My "First" Farmers Market

I would be lying if I told you I've never been to a farmers market, of course I have. But, I've never gone with the purpose of creating a meal out of what I've bought. In the past I've gone to farmers markets for the experience, coffee, being outside and maybe picking up a treat or two. However, today I went with a mission and it was a bit harder than I thought it would be.

As Jessica warned in her last post, it can be overwhelming! Well....she wasn't lying. I felt as thought everyone knew what they were doing and that I stood out like a sore thumb. But, I took a deep breath and pulled out the shopping list Jessica provided. Imagine how shocked and surprised I was when the first market didn't have one of the items on my list, sugar snap peas. Well there was no choice, on to the second farmers market.

At the second farmers market there was a lot more select and a lot more people. Again, I pulled out my list and followed it. This time I was able to locate everything and I also added a beautiful loaf of bread and some fresh guac .... I couldn't help myself! The people at the market were friendly and helpful and the prices weren't as steep as I expected. Look how yummy and fresh my cart was:

When I thought I had everything I needed I looked at the recipe again and realized I also needed a mandolin so had to stop by the anti-farmers marketing, Target. I have to admit, once I finally finished all this I didn't have the energy or inspiration to actually make the salad. So, I will post later this week with the run down of how it went along with photos. But, I do feel excited about my very first farmers market experience and look forward to my yummy salad!

Leverage Your Local Farmers Market

This week your challenge, or inspiration, can be found at your local farmer’s market.   For Megs, this is a simple and pure joy.  Florida has some of the best produce year round and usually this produce is by the road displayed in a cart or stand. As for us,  Rhode Island summer months signal the opening of the outside farmer’s market. I must add a side comment here - if you have never been to a little Rhody farmer’s market you are truly missing out.  I love Casey Farm Farmer’s Market on Boston Neck Road in Narragansett. The market is open Saturday AM and Tuesday night.

For  the naive farmers market goer it can be overwhelming. There is a stark contrast between an open air produce and meat market and the vast aisles of your local grocery store. One can feel a bit like an outsider in this environment. To prevent this feeling and to keep you coming back go with a plan and don’t forget your re-useable bags. For the first time visiting a market I suggest you plan on buying the ingredients for a simple salad: local cheese, honey and greens. Sounds very simple, but in truth you can find your soul at the bottom of a good bowl of greens.

Shopping list

Arugula
Spinach
Fresh parmesan cheese
Strawberries
Radishes
Sugar snap peas
Strawberry jam
Local Honey

You should be able to find all of these ingredients at your local farmers market.

Recipe

Wash and dry your greens throughly
Wash and slice your strawberries
Slice your radishes paper thin on a mandolin
Julienne your sugar snap peas

Combine ingredients in a large bowl

Season your salad with a pinch of salt and pepper

Dressing

Simple Vinaigrette:

1 Tbs strawberry jam
1/2 tsp honey
4 Tbs cold pressed olive oil
2 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar
pinch of salt and pepper

Combine ingredients and whisk together

Lightly dress the side of your bowl and mix greens with the vinaigrette. Use your hands and be gentle with your greens.

Don'’t overdress. You don'’t want the salad swimming in dressing.

Transfer to a white serving platter and  using a potato peeler top your salad with shaved Parmesan cheese.

You can also top this salad with grilled flank steak or grilled chicken breast.
Enjoy!

Let The Challenge Begin

I cannot thank my best friend enough for inspiring me to start cooking. It's about more than just cooking though, it's about embracing my kitchen and learning to love food in a new and exciting way.

I've watch Jessica work wonders in the kitchen for years. I've been in awe of her ability to make something wonderful out of almost anything. It seems to come to her with an ease and grace I felt I could never match. But, Jessica has promised me ANYONE can do the same if they are willing to try something new, trust themselves and work at it. So, here we go!

My first challenge was to get the right tools. I didn't realize what a different the right pots and pans, knives, cutting board and blender would make. I was a little apprehensive about spending so much money but with a little effort I found some great deals and now understand how important having the right stuff really is.

The Pots and Pans

I got a beautiful set of stainless steel pots and pans online from Target at a really fantastic price. I've noticed Jessica often sears meat and then puts the pan directly into the oven. She explained the only way to really do this correctly is to have a set of pots and pans that are entirely stainless steel, including the handle. I've used them a couple times and they are AWESOME!

The Knife

Wow what a difference a good knife can make. I got exactly what Jessica instructed - GlobalGS-3-5 inch, 13 cm Cook's Knife. My only warning is to be very careful when opening the package. I barely touched the blade, accidentally, and got a nasty cut. I recommend getting a good sheath so you can keep the blade covered. Here's my brand new knife:

The Cutting Boards

I already have a few nice wooden cutting boards so I didn't have to purchase one. However, I did not have the plastic one for meat. It actually never occurred to me that I should not be using my wooden cutting boards for meat, this is how unsophisticated in the kitchen I am.  I went to Target and picked up a simple plastic cutting board and will never cut meat on the wooden ones again.

That's it for now. My next post will be dedicated to the first meal I made following Jessica's instructions. But for now I suggest you go back and read Jessica's post and get everything on the list!

For a true friend

Megs Inspiration 

Megs is my very ,very best friend. We started our life- long friendship as tow- headed toddlers, at a small Waldorf Preschool in Amherst, MA. We have been best friends from our very first fairy hunt. We communicate though eye rolls, giggles and sometimes tears. We enjoy bad TV and cheap white wine and could spend weeks talking about the same subject ten different ways. 

Last week Megs was here on a best friend visit. I promised her I would teach her to cook and help her take back her kitchen. I also promised  her a blog post every week to inspire and encourage her journey.  I hope that other readers  will find something inspiring in these words as well. 

First things first: 

You need good equipment. You would never go for a five mile run in high heels. I think about cooking the same way. A good cook needs the proper quality equipment to make it happen. This week , my own personal challenge was to purchase a good knife and butcher block cutting board. 

Before I dive into the good knife and cutting board challenge I must recap what Megs has already invested in this challenge. She has already purchased some good stainless steel pans. Stainless steal pans are a must for anyone who is serious about cooking. They give meat a good sear and can be transferred from the stove top to the oven to finish meats or roast vegetables. Megs and I looked into a couple different sets.  Stainless steel sets can get pretty pricey but we found a great set at Target by Giada De Laurentiis for $149.99.  Plus, they are very pretty, which matters to me, and  they have hooks so they can be hung. 

Now to the knives: 

I, personally, like Global knives. In my opinion, they remain sharp longer then other professional knives and they are light and fit my little hands. Another feature that I love is that it is forged from one piece of metal, meaning the handle is not wooden. This produces an even and balanced knife.  For your first knife, I suggest a little guy. No need to go straight to a meat cleaver and head off to the butchers shop to cut down an entire animal. I found a great Global on sale on amazon  -Global GS-3 -5 inch, 13cm Cook's Knife for $57.06.  You can also find them at William Sonoma and Crate and Barrell.  Get ready to spend about $75 dollars but I promise you will never regret it. Use common sense in the care of your new knife, sharpen when needed and never put in the dishwasher.   Look for an upcoming blog from my husband on sharpening a knife properly.

Cutting boards:

I love the feel of a wooden butcher block. My family rents a house in Florida every winter for a couple of weeks. I live for this time of year; the sun, the beach, the pool ,the warm air. The one downfall to this vacation is you have to cook with average to inferior cooking equipment. This past winter we rented a house that only had one cutting board and it was glass. The sound of the knife hitting the glass made me run from the kitchen.  Back to my plea for wood, I found a great wooden cutting board at IKEA.  It has a lip so it clings to the edge of the counter to prevent slipping and it is plenty big. If you want to splurge, check out Old Yankee Handcrafted cutting boards online. Wooden cutting boards require a little more love than plastic.  Once again, no dishwasher and every once in awhile rub them down with a food grade mineral oil. Never leave them in a pool of water for they will warp. One final note before you start shopping, don’t throw out all your plastic gear. Keep  one or two for cutting raw meat. You may even want to label these cutting boards “raw meat only”.

Good luck everyone. Any questions please feel free to comment.

A Defining Moment

There are moments that define, change, and transform you~

I just had one of these moments. I am not claiming this moment to be alike to the birth of my sons, my wedding day or the death of my mother. I compare this moment to a defining paradigm shift, which I will never return.

As a business owner, now about to open our sixth door. I have always been under the opinion that our food can speak for itself and that customer service will come second, not as important as the food though. Tonight I was proved wrong and thus the paradigm shift. While in Marco Island my family and I visited a local restaurant. While the food was amazing and the service out of this world. I encountered one of the ruddiest hostess I have ever met. I was enraged by the way I was spoken to without just cause. My blood boiled. My family spent over 200 dollars in this restaurant and was abused by this woman.

At this moment came the change. I feel deep regret; sadness and embarrassment if anyone that has worked for me has ever treated anyone in this manner. This behavior is no longer expectable in my company. I promise from now on to take action on those who treat my customers with disrespect. And if this has happened in the past I apologize and wish that you would tell me now so I can buy you and your family a meal and express my deepest apologies.

Thank you, 

Jessica Wood

If it is broken fix it

As winter break approaches Fire & Water Restaurant Group prepares to open a new store UMelt, based on a concept we are proud to produce. Every sandwich was obsessed over. We have moved the chairs more times then I can count. We worked with a world renowned chef who cooked under Bobby Flay.  We listened and we learned. 

While we finish the final touches and prefect the menu, we will also muster the courage, to erase the menu at the Burger Shack and restructure the company. Not because the business is failing but because we can cook. We want our customers to experience this. So we pledge to  "make" the food we serve. When Burger Shack reopens the menu will highlight our ability to cook. The dressings will be homemade, the burgers will be hand packed and hand seasoned. Our sauces will be made with love and attention to detail.  We will also retrain our staff to cut down on wait time and remain true to our quick service concept.

There comes a moment in everyones life and every business that we must take stock of what works and what does not. From there it takes courage to fix what is broken. Because fear is a prison. 

Do we push to get open?? 

Push, drive, on to the next thing. Ben and I have always set goals pushed and pushed to achieve them, then one way or another met the goal set, high fived, filed the paperwork and moved on to the next. As I have grown older I want to slow this process down, look around and make sure that the push is worth the price. 

Umelt is the project I refer to, and the question is do we push to get open or do we wait, refine, and open when we are good and ready. I am reminded of my pregency with Eli, when I hit that last month, and all I wanted was him out!!! Out Out Out!!!  What sticks in my brain about those few shorts weeks is what a nurse told me: "yes you may want him out but he is not done cooking so let him stay in there you will never think about these few weeks again when you are holding a breatiful healhty little boy. But if you push for him to get out you will think about it for the rest of your life if he is born with a problem. The same can be said for business. We are pushing for revenue after opening our financial veins to this project and bleeding money. But we must wait these few weeks to deliver a healthy business  one that provides you with a maccorini pulled pork grilled cheese! 

Now that is worth waiting for!