Labor Day Feast

Over Labor Day weekend my family was invited to a cabin on Madeline Island which is on the North Shore of Lake Superior. This was only my second trip to Madeline Island. The cabin was owned by a chef who has strong beliefs about good wholesome food, where food comes from, and how it is prepared. I had the honor to cook a couple meals with her. My favorite was a oven broiled white fish. The White Fish was caught that morning and was so tasty and beautiful. The fish was prepared quite simply. A little salt and pepper and some lemon juice was all that we added. We had some stunning mushrooms that were foraged earlier that day to accompany the fish.  They were some of the most delicious mushrooms I have ever had. I learned on this trip that great food can be prepared simply but can be so delicious. The quality of the food is a big factor in how good or bad it tastes. The quality of the ingredients has a great impact on the outcome of your meal.

Working In the Food Industry

I have been working at Clanceys Meat & Fish Market for about two months now, and I never realized how rewarding working in the Food Industry would be. In the time that I have worked at Clanceys, I have realized what goes into preparing high quality food. Every day that I have worked at Clanceys I have learned many new things.  I would truly recommend this job to any teenager. There are many jobs that you can do, you could be washing dishes the whole time like me or you could be making sandwiches. On each shift I have worked with great people, who are willing to share their knowledge. So far I have learned the importance of team work, working efficeintly, and being flexible. I am loving my job and I hope to work there for many more years to come.

First job in the Food Industry

 It all started 6 years ago when I walked into one freezer full of meat and saw other delicacies at Clancey's Meat & Fish Market. I instantly fell in love with butchering and this business, and the owner recognized that. As we walked out she said,"Piet, when you are 14 you can have your first internship here". From that moment on I was counting down the days.
 May 9, 2015:
Today was my first day of training at Clancey's. I am really excited but also at the same time didn't know what to expect. I knew that today was only a training day but I also knew that  I had to make a good first expression. As I started working I learned new things left and right. I was in the back in a corner washing dishes which is a typical first job at a store like this. I learned how to stay organized and how that would help me make my job a lot easier. As the day went on I got more and more comfortable with what I was doing, my surroundings, and working with the staff. I am so lucky that the staff is so so nice and was willing to answer any question that I had. As the day ended I realized that working in the food industry is actually really interesting and complicated . I really look forward to learning more about food and the this industry as I start my working career at Clancey's.

Truly Organic

For a few years now our family has been a member of a CSA. What is interesting about this CSA is that the farmer and owner Norm doesn't use any chemicals, pesticides, or chemical sprays. Sometimes being truly organic can pay it's toll. When a blight or the Colorado Potato Beetle strike it can destroy that crop for the entire year. Norm is committed to not using any kind of pesticide or chemical when he is dealing with a species of unwanted bugs. Here is an article that explains what Norm is dealing with and how he is taking action against the army of unwanted pests.

"Colorado Potato Beetle 

The Colorado Potato Beetle is a yearly resident here on the farm. It very much likes both eggplant and potatoes. We find them in all stages from eggs underneath the leaves, to tiny black dots, to big fat slimies ready to pop. The adults are the size of a pinto bean with a hard black and yellow shell.

Our method of control has always been to walk the rows and pinch them. This can take a couple hours for five of us 2x per week for a month or so to keep them in check.   This year I have about a full acre in potatoes and the beetles are out in force. The recommended organically approved insecticide is Entrust at $459 a qt. This would be enough for several applications on my field and would provide quick knockdown from both contact and ingestion. I try to stay away from even organic chemicals if I possibly can.

My latest strategy is to lower my tractor loader and angle it so that as I drive quickly over a row, the potato plants are whipped by the loader and some of the beetles are thrown into the bucket. After a few rounds I proceed to put my foot into the tractor bucket/loader and squish a hundred or so. In ½ an hour I am through the field and I dump a gallon or two of bugs in front of my chickens to enjoy.   I need to do this every couple of days, but it seems to be faster, cheaper, and cleaner than the alternatives."

Good Eats on Road Trip

One great way to enjoy a vacation is to have some quality meals with your family. Home-cooked or at a restaurant, fabulous meals make any trip more enjoyable. Last week, my family took a trip to the North Shore of Lake Superior. The North Shore is not covered with exceptional restaurants. There are two places that I would like to highlight, however.

One of our favorite places to stop is the New Scenic Cafe on Route 61. One of my favorite items on their menu is the Pork Banh Mi. Every great sandwich starts with great bread, and this one is no exception. Their Banh Mi is on a soft and airy baguette. The bread surrounded beautifully seasoned roasted pork, a great pork pate, fresh cilantro, siracha mayo, and wonderfully pickled daikon. It was heavenly. And of course, every great sandwich requires a great drink to wash it down. With my Banh Mi, I had a wonderful creamy root beer, made by Henry Weinhard's Gourmet Sodas.

Another great stop on the North Shore is the Angry Trout Cafe in Grand Marais, Minnesota. The Angry Trout uses fresh fish caught from Lake Superior every morning by local fisherman. One of my favorite dishes at the Angry Trout was the Fish & Chips. The perfectly fried fish--usually whitefish, herring, or lake trout at this time of year--is accompanied by fresh coleslaw and french fries. And when we were there, the daily soup was smoked whitefish and trout chowder. A cup of this soup with their Fish & Chips was a very special meal.

We had a number of meals that were more average than these, but I recommend both restaurants if you ever find yourself on the North Shore of Lake Superior.


New Scenic Cafe: http://www.sceniccafe.com/welcome/
Angry Trout Cafe: http://www.angrytroutcafe.com

Farmers Market Treasure

A favorite tradition for my family this summer is going to the Mill City Farmers Market every Saturday morning. We always go to one very special stand, Very Prairie. Susan Dietrich has a plethora of food options. From Marshmallows to Wild Sorrel Bandanas. We have found that the Wild Sorrel Bandanas tossed with Olive Oil and sprinkled with a Goat Cheese Chèvre is a fabulous side to any grilled steak. 
Susan Dietrich also makes these amazing Strawberry-Rhubarb Pies. I was lucky enough to try one of her pies. When I added a scoop of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream to the slice of pie I was overloaded with heavenly flavors.
If you are ever at the market make sure to make a stop at Very Prairie and try some of Susan's delicacies. 

The Wild Sorrel Bandanas

4th of July Eats

This years 4th of July Holiday weekend brought many good meals. We started the great celebration with a fabulous dinner on Friday evening. We had Honey-Ginger Chicken with Lime and a side of Ramen. The oven-roasted chicken made all of the flavors in the chicken stand out. The Ramen was just an exceptional addition. The Bok Choy from our CSA farm added a really nice crunch. Every part of this meal was amazing. It was a perfect energy booster before a great firework show over the Mississippi River.
We ended the holiday weekend with another meal that just hit the spot. Pan-Fried Cod with Grilled Bacon wrapped tomatoes and mushrooms and a fresh corn salad. The kabobs were inspired by a local restaurant called the Bachelor Farmer. 



The reipes for both will be below. Both recipe's where found in this months Food and Wine magazine.

1. 
   
2. 
   

                                                          Honey-Ginger Chicken with Lime

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/3 cup minced fresh ginger
• 1 jalapeño, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 3 1/2 teaspoons grated lime zest
• 4 chicken legs, cut into drumsticks and thighs
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Lime wedges, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a bowl, whisk the vinegar, honey, ginger, jalapeño, garam masala, coriander, cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper and 3 teaspoons of the lime zest. Prick the chicken with a fork, add it to the bowl and toss. In a small bowl, mix the sugar with the remaining lime zest.
2. In a large ovenproof skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the oil over moderately high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning, until golden, 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the lime sugar and roast for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked.
3. Add the lime juice and the remaining butter to the skillet. Serve the chicken with the pan juices and lime wedges.

                       Bacon-Wrapped Mushrooms and Tomato Skewers with Dill Pickle Relish                                                        

1. 3/4 cup minced dill pickles (from 2 large pickles)
2. 3/4 cup minced parsley
3. 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
4. Kosher salt
5. 3/4 pound oyster mushrooms, sliced and arranged in 2-inch clusters
6. 20 large cherry tomatoes
7. 20 thin strips of bacon (1 pound), halved crosswise

1. In a bowl, toss the pickles, parsley and the 3/4 cup of olive oil. Season the relish with salt.
2. Light a grill. Wrap each mushroom cluster and cherry tomato in a bacon slice. Thread the bacon-wrapped vegetables onto skewers. Brush with olive oil and season lightly with salt.
3. Grill the skewers over moderate heat, turning, until the bacon is cooked and the vegetables are tender, 8 minutes; brush with a little pickle relish during the last minute of grilling. Transfer to a platter and serve with lemon wedges and the remaining pickle relish.

MAKE AHEAD The skewers can be refrigerated for 2 hours before grilling.