Cayenne Peppers

We strung bundles of cayenne peppers to keep the kitchen colorful and our CSA members warmed this winter. Our members should hang them to finish drying and then use them as you see fit. You can crush them and use them as hot chili flakes, include them in a pickling recipe for added bite(I like to do this) or hit the internet for other ideas. There are many health claims out there about the curing powers of cayenne but you'll have to do further research on this.

Here's an interesting recipe with good reviews for Fettucine with red peppers and cayenne sauce.

Wild Geese

Hundreds of flocks of geese have flown over our place this week. Since we here everything though the walls of this little yurt, I feel even more connected to their seasonal presence than I have in the past. So, of course, it reminded me of a poem I love so much. Happy Autumn to you!

Wild Geese
by Mary Oliver


You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting —
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

from Dream Work by Mary Oliver
published by Atlantic Monthly Press
© Mary Oliver

Shelling Bean Ideas

Shelling Bean Salad...easy one...

New York Times Shelling Bean Recipe

Wild Sodas and Winter Spirits Class

In just a few weeks I'll be teaching a class for a local company called TrackersNW. It was so much fun when I taught it two Autumns ago, and this time I'm adding two extra elements: wine & sodas. Below is the full text from the website. If you're interested in signing up, click on the link above and it will take you to the page you need.

"Join June Rzendzian for an afternoon of sipping and creating wild-crafted beverages the whole family can enjoy. You’ll be guided through the basics of wine-making, berry soda and cordial-concocting, plus experimenting with some holiday classics.

June’s classes are designed to be fun, hands on and scientifically informative, preparing students to practice in their own kitchens with an understanding of the dynamics of each process. She also chooses recipes that suit the spectrum of patience levels, from drinks ready to enjoy the same day to wines reaching full maturity in a year or two. Come prepared to be gift inspired for the winter holidays!"

Pumpkin Streusel Recipe from Octoberfest

Pumpkin Pie with Ginger Streusel
I received a few requests for this recipe the other night. Please note the following changes...I baked it in a long baking dish, doubled the recipe and didn't use candied or powdered ginger. Instead I used about one teaspoon of fresh and finely grated ginger in the topping because it's all I had on hand. I bet it would be even better with the other two gingers but I didn't have them on hand. The ginger taste was very mild.

Octoberfest II

Octoberfest II has come and gone, leaving me deeply satisfied. It was a small, more intimate group thant last year...a perfect 35 or so friends, family and acquaintances. The Stumptown Jug Thumpers entertained us for a second year in a row and I must say they do a mighty fine rendition of G&R's Paradise City.






So many times during the evening, I stood back and breathed a deep breath as I watched so many people I care about lost in conversation and laughter, or raving about the amazing meals people brought with them, or singing songs that harkened back to our teens. Eleven folks spent the coldest night of the year(went down to 31º last night) in their tents or bivy sacks. It all ended this morning with cold and frosted overnighters straggling into our toasty yurt for coffee, breakfast and more conversation.

Dial F for Fish

I've stood in front of a fish counter at my local grocery store many times and wondered what I should choose. Is this fish over-harvested? What about mercury levels? Is this a safely farm-raised fish or should I avoid it? So many environmental factors weighing in on the decision. Usually, I feel good about the information that my favorite store, New Seasons, provides but sometimes I choose to avoid fish altogether because I'm just not sure.

Well, there a new nifty tool for folks who run into this and it's called the Blue Ocean Fishphone. It's a handy cellphone tool that allows you to text a number with the name of your fish and you'll receive an immediate response. Tonight, I texted their #: 30644 with "Fish Chinook Salmon" and received the following response in two parts:

"farmed salmon (RED) significant environmental concerns; US west coast (YELLOW) some evn concerns; Alaska (GREEN) very few env concerns. MSC certified as Sustainable."

You could argue that folks should stop eating Chinook salmon all together under the current circumstances so that Alaska doesn't become over-fished as well. However, the Marine Stewardship Council considers sustainability of the fishing industry too. We'll have to see how it plays out and in the meantime use the FishPhone to help us vote with our dollars.

Asian Greens Recipes for Cold Season

Autumn is upon us and word on the street(not to mention in the media, if you choose to believe it) is that it's going to be a brutal cold and flu season. What I've heard from a teacher in one of Portland's High Schools, is that it's already a serious one for their students.

Cold season and our burgeoning bed of Tatsoi and Dwarf Pak Choi have inspired the following recipes. If you're not a ginger lover then these recipes may leave you a bit disappointed.

Young Pak Choi with Ginger and Garlic
This site guides you through working with Pak Choi, things to consider when storing, etc...

Hot Pak Choi Salad with Ginger and Sesame Dressing

Chilled Sesame Ginger Tatsoi

Thai Style Steamed Fish
Please see my previous blog on "Dial F for Fish" to find out what fish the Marine Stewardship Council deems environmentally responsible. It's a nifty cell texting tool that you can use while standing in front of your local grocery fish counter.