Figs are coming, figs are coming! They are in the stores now and will soon be ripe on trees around town! I can’t wait…..one of my favorite foods to glean!

This dessert can be made with all local ingredients, figs from your local frees, goat cheese from local goat milk, perhaps you know a special milk maid locally like I do and honey!! I have always loved Bee charmer extraordinaire Randy Oliver’s honey, but recently I was given some wonderful honey from the Boorinakis-Harper Ranch in Auburn so I have been enjoying making this dish with that.

This can also be made as an appetizer, but I find it to be the sexiest way to end a meal…….

Fresh Figs with Goat Cheese and Peppered Honey
Serves 4

1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 fresh figs
1/4 cup soft fresh goat cheese

Combine honey and pepper in small pitcher; stir to blend. Starting at stem end, cut each fig into quarters, stopping 1/2 inch from bottom to leave base intact. Gently press figs open. Spoon 1 teaspoon cheese into center of each. Arrange figs on platter; drizzle with peppered honey.

It feels like summer is wrapping up, school is back in session…cooler days, although I hear the heat is not yet over. We got one last summer trip in this past week. My family has had a cabin Twain Hart for over 50 years and my mom went there as a child, I did and now Felix has too! Here is a photo of our last day on beach…….Felix loves figs, but he also loved eating sand.

Announcing Dinner in the Field

The 1st Annual Living Lands Farm Benefit Dinner on September 9th, 2010.
As a collaboration of farmers, land-owners, and community members, we are working together to steward our agricultural land, create a vibrant local food culture, and train the next generation of farmers. Help us fund our farm infrastructure and expand our educational programs for both children and adults in Nevada City. Read more about us and our accomplishments after just two years of operation.

Peter Selaya, chef extraordinaire of New Moon Café, will lead the Living Lands farmers in the preparation of a gourmet feast featuring ingredients from the Living Lands farms, including grass-fed lamb, pork and seasonal organic vegetables.

Harmony Valley Farm

Dinner will be served at the beautifully landscaped Harmony Valley Farm, just a few feet from where some of the ingredients were grown. Bring comfortable shoes and a warm layer to enjoy the sunset and evening stars. Be prepared for an elegant evening of dining you will never forget.

Local fine wine, appetizers, dinner and dessert included for $100 per person.
Bring your checkbook to participate in silent auction and other fund-raising activities. All donations at this event are tax-deductible.

Space is limited –- buy tickets early before they sell out! Ticket sales close September 2.

At Long Last!

In the Kitchen is happy to announce that our Pickles and Sauerkraut are now available at the following locations:
Briar Patch Co-op
Natural Selection
Nevada City Seafood
Natural Valley Health Foods
Mother Truckers
Gravel and Gold

Go Get Em!!

Saturday, September 18th and 25th
Introduction to Cooking
1pm- 3:30pm
$95 for students and teens $120 for Adults

We’ll start with a tutorial on Culinary history and the cultivation of French cuisine. Also, we will review kitchen tools and equipment including a saute pan, hotel pan, sheet pans, what a rondo is, the Kitchen Aid and Cuisinart, different types of knives and their uses. You will learn examples of certain knife cuts, how to hold your knife, and review how to small dice, brunoise, chiffonade, and julienne.

We’ll explore protein cooking methods such as saute, pan fry, deep fry, braise, roast, grill, fricasee, and blanchette. And we will discuss flavor profiles including sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami.

You’ll leave knowing how to handle food and understand California kitchen sanitation requirements. Interwoven in the lessons, you’ll learn more about nutrition, food pairings, and other neato tricks of the trade.

Note: This is a two part course.

Email Jen blueculinarychemist@gmail.com blueculinarychemist@gmail.com

About Jen:

After graduating from The Western Culinary Institute, a Le Cordon Bleu accredited institution, with highest honors, Jen Smitt returned to Nevada County to practice the culinary arts as a teacher, caterer, and all around chef on the mark!  She has 10 years of line cooking experience working in commercial kitchens in California and Oregon, with food as diverse as Thai, New Californian, American, Italian, and upscale French.  Her cooking philosophy is to “keep it simple” and let the food speak for itself.  As a teacher, she helps people make cooking fun!

Jen is currently looking for a home for her new restaurant idea, ask her about it!

Show your true Summer-Green colors! Volunteer opportunities in our area are unlimited – find out where you fit in or create your own.

Docents, committee members, speakers, tour guides, gardeners, mentors, grant writers, laborers, editors, teachers, writers, cooks, artists…

We really need kitchen volunteers! The meal is a central part of CHTE and you can have the chance to cook with some of Nevada County’s local food superstars! Learn new recipes, gain new skills and see first hand what it takes to cook for 1000 people!

No matter what your talents and passions might be, you have something important to share with your community. From behind a desk, in your kitchen, or with your hands in the dirt…you too can be a local food activist.

Please email Shan Kendall at daveshanken@juno.com to sign up for volunteer positions.

What is Come Home to Eat?

What: Come Home to Eat 2010, a local food celebration and festival honoring our local farmers When: Sunday, August 22, 2010, 3 pm to 8 pm Where: Western Gateway Park, Penn Valley Free admission and parking. Everyone is welcome. Picnic dinner prepared from locally grown foods (served from 4 pm to 7 pm) Cost: adults $12 in advance, $15 at event adolescents (12-18): $6 children under 12: free benefactors: $20-35 per adult Advance food ticket outlets: APPLE Center, BriarPatch, Peaceful Valley, UCCE office (Grass Valley Vets Hall) Advance tickets go on sale July 22 and must be purchased by Saturday, August 21 Also featuring local wines and regional beers (available for purchase) Entertainment by local bands, and contra dancing: Past Due and Playable Ragged But Right 7 pm — Contra dancing: Hot Cider, with Bob O’Brien calling Program honoring local farmers and ranchers at 6:30 Fun activities for adults and kids: dunk tank, games for kids, “A Walk through the Farm Guide” scavenger hunt, and more. SPONSORS: Lead sponsor: BriarPatch Co-op Natural Foods Community Market Supporting sponsors: Nevada City Farmers’ Market Nevada County Certified Growers’ Market Nevada County Farm Bureau Nevada County Grown Nevada County Land Trust Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply Sierra Nevada Brewery INFORMATION: www.localfoodcoalition.org Come Home To Eat is an all-volunteer event. Net proceeds will benefit projects that support local agriculture. © 2010 Local Food Coalition

In the Kitchen and Robin Mallery of HeartMatters join forces for this special cooking class,
Friday, August 13th, 6 – 8:30 pm

Wendy Van Wagner& Robin Mallery will share their love of healthy cooking and eating in this fun and informative class. Make it a date night with your sweetie or favorite friend, and share in the cooking, learning and joyful eating! $35 per person includes full meal, healthy eating tips, and recipes

You’ll learn how heart-healthy cooking and eating can
• increase your energy level
• enhance your physicalwell-being
• connect you to local farms,produce, and meat
• decrease your disease risk

RSVP to In the Kitchen www.wendyvanwagner.com

You’ve probably noticed by now the resident baker at our CSA pick-up. Here’s a little info on her bread:

You’ve probably seen it out there, or smelled it, or sensed it–the BREAD, I mean. If you haven’t, or you could benefit from a little reminder, here’s the scoop:

Local Whole Wheat (c/o Grass Valley Grains)
Sourdough breads (including all whole-wheat all sourdough loaves)
French and Italian rustic breads like Ciabatta and French seeded baguettes
and so many other various breads, it changes Every Week! (I’m very open to suggestions)
also, now selling GLUTEN-FREE loaves!

Prices range from $3-6. Every Tuesday, 4-6 @ In the Kitchen

Maddie, is baking them in the wood-fire cob oven at Living Lands, every Tuesday morning, so that you have the delightful opportunity of consuming HAND-MADE, LOVE-MADE, LOCAL ARTISAN BREAD. She loves eating it, She loves making it, She loves making it so that other people can eat it and love it.

Please feel free to tell anyone that may also be keen!
And feel free to contact Maddie, madisonsheffield@gmail.com

Thursday, July 29th
South Indian Speciality
6-9 pm $50

Cuisine of Southern India
The cuisine of Southern India is known for its simple but bold flavor. Curry leaves, cashews, coconut, and palm sugar are just a few foods that lend such distinctive flavor to a largely vegetarian tradition. We will prepare a proper South Indian brunch including:

Masala Dosa
Idly
Sambar
Rasam
Coconut and Tomato Chutney
Kerala curry
Sweet Pongal
Mango Lassi
(try the spicy hot gunpowder if you dare!)
Email or call Elliot at503-382-9043 or elliothocker@gmail.com

Our Saurkraut is almost ready……..cabbage has been grown, jars have been sourced, labels have been designed…….batches have been tested, now we wait for the magic of fermentation to occur!

2 flavors, just cabbage and Juniper and Caraway

Kimchi, Carapeno and Pickles are on their way as well!

Late nights have been spent in the kitchen shredding, mixing, packing………Look for it at the Nevada City Farmer’s Market and natural food stores near you!!