The Ultimate Fruit Cake Recipe of 2013

BY MARIE FLANAGAN

Confession: I like fruit cake.

When I was a freckled kid in pigtails, I’d kneel on my chair at the kitchen table and watch my mom mix up the heaviest and most beloved cake in our house–the holiday fruit cake. Mixed with strange candied citron and fruit glace, and wrapped in a brandy-soaked cloth and wax paper, the large cake would sit in waiting until after we opened our gifts on Christmas Eve.

After all the gifts had been opened, my dad would mix up egg nog, and we’d celebrate the baby Jesus’s birthday with fruit cake and egg nog. This tradition has never wavered. Each and every year, we open gifts on Christmas Eve, eat fruit cake, and sip egg nog. This year, the fruit cake torch was passed on to me.

With my mom’s cake so perfectly ingrained in everyone’s memory, I decided to go in a slightly different direction with my fruit cake recipe. Inspired by Cold Spring Bakery’s fruit cake, this recipe substitutes the traditional candied fruit with rehydrated dried fruit like apples, apricots, and raisins. It’s a modified version of What’s Cooking America’s Regal Fruit Cake recipe.

A Fruit Cake for 2013
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 3 hour 20 min
Yields: 1 large fruitcake

• 1 1/2 cups yellow and purple raisins
• 1 cup chopped, dried apples
• 1 cup chopped, dried apricots
• ½ cup chopped, dried peaches
• 3/4 cup currants
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup white grape juice (or cider)
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 cups firmly-packed light brown sugar
• 5 eggs, room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon clove
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• Brandy

1. Grease a 10-inch tube or round pan; line the pan with wax paper and grease very well.
2. In a large bowl, combine the dried fruit. Bring the grape juice to a boil, then pour the the grape juice over the dried fruit. Let stand 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
4. In a large bowl, cream butter or margarine. Gradually add brown sugar, stirring until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. In another large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and mace; gradually add to butter mixture. Add almond extract and fruit mixture; stir until well blended. Spoon into prepared pan.
6. Bake 3 hours and 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. A good check is to use an instant digital thermometer to test your fruitcake. The temperature should be between 200 and 210 degrees. Remove from oven and cool on a rack.
7. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove from pan, peel paper liner from cake, and cook completely.
8. Wrap in a brandy-soaked cheesecloth; store in the refrigerator. Let the cake come to room temperature before serving.

 

This recipe yields a rich, moist, fruit-laden spice cake. It pairs perfectly with egg nog – heck, I wouldn’t eat it any other way.

And just in case you’re not up for making your own fruit cake, Cold Spring Bakery in Cold Spring, MN still has their famous fruit cakes available this season.

Cross posted from: The Ultimate Fruit Cake Recipe of 2013 - TC Taste - Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

The Ultimate Holiday Cookie Swap Recipe

BY MARIE FLANAGAN

Holiday cookie swap parties bring together so many great aspects of the holidays, but mostly, they bring together a lot of homemade cookies. A good cookie swap depends on a couple handfuls of attendees for optimal cookie variety.

As you read through your swap invitation, the stars begin to align—until you get to the end of the invite, which instructs you to bring 10 dozen cookies to the event. Suddenly, your excitement turns to dread as you contemplate the task. FEAR NOT! I have the perfect holiday cookie exchange recipe! It’s an adapted version of the sugar cookie recipe that my husband’s mother sent to me. The cookies are festive, taste great, and are relatively simple to make. I use locally sourced butter, eggs, oil, and flour to make them even more “home” made.

The Ultimate Cookie Swap Almond Sugar Cookies

• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. almond extract (can substitute with vanilla extract)
• 1 fresh vanilla bean
• 4 cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cream of tartar

Makes 4-5 dozen

1. Cream together your sugars, butter, and oil.

2. Add the eggs one at a time.

3. Add the almond extract and fresh vanilla.

4. Let the mixture mix until it becomes slightly fluffy/whipped.

5. Mix together your dry ingredients.

6. Add the dry ingredients one cup at a time.

7. Mix well.

8. Chill the dough for at least one hour. It can also stay chilled overnight.

9. Place parchment paper over your cookie sheets to make cleanup easier.

10. Roll the dough into small balls (the size of a walnut) and place on your cookie sheet. I used one of those tbsp.-sized dough scoops to save time.

11. Gently flatten the dough balls with a glass dipped in sugar.

12. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes (17 minutes if you’re using insulated cookie sheets) until slightly brown on the edges.

These cookies are light, crispy, and buttery with an unexpected almond twist. Colorful sugar adds just the right amount of festive decoration without any messy frosting, and they stack and transport with ease.

Cross posted from: The Ultimate Holiday Cookie Swap Recipe - Twin Cities Taste - December 2013 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Copper Hen Cakery to Bring Late Night, Farm-to-Table Desserts to South Minneapolis

South Minneapolis has something sweet to look forward to this spring. Copper Hen Cakery will be arriving in early April and plans on being a nightspot that offers up fresh, local, farm-to-table desserts, a small house menu, wine, beer, and coffee.

Behind Copper Hen is husband and wife duo, Chris and Danielle Bjorling. Chis hails from Madison, Wisconsin. He moved to Minneapolis for school and is now a certified public accountant. Danielle grew up baking scratch-made desserts in her mother’s kitchen. She started taking baking classes when she was 14, and while working as a nanny, she has been baking for weddings and events on the side. The couple resides in South Minneapolis, where they hope to open the Copper Hen.

Although much of the financing is already in place, the duo recently exceeded their $10,000 Kickstarter goal, which will allow them to buy the bakery oven they need, among other things.

DANIELLE AND CHRIS BJORLING PLAN ON OPENING COPPER HEN IN APRIL 2014

Copper Hen’s small, house menu will feature classic dishes like chicken pot pie, but based on the descriptions of their signature dessert items, you might end up ordering dessert first.

Danielle thinks that their “breakfast cupcake” will be the star of the show, featuring fresh blueberries and bacon that are hand-placed inside individual buttery crumble cakes. The whole works will be topped with cream cheese frosting and maple syrup.

“But the best, by far, is my red velvet cake,” says Danielle.

She says customers are particularly fond of her red velvet cake made with buttermilk, cocoa powder, and a touch of vinegar that adds a certain complexity to the somewhat predictable sweet treat. She says you’ll likely find her in the kitchen at Copper Hen hand shredding carrots for her raisin-free carrot cake, or fixing scratch-made hand pies.

Copper Hen also plans to offer traditional layered cakes for weddings and other events. Danielle explains that for those clients they want to offer something “different from the traditional," Copper Hen will offer hand-made cake alternatives like Mason jar cakes or slab pies.

COPPER HEN'S CAKES WILL BE MADE ENTIRELY OF NATURAL INGREDIENTS

Danielle says you won’t find shortening or margarine in her baked goods or frostings. She’ll be using butter, and plenty of it. Copper Hen plans to source their butter, along with eggs, dairy products, whole wheat, berries, fruits, coffee, wine, and beer locally. They’ll offer all-natural frosting dyes and sprinkles–made with vegetable colorants instead of synthetics. They’ll also offer vegetarian and gluten-free options, including bread.

They explain that Copper Hen intends to have later hours than most traditional bakeries.

“We'll close at 10pm, so you can come here for dessert after dinner,” says Chris. “Have a glass of wine and a dessert.”

Danielle excitedly explains “Do you want dessert first?" might be their tagline. In that case, you might to add Copper Hen to your spring nightspot list now.

Cross posted from: Copper Hen Cakery to Bring Late Night, Farm-to-Table Desserts to South Minneapolis - Twin Cities Taste - October 2013 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

The Return of Returnable Soda Pop Bottles in Minnesota

PHOTO COURTESY OF WHISTLER BOTTLING

Many of us remember a time when soda pop was a special treat. The small, returnable bottles filled with flavors like cream and cherry cola were doled out for picnics or birthdays, and usually we had to share. Today, 20 oz. bottles of pop are a common sight and consumption is at 165 liters per capita in the United States, according to market research firm Euromonitor.

On the heels of recent news about potential container deposit fees in Minnesota for plastic and aluminum cans, a small company in Minnesota is attempting to return to a time when soda pop was sold in small, returnable bottles, and was made with simple ingredients.

Whistler Bottling is on a mission to bring returnable soda pop bottles back to Minnesota. Jesse Hopkins, an assistant principal at a local middle school, leads the Whistler Bottling team, along with a team comprised of other educators, which he says is one of the unique things about Whistler. They want to make a difference in the lives of kids.

“We know soda pop is not health food, but if kids are going to drink pop, our returnable bottles are 8 ounces, which makes it easier for parents to control the amount of pop that kids are drinking,” said Hopkins. "We are also currently working on a partnership with three metro school districts and a major local grocer to help schools raise funds for programs that serve at risk students, support teachers in the classroom, and provide families with financial difficulties opportunities for participation in sports and band.”

Hopkins said the Whistler concept is built around trying to make a difference and explained how they plan to use simple ingredients and smaller bottles to help reduce the use of plastic bottles. Their returnable glass bottles are designed to last 40 years and can be refilled as many times as needed.

Hopkins took time to visit plants in Wisconsin that are still using returnable bottles like Twig’s (makers of returnable Sun-Drop) and Flavor 8. There, he learned about the returnable bottling business. He learned that a fresher product that is made and delivered locally simply tastes better.

While those businesses helped them learn about the returnable bottle trade, Whistler looked to the former Gold Medal Beverage Co. of St. Paul, MN for flavor inspiration.

“In our research, looking into soda companies, Gold Medal was around for a long time and we wanted to tip our cap to them and the brand they had established,” said Hopkins. “We wanted to offer some of the same, classic flavors as they did.”

Whistler plans to offer six flavors, including black cherry, grape, cherry vanilla cola, root beer, fruit punch, and cream, using ingredients like triple filtered water, pure cane sugar, and old fashioned flavor extracts.

“For us, it was really important to commit to the most basic, simple ingredients as possible,” said Hopkins. “No energy enhancing chemicals, no high fructose corn syrup, and no extra preservatives.”

As for retail locations, Hopkins says the interest “has been off the charts.” They’re looking at supermarkets, restaurants, cafes, and specialty shops for selling their product.

Whistler is about ready to launch. They have flavor recipes, a returnable bottle design, and a bottle washer/sanitizer, but they still need to purchase 80,000 bottles and bottle filler.

“Right now, we’re at the point where we’re about ready to launch,” said Hopkins. “We plan to be up and running by January, but it’s just a matter of purchasing the bottles we need.”

And that’s where their Kickstarter campaign comes in. Hopkins says the sole purpose of their Kickstarter is to make their first bottle buy. It’s the biggest financial investment and the next big step.

“We hope people will be inspired by our work, and want to support our bottle purchase.”

Cross posted from: The Return of Returnable Soda Pop Bottles in Minnesota - Twin Cities Taste - October 2013 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

In’Cider Information on Minnesota’s 2013 Apple Season

PHOTO BY DAVE HANSEN

It’s mid-September now, and there’s a certain something in the air—maybe it’s because apple season is nigh. I grabbed a bag of SweeTangos at the farmers market last weekend, and they were so juicy and so crisp that I hip, hip, hoorayed. To accompany my three cheers for this year’s apple crop, I put together this Minnesota apple roundup for TC Taste this week.

CHOOSE YOUR APPLE

Apples are seasonal. Each variety has a peak season and specific attributes. While some apples are great for eating plain (Honeycrisp, Zestar!, SweeTango, Haralson), others are better suited for baking or making sauce (Northern Spy, Prairie Spy, Duchess). If you’re concerned about chemicals, some apples are more naturally disease resistant, which means that growers can use fewer chemicals on them in the orchard (Dayton, Pristine, Redfree, William’s Pride, Liberty).  If you want your harvest to last, some varieties can be stored for a long time (Prairie Spy, Keepsake, Honeygold, Sweet Sixteen, Honeycrisp).

Selecting your apple can be tricky with all that information to sort out, so I’ve got the major Minnesota-grown varieties listed here by season, in alphabetical order, along with their general attributes.

EARLY SEASON

• Beacon (sweet, juicy, good eating apple)

• Centennial Crabapple (small, juicy, great for kids)

• Dayton (naturally disease resistant, tart, crisp)

• Discovery (floral, sweet)

• Duchess (good for pies)

• Estivale (sometimes called LaCrescent, sweet, tart)

• Gingergold (sweet, crunchy)

• Jersey Mac (sweet, tart, good for applesauce)

• Lodi (very early, tart, decent pie apple)

• Paula Red (sweet, tart, bright white flesh)

• Pristine (disease resistant, crisp, delicate)

• Redfree (disease resistant, sweet, crisp)

• Sansa (Gala/Akane cross, crunchy, juicy)

• Summer Red (similar to Haralson, crisp, tart, juicy)

• State Fair (tart, crunchy)

• SweeTango (a personal favorite, crisp, tangy, slightly sweet)

• Tyedeman’s Red (juicy, sweet, tart, good for apple sauce)

• Viking (mild, soft, thin-skinned)

• Wellington (tart, early pie apple)

• William’s Pride (disease resistant, slightly spicy, bold)

• Zestar! (a personal favorite, large, crunchy, sweet-tart)

MID-SEASON

• Chestnut Crabapple (nutty, smaller, good for sauce)

• Cortland (bright white flesh, doesn’t brown as quickly, great for fruit salad)

• Gala (sweet, crisp, yellowish flesh)

• Honeycrisp (a personal favorite, well balanced, sweet, tangy, crisp, very popular)

• McIntosh (very tart, juicy, very popular)

• Red Baron (mild, sweet, juicy)

• Sweet Sixteen (a personal favorite, sticky sweet, crisp, juicy, yellow flesh)

• Wealthy (tart, medium sized)

LATE SEASON

• Braeburn (sweet, tart, classic)

• Fireside (sweet, large, good for baking)

• Frostbite (very sweet, smaller, juicy)

• Honeygold (yellow skin, good for cooking, sweet)

• Haralson (firm, good pie apple, sweet)

• Keepsake (firm, crisp, yellowish flesh, can store for six months)

• Liberty (disease resistant, tart, crisp)

• Northern Spy (tart, juicy, great for pies and sauce)

• Pinata (orange in color, slightly spicy)

• Prairie Spy (large, dense, good for baking, long storage time)

• Red Delicious (very popular, firm, dark red, sweet)

• Regent (well balanced, good for eating and cooking)

• SnowSweet (a personal favorite, sweet, slightly tart, white flesh is slow to brown)

FIND YOUR APPLE

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has a list of 109 apple orchards on their website.  You can search by zip code to find an orchard close to you.

If you’re looking for a referral, some of the most popular you-pick orchards include:

• Aamodt’s in Stillwater

• Afton in Hastings 

• Apple Jack in Delano

• Applewood in Lakeville

• Baker Orchard in Centuria, Wis.

• Deardoff in Waconia 

• Emma Krumbee’s in Belle Plain

• Havlicek's in Veseli

• Minnetonka Orchards in Wayzata

• Sponsel's in Jordan

• Pine Tree in White Bear Lake (Minnesota Monthly wrote a review of of Pine Tree Apple Orchard a few years ago.) 

All kinds of farmers' markets have an apple vendor or two—my go-to apple stand is Doug Bolstorff’s Cedar Grove Orchard stand at the downtown St Paul Farmers Market. They have good apples, decent prices, and friendly service. I also like the Sweetland Orchard stand where they sell amazing apple cider donuts. For 2013, Sweetland will be at the Bloomington, Fulton, and Kingfield farmers' markets.

Don’t have time to hit the farmers' market, a farm stand, or the orchard? No problem. Co-ops have you covered with collections of local apples from local organic orchards.

MAKE APPLE CRISP

I eat at least one apple a day this time of year—I just can’t help myself. Meanwhile, my husband goes bonkers for apple crisp. He has a pretty simple and utterly lip-smacking recipe for crisp that he inherited from his mom.

Ingredients

For the filling:
4 cups of largely diced medium baking apples
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

For the topping:
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
2/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. butter, melted (one stick)
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 tsp. cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees F (177 C). Butter a 9-inch (23 cm) square (or 2-quart) baking dish.

Make the filling:
Core apples then cut into 3/4-inch (7 cm) pieces. Add apples to a large bowl and toss with cinnamon.

Make the topping:
To make the crisp topping, combine flour, oats, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and combine. Sprinkle and press down the topping over the apple filling.

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the apples are tender and the topping has turned light golden brown.

HIT UP AN APPLE PARTY

Just can’t get enough of this apple stuff? It’s time to party. The 65^th Annual Applefest is taking place in La Crescent Minnesota this weekend, Sept. 19-21.  There’s a run/walk, music, a poker tournament, golf outing, beanbag tournament, and a kiddie parade. 

Cross-posted from: In’Cider Information on Minnesota’s Apple Season - Twin Cities Taste - September 2013 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

The Soft Cheeses of Summer 2013

MORCELLA from  Shepherd's Way;  MARIE FLANAGAN (3)

What goes with this month’s warm summer breezes and seasonal sneezes?  Why, soft summer cheeses, of course.

And lest you think that delicious, creamy, soft cheeses need hail from France or Italy, think again. These three soft cheeses are all made right here in the Midwest.

The first cheese on my list is the softest and lightest–Morcella, made by Shepherd’s Way Farm in Minnesota. Morcella is a soft-ripened sheep’s milk cheese made with local morel mushrooms by Shepherd’s Way’s cheesemaker Jodi Ohlsen Read. Irresistibly creamy, mild, earthy, and delicate, Morcella can be easily overwhelmed by strong flavors, so enjoy it simply with crusty bread. And grab it while you can–this small-batch cheese is made with spring and summer milk, so it’s only available through September.

On the other end of the flavor spectrum is Arabella cheese from a relatively new cheese maker, Jacobs and Brichford of Indiana. Their Arabella is a soft, tallegio-style cheese made with grass-fed milk from Jersey, Normande, and Tarentaise cross cows. Pale yellow, creamy, buttery, earthy, and aromatic, Arabella’s strong flavor profile can accompany a bottle of barbera or valpolicella with grace.

Striding forth between the delicate Morcella and the bold Arabella is Good Thunder, a new(er) cheese fromAlemar Cheese Company in Minnesota. Made with grass-fed milk from Cedar Summit Farm, Good Thunder has a stiffer, pasty texture, with a smoothness that is slightly reminiscent of its sister cheese, Bent River. The lovely squares of cheese are molded and salted by Kieth Adams and his crew, and then the rind is washed in Surly Bender, an oatmeal brown ale. This somewhat “stinky” cheese has a soft, orange rind, and a slightly smoky flavor that pairs well with a variety of beers, including brown ales and black ales.

So why not bypass the stove, and treat yourself to soft cheese and salad for dinner or a picnic? All three of these beauties are available throughout the Twin Cities at various farmers markets and co-ops (I spotted all three at Seward Co-op last weekend, and saw Steven Read sampling Morcella at the Minneapolis Farmers Market on Sunday).

 GOOD THUNDER FROM ALEMAR CHEESE CO.                             ARABELLA FROM JACOBS AND BRICHFORD

Cross-posted from The Soft Cheeses of Summer - Twin Cities Taste - July 2013 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Check out Some MN Farms for Free at the 2013 Eat Local Farm Tour

MARIE FLANAGAN (4)

The 2013 Eat Local Farm Tour will take place next Saturday, July 20th. Presented by the Twin Cities area food co-ops, the goal of the event is to introduce the Twin Cities to the local farmers that make our seasonal, fresh, local food system possible.

My husband and I grabbed the opportunity to visit a few farms during the 2012 tour. Our stops included Shepherd’s Way, where we spent time perusing products at their on-farm store and laughing at their charismatic flock of sheep. At Simple Harvest Farm Organics, goat-milking was the activity of the day. Perhaps the most interesting part of the day was our stop at L & R Poultry and Produce, where we witnessed how they were using sweet corn as a trap crop for squash beetles, and laughed at the antics of pastured-raised turkeys hunting down insects. Taking the time to see expert farmers in the field bolstered our appreciation for the profession–it also reaffirmed our decision to leave poultry-raising to the experts.

 

Included in this year’s tour event are:
Kohnert Organic Farms

Living Land Farm
Chankaska Creek Ranch & Winery
East Henderson Farm
Cedar Summit Farm
Shepherd’s Way
L and R Poultry & Produce
Simple Harvest Farm Organics
Thousand Hills Cattle Company
Ferndale Farm
Gardens of Eagan
Riverbend Farm
Women's Environmental Institute
10th Street Farm & Market
Big River Farm
Growing Lots Urban Farm
Beez Kneez
Stone's Throw Urban Farm

Details for each farm are a bit different, so be sure to check out the Eat Local Farm Tour guide book online or pick it up at an area co-op, including: Eastside Co-op, Harvest Moon Co-op, Just Food Co-op, Lakewinds Natural Foods, Linden Hills Co-op, Mississippi Market Natural Foods Co-op, River Market Community Co-op, Seward Co-op, St. Peter Food Co-op, the Wedge, and Valley Natural Foods.

Find more information at themix.coop.

Cross posted from: 2013 Eat Local Farm Tour - Twin Cities Taste - July 2013 - Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

New University of Minnesota Extension Website Offers Local Food Resources

MARIE FLANAGAN

A group of folks from the University of Minnesota Extension, Buy Fresh Buy Local South Dakota, FARRMS (North Dakota), North Dakota State University Extension, and the Northwest Regional Partnership (Minnesota) have teamed together to launch a new Community and Local Food Resource website.

Announced this spring, the website contains extensive links to tools, videos, articles, reports, fact sheets, websites, and more that will help farmers, extension educators, and communities who are looking to build their local food system infrastructure.

Researchers received a SARE grant to work with rural Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota communities to identify needs. They hope the website will address their needs through the tools and resources for farmers, community groups, Extension educators, and others interested in local food systems.

"The release of this website coincides with the kick-off of a new season of farmers markets, CSAs and farm-to-institution programs,” said Greg Schweser, community food systems planner for the University of Minnesota Extension’s Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships. “It will be useful to those working in local foods seeking production assistance, expanded marketing opportunities, developing stronger businesses, creating new sourcing options, educating citizens and crafting more beneficial public policies.”

Cross posted from New University of Minnesota Extension Website Offers Local Food Resources - Twin Cities Taste - May 2013 - Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Sweet Science Ice Cream Available at Verdant Tea

DUSTIN BLACK

The Twin Cities has a new ice cream stop to add to your list this summer. Sweet Science, a small ice cream company with big flavors, has landed a fulltime retail location.

Ashlee Olds started making ice cream for friends five years ago. After working at Black Sheep Coffee Café and Rogue Chocolatier, she was inspired to make a line of small batch ice cream called Sweet Science, with a logo in the shape of a vanilla molecule.

With a Business Management and Entrepreneurship feather under her cap from Metro State, Olds works in her community commercial kitchen space in St. Paul where she uses local products like Castle Rock organic milk and other certified organic ingredients, “with names you can pronounce.” Her notably smooth salted caramel is their mainstay flavor, but Olds also is whipping up nontraditional flavors like blood orange (pictured here) stracciatella (inspired by La Marianna’s Italian gelato), rhubarb cinnamon almond, and strawberry buttermilk.

Previously, Sweet Science ice cream was somewhat tricky to track down, with monthly tasting events at the kitchen space, and scoops for sale at food trucks or events. But this week, Olds announced that in early July pints of Sweet Science ice cream will become available at Verdant Tea’s new location in the former Seward Coop space in South Minneapolis.

Olds and Verdant Tea met at North Coast Nosh. There, they sampled each other’s products, and as they learned more about their individual business philosophies, the more they fell in love with the idea of working together. Once they get their bearings in the new space, they hope to combine their products to offer tea and ice cream flight pairings, and even chai and matcha milkshakes.

“Starting in early July, you'll be able to stop by Verdant Tea's new shop and buy pints and cups of Sweet Science—all day any day,” said Olds. “Their hours will be 8 a.m.-8 p.m., which means our customers can stop by and get Sweet Science ice cream almost anytime.”

With ice cream labels that cleverly nod to the periodic table of elements, you can’t miss Sweet Science pints. I’m fond of the blood orange flavor, a riff on the classic Dreamsicle, but if you’d rather sample before you buy, swing by the next Sweet Science tasting event this Friday, June 14, 2013, 5-8 p.m. at the Sweet Science commercial space on Pierce Butler Road.

Cross posted from Sweet Science Ice Cream Available at Verdant Tea Retail Space - Twin Cities Taste - June 2013 - Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Record-Breaking Year Brings Sweet Smiles for MN Syrup Producers

SAPSUCKER FARMS

Despite what some consider an excruciatingly long winter, followed by a cold and snowy spring, Maple syrup producers in Minnesota are smiling. It’s no wonder—most of them produced record levels of syrup this spring.

Minnesota is the most north and west of U.S. states to commercially produce maple syrup, according to Jerry Jacobson, vice president of the MN Maple Syrup Producers Association. The association boasts about 100 members, many of whom attended the annual MN Maple Producers Association Annual Meeting and reported record years for 2013.

“At the meeting, everybody said they did better and many reported record crops. About 80% at the meeting said it was their best year ever,” said Jacobson.

The mystifying weather accounts for the record year, he says. “The late spring, combined with all the snow we had, meant temperatures were moderated so that the trees didn’t warm up too quickly.”

Maple syrup is made from sap, and producers need about 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup. Throughout Minnesota, trees produced high levels of sap during the three-week sap run this year, and the sap they produced was good quality, according to Jacobson. In neighboring Wisconsin, producers reported record-breaking levels as well.

“Wisconsin’s 2013 maple syrup production was 265,000 gallons, more than five times the production of 2012,” said Greg Bussler with the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (PDF). “This is the highest production since NASS began keeping track in 1992.”

Debbie Morrison at Sapsucker Farms in Mora, Minn. was a bit anxious about this year’s season, especially after last year's drought, which yielded just 10 gallons of syrup. But Sapsucker ended up making 210 gallons of syrup, matching their all-time previous record.

“For about two weeks, the sap was just gushing,” said Morrison. “We were doing everything we could to collect it and cook it. It gushed, and gushed, and gushed for about two weeks. The sap was so beautiful and pristine this year. It was the best sap we’ve had. It made amazing, light syrup.”

Jacobson said that at least 60% of syrup entered for judging at the Annual Meeting of the MN Maple Producers Association was grade A, light amber, the highest quality in maple syrup ranking.

But could there be too much of a good thing? Jacobson and Morrison both assured me that producers won’t have any trouble selling their syrup.

“In Minnesota, most syrup producers sell out of everything they make, which is about 20-30,000 gallons annually,” said Jacobson.

Morrison echoed that sentiment, saying, “We’re pretty sure that we’ll be able to sell it all.”

Grade A, light amber syrup is sometimes called “fancy” syrup, and it’s highly sought after by in-the-know syrup fans. Available at local co-ops, farmers' markets, and specialty shops around the state, look for a bottle of maple syrup made in Minnesota, and top your flapjacks with some record-breaking syrup this summer!

Cross posted from: Record-Breaking Year Brings Sweet Smiles for MN Syrup Producers - Twin Cities Taste - June 2013 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

MN Breakfast on the Farm Events for 2013

With Dairy Month, county fairs, and budding farm fields all around the corner, several Minnesota farms are preparing for their county’s annual “Breakfast on the Farm” event.

Breakfast on the Farm events feature select farms, menus chock full of hearty local breakfast fare, activities, and more. Because each individual county organizes their respective breakfast event, the date, location, price, and other details vary by county.

Here's a quick breakdown of what's coming, and where:

Clay County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, June 1, 2013, 7 a.m.-Noon
Western MN Steam Threshers Grounds, Rollag, Minn.
Groetsch Dairy, Albany, Minn.
Greg and Sue Harguth Farm, 31723 State Hwy 13, Waseca, Minn.
Goldview Farms, Waverly, Minn.
Jim and Connie Sathre Farm, Adams, Minn.
Dan and Rosie Middendorf Farm, Verndale, Minn.
Ed and Sherri Twohey Farm, Stewartville, Minn.
4-H Food Stand, Cass County Fairgrounds, Pine River, Minn.
Autumnwood Farm, Forest Lake, Minn.
Beltrami County Fairgrounds, Bemidji, Minn.
DuWayne and Laura Holm Farm, Shevlin, Minn.
Perry Meyer and Jason Enter Farm, New Ulm, Minn.
Rice County Fairgrounds, Faribault, Minn.

Cost: Free
Menu: Scrambled eggs, pancakes, strawberries, breakfast sausage, coffee, milk, and ice cream
Activities: Kids pedal tractor pull, farm commodity booths, farm animal zoo, spring planting, barrel train rides, horse drawn wagon rides, tractor wagon rides, merry-go-round, and entertainment

Stearns County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, June 1, 2013, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Cost: Adults $5, children 5 and under free
Menu: Pancakes, eggs, sausage, milk, and coffee
Activities: Farm tours, children’s barnyard, Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Vikings cheerleaders, live radio broadcasts, educational booths, and ice cream cones

Waseca County “Breakfast” on the Farm
Thursday, June 6, 2013, 4-8 p.m.
Cost: Free
Menu: Hamburgers and pork burgers
Activities: Magician, DJ Grain Simmons, kids activities, farm tours, and information booths

Wright County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, June 15, 2013, 7 a.m.-1 p.m.
Cost: Adults $3, children 5 and under free
Menu: Chris Cakes pancakes, sausage, milk, and coffee
Activities: Farm tour, cheese and ice cream samples, wagon rides, educational agriculture booths, petting zoo

Mower County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, June 22, 2013 7:30-11:30 a.m.
Cost: Adults $3, children 6 and under free
Menu: Chris Cakes pancakes, sausage, coffee, orange juice, and milk
Activities: Farm equipment on display, farm safety display, organization displays, horse wagon rides, and kiddie barnyard

Wadena County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, June 22, 2013 8am-Noon
Cost: Farmer’s share or free will offering
Menu: Pancakes, sausage, strawberries, ice cream, coffee and milk

Olmsted County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, June 29, 2013, 6:30-11:30 a.m.
Take the bus from the Olmsted County Fairgrounds. Bus ride is free providing at least one member of your party is wearing a $5 Rochesterfest Button.
Cost: Adults $6, children 5-12 $3, under 5 free
Menu: Chris Cakes pancakes, sausage, milk juice, cheese, and coffee
Activities: Horse-drawn wagon rides, free petting zoo, educational agricultural displays, and exhibits

Cass County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, June 29, 2013, 9-11 a.m.
Cost: Farmers share

Washington-Ramsey County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, June 29, 2013, 1-4 p.m.
Cost: Free
Menu: Lunch while supplies last
Activities: Farm tours, product samples, and farm animals

Beltrami County Breakfast on the Farm
Sunday, June 30, 2013, 8:30 a.m.-Noon
Cost: $5 suggested donation (100% of proceeds will go to agricultural youth programs via 4-H and FFA)
Menu: Pancakes, ice cream, strawberries, sausage, ham, coffee, and milk
Activities: Wagon rides, animal exhibits, and informational booth

Clearwater County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, July 6, 2013, 7-11 a.m.
Cost: Free
Menu: Pancakes, strawberries, whipped cream, sausage, coffee, and milk
Activities: Farm activities and agricultural educational sessions

Nicollet/Brown County Breakfast on the Farm
Saturday, July 13, 2013, 7-10:30 a.m.
Menu: Pancakes, eggs, sausage, milk, and coffee

Rice County Breakfast on the Farm
Wednesday, July 17, 2013, 7:30-9 a.m.
Cost: Free to first 175 people
Menu: Eggs, sausage, fruit, rolls, coffee, orange juice

The cost for some breakfasts is listed as “farmer’s share.” Pam Dahlman, public relations staff at the MN Farm Bureau, explained that this pricing strategy brings attention to how much a farmer or rancher earns per dollar spent on food. The price at those events will be adjusted according to the current market’s farmer’s share, or 16%.

“Currently, farmers and ranchers receive $.16 on average for every food dollar that consumers spend on food,” explained Dahlman. “It shows that there are a lot of different factors that go into the price of food.”

Check the MN Farm Bureau website for event updates and more information, including driving directions.

Cross-posted from Breakfast on the Farm - Twin Cities Taste - May 2013 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Youth Farm Springfest Set for May 9th

Youth Farm Springfest is set for 5-8pm, May 9, 2013 at Summit Brewery.

The event will feature food prepared by Alex Roberts and other Twin Cities' chefs.

"Guests will eat, drink, and make merry, all while supporting Youth Farm and Market Project," said Aimee Tritt, a food runner at Youth Farm and Market.

The participating restaurants/businesses boasts an impressive lineup:

• Brasa Premium Rotisserie 
• Restaurant Alma 
• Lucia's 
• Salty Tart 
• Bryant Lake Bowl 
• Birchwood Cafe 
• Joia Soda 
• Sen Yai Sen Lek 
• Tilia 
• Common Roots Cafe 
• Solera Summit Brewery 

The VIP Experience is $75 and includes a private brewery tour starting at 5pm sharp followed by an exclusive tasting and conversation with Alex Roberts. Then VIPs will join the main event from 6 to 8pm to sample a selection of food.

Tickets to the main event are $50. Main event guests will sample a selection of food from 6 to 8pm.

All food and one pint of Summit beer are included in the ticket prices. Additional pints will be available for $2. Buy tickets online at http://youthfarmspringfest2013-es2005.eventbrite.com/?rank=1#

All proceeds support Youth Farm and Market Project’s efforts to build young leaders, promote healthy bodies and minds, contribute to the positive identity of children and youth, create neighborhood connectedness, and develop and nurture healthy relationships.

 [where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

The Debut of the Wisconsin Artisan Cheesemaker Guild

Jeanne Carpenter of the popular cheese blog Cheese Underground has announced the formation of a new Wisconsin Artisan Cheesemaker Guild.

Wisconsin is the most prolific cheese producing state in the United States, making as many as 600 different varieties of cheese; it has more licensed cheesemakers than any other U.S. state, to boot. So it didn’t come as a surprise when I received the news.

Similar to other state cheese guilds, The Wisconsin Artisan Cheesemaker Guild is a member-based organization offering networking and educational opportunities for beginning and current artisan and farmstead cheesemakers in Wisconsin. With two workshops already scheduled this summer, they’re moving full steam ahead.

Carpenter recently shared all sorts of details about the new guild, which is meant to be a sister organization toWisconsin Cheese Originals, a 200-member group catering to cheese education for consumers. Together, both organizations celebrate Wisconsin artisan and farmstead cheesemakers.

The Wisconsin Artisan Cheesemaker Guild currently has 28 members and is open to beginning or current artisan or farmstead cheesemakers within the state of Wisconsin (associate memberships for retailers may be added in the future, Carpenter said, so stay tuned). Guild members pay an annual fee of $150 per company, and all employees of member companies are invited to attend or participate in all activities. Some specific educational workshops or tours have additional fees to help cover expenses; you can stay abreast of that info and all events at wicheeseguild.com.

"The guild is an opportunity for smaller cheese companies to gain access to more information about cheese aging, new cheesemaking styles, and to visit other cheesemakers in Wisconsin and abroad to expand their knowledge," Carpenter said. She plans to organize at least two educational workshops and two membership meetings per year.

The Wisconsin Specialty Cheese Institute (WSCI) is helping facilitate that by sponsoring the guild for the first two years. In fact, all guild members become WSCI members and gain access to WSCI programming and benefits, so only new guild members who are not already WSCI members need pay the $150 guild membership fee. Current WSCI members who are also artisan or farmstead cheesemakers are encouraged to join the guild in order to be invited to all events.

Cross posted from: The Debut of the Wisconsin Artisan Cheesemaker Guild - Twin Cities Taste - April 2013 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Celebrate Earth Day: Grow Your Own Celery with Celery Scraps

It's Earth Day! Let's grow celery using kitchen scraps!

I stumbled across a tip for growing celery that sparked my interest a few weeks ago.
The tip said you could stick your scrap celery stalk in some soil and grow more celery.

So I decided to conduct my own experiment to see if it would actually work, and so far....SUCCESS.
I am growing celery from kitchen scraps. BOOM.

The Method

1. Get your mitts on a celery stalk stub.
2. Set the stub in a dish of water, with the bottom of the stub pointing downwards. Let it sit for 24-48 hours.
3. Transfer the stub to a pot with soil and/or compost.
4. Water well for the first week.
5. Water routinely. Watch your celery grow.

Here's mine, so far!

Grow celery from a celery stalk stub. Photo by Marie Flanagan.

I also read that you can do similar plantings with ginger root, garlic, sweet potatoes, and green onions, but I haven't tried those yet.

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Get Ready, Set...Twin Cities Farmers' Market Season Starts Soon

Mark your calendars and pack your reusable grocery bags. In spite of the snow on the ground, farmers markets around the Twin Cities are gearing up for season openers in the coming weeks!

Prepare to stroll through outdoor markets as you sample and/or purchase fresh produce, plants, baked goods, cheese, meat, honey, maple syrup, confections, soap, crafts, and more. Take some time to talk with the vendors to learn more about their products and what makes them special. In addition to goods to take home, most markets have vendors and/or food trucks with food and drinks, as well as live music and activities for kids. Make the most of your visit by checking out the markets’ websites to see what’s happening on any given weekend.

Here are some of the opening dates for Twin Cities farmers markets:

• Nicollet Mall Farmers Market – April 25, 2013
• North Lyndale Minneapolis Farmers Market – April 27, 2013
• St. Paul Farmers Market - Downtown - April 27, 2013
• Midtown Minneapolis Farmers Market – May 4, 2013
• Mill City Farmers Market – May 11, 2013
• Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market – May 11, 2013
• Fulton Farmers Market – May 18, 2013
• Kingfield Farmers Market – May 19, 2013
• Apple Valley Farmers Market – June 1, 2013
• Linden Hills Farmers Market – June 2, 2013 
• Minnesota Zoo Farmers Market - June 13, 2013
• Burnsville Farmers Market – June 15, 2013
• Lakeville Farmers Market – June 22, 2013

More market tips and tricks:

• Avoid the crowds by going early.
• Get the best deals by going late.
• Wear sensible shoes and sunscreen.
• Pack a water bottle.
• Bring reusable bags.
• Bring cash, preferably small bills.
• Talk to the vendors, but don’t monopolize their time. If you have a lot of questions, ask if you can contact them during the week.

Let the countdown begin!

Cross posted from: Get Ready, Set...Twin Cities Farmers' Market Season Starts Soon - Twin Cities Taste - April 2013 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Farmers Markets, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]