Seattle's Early Summer Teaser and The Schaub's Plans

Summer seemed to arrive in May, and the farmers markets started to fill up. Tiny's Organic is a regular attendee of the Pike Place Market farmers market, and Josh kindly modeled the great customer service one can receive from them. They sell fruit from all over Washington as well as fruit smoothies and fruit preserves. 

May is a significant month for the Schaub family, and we are developing some new traditions. First, we kicked off the month by celebrating Matt's birthday with 20 of his closest friends. We went to our first Sounders game, and I think the fan bug has bitten. We might try become committed fans! 

We enjoyed dinner at the Elysian Brewery on Capitol Hill and then went to some dive bar for drinks. It was a fun day! 

In May, we also remembered Nathan, Josh and Matt's eldest brother. Bill and Carol brought a beautifully framed collage of pictures and some significant items of his. It was a nice family day to remember loved ones and to reflect on the fragility and value of life.  

May also brought about the Cheese Festival, which is any cheese-lovers dream. Cheese companies including Organic Valley and Cypress Grove were represented, and the best part was the sheer volume of cheese samples! We had to stand in some pretty long lines to taste the cheese, and we only lasted for two-and-a-half cheese booths. I also had a chance to see Chef Daisley Gordon prepare Pommes Aligot, a cheese and potato dish that defies the simplicity of the title. Exquisite. 

School is almost over; the final exam is June 15th. I am teaching a summer session at PCC, but Seattle Community College is almost done. It hasn't really felt like summer, since the weather has gone back and forth between party sunny days and rain. 

In addition to working at REI, Joshua has started volunteering with Outdoors for All. This seems to be a great way to pair his problem-solving skills and therapy knowledge with his love for the outdoors and recreation. The organization works to help disabled individuals get out and enjoy outdoor recreation within their means.  

I am writing like a maniac for Demand Studios. I am also working on my blog, Peas on Moss, and have been recently approved for writing as an Examiner.  More details are available on Peas.  I still hope to attend culinary school this fall and get the official knowledge needed for some career and business ideas I have.  

Day by Day Gourmet has shuttered its doors for the time being, though Graham has shared that he believes an idea of replacing quick dinners with wholesome, easily prepared meals is still one that will sell. He has encouraged me to look towards some other projects for the time being, and the experience and learning I've gained from the project has helped develop my interest in R&D in nutritional products. 

We have also begun looking towards a mission trip in Hong Kong, so details might be coming for that, soon. Before we "settle" down and start our own family, we thought it would be wonderful to give back to the organization and vision that helped make it possible for children to be adopted or for pregnant mothers to develop the abilities to raise healthy, loved children. 

Seattle Farmer's Markets

This summer has been a time to really absorb all the great sights and sounds of the agricultural community of Seattle. Entrepreneurs in Washington are like those in Colorado - passionate, knowledgeable, and resolute. The support of the farmers is equally passionate. I couldn't help but be thrilled by the things I saw. Here is a summary of them.

The best way to take advantage of the market is to get to know the marketeer from whom you are buying your food. They will definitely know a way or two to prepare the items you're buying. An easy way to enjoy the items are you are sampling is to simply eat it raw (where appropriate) or roasted with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. It gives you a chance to sample the items most cleanly.

Last Days of Summer

Seattle has been mindboggling for me, and I have tried to thoroughly take advantage of the great summer that we've had here. The Pike Place Market has long held a dear place in my heart, and the different merchants and artisans have not failed to disappoint. Selected images of my daily wonder are offered here to tantalize your imaginations. If you haven't yet visited the Market, you really must plan a trip next summer. The variety of food, the talented musicians, and the wonderful people you meet are sure to dazzle. I thought that working in/around Seattle would diminish its fabled glory for me, but it has only increased my fascination and amusement. More to come...

Elaine and Jesse invited us to go to Herron Island with them, and I had my first taste of digging for clams and mussels (pictured above) and swinging on a tire swing! The swing extended out over the receded tide and threatened to throw you to the sea, but I survived! I know, I'm so brave. The mussels were extremely delicious, and we enjoyed a pasta dish suited for kings! Or average Washington transplants who spent the early morning diging up the clams...

Matthew and Brittany were wed on Aug 29th, and Carol and I ventured to the Des Moines Farmer's Market to check out flowers to decorate the chapel. The flowers in Seattle are just stunning. Here's a snapshot of a typical bouquet sold at any market for just $10-15 depending on the vendor. Colorado, sorry to say, cannot rival the bouquets here. The wedding, in case you were curious, was absolutely beautiful. Brittany's bridesmaids were adorned in darkish pink gowns, and Brittany's mermaid-inspired dress was one of the most classy designs I've seen. Matthew dressed his groomsmen in fancy tuxedos, and the wedding was a lovely ceremony at the Seattle University St. Ignatius Chapel. The reception at the Mayflower Hotel, in downtown Seattle, was enjoyable, and the dancing went almost to midnight. I would know, because I nursed blistered feet for days afterwards! But it was so worth it! Congratulations M&B!

We've been enjoying the summer with good friends and spiffy festivals. This giant Salmon graced the Ballard Seafood Fest. Steve and Michele graced us with our presence and patiently accompanied me to the adjacent farmer's market. What fun! I can't wait to see what other festivals have yet to happen and to return to the ones I missed!

Pictured below, I've been assisting with the culinary development of the World Cafe in Puyallup (http://www.worldcafes.net/). This is the cafe side of Day by Day Gourmet, a company based on the idea that convenient food can be mostly prepared at home and meet the nutritional restrictions to have a healthy impact on your life. The affordable dinners are packaged in sets of 12 and can be portioned from 1-6 servings. Go to www.daybydaygourmet.com to get more information about those. The World Cafe provides tasty and non-indulgent breakfasts and lunches, and I've had my fingers in most of the second draft of these recipes.

We're going to be at the Puyallup Fair three times doing cooking demonstrations, featuring the Day by Day Gourmet dinners and providing copies of our World Cafe menu. If you're in the area, please stop by. We'll be there 9/19 @ 6:00, 9/23 @ 3:30, and 9/26 @ 10:30. We can be found at the Pavilian/Home Arts building on the second floor. We'll have food to sample as well!

In my work to continue the development of Day by Day Gourmet dinners, I frequently test the recipes and the cooking instructions on different people. Bill, my father-in-law, is an excellent tester for the work, because he is detailed and doesn't attempt to assume what the instructions meant to say. Here he prepares the Gold Medal Apple BBQ Chicken. Brittany is advising him.

Pesto - Enjoying Nature's Bounty Creatively

What a great time of year the summer is! Farmer's markets allow the consumer – that's you and me – to meet the farmers and ranchers who work so hard to raise delicious, healthy food for us. The Pike Place Market is a central location for producers and buyers to sell and find amazing products from all over the state. Artists, Farmers, Businesspeople, and Performers gather each day to share in the abundance of our region, and you will have the pleasure of finding plenty of tasty and novel fruits and vegetables to bring home. If you're like me, you might like to explore a new food but might be unsure of how to prepare the item. Well, don't let that prevent you from purchasing the item. It's easy to find ways to use those ingredients. The best way to get to know a new food is to ask the farmer who is selling it. How does he or she prepare it at home? What are some tricks the farmer has learned? Another way is to check a website for recipes using those ingredients, such as http://www.allrecipes.com/ or other community-based recipe sharing websites. But, to save you some time, here is a sure-fire way to use ingredients.

Pesto Sauce can help you use basil, tomatoes, cheese, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, corn, and homemade pasta. The only foods that would taste odd with pesto sauce would be fruit like peaches. Adjust the ratios of the ingredients to emphasize a flavor, as you desire. Spinach can be used in place of some of the basil, and walnuts can be used to replace the pine nuts, if desired. The oil amount is optional, because it's meant to make the sauce spreadable. Chicken stock can be substituted for half of the oil to control the fat content, but omit the salt if you use it.

Simple Pesto (based on recipe from Pampered Chef)

1 cup lightly packed fresh basil

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1 oz grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1/8 tsp sea salt, optional

1. 
   

   Place the garlic and pine nuts in the bottom of the food processor. Loosely tear half of the basil and add to the garlic and pine nuts.

   
   
2. 
   

   Pulse the food processor until the garlic has been minced. Add the remaining basil, loosely torn, and the Parmesan cheese. Pulse until all ingredients are chopped.

   
   
3. 
   

   Using the small feed tube in the top of the food processor, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, pulsing while you blend. Pour in just enough oil to make a paste. The pesto sauce should be thick but definitely spreadable. Taste it for flavor and adjust ingredient ratios, if needed. It should taste bright, zippy, and fresh. Add a dash of salt, if you desire.

   
   
4. 
   

   If you're not using all of the pesto sauce right away, it can be stored in a tightly-sealed container for 3 days in the refrigerator. For longer storage, you can divide it up into small zipper bags and freeze it.

Frittata ala Pueblo

Who doesn’t love some ease and flexibility for home-cooked meals? Frittatas offer both, making this recipe unique each time you bake it. Frittatas are my lazy weekend morning meals, when I don't feel like babysitting an omelet pan but still crave an egg teaming with vegetables. This satisfying, easily prepared meal offers great health benefits too.
Locally grown eggs are available all year, so you can shop and eat local organic even before all the vegetables make it to the farmers markets in July. Organic eggs are available from several local farms, including Larga Vista Ranch and Country Roots Farm, and the benefits of selecting organically grown eggs have now been supported with scientific data. Eggs may improve the health of your eyes, providing antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin (Egg Industry Insider 2006), and the winning combination of protein and fat help to keep your stomach satisfied for hours. Better yet, pasture-raised chicken eggs contain less cholesterol and saturated fat and more vitamin A, vitamin E, beta carotene and omega-3 fatty acids than their conventionally-grown counterparts (Mother Earth News 2007).
The Organic Processing Magazine (2008) reviewed studies that revealed that both organic dairy and meat have higher levels of conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) when compared to conventionally raised animals. These levels were due to the differences in the animals' diets. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that CLAs help to reduce the body fat mass in healthy overweight individuals (June 2004). According to the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, CLAs also help reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease (August 2004).
Eggs are often accused of raising cholesterol, which can be the case for those with higher cholesterol. The recommended daily cholesterol limit is 200-250 mg, which is roughly one egg yolk. The egg yolk provides roughly 75% of the calories and all of the cholesterol, so if you want to limit your intake, use more egg whites than whole eggs. Be sure to include some of the egg yolk on occasion, because the bright yellow-orange color provides the riboflavin and the helpful CLAs. *
I usually make these meals at the end of the week to use up the vegetables I have prepared during the previous days for different meals. Having the vegetables already chopped makes this meal a snap to prepare. You will want to use an oven-safe skillet, preferably nonstick (but watch out for flaking Teflon, which is not good for you). You can also substitute other vegetables or meat (or not) for the vegetables and ham, as you desire, based on what’s available and looks good. Check with the local farmers to see which vegetables are freshest the day you go to the market. If you can find fresh goat cheese, it’s a great substitute for the Parmesan cheese. For some bright flavor, add 1-2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs (try basil, thyme or tarragon) when you add the cheese.
When you serve this with a side of fruit, and toasted whole-grain bread, you have one hearty, delicious breakfast.
Frittata (baked omelet)
Serves 6
1 bunch fresh asparagus, ends snapped off and trimmed to 2” pieces
½ jar (8oz) roasted bell peppers, drained, cut into 1½-inch squares
1 slice (3oz) thick-cut ham, diced (or 6 slices Canadian bacon, diced)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Medium onion, diced
6 mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 green chili, seeded, cleaned and diced
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
6 large eggs
3 tablespoons softened cream cheese
¼ cup milk
½ to 1 cup shredded cheese (Parmesan is nutty and sharp, and Cheddar melts nicely)
During the week before, slice vegetables, and place in zipper bag. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine softened cream cheese and milk. Scramble eggs in a medium bowl and add salt and pepper (a good dash each). Whip together the eggs with the milk/cream cheese mixture. On the stovetop, preheat a 10” oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter. Sauté the onion and garlic. Add the rest of the vegetables and the ham. Sauté about 3 minutes. Pour eggs over vegetables. Place skillet in oven and bake about 15 minutes, until eggs are just about set and slightly shiny. Remove skillet from oven—be careful, because the handle will be hot. Sprinkle shredded cheese over eggs and return pan to oven. Bake until cheese melts and bubbles, about 5 more minutes. Serve by sliding frittata onto larger plate and slicing like pie.

Local Farms around Pueblo (2009)
Larga Vista Ranch 719-947-0982
Country Roots Farm 719-948-2206

* The debate about egg yolk cholesterol is on-going. Generally, an egg or two per day won't hurt you, and if you enjoy this breakfast on a few weekends in a month, you probably won't have to worry. This is especially the case for those with normal blood cholesterol and those who do not consume foods that naturally contain cholesterol - any animal product. Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon suggests that dietary cholesterol does not have as direct an impact on blood cholesterol. These opinions still need to be backed by more studies. One of my friends removes one tablespoon of egg yolk per egg by dipping soup spoon into the yolk prior to scrambling them. I believe that a little bit of yolk is still beneficial to provide the CLAs, riboflavin, etc.