supper.)

2 local potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 local egg
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 T. local whole wheat flour
2 slices local onion
salt & pepper to taste
local butter and/or oil

Put 1/2 of the potato and everything else in a blender or food processor. Blend to a batter, slowly adding the rest of the potatoes. Drop by spoonfuls in heated frying pan or griddle (greased with oil/butter.) Cook to a golden brown. Delicious served with homemade applesauce and/or Butterworks yogurt or Vermont Butter & Cheese Creme Fraiche!
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*Cornmeal Pancakes

1 c local cornmeal
1 T local maple syrup
1 tsp salt
1 c boiling water
1/2 c Butterworks whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 local egg
1/2 c local milk
2 T melted local butter

Combine cornmeal, syrup and salt in bowl. Slowly stir in boiling water; cover, and let stand 10 minutes. Mix flour with baking powder; set aside. In small bowl, beat egg, milk and butter until smooth. Pour into cornmeal batter, along with flourmixture, stirring quickly only until combined. Meanwhile, slowly heat griddle or skillet. To test temperature drop a little cold water on hot griddle; water should roll off in drops. Use 1/4 cup batter for each pancake; cook until bubbles formon surface and edges become dry. Flip, cook 2 minutes longer, or until nicely browned on underside. Serve with butter, warm maple syrup and/or homemade applesauce.

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*Cheddar Souffle

This is an easy, no-fail souffle and is delicious!

1/4 cup local butter
1/4 cup local flour
1/2 tsp salt
Dash cayenne
1 cup local milk
8 ounces local sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
4 local eggs, separated

Melt butter; blend in flour, salt and cayenne. Add milk all at once; cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat. Add cheese; stir until cheese melts.

Beat egg yolks until very thick. Slowly add cheese mixture, stirring constantly; cool slightly.. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Gradually pour yolk mixture over; fold together well.. Pour into ungreased 1 1/2 quart souffle dish or casserole. For a top hat that puffs in the oven, trace a circle through mixture 1-inch from edge and i inch deep. Bake at 300 Degrees for 45-50 minutes or until knife inserted off-center comes out clean. Immediately bring to table and break apart into 3- 4 servings with 2 forks. Serves 3-4. (Note: Make sure that oven rack is set such that the souffle can rise.)

Pat

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In September, I contacted Cedar Circle Farm to see if I could buy some of their sunflower seeds. I knew they had grown them specifically for sunflower oil, but I was surprised at how small they were; I had big, black and white striped seeds in my mind not these tiny black seeds! Cedar Circle folks gave me permission to harvest dried flower heads from the field (gratis) and asked me to report back on my experiment.

It was obvious that just sprouting them in water was not going to work. . . so, I soaked them for about 24 hours, spread them out on top of organic soil in a pot, pressed them down with a plate, and left them covered until they started to sprout. I sprayed them 2 or three times each day . . . and then snipped them with scissors and used them as greens on my sandwiches. They are delicious! I now have a window box and several pots in various stages of sprouting. They are sitting in a south-facing window (with a big pot of cilantro, one of chives and one of mint). Winter greens!

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Saturday, January 26, has been designated a Global Day of Action, worldwide. In place of the annual World Social Forum convergence, in 2008, diverse social movements representing the interests of millions across the globe will express their shared conviction that “Another World is Possible.” A week’s worth of creative, independently organized activities in rural towns and urban centers worldwide will culminate in a Global Day of Mobilization and Action on January 26, 2008.

I am wondering what we Localvores might plan for this day (and week?) In keeping with the focus on local action, might we each plan an event in our own community? It could be a neighborhood Localvore potluck (or a Localvore lunch with work colleagues), the showing of a documentary, a book discussion, a brainstorm session that leads to a plan, etc.

I’ll tell you what I’d like to do: I’d like to invite my Green Street (Lebanon) neighbors for a Localvore potluck and brainstorm session. Lebanon has a Farmers market (and a Winter Farmers Market for the first time this year!) but there are no vegetable farms in Lebanon. (K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Shaw’s, Price Chopper, Penney’s, Staples, Home Depot, etc. gobbled up prime agricultural land.) What might we do to increase our ability to feed ourselves? A community garden? A community kitchen? A Stone Soup project? Plan a Green Street or Lebanon Garden Tour this summer? Plan Lebanon foraging trips? I’m hoping we can come up with a next-step project.

How about your own community - what’s are the plusses and what might be next steps toward greater food self-reliance, sustainability, security, health,  etc. I’d love to hear from you and will share the good ideas that you send . . . or you can share them yourself by registering and blogging at this site (see “Meta” section in menu)

I’d also like to share with you a quote from Cheryl King Fischer, Executive Director, New England Grassroots Environment Fund:

“Localvore groups are popping up all over the region as part of strategies to keep toxics out of our bodies, to address the global warming crisis, to build local living economies and a wide range of other issues. From independent businesses to “Peak Oil” folks, a call to “relocalize” our food supply is a concept that finds its roots in community gardening, farmers’ markets, community-supported agriculture and “Buy Local” campaigns. Those who are battling the devolution of “organic” as it is being adopted by industrial agriculture need a new frame to expose the craziness associated with buying food grown thousands of miles away.

These groups all have a number of goals in mind, not the least of which are: a.) to stop wasting oil to transport food that could be grown locally; b) to support local family farmers; c) to keep more of our food dollars home; and d) to build security into a community’s food supply.

The LOCALVORE movement is giving us a community-based means to recapture control of our food supply and to open the door to much needed thinking and acting about supporting our local economies.

Let us take a lesson from nature and reshape our world around diversity. Thinking and acting LOCAL FIRST is central to freedom and independence – food security, energy security, economic security and our democracy. Take a LOCALVORE CHALLENGE and rediscover your community. Reach out and touch, or is it “taste,” tomorrow. Put community control back in your hands, my hands, our hands.” 

What ideas do you have for putting community control back in our hands?

Pat McGovern

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