Eating Seasonally (and Locally)

Over the last few weeks Chef Dale Hawkins has trained me in a manner similar to that of Pavlov and his dogs. The UPS truck arrives in front of my house weekly and its driver ascends the stairs to my front porch. The folks at Fish Hawk Acres in Rock Cave, W.Va have been able to pack a cardboard box full of such delightful produce that I’ve come to salivate, figuratively, when the brown uniformed deliveryman rings my doorbell. Inside the cardboard box culinary treats, carefully selected for my enjoyment, wait to be turned into fresh and original dishes. My produce drawer is stuffed with sweet young carrots in shades of cream, orange and red, tender lettuces, baby spinach, delectable pea shoots, and French breakfast radishes, even shitake mushrooms grown in French Creek, W.Va., all transcend my meals to a whole new level of tastiness. With Chef Hawkin's recipes included in the box, I've created dishes such as Spinach and Shitake Salad with Citrus Dressing, Fresh Carrot, Feta, and Black Olive Salad, Asparagus Frittata, and even an Orange-Basil Mojito!  

In addition to the locally grown produce, I’ve come to look forward to the locally made products that are included, almost weekly, in my CSA box. Recently I have received Granola made with organic cranberries and West Virginia honey from The Crazy Baker located in Renick, W.Va. which I enjoyed for breakfast.

Pecan Pie Jelly by “The Stewed Tomato” that I used to top off a dish of vanilla ice cream, and West Virginia Maple Syrup processed and bottled for your enjoyment by Richter’s Maple House in Pickens, W.Va. that we used on the French Toast and Berries recipe found in the upcoming summer issue of WV Living Magazine.

I still have several weeks left of my Spring CSA and have already signed up for the early summer share. I’m discovering some

wonderful local food products and learning to eat seasonally. Fish Hawk Acres CSA has turned into one of my favorite adventures!

Stainless Shines

Stainless has been the trend in appliances for about two decades and according to WV Living Food’s latest poll, stainless is still the shining star in many kitchens indicating that 66% of readers appliances are stainless steel.

Kitchen appliances are a major investment and as someone who is considering investing in new kitchen appliances I wanted to know, does stainless have staying power? I decided to contact two of the states premiere kitchen dealers to ask them, what is the new stainless?

Joe at Mike’s Kitchen and Bath in Clarkburg maintains, “stainless steel is still the hottest color on the market, and it continues to be the trend.” He continues, "Our most popular brand of appliances are Thermador, Viking, and Jenn Air.”

Rob Stepp, president of Creative Kitchens in Charleston, Huntington, and Lewisburg echoes Joe’s sentiments maintaining, “I don’t see stainless leaving the scene anytime soon.” He did add however, “If you’re looking for the next big trend, it is not in a different color, but in a different type of cooking system. The magnetic induction cooking surfaces are the most dramatic change we’re seeing in cooking trends.”

And there you have it folks, it's not bronze or titanium , not even the awful olive green of your youth (well my youth anyway). Keep an eye on magnetic induction, coming to a kitchen near you!

Be sure to vote in our latest WV Living Food poll, "what is your favorite condiment?"

Happy Earth Day

Although you may not currently receive a CSA from Fish Hawk Acres, you can find many of the same ingredients listed in Chef Hawkins recipes at local farmers markets.  I’ve been anxiously awaiting the return of ours, which is just about ready to open for the season.  

Since it’s Earth Day, I thought I’d use the opportunity to provide information on the many wonderful farmers markets around our state.  It’s a great opportunity to help the environment, and by patronizing your local market you’re putting money back into the hands of the farmer, the local baker, and the small shop owner. 

If that doesn’t encourage you to check out your farmers market, let me appeal to your taste buds.  Have I mentioned how delicious fresh, local produce tastes?  Let me mention it.  Local produce is delicious, and far superior to the produce that has to be picked early so that it can be ripe by the time it makes its way to the grocery store. 

Of course it is not always possible to shop locally, especially in the winter months, but spring has sprung in West Virginia, go taste it!

Here is a great listing of West Virginia Farmers Markets.  If you know of one that is not listed on the link, feel free to leave a comment on this post or send an email to joy@wvlivingmagazine.com

 

Wet Your Whistle

This weekend I had the opportunity to try BranchWater, a bottled water tapped at  Minnehaha Springs in Pocahontas County, and I was really quite impressed.

At first, I have to admit,  I didn't quite get the hip flask design but when I saw my husband slip it into his back pocket while walking across the field to our son's soccer game, I had a big "aha" moment. It makes so much sense, and honestly, I was surprised one of the giant bottled water producers hadn't already thought of it. The bottle design alone is uncanny. It's sleek and compact and fits in a back or side pocket with ease. It seems great for a whole host of outdoor activities including hiking, biking, walking and even soccer games. Apparently I am not the only person who feels this way, the BranchWater folks just won a gold medal at the Berkley Springs International Water Competition for package design.

Package design is one thing, but how does it taste? Well, I don't hold a Ph.D. in water tasting (not even an undergrad) but I must say, as an everyday water drinking kind of gal, I thought it had a very crisp, refreshing and satisfying quality. Actually, I enjoyed it so much that I'm considering getting a water cooler for my kitchen so I can utilize their 5-gallon delivery service. I'm not suggesting you do the same, but if you are a bottled water drinker, you really must give BranchWater a try, you can order it online or find it at Hilton Garden Inn in Clarksburg, Adventures Edge in Morgantown, Tuscan Sun Spa in Snowshoe, and at the BranchWater location in Fairmont.