Nothing is more rewarding than sharing the joy of good food grown well. Peppers and tomatoes ripen while waves of cucumber, squash, corn and lettuce continue to take off. Flowers and an adjacent hum of pollinators soothe the ears while sun rays sting necks left unprotected. No rain for weeks on end and water from the mountains flows slower as snowmelts subside. Shade is precious for all living things. After all is said in done we’re growing in the desert. No one said it was easy, but I’m here to tell you it’s worth it.

 

bean mix

A mix of beans saved from last season. Yum!

 

In the intern kitchen there’s been dabbling in cheese and breadmaking, each of which included myriad failures and some slight successes. Once market season rolls around and there’s a constant supply of bread from The Village Baker we let them handle the baking and are always pleased with the results. Sparrow squelches our craving for sweets with delectable goods as well. Can’t forget Pine Mountain Ranch for specialty meats and Cada Dia for fine cheese. Holm Made Toffee offers splendid toffee and it complements a warm Hearth Chai or refreshing Humm Kombucha for an all-around taste adventure. Being able to trade fresh produce for other goodies at market is economical for all parties and makes for a joyous end to market days.

five

To the right is a loaf of our homemade bread that was actually decent! It may have been one of two loaves that passed taste trials. Nonetheless it hammered home some points worth remembering for anyone interested in breadmaking at home.

  1. Get a digital scale. It’s worth it. Always.
  2. Locate a live sourdough starter? Not absolutely necessary, but it imparts a certain richness to the bread and is reusable/giftable.

Let’s hear about your recent projects in the kitchen- Contact us here !