AgriMissouri

Grand Opening of Free Range Cookies

Below is a note I received from Linda, owner and maker of Free Range Cookies.

Let's break some gluten free bread to celebrate the Grand Opening of Free Range Cookies on Sunday, November 23, 2008 from 12 noon-3 pm.

Our party will coincide with an open house and ribbon cutting for the Streetcar Lofts, a new loft/retail space where Free Range Cookies calls home. Bring the whole family to enjoy live music, food, drink (including gluten free beer), and tours of Ferguson’s latest new development. My friend Colleen McFarland, a Nashville based singer-songwriter (and former St. Louisan) will showcase songs from her new CD, "Let It Shine," just released on the High Horse Records label at 1 pm. Goodie bags will be distributed to the first 100 friends. Hope you can join us for the party at 425 South Florissant Road (at Suburban Avenue), Ferguson, Missouri 63135!

Linda

Shatto Milk Bottle = Free Chipotle Burrito!

I received this update in Shatto Milk Company's November Moosletter and I think this is a great promotion! I wish I was going to be in Kansas City this Saturday because I am a Shatto Milk & Chipotle fan.

Yes, you read the title correctly. On November 19th from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., our good friends at Chipotle will set you up with a FREE BURRITO, BOWL, ORDER OF TACOS or SALAD when you provide them with an empty Shatto Milk Company Bottle. This promotion is only good at their 14th and Walnut location, near the Sprint Center.

My family and I will be on hand to meet and greet those of you that decide to take advantage of this wonderful offer. You may be asking why would we be doing this promotion, well, for two reasons, 1) Chipotle and Shatto Milk have something in common that we wanted to share with everyone. That is, we are both opposed to the use of artificial growth hormones in cows. Chipotle uses only dairy products from cows not treated with growth hormones, and of course, we here at Shatto Milk Company do not treat our cows with such injections. We thought this similarity was worth a little “party”; and 2) we wanted to find a way to offer a cool little bonus for our wonderful loyal customers.

So, come get a free burrito, and feel free to pass this along to your friends, colleagues, neighbors and family.

Friday Fixin's Recipe

This week I've been working on an upcoming Agitourism Conference looking at different web sites for potentail speakers and I came across Van Till Farms. Cliff and Debbie have been AgriMissouri members for several years but I hadn't looked at their web site for a while. They are doing a lot of great things on their farm. I visited a couple years ago and they were just getting going but now they offer catering, gourmet farm dinners on their patio, cooking classes with a personal chef plus the farm store and they go to the farmers market. I don't know how they do everything!

This week's recipe is one of their featured November recipes. My husband traveled in the South for a while so he really likes grits and since I know I've never posted anything with grits before I decided today was a good day to chart new territory. Let me know what you think.

Apple Wood Bacon and Van Till Farms Gouda Cheese Grits
Yield, 6 servings

Ingredients
1/2 pound Apple Wood Smoked Bacon
1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
1/2 Yellow Onion
1 Clove Garlic
5 cups Whole Milk
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp White Pepper
2 cups Quick Cooking White Grits (not instant grits!)
1 1/2 cups Van Till Farms Gouda Cheese

Directions
Cut the bacon into small pieces and fry in a small deep sauce pan over medium heat until crispy. Drain the bacon on paper towels and set aside. In the same pan over medium heat melt the butter then add onions and garlic cook for 2 min until onions turn translucent. Add milk, salt, and pepper and stir until it comes to a light boil. Add grits and stir constantly until it begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in cheese and bacon. Cover until ready to serve.

Serve with fried or grilled chicken.

Sycamore Valley Farm B&B Featured in America's Heartland

Question: How excited was I to talk to Tina Reichert with Sycamore Valley Farm Bed & Breakfast this afternoon?

Answer: Totally excited!

Question: Why?

Answer: Well last spring, or maybe it was winter, a representative with America's Heartland television show called and asked about Missouri agritourism producers. One that we discussed was Sycamore Valley Bed & Breakfast, I just found out that the television show filmed there this summer!

I just watched the episode online and it is very well done. Tina said their episode has aired once on RFD TV and is scheduled to air again soon. She's already had someone from Tennessee call and say they are coming to stay at Sycamore Valley Farm. Tina also said the filming was "a lot of fun."

Congratulations to the Reichert's with Sycamore Valley Farm on the television debut!

Bobo Noodle House in St. Louis

I've mentioned before that I truly enjoy the blog, St. Louis Eats with Joe & Ann Pollack. I love food and they have very detailed reviews of restaurants that I put on my list to visit when I'm in St. Louis. Today I was catching up on my reading of their blog and saw their review of Bobo Noodle House. You may be wondering, "Sarah, why is this such a big deal?" Well it's because Bobo Noodle House is a new AgriMissouri member.

They just joined a couple months ago. Zoe is getting some of the sauces they serve in their restaurant bottled so that patrons can enjoy them at home as well. I have not had the chance to visit the restaurant yet and didn't know much about it until I read the blog. Now I'm intrigued and can't wait until my next visit to St. Louis.

Missouri Apple Pie in the News

Several AgriMissouri members were featured in The Apple of My Pie in yesterday's Food Section of the Columbia Tribune. Below are excerpts including member's favorite apples for apple pie. If you visit the article, you can also print several apple pie recipes and one crust recipe from Pam at Huffstetter's Orchard.

Dan Kelly of Blue Heron Orchard, north of Hannibal, has been growing apples for 18 years. This time of year, he mixes the tart "workhorse of the orchard" Jonathan with a sweeter Gala and a "winy, aromatic Cortland." Then, like Nilon, he adds a sweet elixir: his own boiled-down cider. "I never add sugar to my pies."

Sandy Binder of Binders Hilltop Apple and Berry Farm, in Mexico, weighed in on her favorite apples for pie: York and Rome apples together, she said, because of their flavor and firm texture.

Flickr apple pie photo courtesy of romanlily.

Buyers of Specialty Foods

I consider all of my AgriMissouri food producers specialty food producers and I consider myself a buyer and advocate of specialty foods so the article I read this morning on the Brownfield daily e-update was really interesting. For those who might not be familiar with Brownfield, the Brownfield Network reports ag news across the US.

Below is a post written by Bob Meyer. I don't doubt the research is correct but I was surprised, I fit into the age category but not the income level. I also found it surprising with more than 100 thriving farmers markets and food festivals across the state that the Midwest is the least likely to purchase specialty products. What do you think? Does anything stand out to you?

Who buys those specialty foods?

Tuesday, October 28, 2008, 1:26 PM

by Bob Meyer

Many in agriculture are looking to specialty foods as a way to add value to their product, but who buys those specialty foods? According to the Food Marketing Institute, people between the ages of 18 and 34 are most likely to purchase specialty foods while those over 65 are least likely. Household income has a lot to do with it as well, 73% of households with incomes over $75,000 buy specialty foods. Consumers in the Northeast and Southern U.S. are most likely to buy while people in the Midwest are least likely to spend the extra money. One other note of interest, due to the high cost of gasoline, 66% of specialty foods buyers are cooking more at home.

The most popular specialty foods are beverages followed by specialty food oils, cheese, chocolate, bread, meats, barbecue sauce, tea and frozen foods.

Farm to School Program Informational Workshop

Today started as a Monday, you know a little tough to get back in the groove? That's the way my Monday started but but I'm beginning to perk up. I've had my morning soda (I don't drink coffee) and I found a cool workshop to tell you about.

Unfortunately it's not open to the general public but if serving farm products in your local schools is of interest to you, encourage your local school food service director and school administrators to attend this meeting. Below is information about the workshop from Bistro Kids blog

Farm 2 School 2008: Kansas City Educational Course

On Wednesday, November 19th the University of Missouri Extension, with funding by the North Central Regional office of USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, will offer a day-long course for Extension Educators, School Food Service Directors, School Administrators, Community Developers and Policy Makers to gain a better understanding of how Farm to School programs in Missouri can be achieved and the impact that they can have on our local communities. 

The Co-Director of the National Farm to School organization, the nation’s leader in farm to school assistance AND a representative from the Kerr Center of Oklahoma, the Midwest’s leader in farm to school assistance will present on happenings from around the country and discuss how those ideas can be implemented here in Missouri.  You will also have the chance to speak with individuals involved in farm to school projects that are currently happening in West-Central Missouri this school year.

Farm to School projects from around the country, as well as around the globe have allowed local communities to reconnect to their local agriculture communities, instilled better nutritional habits, increased the economic vitality of rural communities and provided agricultural education to children in rural, suburban and urban schools. 

Come see how other communities are benefiting from Farm to School and determine if your Missouri school, community, farmers and economy could benefit too. To register for the Kansas City site’s program call Sharon Naylor at 573-882-3776 or email her at naylors@missouri.edu

Patric Chocolate, AgriMissouri Member, Featured on Blog

Every so often I do a Google search to see what new food blogs are out there or if any AgriMissouri members are being featured on blogs. It's sort of like searching for a needle in a haystack but today I found the needle!

Susie, who writes the blog Artisan Food Adventures and Discoveries, discovered Patric Chocolate, from Columbia, Mo., at Fog City News in San Francisco. How cool!

Owner, Alan McClure, has a wonderful chocolate bar. I got the opportunity to try his chocolate at a meeting last week and it is a real treat. For those of you who grew up on milk chocolate, you need to try Patric Chocolates.

Visit Susie's blog, she is a self described "life-long artisan food fanatic," you'll find lots of unique and local products. You can also visit the Patric Chocolate blog to learn more about chocolate.

Tailgate Food for Mizzou Homecoming

I was visiting the Missouri Beef Council (MBIC) web site today and learned that "95% of tailgaters prepare their food at the stadium." So, I'm guessing most of you are grilling (like me & my friends). Since this week is Mizzou's Homecoming and I'm an alum, I thought today would be a good time to talk about tailgating.

When you plan for the tailgate this weekend, what's the most important part? The meat! Whether its brats, steaks, burgers or hotdogs, make sure you're getting the best quality to impress your guests. Missouri producers offer a variety of meats that will make you the star of your tailgate. Don't forget the great AgriMissouri sauces and rubs to go with your barbecue. If you're looking for a new recipe to use this weekend, visit MBIC's Recipe page.

I must be honest I always get to bring a side for the tailgate because I live close to Columbia and it's easier for me to whip up something rather than my friends from out-of-town. Cheeseballs are one of my favorite sides to bring because they are easy, easy, easy (did I mention they're easy) to make. Cream cheese, a little butter and the mix, stir, chill, roll in the topping and you're done! One of my favorites is Sweet Pepper Jelly from Laurie's Kitchen.

Another one of my tailgate and general party favs is even easier than the cheeseball. Take a block of cream cheese and spread pepper jelly on top of it. Buy a box of crackers and fans can dip their crackers in the cream cheese, utensils aren't even needed (although it's a little cleaner if you use a knife). AgriMissouri has several members who make tasty pepper jellies. Country Goodies (Centralia), Blessing Times (Kansas City) and Garden Goodies-Fruity Peppers (Brookfield) are some good options.

Let me know your favorite tailgating foods. Go MIZZOU!