Root to Stalk Cooking

In Denver we pay a bit extra to have a compost bin. I don't mind the cost, though it would be nice if everyone could have access to a way to compost. Mostly I put our compostables in there and it gets removed each week, but I also have a small bin where I'm creating some compost for use in our garden. Then I get to be extra picky about what goes in there. Paying attention to where waste goes tends to trigger a reaction to try and stop it at the source. And growing some of my own food gets me more energized to try and use all the pieces I can. That's why I found this cookbook so appealing:

Yesterday I harvested some carrots and decided to make carrot top salsa verde from this book. Delicious! And I feel good for using every part of the carrots.

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Kimchi and stir fry mushrooms and spinach - go to summer meal

The Cherry Creek Farmers Market is getting busier on Saturdays as more booths appear and more people are in the mood for local produce. My favorite go-tos that have been there since day one are Unni's Kimchi - a new booth from two sisters who moved here from South Korea. I was actually their very first customer since I get to the market when it opens on Saturday. The other is a wonderful local mushroom grower. I didn't know until watching a special on Colorado Public Television that this state is a large producer of mushrooms. They have different varieties each week and I stir fry their mushrooms with some spinach from another booth, spoon on some "Magic Soy Sauce" from Unni's and serve it over brown rice with a big spoonful of kimchi (cabbage or Korean radish). Delicious!

Word Salad - a writing prompt from my latest class

I mentioned that I'm taking a 4-week introduction to writing class at Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver. It is amazing! I am loving the creativity it is inspiring and the instructor is fantastic. Last night we focused on the sensory aspects of writing and one of my favorite activities was Word Salad. Our instructor handed around a bowl full of words: written, typed, cut from magazines... we pulled out a pinch and then wrote a poem using as many of the words as we wanted and adding our own. The creative spirit really flowed and I was once again reminded of how much I love writing poetry. It's something I enjoyed as a child and then laid aside as I focused on other things in my studies. I also forget to read poetry, but luckily Joy gave us a bunch of recommendations for books to read. Here is the poem I wrote last night. It's still raw - no editing. And I enjoyed every second. And send my regards to infinity True vulnerability is received through kindness It is ...

Preserving in the Winter and Crafting Classes

I really slowed down on this blog once canning season ended, but realized it does not just have to be about food preservation in that sense. This insight occurred to me in particular as I was deciding what to do with 5 pounds of organic meyer lemons. My neighbor and I decided to share a 10 pound box, shipped from Fairview Orchards in California. I knew I needed to use every last bit of these beautiful lemons. Lemon peels in vodka, preserved lemons, and homemade vanilla I adore the taste of limoncello, so I knew that drink had to feature in my plan. I bought some 100 proof vodka and carefully removed the yellow portion only of the peels of 12 of the lemons. They will steep in the vodka for about a month and then the flavored vodka will be mixed with simple syrup to create the limoncello. Half will be mixed with a milk-based simple syrup for a creamy version. Then I had plenty of juice to mix up some delicious meyer lemon margaritas! (2 oz lemon juice, 2 oz tequila, 1/2 oz Cointr...

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