Tag Archives: Food

Spring, finally.

Bless our hearts to hear  Continue reading

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A Letter to People Who Think They Can’t Cook

Dear People Who Say They Cannot Cook, I kindly ask that you reconsider your
position. Why? Because cooking is not magic. Continue reading

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Know Thine Farmer

When We Source From Elsewhere It Will Be From People With Whom We Strike Up
Conversations And Form Relationships. They Are People Who Care For Their
Own Piece Of The Earth. Continue reading

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My Garden Was A Bed of Weeds

So here we are halfway into February and it’s about time to begin planting
a garden.

Ok, that sounds fantastic. Right? Hours of sweaty work in July, dirt that
refuses to be removed from underneath fingernails and the worst part…
weeding. But you know what? I don’t care. I love gardening. But perhaps you
think gardening isn’t for you. Or perhaps that you don’t have time in your
incredibly busy life. Perhaps you think you kill everything. Or perhaps you
just don’t like vegetables.

Whatever your reason, let’s just accept that fresh produce is delicious and
completely worth the time and effort it takes to grow it. So how exactly
does one grow things? Gardening seems like a crazy impossible thing to get
started with. I mean, there are farmers who have been doing it for years
and they’re still learning new things! How am I supposed to plant things
and keep them alive if there are 75 year old dudes who have been doing it
their entire lives and they don’t even totally get it?

To this I say, “Don’t worry. It’s really quite easy and we’ll start a
garden for you in 5 easy steps.” Continue reading

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What I Wore…and Ate

As I was home for my winter break, the majority of my time was spent eating and catching up with friends. What better way to catch up with high school friends that you haven’t seen since November, or even August … Continue reading Continue reading

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Introducing the Roaring Brook Project

I’m excited to announce one my adventures for this semester: I’ll be
interning at Roaring Brook Market & Cafe. And I’ll be chronicling my
interning here on Gastronomic Permaculture.   Continue reading

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Cooking In Tandem: Yoghurt and Granola

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Yoghurt and granola is my ultimate comfort food. 

Classic. Crunchy. Tangy. Not-to-sweet. You know what makes this pairing even more beautiful? They can made in tandem

First of all, people are often quite amazed to learn that you can make yoghurt yourself. You can. Anybody can. It isn’t difficult and you don’t need any special equipment. And because the process of making yoghurt is rather spread out – since the milk must be heated and then cooled – it allows ample time to make the granola. Using the residual heat from baking the granola, you can incubate the yoghurt. You’re using heat that would otherwise go unused. They really are a perfect couple.

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What you will need for the yoghurt:

1/2 gallon milk (cow or goat)

1/2 cup plain yoghurt

Mason jars or containers for yoghurt

1 roasting pan

1 bathroom towel

What you will need for the granola:

6 cups rolled oats

1 – 2 cups nuts or seeds

1 – 3 teaspoons spices of your choice

1 cup liquid sweetener and/or oil

Sea salt

1 roasting pan

1 saucepan

 

This will produce about 64oz. of yoghurt and 7 cups of granola.


Start by warming milk for the yoghurt.

You will need 1/2 a gallon of milk, either cow or goat. (Goat will yield a thinner consistency and require longer to incubate.) Pour into a large metal saucepan, place over medium-high heat and bring to just below a boil. If this is your first time, I recommend you use a thermometer and bring it to about 190° F. Do not let it bubble. 

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While the milk warms, start the granola.

First, preheat the oven to 325° F.

Then lay a metal roasting pan across two of your stove’s burners. Light both to medium-high heat. Pour your oats, nuts, seeds and spices into the pan:

  • 6 cups rolled oats
  • 1 – 2 cups nuts or seeds
  • 1 – 3 teaspoons spices of your choice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, cloves)

Shuffle the oats, nuts, seeds and spices around the pan until they are toasted and fragrant, about 10 – 15 minutes. Then, remove from heat.

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The milk shouldn’t be done heating yet, so finish the granola.

Put another small pot on the stove. Measure out one cup of liquid sweetener and/or oil. We used 1/2 honey and 1/2 cup coconut oil. But this is flexible, you could use all honey, all maple syrup or all brown rice syrup. Or you can substitute oil for up to one half a cup.

Heat the sweetener and oil until thin and runny. Pour over oats/nuts/seeds and stir until well combined. Sprinkle sea salt over the granola, to taste. 

Put the roasting pan in the oven. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool and then store in an airtight container. 

The milk should be up to temperature.

When it hits 190°, or thereabouts, take it off to the stove. Let it cool to 120°. 

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When finished, remove the granola from the oven. Turn off the heat.

Time to prepare the yoghurt. 

When the milk is cooled, measure out 1/2 cup yoghurt. Ladle about 1 cup milk over the yoghurt and stir. Then pour the mixture back into the heated milk. Stir. 

Pour the milk/yoghurt mixture into mason jars, or store bought yoghurt containers. Wrap them up in a bathroom towel. Place the wrapped up containers in a roasting pan. Check the oven. It should be about 130° – cool enough that you can put your hand inside but still pretty warm. Put the roasting pan into the unlit oven. Close the oven. 

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Let the yoghurt incubate for at least four hours.

You can let it sit overnight or just for a couple hours of the afternoon. The longer you leave it, the thicker and tangier the yoghurt will become. 

After the amount of time you choose, remove the roasting pan from the oven. Put the yoghurt in the fridge and let it cool. 

And there you have it. Breakfast. Or a snack. Or dessert…

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One disclaimer: While the yoghurt is incubating, remember that’s it’s in the oven. Leave a note for yourself if you have to. Because you may find you need to use the broiler. And you may or may not remember that you have a very flammable bathroom towel in the oven. And it may or may not catch on fire if the broiler is lit. I speak from personal experience…

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A Story & A Permaculture Principle

The fourth permaculture principle has been on my mind lately. It seems pertinent, since this is January, the month of resolutions. I prefer “apply self regulation and accept feedback” to making a list o… Continue reading

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I Woke Up Late So This Is What I Ate

I’ve stated this before, but I’m going to have to state it again…brunch/ breakfast, whatever you prefer to call it is my favorite meal of the day. I always find that the options can be endless. Have some Greek yogurt … Continue reading Continue reading

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Eight Kinds of Nut Butters

One day, while wandering the aisles of a grocery store, we got unusually
excited about the idea of making every kind of nut butter. And so – after
months of dreams and cravings – we finally did it. Continue reading

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