Maison Rustique

I'm sticking my oar in here even though I have little experience with chard. What if you wash it, then stick the stems into a bowl of ice water, as though it's some herb or flower? Would it keep? The approach works well in the refrigerator with herbs, but I've no idea whether it would work on chard out on the counter. If I had access to chard and limited refrigerator space I'd give it a try. Maybe it would keep for a day, anyway? Think of the centerpiece it could make on your dinner table! Failing that, maybe you should invest in an ice chest or two? Wash it, wrap it in damp towels, lay it in the ice chest with something frozen? I'm no expert either, but I did this recently. I got a lovely fresh bunch of chard and had no room in the fridge. So I filled a pitcher with cold (not ice) water, trimmed the stems about an inch, stuck it in the pitcher, set it on the counter (out of the sun) and it kept very nicely for 3 days! The bonus was that it was red chard and looked absolutely lovely!! Edited to say that this was just last week. I made a lovely chard, bacon and potato chowder and still have some left-overs in the fridge. That is gonna be my dinner tomorrow night when DH is gone. YUM!

That is fascinating! Thanks for sharing it.

YUCK! That's worse than buffets!!

Thanks! I've emailed the Tierra Miguel Foundation to see if they serve my area--none of the others do.

I'm not clear on how I can support the farms directly. We have some "farmers markets" around here. The ones in my area are not on days/times that I can go to them and make reasonable purchases. For example the one in my city is on Friday afternoon. I work during the hours it's open. There is another that is actually closer, but it is on Sundays. I do the bulk of my cooking Wednesday thru Saturday. That means I'd be dealing with old produce. Organic Express delivers in my area on Thursday. And I can get some grocery items from them, too. It just seems to work out better for me timewise. They do say that 90% of it is produced in California. Is that bad? I'm happy to ask them questions about the farms that supply them, etc. What should I ask? Clearly you all are in areas that know more about this. In my area we no longer have "local" farms. We just have concrete and buildings. Ther are still a couple of small farms that grow strawberries and corn, but not much more than that. I loved it when I could walk across the street in San Juan Capistrano and buy from the farm directly. Unfortunately the land was sold (it's now a community center) and we moved out of the area.

Ned, try here. It's not a very big picture, but maybe it will jog your memory!

Sounds a whole lot like the Noriega Hotel in Bakersfield. A fabulous place! Dinner is better than lunch and you can meet some real characters there. Once sat next to an ancient Basque sheepherder--toothless and had great stories! On Saturday nights you'll often see limos bringing groups of people from LA.

Has anyone tried or heard anything about these folks? I got a flyer from them in the mail today. The prices don't seem that much different from Henry's Marketplace or the regular supermarkets. I'm thinking of giving them a try but thought I'd see if anyone here had tried them.

Roflmao!!!!! That sounds like something I would do!

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll post when I get back.

Nice job! Tell Mrs. Stupid she isn't!

Hi! The first part of June, DH (dear husband) and I are driving over to Phoenix. He will be in meetings all day and we have dinners most evenings that have already been arranged by the group. We're staying at the JW Desert Ridge Resort and Spa and I understand that there are some nice restaurants there which is good because I'm afraid (but don't know for sure) that most of the group dinners will be held there. I could be surprised! Anyway, I'll have the days free. I have a friend in Scottsdale that I hope to spend some time with. We're tentatively planning to get together for a Sunday Brunch. Any suggestions? Also how about lunch spots? I'll be on my own during the days unless I can convince my friend to go antiquing/junking with me. And if anyone has suggestions for that, I'm interested, too! I want cheap antiquing places as it's for re-sale. As far as dining goes, there is no price limit. I like most any food except sushi/sashimi. Other than that, I'm open to adventure! Great food at local dives is great as long as I'll feel safe there alone. Thanks!!

Will you have a car? What kinds of food do you like? Price range? And don't forget that mornings, evenings and sometimes even the days in June at the beach can be very foggy and downright cold. We call it June gloom. Please be sure to bring layered clothing. You'll want a jacket or sweater at night!

Begging your pardon, but it IS Olvera Street. Here's the website. Olvera Street

Well, damn! We just keep striking out. We're attending a wedding on the 4th. And not anywhere near there.

I feel like I missed something. What exactly do you mean by backyard Iron Chef? Is all the cooking done outdoors? Was there another thread on this that I missed? If I have a better idea of what it's about, I "might" be able to approach my alleged spouse about having it here.

Yes!

And we weren't disappointed with the food! As nice as the weather was we were a bit disappointed to be seated inside (there were plenty of tables outside that were never filled) where it was overly crowded and we had a screaming youngster behind us--a pet peeve of mine. I blame the adults who kept indulging the child, not the child. Service and food were wonderful. I was very bad and had chocolate banana french toast with bananas Foster sauce, etc. I could feel my heart valves slamming shut, but enjoyed every bite! I justified it by having a salad first.

No. http://www.ener-g.com/Faq/productfaq.aspx#7 Thanks! Now I'll be able to sleep tonight.

You're taking over for Martha while she does her jail thang, right? That's a "perfect" use for Peeps. LMAO at both of you!!

Thanks! After seeing those pix, I'll have a hard time sleeping tonight just thinking about it!! (insert salivating smilie here--why don't we have one!)

Haven't been there. We are having brunch there tomorrow with the son of dear British friends and his wife. The wife selected the place. Good or bad? What to order or not to order? Do I need to dress frou-frou? I hope not or they won't let us in!! Thanks for any advice! I'll let you know how it turns out.

Yum! That sounds great. I've got asparagus and was planning to make soup this weekend--I'll try it with the cashews! Got a favorite COA recipe you'd like to share? I was planning to wing it as usual. Just start with some good chicken stock. Chop your asparagus and toss that in. Use your choice of seasonings, I like just a little thyme in mine. Simmer it until the asparagus is well done. Add some heavy cream to your liking, and thicken with slurry or white roux. Add the toasted cashews and blend well. I can't give you a ratio, when I make this soup, it's all by eye. The soup should be a light pea green. I prefer not to strain it. I think it has better body and flavor. But you have to blend it well, so no stringyness occurs from the fibres in the asparagus. Check the seasoning and adjust, Salt and white pepper to taste. I like to finish it with a little butter. For those without swallowing difficulty, you can add some whole toasted cashews and asparagus tips as a garnish. Thanks! I've got it on already and much the same, except I used dill instead of thyme and a splash of soy sauce. Haven't added the cashews yet, but can't wait to try it! Edited to say/ask: I used potato starch as a thickener. Is potato starch the same as potato flour? My inquiring mind wants to know!

Peep jerky! I love it! Much much better than Jones Peeps. Thank you! You're quite welcome! I've called them (the way I eat them) that for years and everyone always knows exactly what I mean.

I used to like them, but only when very stale--peep jerky, if you will. But I haven't allowed myself to have them in years, so I may have lost my taste for them.