Category Archives: Local Businesses

Event Overload

Posted on October 7, 2012 by AnnieRie

This weekend is second in a string of picture perfect fall weekends when it seems every community, farm, winery and/or entertainment organization is creating a pile up (an amateur radio term used when large numbers of operators simultaneously try to contact one rare station). I couldn’t even begin to list every event happening in Howard County and the surrounding area.

Today, my husband popped up to the Columbia Amateur Radio Association (CARA) annual HamFest to pick up a few supplies and visit his radio compatriots, even though it is raining. He had to dodge biking racers on the way, I suppose, as the Ulman Cancer Fund half full triathlon originating at Centennial winds through our rural roads between us and the fairgrounds.

The Farm City Celebration ends today, the 7th. Here is a list of what remains on their schedule.

Howard County Farmer’s Market – three more weeks of markets until season ends
Oakland Mills Village Center
9:00 am – 12:30 pm

Apple Fritters, Hayrides, & Pick-Your-Own Apples, Beets, Broccoli, and Spinach.
Straw Maze & Boo Barn (ages 4 to 9)
Larriland Farm
9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Teddy Bear Farm Visits (Free hayrides for children who bring Teddy bear)
Folk singer Tony McGuffin entertains from 12 noon – 4:00 PM
Clark’s Elioak Farm
Open from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

2 crop large maze of corn & cotton opens.
Farm animals, Pick Your Own Pumpkins, Fall Decorations.
Scarecrow Making Workshop from Noon-3 PM
Narrated Hayride at 1:00 pm
($1.50 per person 2 and under free)
Sharp’s at Waterford Farm
Open from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Any of these events are a good trip now that the weather is changing. The leaves definitely rained down yesterday as the front whipped through. We dodged traffic that was backed up on I-97 heading into the Renaissance Festival in Crownsville, and the Boat Show traffic going into Annapolis. We were trying to get to a family wedding at the Academy. Made it in time only because we left super early. The Renaissance Festival ends the 21st of October. The Sailboat Show ends tomorrow and the Powerboat Show starts this coming Thursday. A short trip down to Annapolis gets people to major entertainment options the next few weeks.

Add to that, the Ravens play at 1 PM. thankfully, it is an away game or could you imagine the traffic there since THE ORIOLES have a playoff game tonight at the Yard.

For us, we will be trying to find the games on satellite radio while getting to a winery dinner today. Many festivals at local wineries. We made arrangements weeks ago to hear Luca Paschina, Jim Law and Rutger de Vink talk of their vision for where Virginia wines could go. A picnic style dinner prepared by Chef Eric Ziebold of CITYZEN will be served and the menu includes a 1998 Barboursville Cabernet and 1997 Fiery Run Linden, as well as the RdV 2009 release. An event we have been anticipating for a while. RdV’s chef dinners are just awesome events. Worth the splurge occasionally to attend. Or, any winery events this month. The red grapes are being picked all over the area. Festivals every weekend.

merlot at RdV

If we recover enough tomorrow, we will pop up to see the dedication of the new Glenwood Fire Station. With this station, we now have Glenwood, Clarksville and West Friendship, all equidistant from our home. The fire station is being dedicated Monday morning at 10 am. Tours following the dedication.

Add to all this, the next three weekends are just as event laden. How can anyone say there isn’t enough to do around here?

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Posted in Adventures, Community, Day Trips, Food, Howard County, Local Businesses, Weather, West HoCo, Wine and tagged amateur radio, community, day trips, farmer's markets, Food, foodie, hoco loco, Howard County, Linden Vineyards, local businesses, weather, West HoCo, wine. Bookmark the permalink.

Foodie, Meet Locavore

Posted on October 4, 2012 by AnnieRie

I have written before about how my two different “worlds” collide. The locavore in me who eats as much fresh local items as I can, and that inquisitive foodie that loves ethnic foods from all around the world, and searches for exotic spices, fruits and veggies.

Last night’s dinner reflected that conflict. It turned out to be extremely tasty. Italian whole grain flatbread with ajvar, pesto, chicken and parmesan on it.

I used the last of my pesto and the ajvar I made a week ago. We had been noshing on it and there was just enough left to spread over the flatbread. I had leftover roast chicken from a visit to Bistro Blanc Tuesday night, which I shredded and added on top.

pesto and ajvar

A little Parmesan from Roots. Some herbs, salt and white pepper. Simple, served with a side salad of arugula, grapes and almonds. And, we opened a very nice Verdejo from Paso a Paso. We found a number of inexpensive bottles of Spanish and Portuguese wines at Pine Orchards a few weeks back.

Thanks to my locavore friends in our food challenge, I discovered ajvar. I also found jars of it at Roots. VaVa Ajvar, and they also sell something called Lutenica. I bought one of the ajvar to compare to my homemade version. My husband agreed. My version is better. We will have to try the Lutenica though. To see how it is made.

According to the tag, this is a Macedonian version of the spread. My original recipe was Serbian. My recipe used vinegar and garlic. This one is milder due to the lack of those ingredients.

As for the flatbread, bought at Roots, I really like this quick and easy way to make dinner. There will be many more dinners made using my frozen pestos and ovendried tomatoes spread over flatbread.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in Food, Local Businesses, Locavore, Real Food, SSFC, Wine and tagged cooking, Food, foodie, local businesses, Locavore, real food, wine. Bookmark the permalink.

Fall Markets, New Finds and Old Standbys

Posted on October 3, 2012 by AnnieRie

Miller Library market has three weeks left after today. We are definitely kicking into fall. The best find today: Chestnuts

Love Dove Farm had chestnuts. It brought back huge memories for my husband. Of his dad roasting chestnuts over a coal stove. We will be roasting these on the grill tomorrow night. We also found fresh peppery arugula at his stand. I love arugula. That bite. That intense flavor when it is fresh.

My other big find was the order form from Stone House, where you can order pies, rolls and cakes to freeze and use all winter. We are no strangers to this great bakery. Love their dinner rolls, and their breads, like blueberry.

Once the markets are done, you can still find Stone House at local farms and events. Their brochure:

From TLV Farm, we picked up ground beef for the chili, fresh eggs, and the last of the local corn. Their corn is still sweet, even this late in the season.

If you live in East Columbia, check out the market tomorrow at the library. Friday at the hospital for west Columbia. Saturday the west countians come out to Glenwood. Sunday Oakland Mills. The markets end three weeks from Sunday. Get your best fall veggies and fruits while you can.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in Farmer's Markets, Food, Howard County, Local Businesses, Locavore, West HoCo and tagged farmer's markets, Food, Howard County, local businesses, Locavore, West HoCo. Bookmark the permalink.

A Great Day for Lunch at Atwater’s

Posted on October 3, 2012 by AnnieRie

Today turned out nicely. Instead of doing yard work, we decided to drive down to Atwater’s Bakery for lunch, and then hit the Miller Library market on the way home.

Today’s Tiffin Box Lunch included either mushroom or southwestern tomato corn. I had the mushroom. In the box, also, were oatmeal raisin cookies and a lovely chunk of rosemary roll.

creamy mushroom soup

the rosemary roll

We sat outside and watched the bustle of downtown Catonsville, then went in to pick up a sliced loaf of sourdough for my soups, and the chili I want to make Friday.

Atwater’s sourdough bread

I do like to sit outside the bakery and watch the world drive by. There were also a large number of people walking along Frederick Road, at 1 PM. Clearly, Catonsville is one of those places where there is a real sense of community. Many people walking up past us with purchases from the Wednesday farmer’s market, that goes from 10-1 on Wednesday mornings until the day before Thanksgiving.

A fun place to sit and people watch. The old post office building in Catonsville. And, yes, the “You Scream” sign is an ice cream store right up the road. For those who love to indulge. While in Atwater’s, you can also pick up Trickling Springs dairy products.

atwaters outdoor seating

I will get a post up later about the great finds at the Howard County Miller Library market today, like the FRESH CHESTNUTS from Love Dove. I do have to go make dinner now, though.

hocofood@@@

Eating Locally: Day by Day

Posted on October 1, 2012 by AnnieRie

I eat locally most of the time. Between the CSA and the farmer’s markets most of my food is local. Our challenge was to blog about a local meal. These days the CSA drives what I eat. Days with lots of local items are normal.

I made French onion soup in the crock pot the other day. Onions from the local market. Stock from the Briggs Chaney market. I put the soup away until today.

onions caramalized in a basic stock

I also had leftovers from my tomato sauce, CSA potatoes and Berkshire hog kielbasa. The kielbasa was from Shearer’s. Bought on a road trip to Gettysburg. Sometimes I forget to take pictures, but the food is definitely local.

The soup was covered with Canela bread. And Bowling Green Farm Smoked Gouda.

What I love most about how my cooking has evolved is the change to building a meal around local foods. Like those killer onions and that Bowling Green Smoked Gouda. Believe me. My husband said this cheese is like butter on a plate, but with smoke. This is an awesome cheese.

Find some at the Howard County markets.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in CSA, Farmer's Markets, Food, Howard County, Local Businesses, Real Food and tagged crock pot cooking, farmer's markets, Food, foodie, hoco loco, Howard County, local businesses, Locavore, real food. Bookmark the permalink.

Sweater Weather

Posted on September 29, 2012 by AnnieRie

It definitely feels like October out there. While picking mint, what’s left of it, I had on my fleece vest. Tonight I may indulge in hot cider, since we picked up some at Larriland the other day.

fresh apple cider

I should title this post, Rocking the Crock Pot, since I have put it into overdrive the past few days. I made onion soup, greens twice, and chicken soup, all in the past week. There’s lots of good stuff in the fridge to make quick meals all of next week.

I have gotten where I don’t even measure much anymore when it comes to greens. Just cut them up, add onions and garlic, some broth, balsamic and salt and pepper. If I feel adventurous, I will put in some bacon, but not always. The first batch the other day had bacon.

greens ready to go

Yesterday, I just put in all the greens I had, with a container of black bean soup. Didn’t look that great, but cooked down beautifully. It will be a side dish tonight. Today I am slow cooking lamb in the oven, and roasting beets at the same time. This is the baker’s dozen of the beets I got Thursday. The big ones for a salad or two, and I am going to quick pickle the little ones with a couple of hard boiled eggs.

beets on a bed of kosher salt

I spent time yesterday and today cooking, so that tonight through Tuesday, it will be heat and serve. Tomorrow we are heading out to Sharp’s Farm to get my Halloween decorations. A hay bale, some corn stalks, some gourds and a pumpkin or two.

But, even though it is sweater weather, I found this late blooming lovely gladiolus in the side garden. Summer’s last hurrah?

hocofood@@@

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Posted in Community, Food, Howard County, Local Businesses, Locavore, Weather, West HoCo and tagged community, cooking, crock pot cooking, crockpot soups, Food, foodie, hoco loco, Howard County, local businesses, Locavore, real food, West HoCo. Bookmark the permalink.

Hello Fall, Farewell Summer

Posted on September 22, 2012 by AnnieRie

It was warm today, those last Indian Summer days are upon us. Still, the markets and my garden reflect the change of the season. Stone House bakery had apple dumplings at the Glenwood market today.

apple dumplings at the farmers market

I think it’s great they list love as an ingredient. I did buy one last gasp summer fruit today. A watermelon from TLV.

It will become a watermelon, mint and feta salad tomorrow, and the rest pureed to freeze for watermelon margaritas on the coldest day this winter. If it isn’t summer, we can still pretend.

I whacked down the last of the basil today. The monster basil plants that kept growing.

Some of these plants had stems that reminded me of serious shrubbery.

But the bees really loved the flowers as these plants went to seed.

I did some productive pruning and salvaged a small glass full of cuttings. I have two more ripe tomatoes, and some mozzarella. Definitely caprese salad material here. It may not look pretty but it tastes great.

I stopped at Gorman Farms yesterday after a trip to drop off our pickup. The passenger window gave up the ghost and refused to work. In the down position of course. Parsley and the last of the sun gold tomatoes looked wonderful. The parsley will become pesto with the last of the basil. The tomatoes. Those are candy. We eat them right out of the box.

parsley from Gorman farm stand

Loving that change in weather, with the change in fruits and veggies. My favorite time of year.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in Farmer's Markets, Food, Gardening, Howard County, Local Businesses and tagged cooking, farmer's markets, Food, foodie, gardening, Howard County, local businesses, Locavore, tomatoes. Bookmark the permalink.

Monday Odds and Ends

Posted on September 17, 2012 by AnnieRie

Sometimes a recipe just becomes one of those favorites. A keeper. Like the green tomato pasta from The Chew. I already wrote about it once, but I have made it at least three times since I found it.

I do experiment with it, though. Today I did it with tiny shells, and I added wild Alaskan pink salmon. I had a plate full of green tomatoes.

not ripe grape, plum and pear tomatoes

The last from the garden. The ripe ones will go in a salad later this week.

ripe yellow plum tomatoes

Out in the garden, nothing is left but a few Amish paste and two or three pineapple tomatoes. I will pick them soon, even if not ripe. I want to make this dish one more time before fall sets in and tomatoes are history. I sauteed them in olive oil, with scallions, garlic and oregano.

green tomatoes cooking in olive oil

No pictures from dinner. I was too busy getting the lovely pasta on the table while it was still warm. I did make some late last month that I served with ravioli, that looked like this.

green tomato pesto with ravioli

Use any pesto you like. Use any pasta you like. It is those green or slightly under ripe tomatoes that make this dish special. And, having inventoried the freezer today, I found I have lots and lots of pesto to use. Now, I just need to figure out how to get the tomatoes for the dish.

garlic scape pesto cubes in the freezer

The freezer is full. I did inventory today. All winter long, I will have pesto, fruit, tomato sauce, veggies like caramelized onions, veggie stock, beef stock, whole tomatoes, peppers, all to pull out and enjoy the CSA and my garden’s contributions to my meals.

Almost seven cubic feet of food. I didn’t think I would get that much preserved and processed. The freezer up in the kitchen is half empty, in hopes of getting some venison from my neighbor. It does have a half dozen chickens, some lamb, brisket, bacon, sausage and roasts, all from the farmer’s markets, to use all winter. I have almost turned the corner into having 100% locally sourced foods in my freezer. It is a good feeling to replace what I had with locally grown meats, veggies and fruit.

I do admit though, that I have to keep that citrus supply coming, for making those lovely Meyer lemon basil fizz drinks.

basics for meyer lemon basil fizz

Three simple ingredients as a base. Vodka is optional. Refreshing, yet with that hit of basil. I use lemon basil, since I grow it. I first discovered these lovely drinks back in April. They have become a staple in our summer dining. I just add a splash of vodka, keeping them light and refreshing. I get the lemons and the Aranciata at Wegmans. Too bad they don’t have the liquor store to give me one stop shopping.

I may take a trip out to Larriland, to find some green tomatoes to pick, and freeze. To keep this pasta recipe around all winter.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in Farmer's Markets, Food, Gardening, Howard County, Local Businesses, Locavore, Real Food and tagged cooking, farmer's markets, Food, foodie, gardening, heirloom tomatoes, Howard County, Locavore, real food, tomatoes, wegman's. Bookmark the permalink.

Preserving #hoco

Posted on September 15, 2012 by AnnieRie

Maybe I should call this one, my house reeks of garlic. But, that’s not particularly pleasant, unless you love garlic. This weekend finds us preserving food. Getting ready for winter. Making like the squirrels who are burying acorns (and corn). I can’t believe it when corn starts growing in the middle of my yard.

But, I digress. Today I popped off to the Glenwood Market to pick up a few things. And, when I returned, I was slow cooking and drying tomatoes. The tomatoes are winding down in the garden. I do have quite a bit of little ones, that I oven dried to make pesto.

Heirlooms ready to oven dry

Our theme this week for the Southern SOLE Food Challenge is preserving. I certainly am putting food away for winter. Besides the tomatoes and the pesto, I learned a trick from Lewis Orchards, at the market. Buy the buttermilk cake from Stone House Bakery. Cut it in quarters. Wrap it. Freeze it.

the cake

Wrapped and ready to freeze

Take those frozen Larriland Farms strawberries. Some whipped cream. A quarter of the cake. Make summer happen in the middle of winter.

Check out what my friends are preserving, by clicking on the links on my Challenges page.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in Food, Local Businesses, Locavore, Real Food, SSFC and tagged cooking, farmer's markets, Food, foodie, gardening, Howard County, local businesses, Locavore, real food, tomatoes. Bookmark the permalink.

Eating Locally: What Did I Do Last Week?

Posted on September 10, 2012 by AnnieRie

Getting towards the end of our group who blog about our local eating adventures during the height of the growing season. Next week we get to blog about our preserving and canning adventures but this week, I just have a few random comments.

About how the CSA has changed my life. How would you like flourless squash brownies?

Flourless Squash Brownies

Because of our linkyparty on CSA recipes over at InHerChucks, I found A Little Nosh (love her tag line). This is the before picture. There is no after picture. They got eaten too quickly.

About how certain plants went crazy and others bombed. The basil created another huge round of pesto making. I got six more cups of basil out of this cutting. Two or three more cups of basil still out there.

Basil being rinsed

If you look at the picture below, you will see the good tomatoes and the ones the stink bugs destroyed. Careful cutting before slicing or processing was necessary to avoid damaged areas.

Heirloom tomatoes, some with stink bug damage

About how the farmers markets and the farm stands have replaced grocery stores in my shopping trips. I discovered England Acres and go there frequently. I get eggs and meat from them and from TLV.

England Acres fields

About almost completely eliminating processed foods and grocery store meats. Dinner Friday included TLV beef short ribs, CSA potatoes and kale, and tomato sauce made with my Amish paste tomatoes. Nothing processed in this dinner. All fresh. Almost all local. Except for the olive oil I used to brown the meat.

slow cooked short ribs

Check out my Local Challenge page and see what my friends are cooking. You may get addicted to ajvar, like I did. Mine is redder than Rebecca’s. Haven’t figured out what I did differently. Eat a local meal soon and enjoy the last of the summer bounty.