Ready, Set, Sow

Ready, Set, Sow - Dara & Co. - March 2011 - Minnesota

The arrival of my seed order last week was comparable to Christmas at our house this year. My excitement was extreme, so much so that I could barely open the package. With my hands shaking in anticipation, I carefully sifted through the packets, daydreaming about a bumper crop of dill and green beans.

Last spring, on the Dara & Co blog, I covered the basics of sowing heirloom seeds, why they’re important, and where to obtain them. I still stand by what I said a year ago. Aside from the charm, the world of heirloom growing is still fascinating. It's exciting to be growing flowers, vegetables, and herbs that contribute to biodiversity.

Perhaps one of my most interesting “finds” this spring is the Monticello Kitchen Garden Sampler—White House Edition seed collection. Inspired by the new Thomas Jefferson garden at the White House, this seed sampler gives you a chance to plant seeds that are growing in the White House garden, and were among Jefferson’s favorites from his original kitchen garden, including: Tennis-ball Lettuce, Prickly-seeded Spinach, Red Calico Lima Beans, Sesame, Globe Artichoke, and Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage.

Ordering heirloom seeds online from Monticello or Seed Savers is a breeze these days, but perhaps you’d like to support a local business or talk shop with other local gardeners. There are several shops throughout Minnesota that are seed rack locations for Seed Savers, a non-profit organization of gardeners dedicated to saving and sharing heirloom seeds. Seed Savers’ seed packets available at local shops give you the basic information you need in order to plant and grow everything from rows of heirloom tomatoes to rainbows of snapdragons.

Check out this list of Seed Savers seed rack locations in Minnesota

Albert Lea Seed House 1414 West Main St. Albert Lea, MN 56007 Phone: (800) 352-5247 Cook Country Coop 20 East First St. PO Box 1433 Grand Marais, MN 55604 Phone: (218) 387-2503 Seward Coop 2823 E Franklin Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55406 Phone: (612) 338-2465 Moms Food Co-op 122 N Buchanan St. Cambridge, MN 55008 East Side Food Co-op 2551 Central Ave. NE Minneapolis, MN 55418 Phone: (612) 788-0950 Mississippi Market 1500 W. 7th St. St. Paul, MN 55102 Phone: (651) 690-0507 Bluff County Co-op 121 W. 2nd St. Winona, MN 55987 Phone: (507) 452-1815 Bob & Judy's Farm Market 18366 County Road 14 Big Lake, MN 55309 Phone: (763) 263-1171 Linden Hills Co-op 3815 Sunnyside Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55410 Phone: (612) 922-1159 Sailers Greenhouse 17011 Sunset Ave. Shakopee, MN 55379 Phone: (952) 403-0630 Mississippi Market 1810 Randolph Ave. Saint Paul, MN 55105 Mother Earth Gardens 3738 42nd Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN 55406 Phone: (612) 724-2296 Drummers Garden Center 281 Saint Andrews Dr. Mankato, MN 56001 Phone: (507)388-4877 Linders Garden Center 270 W. Larpenteur Ave. Saint Paul, MN 55113 Phone: (651) 488-1927 Hillside Greenhouse 1934 4th Ave. Windom, MN 56101 Phone: (507) 832-8300 Rainbow Food Coop 103 S. Main St. Blue Earth, MN 56013 Phone: (507) 526-3603

Abrahamson Nurseries 20021 St. Croix Trail N. Scandia, MN 55073 Phone: (651) 433-2431 Amelia's Flower & Garden Shoppe 910 W 36th St. Minneapolis, MN 55408 Phone: (612) 208-1205 Eggplant Urban Farm Supply 1771 Selby Ave. Saint Paul, MN 55104 Phone: (651) 645-0818 Greenwood Plants 6904 NW 18th Ave. Rochester, MN 55901 Phone: (507) 282-1988 Delano True Value 1005 Crossings Dr. Delano, MN 55328 Phone: (763) 972-7272 Natures Nest Farm 5412 Brighton Ave. SE Montrose, MN 55363 Phone: (612) 759-1478 Just Food Coop 516 S Water St. Northfield, MN 55057 Phone: (507) 645-7415 University of MN Lanscape Arboritum 3685 Arboretum Dr. Chaska, MN 55318 Phone: (952) 443-1403 Mazopiya 2571 Credit Union Dr. Prior Lake, MN 55372 Phone: (952)233-9142 Kingsley Mercantile 2 Main Ave. N. Harmony, MN 55939 Phone: (507)886-2323

Need a little information about how to sow your seeds once you have them? The University of Minnesota Extension Service has loads of information that will help you sow your seeds inside. Have some great tips for sowing seeds in a drafty Minnesota kitchen or living room? Please share!

Lent: ‘Tis the Season for Friday Night Fish Fries

Lent: ‘Tis the Season for Friday Night Fish Fries - Dara & Co. - March 2011 - Minnesota

Lent starts today, Ash Wednesday, the 9th of March, and will continue for 46 days until Saturday, the 23rd of April. I was raised Catholic, and for us Lent meant, among other rituals, abstaining from meat from mammals and fowl on Ash Wednesday and every Friday for the duration of Lent. Fridays during Lent, then, became a reason for Catholics to eat fish, and therefore, a reason to eat fish together at an event we called the Friday night fish fry.

As a kid, a Lenten Friday night fish fry was something special. We partook perhaps once per season, and the rest of the time we ate grilled cheese at home on Friday nights. On those special Lenten Friday nights, I waited in line behind my dad for my piece of fried Perch, a slice of buttered rye bread, and a dollop of cole slaw. As we bowed our heads in prayer, I would sneak a peek at my lovely fillet of perch and remind myself to track down some tartar sauce just as soon as my mom said, “Amen.”

So today’s blog post is devoted to Friday night fish frys. Several Twin Cities restaurants serve up solid fish frys. My favorites that are serving up crispy, sizzling, sustainably harvested fried fish include the Wild Alaskan Cod at Anchor Fish & Chips, the Blue Gill or Smelt at Red Stag Supperclub, and the Canadian Walleye at Cafe Twenty–Eight.

An experience that’s steeped in tradition, however, is waiting in line for a fish fry at a Knights of Columbus Hall, VFW Hall, or Catholic Church, so here’s my big list of Twin Cities hall and church Friday night fish fries:

* Knights of Columbus Hall, Bloomington — All Fridays of Lent: 5–9 p.m. at 1114 American Blvd.
* South St. Paul VFW, St Paul – All Fridays of Lent: 111 Concord Exchange S.
* VFW in Richfield – All Fridays of Lent: 4:30–8:30 p.m. at 66th and Lyndale
* American Legion Post 259, Excelsior – All Fridays of Lent: 5–8 p.m. at 24450 Smithtown Road
* Holy Cross Church, NE Minneapolis – Six Fridays beginning March 11: 5–7 p.m. at 1630 NE. 4th St.
* Church of St. Albert the Great, Minneapolis – All Fridays of Lent: 4:30–7:30 p.m. at 2836 33rd Ave S.
* Epiphany, Coon Rapids — All Fridays of Lent: 4:30–7 p.m. at 1900 111th Ave. N.W.
* St. John the Baptist, Hugo — All Fridays of Lent: 5–8 p.m. at 14383 Forest Blvd. N.
* St. Peter, Forest Lake — All Fridays of Lent: 5–7 p.m. at 1250 South Shore Dr.
* St. Pascal Baylon, St. Paul — All Fridays of Lent: 4:30–7 p.m. at 1757 Conway St.
* St. Bernard, St. Paul — All Fridays of Lent: 4:30–7 p.m. at the corner of Rice Street and Geranium Ave.
* St. Matthew, St. Paul — All Fridays of Lent: 4:30–7:30 p.m. at 510 Hall Ave.
* St. Timothy, Blaine — March 4 and All Fridays of Lent: 7 p.m. at 707 89th Ave. N.E.
* Most Holy Trinity, St Louis Park – Some Fridays of Lent: 4017 Utica Avenue S.
* St. Patrick of Cedar Lake, Jordan — March 4: 5–8 p.m. at 24425 Old Hwy. 13 Blvd.
* St. Peter Catholic School, North St. Paul — March 11: 4–7 p.m. at 2620 N. Margaret St.
* Knights of Columbus Hall, Shakopee — March 11: 5–8 p.m. at 1760 Fourth Ave. E.
* St. Michael, Prior Lake – March 11: 5–8 p.m. at 16311 Duluth Ave. Menu includes macaroni and cheese.
* St. Bernard, Cologne — March 11: 3:30–8 p.m. at 300 Church St.
* Guardian Angels, Chaska — March 11: 4:30–7:30 p.m. at 215 W. Second St.
* St. Pius X, White Bear Lake — March 11: 4:30–7 p.m. at 3878 Highland Ave.
* Mary, Queen of Peace, Rogers — March 18: 5–7 p.m. at 21304 Church Ave.
* St. Anne, Hamel — March 18: 4:30–7 p.m. at 200 Hamel Road
* Knights of Columbus Hall, Shakopee — March 18: 5–8 p.m. at 1760 Fourth Ave. E.
* St. Peter Catholic School, North St. Paul — March 25, April 8 & 15: 4–7 p.m. at 2620 N. Margaret St.
* St. Jerome, Maplewood — April 15: 4:30–7 p.m. at 384 E. Roselawn

Did I miss one worth mentioning? If so, let us know below!

And just in case you’re not interested in eating fried fish, the Holy Family Maronite Church’s Lenten dinners will be fishless this year. A Lebanese meatless, fishless dinner will be served each week on Fridays during Lent from 5–7 p.m. at 1960 Lexington Avenue South, Mendota Heights. The menu includes deep–fried eggplant, flat bread, and Lebanese rice, among other items.

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

Evalon Named U.S. Champion Cheese

From Cheese Underground

A national panel of expert judges today named a Wisconsin goat’s milk cheese as the 2011 U.S. Championship Cheese.

Katie Hedrich, of LaClare Farms in Chilton, Wis., took top honors out of 1,604 entries from 30 states for her small-batch Evalon, a hard goat’s milk cheese made from the milk of her family farm's herd. Out of a possible 100 points, Evalon scored 99.06 in the final round of judging, during which judges re-evaluated all gold-winning cheeses to determine the champion.

Katie was pulling into the parking lot just as her name was announced. Her father, Larry Hedrich, called her at the same time. She said he told her to get inside, because there were going to be a lot of people interested in talking with her. "I told him I moving as fast as I can! I'm trying to find a place to park!"

Katie, pictured here giving an interview at the contest, is only 25 years old. She is one of the youngest cheesemakers to ever earn the U.S. Championship Cheese title, and is only the second woman in the history of the contest to claim the trophy. The first was Christine Farrell, of Old Chatham Sheepherding Company in New York, who won in 2001.

Meanwhile, back at the contest, Wisconsin cheesemakers were heartily celebrating, as the top three cheeses were all from America's Dairyland.

First runner-up in the contest, with a score of 98.97, was Parmesan, made by John Griffiths at Sartori in Plymouth. Second runner-up was Aged Gouda, made by Marieke Penterman at Holland’s Family Cheese, of Thorp, which scored 98.95. Marieke had three of her Goudas competing for the top spot in the final round.

Capturing the most gold medals was Wisconsin, with 42 of the total 76 categories judged. California came in second among the states, with nine golds. Vermont had five gold medals, Idaho had four golds, while New Jersey, New York and Ohio all took three. Oregon and Pennsylvania won two gold medals, and Kentucky, Michigan and Utah each captured one apiece.

The United States Championship Cheese Contest is the largest cheese and butter competition in the country and is rooted in more than 120 years of history, beginning when the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association held its first cheese contest in 1891. In recent years, the event has flourished, more than doubling in size since 2001. This year, more than 30,000 pounds of cheese were entered into the contest.


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

Joel Salatin Coming to Fergus Falls

Renowned sustainable farmer Joel Salatin will speak during afternoon and evening events at Minnesota State Community and Technical College - Fergus Falls on Thursday, March 3. The events, which are open to the public, are sponsored by the college’s Sustainable Food Production program and Communicating for Agriculture.

Salatin is the proprietor of Polyface Farm, a family-run beyond organic, local-market farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. His
farming practices are featured in “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” “Food Inc.” and “Fresh” and have earned him world-wide recognition as a leader in the local foods movement.

Salatin now shares his farming philosophy and methods through outreach events, presentations and publications. He is the author several celebrated books on food production, including “You Can Farm,” “Salad Bar Beef,” “Pastured Poultry Profits” and “Holy Cows and Hog Heaven.”

The March 3 program on the Fergus Falls campus includes:

1:30-3 p.m.: Salatin will explain the grass-based polyculture system he stewards at Polyface farm to produce high quality beef, pork, poultry, rabbit, eggs and lumber.

3 - 4:30 p.m.: A panel of farmers will discuss sustainable,nutrient-dense vegetable production.

6:30 p.m.: Salatin’s keynote address will the necessary components of a durable, local food system.

The presentations are open to the public for a $15 suggested donation. Proceeds will be used to fund scholarships for students in M State’s
Sustainable Food Production diploma program.

For more information on the March 3 events, contact Marci King at
218-736-1625 or marci.king@minnesota.edu.

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

Valentine’s Chocolates Done Right

Valentine’s Chocolates Done Right - Dara & Co. - February 2011 - Minnesota

I’m not a chocolate connoisseur, but I do like to nibble on a bit of chocolate, especially when it’s from my sweetheart on St. Valentine’s Day. Of course, I’d enjoy a bar from Rogue Chocolate, but I go bonkers for the intensely flavored and mind-blowingly rich truffles from Legacy Chocolates, made nearby in Menomonie, WI.

The owners of Legacy Chocolates, Mike and Cathy Roberts, are passionate about ingredients. You’ll find high quality local ingredients in their chocolate products, including cultured butter from Hope Creamery and fresh cream from Pride of Main Street Dairy in Sauk Centre. And the cocoa? Legacy uses chocolate made from the Criollo cacao bean produced by small-scale, sustainable farmers in South America.

Their truffles come in boxes of 6, 12, 24, or 48, and you can specify one cocoa intensity (41%, 68%, 85% or 99%), or create an assortment with a few of each. You can go for flavors if you want, such as raspberry or mint, which vary by season. My favorite is the smooth and singular cocoa flavor of their 99% double-chocolate truffle.

You might recognize the name Legacy Chocolates. They used to have a shop in Merriam Park, but that location closed. Their current shop is located in Menomonie, along Chippewa River in western Wisconsin, where they run a small farm complete with Scottish highland beef cattle. If you stop in their shop in Menomonie, you might even be able to order a sandwich made with beef from their farm.

Since there are no preservatives in Legacy Truffles, consume immediately, or refrigerate. And please, if you do refrigerate, allow them to come to room temperature before you dig in—like cheese, they’re better that way.

Legacy Chocolates
632 Broadway St. S.
Menomonie, WI 54751-2456
715-231-2580

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

Twin Cities Sustainability Film Series 2011

Sustainability Film Series 2011 is a collaborative series of films and panel discussions designed to generate awareness, conversation and debate around current issues in sustainability. The Series features local premieres of visionary documentary films that explore sustainability, followed by panel discussions comprised of leading academics, community leaders, and proactive citizens who present and exchange ideas and views on current and local trends in sustainability.

Sustainability Film Series 2011 is a collaborative, multi-venue project that represents a partnership between The Film Society of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, the Bell Museum, the Institute on the Environment (IonE), with support from the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) and Take-Up Productions.

The first film, Milking the Rhino, is Thursday, February 17 at 7pm at the Bell Museum.  

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

Strip Club Steak—Still Sizzling?

Crossposted: Strip Club Steak—Still Sizzling? - Dara & Co. - January 2011 - Minnesota

There’s a lot of talk around town about The Inn, the newest project from Tim Niver, Strip Club Meat and Fish’s principal, and the former Town Talk Diner’s partner. The Inn is receiving respectable reviews for a reason—it’s serving up good food and drinks. Town Talk Diner, on the other hand, changed hands and eventually closed its doors in January, so I was curious about the Strip Club and whether it was continuing to charm its patrons in the small dining room on a hill in St Paul.

A recent visit on a Saturday night squelched my curiosity. We had guests in town who wanted to try some grass-fed steaks, and who loved the Town Talk Diner back in the day, so I suggested the Strip Club. The restaurant serves up grass-fed, family farmed steaks in a brick storefront building with glass windows that offer a sparkling view of downtown St Paul.

They open for dinner service at 5 p.m. on Saturdays. We arrived for our reservation shortly after 5, and the dining room was already 30% full. We were greeted warmly by Nivers and award-winning bartender Dan Oskey, and by the time we ordered our drinks, the bar was full. By 6 p.m., the dining room was full and lively.

As for our cocktails and food, we were pleased. The brandy old fashioned sweet was sweet, spicy, and a bit fruity. The bacon bourbon Manhattan was made with bacon-infused bourbon, offering a subtle smoky flavor to the cocktail. The duck confit was meltingly tender inside, the skin was crisp and well seasoned, and it was served with greens, red onion, and tangy vinaigrette—it’s one of my favorite small plates in the Twin Cities. And the steaks? Why they’re still the beefy, peppery, juicy, grass-fed steaks they’ve been serving all along. They were seared on the outside and medium rare on the inside, as ordered, and were delivered with a large portion of tender, sautéed carrots on the side. And for dessert, French silk pie was on the menu and ordered—creamy, buttery, silky chocolate topped with whipped cream, perched on a layer of flaky pie crust.

Questions were answered, palettes were pleased, appetites were sated, and out-of-town guests were happy. The end.

The Strip Club Meat & Fish
378 Maria Ave., St. Paul
651-793-6247

[where: Minnesota, Food, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, 55418]