eNews from Portland Farmers Market
October 7, 2009
Photo by Jane Pellicciotto CHANTERELLE MUSHROOMS What the sun taketh away, the rain giveth. And that means mushroom season. Though you may find chanterelles in summer in the market, their real season is fall to winter. The charming chanterelle, with its cheerful, yellow-orange color and peppery, apricot-like scent are subtle but lovely in many dishes. They’re also the easiest to spot if you’re inclined to hunt for yourself. But do that only if you’re sure of what you’re collecting, as chanterelles have poisonous look-alikes. The name chanterelle refers to a family of similar-looking mushrooms, but the kind we eat is the golden chanterelle. In fact, a specific type called the pacific golden chanterelle (cantharellus formosus) is Oregon’s state mushroom. The chanterelle has a slender, funnel-like shape with a slightly concave cap and a smooth stalk below the wrinkled, blunt-edged gills. To date, no one has been able to cultivate chanterelles because of their symbiotic relationship to the trees they grown among, mostly conifers. And therein lies their wonder. Chanterelles are versatile and go well with poultry, fish, eggs, various grains, soups, pasta and atop pizza. Because this mushroom has a delicate flavor, you want to avoid overpowering it with very strong spices or too much garlic. All wild mushrooms should be cooked, not eaten raw. Chanterelles have a high water content and also soak up liquid easily. Wash quickly by swishing them in water and drain immediately, blotting with a towel. Very clean mushrooms don’t require washing; simply brush off the dirt. A recommended cooking method is called dry sautéing. Cook sliced mushrooms in a skillet on high heat with no butter or oil. A little salt will draw out the moisture. Allow the mushrooms to cook until they release their juices. Continue cooking until the juice has evaporated (or you can reserve some of the juice for a sauce). Now you’re ready to prepare them as you like, perhaps sautéing them in butter with some chopped shallots and herbs to go on grilled chicken. The dry-sauté method isn’t necessary but if the mushrooms seem especially wet, or if you’re making soup and don’t want to risk a slimy texture, then it’s recommended. However you prepare chanterelles, enjoy this cheerful, earthy gift of nature. –Jane Pellicciotto Chanterelle Risotto Recipe from Rouxbe Online Cooking School PFM Benefit Dinner at Lincoln Restaurant Fundraiser Prize Drawing The Great Pumpkin Event Powell’s at the Market The food is not the only thing that is handcrafted at Ned Ludd. About a year ago, Chef/Owners Jason French and Ben Meyer inherited a somewhat aesthetically challenged former pizza parlor, complete with a beautiful wood fired oven, a bar and nine beer taps. Faced with a small timeline and even smaller budget, French and Meyer decided to design and build the space out themselves. Using a band of friends and local artisans the space was transformed in one month and opened on budget and only one hour late. Serving food they like to call Portland Euro, French and Meyer draw inspiration from Persian, European and American immigrant foodways and change the menu daily according to what is in season. At its heart, Ned Ludd is a farm-driven restaurant. With the exception of citrus, 100% of the produce they use is locally grown. Lamb, pork, beef, chickens, seafood—even olives and olive oil—are all sourced regionally. The handcrafted ethos runs deep here and is evident in their commitment to butchering whole animals in house, preparing house made charcuterie, pickling and preserving seasonal produce, and producing their own kombucha, cultured dairy products and vinegar. French and Meyer are currently working with neighbors, OSALT and one of their farms to create a small scale, sustainable urban farm directly behind the restaurant. They hope that The Shortcut Farm will serve as an educational resource for the King Neighborhood and beyond. A dinner to benefit the community garden that is home to their fledgling farm will be held on October 14th. Please click here for more details. Seckel Pears Award Winning Cheeses Fine Chocolates Pumpkins, Squashes & Ornamentals Dried & Fresh Flower Arrangements Fresh Cider Heirloom Apples Sweet & Bitter Greens Fresh Jersey Milk & Butter Artisan Sweets Cabbages & Kale Lamb, Beef and Pork Fall Chanterelles Peruvian Purple Potatoes THANK YOU SEASON SPONSORS THANK YOU EASTBANK AND KING MARKET SPONSOR THANK YOU |
PFM’s 2009 FUNDRAISER LAUNCHING SOON!
Want to find out how you can support the Scott Frost of Nature’s Fountain Farm pictured left Nature’s Fountain Farm “Weeds are the first thing you notice when you drive up to our farm,” laughs Scott Frost, the proprietor of Nature’s Fountain Farm. “You know we don’t use chemicals because there are weeds everywhere.” The 26-acre farm–close to the tiny city of Jefferson, Oregon–is a colorful oasis sticking out like a piece of modern art amidst the central Willamette Valley. Although he has only a shoestring staff (mostly made up of his partner Sylvia Cuesta’s large extended family) Frost is always up for talking about the practice and politics of organic farming–which is one of the reasons he mans his booth personally every Sunday at the King Market. “Don’t ask me a question if you don’t have some time,” Frost warns. “What I do is much more than a cash exchange,” he explains. “I wish everyone could have the experience of growing their own food, even if it’s just a small window garden. But if you can’t, guys like me will do it for you. And I will show up at the market religiously to provide that service.” Frost was certainly vociferous on a recent Monday evening–even after an epic day of picking and delivering 800 pounds of cherry tomatoes to the Portland Public Schools’ harvest program. “I’m passionate about taste and nutrition,” says Frost. To illustrate his point, he uses the example of yellow onions. “Most people don’t even think about what kind of onion they’re buying, but at the farm we’re growing a variety called the Texas Granex that is far superior to anything you can find in the stores. It’s sweet and mild and full of subtle flavors. I want people to know about things like that and not just settle for onions that barely taste like anything.” Organic farming is family tradition, albeit a most unexpected one. Frost spent his early years in Los Angeles with parents who were both in show business. In the 70′s the Frost family decided to leave the glitz and grit of Hollywood behind for the greener pastures of Oregon. The family eventually opened a restaurant in what is now Tualatin, Oregon. They lived on four acres, so they started a garden. Although Frost says neither of his parents “had ever put their hand in the dirt before,” Frost’s mother, Yvonne, got hooked quickly and soon she attended a meeting of Oregon and Washington farmers led by professor, poet and organic farming pioneer Harry McCormick. The group vowed to start practicing a new model of farming that worked with the land rather than against it. They called themselves the Willamette Valley Tilth. During the fledgling group’s first auspicious meeting, Yvonne raised her hand and volunteered to be the organization’s secretary. Fifteen years and endless hours of labor later she started getting a salary. It was due to the Willamette Valley Tilth’s efforts that the first federal laws regarding organic certification were created and passed. In 1986, Willamette Valley Tilth became Oregon Tilth. Over the next decade, Yvonne Frost was instrumental in turning Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO) into one of the nation’s most respected programs. When Frost was old enough to leave home he moved to Portland and spent over twenty years as a professional musician and worked at the local “health food store” Nature’s. (Nature’s stores were eventually bought by Wild Oats, which were then in turn bought by Whole Foods.) When his parents’ land was washed out in the floods of 1996, Frost, with his parents’ support, invested in 26 acres of his own, and Nature’s Fountain Farm became home. After many successful years selling his wares to organic-minded grocery stores and innovative farm-to-table restaurants like Higgins and Paley’s Place, Frost is worried about a possible drop in sales. The recession and rise of the corporate organic farm has hit Nature’s Fountain Farm pretty hard. Their famously tasty blueberries, for example, are selling for less at New Seasons this year than last year, and Scott fears he won’t be able to keep his prices low enough to sell to the store at all next year. Now 53, Scott Frost can’t help but feel a bit disillusioned about the very certification that his family helped to develop (he calls it the “O-word.”) It costs over a thousand dollars for a small farm like Nature’s Fountain to be certified organic. “Even though we’ve been organic for 35 years we’re letting it lapse,” he says. “I’ve lost respect for the process. Government inspectors come for three or four hours but it takes days to prepare for their visit so you lose even more money by not working during that time. The chefs and customers I work with know my practices and trust the quality and flavor of my food. I am always trying to be more sustainable. I think it’s a good thing to recognize people for their achievement and give them the certification they deserve, it’s just not practical for a lot of guys like me anymore.” Frost works with many local restaurants, including Papa Haydn, Mingo and Nuestra Cocina, where Chef Benjamin Gonzales relies on Frost’s tomatillos. In addition to its near-perfect berries, Nature’s Fountain Farm is known for its countless heirloom varieties of tomatoes, broccoli, and even onions. Scott, Sylvia and their family love eating the spoils of their labor and often just fill up on raw foods all day in the fields. Dinner is whatever is ripe, often sautéed with what Frost dubs, “The holy trinity: garlic, onion and olive oil.” He muses, “What else do you really need?” –Brooke Meyers Sunday King Market Extended Season Due to the popularity of our new Sunday King Market, we have extended the season through October 25, 2009. North/Northeasters, that means there are three more Sundays left to purchase farm-fresh produce and delicious handcrafted foods right in your neighborhood! Top Tomatoes Victors have emerged from last month’s Tomato Turn On, where colorful rows of ripe, juicy tomatoes from our vendors beckoned shoppers to sample, discover and vote upon their favorites. And the winners are… Top Slicing Tomato: Beefsteak from Osmogaia Winner Ernest “Curly” Kuntze with his ribbon PFM would like to thank all of the participating vendors and congratulate this year’s deserving winners! Portland Farmers Market needs your support to keep the market growing. PFM is a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization that does not receive any funding from government entities or foundations. There are two ways to show your support: 1. Purchase tickets for a prize drawing to be held on October 31st at the Saturday PSU Market (winner need not be present to win). Tickets will be available at the Information Booth of any PFM Market from October 17th to 31st and details about this year’s fabulous prizes will be announced soon. We thank you for your vital support! 2. Dine at Lincoln Restaurant on Wednesday, October 28th (a portion of the proceeds will benefit PFM). The Great Pumpkin Event Join us for the 10th annual Great Pumpkin Event on October 31st at the Saturday PSU Market. This Halloween harvest celebration will be filled with fun for the entire family. No tricks, just treats. Enjoy a pumpkin carving contest, a children’s costume parade through the market, live entertainment, two cooking demonstrations from local chefs, and more! Children’s activities provided from 9:00am-2:00pm courtesy of Market partner Playworks. 350.org March What if people from all walks of life, from every corner of the planet, came together on one amazing day to make a unified statement about global climate change? Imagine how powerful that would be. Well, that day is coming! Portland Farmers Market and the GreenVille Project have partnered to challenge 350 Portland businesses to show our pledge to fight global warming here at home. Meet on Saturday, October 24th at 1pm at the Saturday PSU Market to “Make Some Noise for the Planet!” in observance of the 350.org International Day of Climate Action. 350.org is an international campaign dedicated to uniting the world around solutions to the climate crisis. The focus is on the 350 parts per million of carbon that scientists have identified as the safe upper limit in our atmosphere. For more information and to see how your business can show your support, please call 503.343.1660. PFM Pear Twitter Contest Winner Last month we asked followers of PFM’s Twitter account to tell us their favorite way to enjoy a pear. The top five finalists were judged by Cristie Mather of USA Pears, award-winning poet Matthew Dickman and local chef/author Cory Schreiber. Congratulations to MarinerHwife who will receive a $100 gift certificate to Powells.com and a box of delicous Oregon pears from USA Pears for her winning entry: “Sautéed with butter and fresh rosemary, then spooned over pasta with some toasted hazelnuts. YUM.” Join in the fun and follow PFM on Twitter! Food By Hand Seminars Dream of becoming a cheesemonger? A butcher? A baker? Food by Hand Seminars offers intensive, information-packed seminars for entrepreneurs who want to learn the essential skills and knowledge necessary to start or expand a business with a strong focus on foods made by hand. The next seminar, Becoming a Cheesemonger, will be taught by local cheesemonger/entrepreneur Steve Jones and other experts. This three day seminar teaches the business and craft of running a cheese shop and includes hands on activities and guided tastings of the world’s finest cheeses. For more information, visit FoodbyHandSeminars.com or call director Heidi Yorkshire at 503.335.3155. Urban Farm School Have you ever said, “I would love to garden and preserve my own food; I just don’t know where to start”? If so, Urban Farm School can help. Their goal is to give you the skills and confidence you need to become a backyard farmer, which in turn can help you lower your grocery bills, eat healthier, and participate in where your food came from, how it was grown, and how to preserve it for use throughout the year. Urban Farm School offers consultation and design services, lectures, workshops, in-home/garden GardenforLife Parties as well as on-going assistance throughout the growing season by participating in community outreach events, fairs, and volunteer activities. Call 360.852.3728 for more information. Dorthea Lange Exhibit A new exhibit of Dorothea Lange’s documentary photographs of the Great Depression in Oregon (taken in 1939) will be on display at the PSU Littman Gallery from October 8 through November 26, 2009. Dorothea Lange visited Oregon to produce over 500 photos of the people and rural environment of the Willamette Valley, Malheur County, Columbia and Klamath Basins for FDRs newly created Farm Security Adminstration. The exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information contact Friends of History at 503.725.5473. West Coast Bank Investing in Vibrant Communities Market sponsor West Coast Bank has been working to build robust local communities since opening for business almost eighty years ago. Although the company has grown to include more than 65 locations in Oregon and Washington, the guiding principles of personal attention and local decision making remain unchanged. The bank aims to be a real service to the community, not only through offering a full suite of financial services, but also by supporting local organizations and events. West Coast Bank has been a flagship sponsor of Portland Famers Market since 2003, funding general operations and the ongoing expansion of our educational programs such as Kids Cook at the Market. Our collaboration helps keep vendor fees stable and sustains vivacious marketplaces that serve as important neighborhood gathering places. As the largest agricultural lender in Oregon, West Coast Bank is, quite literally, banking on the future of farming in the Pacific Northwest. We are proud to have such a dedicated partner working with us to keep local dollars in local neighborhoods, on local plates, and in local farms. With close proximity to all Portland Farmers Market locations, take a moment to stop in next time you shop one of our markets. West Coast Bank has branches in the Pearl District at NW Glisan at 12th Avenue, central downtown on SW Broadway at Salmon Street, and near our Eastbank Market (now closed for the season) on SE Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard at Salmon Street. Market Dates + Locations SATURDAY PSU MARKET WEDNESDAY DOWNTOWN MARKET THURSDAY ECOTRUST MARKET (closed for the season) THURSDAY EASTBANK MARKET (closed for the season) SUNDAY KING MARKET All markets accept Oregon Trail EBT, debit and credit cards. |