Locavore In Training

Turns out, I'm just not very good at blogging. Oh well. I've decided not to care about that, and get to it when I can and want! My last extended absence was more or less a result of not accomplishing anything locavore-related. In this case, it's exactly the opposite! Can't really say what kicked me in high gear, but I'm not complaining.

I've been cooking. A lot. I mean, a lot. It's been awesome. I've been inspired by so many blogs, cookbooks, recipe sites and cravings. Some recent projects (all of which I planned to blog about, maybe I'll actually get to a few):

• Season of Soups! I've always been picky (in which picky = broccoli cheese only) about soups, and I decided to kick that aversion this year once and for all. I'm shooting to make one new soup recipe each week. (With as many local ingredients as possible.) Here's what I've made so far:
• Loaded Potato
• Chicken Tortilla
• Chicken and rice
• Pumpkin Black Bean
• Cheeseburger Soup (Jay's favorite, hands down - said it was the best soup I've ever made.)
• White Chicken Chili (sort of... no actual chilis were harmed in the making of this soup, so I may have to try this one again.)
• Chicken Stock - Directly related to the above project! I've been making a batch every week or so using a whole, cut-up chicken in my crockpot. I end up with delicious shredded chicken and healthy stock, both of which makes me feel better about spending $22 for a free-range, pasture raised chicken. To the linked recipe, I just add a bunch of water, enough to more or less cover the chicken. I'm going to see if I can get a second batch using the leftover bones... maybe save the wings to add to them?
• Homemade Vanilla Extract - I have two batches going, one started 2 months before the second. The first one had (remedied this morning) less fresh beans and used Dewers as the base. It may or may not turn out, but the fact of the matter was that we had a bottle of Dewers no one wanted anything to do with. The second uses absolut vodka. The second has been brewing maybe 6 weeks and is starting to smell like something I'd actually like to use. Oh, and I did buy my beans from Amazon, and they're far better than anything I've ever purchased from the grocery.
• Lard. Yep, I said it. Such a bad rap. I ordered pork fat in my last Polyface delivery (5 lbs for me, 5 lbs for Penn) but it ended up coming in a 3 and 7 lb bags. So, I quickly (hahaha) whipped up some lard for use in baked goods that call for shortening and any other shenanigans I can get into. (So, the recipe said 8 hours in the crock pot would do it, but after almost 24, I ended up finishing on the stove. And buying a new crockpot.)
• Local food hunt and gathering. I recently read Joel Salatin's new book Folks This Ain't Normal (please read it), and I'm more motivated than ever to opt out of the existing food system. I'm getting really close to not needing Safeway anymore. (Even though they recently declared me a "VIP" customer. Oy.) I've found some new, and started using some old sources:
• Polyface Farm: Ordering almost all our chicken and beef here. In fact, finally bit the bullet and ordered 1/4 cow this year. And 10 chickens. For delivery the same day. Oh, and I'm going camping, so Jay's left home to deal with all that. Thanks, honey!
• My Butcher and More: Love this place! They have a price list on the wall for local meats verses non-local. And deal directly with lots of local farms. Our source for Bison, chicken breasts (now considered a treat), sausages (so far, Italian and lamb feta), and duck fat(!!!).
• South Mountain Creamery: Such a convenience! Delivery to our door of milk, cheese, granola, bread... even turkey products (whole turkeys, ground turkey, turkey jerky). They have other meats, but our needs are pretty much covered with the other sources.
• Farmer's Markets: There are 3 for me to choose from (aren't I a lucky girl?) in the Anne Arundel County area convenient to me. My favorite is the Riva Road market on Saturdays. More vendors, more produce vendors to pick from. But the Westfield market on Sundays is also a nice stop, not too many options, but I can get most of what I need there. The Downtown Annapolis market is nice, but a little more of a hassle with parking, and the furthest away.

There may be more, but I'm drawing a blank! There's Chicken Tikka Masala in my (new) crockpot and Naan dough rising... Can't wait!