March 12, 2010 by Debra.

With sugaring season upon us, it seems the perfect time to get out the cast iron skillet and fry up some flapjacks. Serve them up with some sauteed apples, warm maple syrup and a side of smoky bacon as a way of celebrating!

Maple Griddle Cakes

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon maple syrup

2 eggs

1½ cups milk (plus ½ cup to thin batter)

2 tablespoons butter, melted (optional)

Butter or cooking oil for frying

1. Mix the dry ingredients together.

2. In separate bowl, beat the eggs into 1½ cups of milk, then stir in melted butter (if using). Gently stir this mixture into dry ingredients, mixing only enough to moisten flour; batter will be lumpy. Add more milk to thin batter, if desired.

3. Heat skillet or griddle over medium-low heat; skillet is ready when a few drops of water skids across surface before evaporating. Add a little butter; when butter foam subsides, ladle batter onto the skillet.

4. Flip pancake when bubbles appear in center of pancakes and bottoms are browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Cook until second side is browned, a few more minutes. Adjust heat as necessary to keep pancakes from burning.

5. Serve immediately or hold on an ovenproof plate in a 200°F oven for up to 15 minutes. Serve with warm maple syrup. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Notes:

- Buttermilk or yogurt may be substituted for the milk. If using either, reduce the baking powder to 1-1/2 teaspoons, and add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.

- Do not add too much butter or oil to skillet, just enough to film the bottom.

- Batter can be prepared the night before and may be preferable, especially if using whole grain flours.

- Adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman.

Posted in Market Notes, author: Debra, recipes | Print | No Comments »

March 12, 2010 by Debra.

A barn-sized thank-you to all who came out for CSA+CSF Day at the Winter Farmers’ Market in Rollinsford! After a couple of dark, frigid nights without electricity, it was cheering to spend the day with good company in a warm place, and enjoy a hot meal.

Many farms still have CSA openings available but they are filling up fast. Secure a spot with the CSA of your choice by signing up soon. If you still have some questions or missed CSA+CSF Day, come this Saturday to the Winter Farmers’ Market at Exeter — a number of those offering shares will be there.

A list of those who participated in CSA+CSF Day (with brief descriptions of each) and information on “Choosing a CSA” may be found on the Winter Farmers’ Market website.

Posted in author: Debra | Print | No Comments »

March 12, 2010 by Heather.

The year 2010 marks the 15th annual New Hampshire Maple Weekend. March 27th and 28th are sure to be exciting days for those who choose to visit any of the 65 sugarhouses across the state that will be welcoming visitors. Events include learning how maple syrup is made, learning the history of maple syrup, tasting free samples, pancake breakfasts, horse-drawn rides, sap collecting, petting zoos, musical entertainment, and much more. And it all will be enjoyed while sweet maple steam rises from evaporators and New Hampshire maple producers work in sugarhouses to boil sap down to syrup, a craft that has been refined over hundreds of years in New England. Visit the New Hampshire Maple Producers website for more information on the weekend.

One sugarhouse that will be welcoming guests during New Hampshire Maple Weekend is Sugarmomma’s Maple Farm, 213 Ridge Road, Northwood, also a vendor at the Winter Farmers’ Markets. Sugarmomma’s will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., rain or shine, on March 27th and 28th.  There will be hayrides, a pancake breakfast, pony rides, and much more. See Sugarmomma’s website for more details.   
 

Posted in author: Heather, learning, farms, events | Print | 1 Comment »

March 12, 2010 by Heather.

Yesterday, the Hippo ran a story about Manchester restaurants striving to bring more local food into their kitchens. But this was no small article simply naming a few locations and the beginning of their adventure. This was more of an in-depth study on how New Hampshire is coming home, so as to speak, and how the momentum for local food is growing. Writer Heidi Masek got input from many restaurant owners, farmers, and local food leaders.

Chef Jeffrey Paige said it’s amazing that right now in New Hampshire you can find venison, buffalo, beef, pork and chicken raised locally, and probably eight or 10 different kinds of cheeses.

But although everyone is excited about local food, there remain many challenges to fully stocked restaurants. Masek says:

These [farms] are usually family businesses, though, and producers are working so hard on products that a lot of them don’t have time to market or distribute. “That’s the hard part of this whole process. The average chef works 60 hours per week,” Paige said. They need sourcing simplified.

And that’s one of the things a group of 50 to 75 people–farmers, producers, distributors, chefs, and others–met to work on in January at Cotton Restaurant in Manchester. It was a New Hampshire Farm to Restaurant Connection meeting and they were starting to figure out ways to get more local products into Manchester restaurants. 

The bottom line of what the New Hampshire Farm to Restaurant Connection does is to sustain New Hampshire farms — provide farmers with a reason not to sell to real estate brokers, Charlie Burke said. However, local foods are also safer, better and fresher.

Of course, there’s a lot more where this came from. The article also takes a look at what groups in all parts of the state and even over into Vermont are doing. It’s worth taking a few minutes to read the whole article on the Hippo’s website.

And remember, you can always find local food near you in Rockingham, Strafford, and York counties with the help of Seacoast Harvest.

Posted in author: Heather, local food in local restaurants, eating locally in the media, farms | Print | No Comments »