February 13, 2008 by Jeff.

If you want to try eating preserved food this winter but didn’t get any pickling done this summer, today’s Boston Globe has a fun article on restaurants and shops near Boston that offer pickled foods and charcuterie. There’s even a recipe for pickled red onions. Here’s the list:

• The Butcher Shop, 552 Tremont St., Boston, 617-423-4800, thebutchershopboston.com.
• Craigie Street Bistrot, 5 Craigie Circle, Cambridge, 617-497-5511, craigiestreetbistrot.com.
• Rocca, 500 Harrison Ave., Boston, 617-451-5151, roccaboston.com.
• Sel de la Terre, 255 State St., Boston, 617-720-1300, seldelaterre.com.
• T.W. Food, 377 Walden St.,Cambridge, 617- 864-4745, twfoodrestaurant.com.
• WuChon House, 290 Somerville Ave., Somerville, 617-623-3313, wuchonhouse.com.

And here’s the link:

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/articles/2008/02/13/preserving_a_tradition/

Posted in author: Jeff, putting food by | Print | 1 Comment »

July 24, 2007 by Sara Zoe.

Blueberries are here! I am back on my feast and freeze plan, with the added bonuses that a) blueberry season lasts a whole lot longer than strawberry season and b) they are wicked easy to freeze, just pop ‘em in quart bags and into the freezer they go.

We’ve been to pick-our-own multiple times now, and there is no sign of a let-up. This year’s blueberry crop is amazing.

There are lots of blueberry farms listed in the Seacoast Local Foods Resource Guide, as well as plenty of pick-your-owns. Lots of growers are also bringing blueberries to our area farmers’ markets.

Posted in putting food by, sources of local food, author: Sara Zoe | Print | No Comments »

July 5, 2007 by Sara Zoe.

We’re almost done with strawberry season here; last week’s heat just about put an end to a glorious and abundant season. While it lasted, we feasted. There have been several batches of strawberry ice cream, made with Brookford Farm milk and cream. There has been strawberry shortcake, and there was an afternoon where three quarts disappeared directly into our mouths. But the last of our berries will be headed for the freezer, lying in wait both for the September Eat Local Challenge and the upcoming winter, when local fruit is unavailable unless you plan ahead.
If your freezer is big enough, the best method is to wash and dry the berries, lay them out on a sheet pan, and freeze them whole. When they are frozen, put them into freezer bags (labeled well, of course) for future use.

Our freezer is not very big, so I washed and quartered the berries, and packed them pretty tightly into these deli containers. Frozen berries work perfectly for most every strawberry need - smoothies, pies, crumbles, ice cream, waffle and pancake toppings, and on and on.

The only thing they aren’t great for is eating fresh out of hand. Since there is no substitute, we feast while we can.

To try to catch the last of this year’s strawberries visit a Seacoast area farmers’ market, pick-your-own farm, or farm stand.

Posted in putting food by, sources of local food | Print | 1 Comment »