My New School is So Old School

Canning.

How retro can you get? Well, today I canned for the very first time and it really was not that hard. In fact it was rather simple. How did I not know this?

So here is how it all went down. We set off this morning for Smolak Farms in North Andover with the intention of buying a few ready picked quarts of strawberries for my first attempt at making jam.

My son would have none of this already picked business and insisted that we go and pick them "On our own." So what is a mom to do when an eager beaver is up for it? Pick!

I am very ashamed to admit that I have never picked strawberries before. How absolutely satisfying and fun. It really does bring out a fever to find the most perfectly ripe and unblemished strawberry. We were so in the moment and my son would periodically stop and look around and say amazing things like, "Are we farmers?" or "What a view!" With words like that you just know that you should be doing things like this all the time. I got to talking with another mom with a young child and she too planned on canning. She looked so young, confident, happy and cool. I want to be her when I grow up :)

We wound up picking close to TEN pounds of strawberries (actual photo)! That was indeed the magic number since we paid only $2 per pound since we had so much. Our car smelled of strawberries, our hands stained red, we quickly made our way back to Reading.

The hardest part of canning is the learning curve. There are all new tools to master, terminology to decipher, and timings to understand. I used the recipe included in the pectin box, but I used the Ball Canning Book for all the background information. You can really use any large pot for fruit jams but you can get canning supplies relatively inexpensively. Then....independence!!!!! The mystery of how these companies get those things inside the glass jars without spoiling has been solved! I feel empowered and confident. Just like that cool mom in the field...

This is my actual jam. Isn't it beautiful? Perhaps when we get so far away from "woman's" work in response to modern life we lose something in the pursuit. I really like taking back these small tasks that seem so "old school". I know that I am filled with pride at just how delicious this jam is...and I "did it on my own".

So...give it a try....it's local...it's eco. Strawberries are around until the fourth of July or so.

Enjoy!

Bread, Babka, Baba

I am a bread person...I love it. I could eat bread, bread, bread and more bread. Hmmm there has been times in my life in which I have unfortunately looked the part! Our town in New Jersey was a mix of European immigrants which lead to a very happy thing for me....great bakeries. My family's favorite was Sieze's bakery and they had the best crusty yet soft inside rye bread in the entire world. My dad would stop there several times a week for our loaves and we happily ate our bread. Some days it was still warm and the butter would soften and melt into the pillowy goodness. On weekends we would get a treat of custard and jelly doughnuts, raisin buns and danish. When I tell you I still dream of these things I am not kidding.

Of course, Sieze's bakery is gone. They retired and had no one to take over the business. This same senerio has been repeated over and over again for various reasons (competition, cost overhead, retirement, big chains) to our detrement. When was the last time you have visited a real live bakery that actually made their own baked goods from scratch?

Only adding to my love of bread is my Baba.

This is my baba with her babkas. When I look at this photo I can't do anything but smile with pride and thank my lucky stars that I had this in my life for 35 years. The babka...and most importantly the Baba whom I loved so very much.

My grandmother's homemade, handmade, baked goods can not compare to anything else. They were special. She made Babka, a sweet bread, and from this basic dough she may so many different recipes...pointichi (doughnuts), varenki (pockets with blueberries) and bulichka (simple sweet rolls). I have attempted a few of the recipes but of course they come in a very far second place.

So you see....with all of this amazing bread that I have had in my life....it has turned me into the most incredible and absolute bread snob.

So what does a gal like me do for an encore short of baking bread myself? How do I get away from the not-so-great-grocery-store, we-get-our-dough pre-made-from-a-vendor, and bake-it here, but-who-knows-what-the-heck-is- in-it-bread? What is a bread snob to do? I am so not neutral about this...I love them!

Swiss Bakers

See.... I was getting to the point.

Swiss Bakers http://www.swissbakers.com/ is a Reading business that specializes in breads that have a crunch. Wait you say... I have never seen a bakery in Reading...well yes, they do not have a shop but you can have fresh bread. You have to order the bread or other tasty baked goods over the internet or call them at (781) 354-6989 and then you pick it up at :

The Chocolate Truffle

494 Main Street

Phone: 781-944-7155

http://www.thechocolatetruffle.com/

Yes, I too have to admit that I didn't know we had a chocolate shop in Reading.

So, my personal favorites at Swiss Bakers are the Swiss shield rolls and the Swiss challah. Since you have to order $30 worth (perhaps this can be lessened for repeat local customers hint, hint) I freeze them as soon as I get them home and then all I have to do is pop them in the oven and wow....the best thing in the world...fresh homemade BREAD! The apple filled doughnuts are really to die for.

I spoke with the owner Thomas Stohr about his all natural ingredients. He uses King Arthur flour which is an employee-owned Vermont company. Very good! I then emailed King Arthur flour about where they get their flour (see the Egg and I about Chinese import concerns). I got a standard response letter that said what I wanted to hear:

Dear Baking Friend,

Thank you for your inquiry.

All of the wheat gluten that’s been in the news, as part of a recall on pet food, originates in China.

The vital wheat gluten sold at the Baker’s Catalogue comes from the Netherlands and France, not China. (Even though some Chinese wheat gluten is shipped through the Netherlands, this is not the case with what we sell.) Our vital wheat gluten is imported from facilities registered with the United States FDA, and is free of melamine.

The gluten in our King Arthur signature flours, both conventional and organic, is a natural part of the wheat berry; it’s not added after the fact. All of our King Arthur Flours are milled in the United States, from American-grown wheat.

Any of our mixes that include added vital wheat use the gluten that we obtain from the FDA-registered facility mentioned above.

Our dog biscuit mix doesn’t use added wheat gluten; it only contains the gluten.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

So I do hope you try them out. If you don't want to order then go to the many local locations they sell at like Whole Foods in Woburn and Busa Farm in Lexington.

Bread is truly a miracle food. After WWII in Kufstein Austria my Baba traded her precious supplies of soap for...you guessed it.....BREAD. Decades later the bakery still stands, the baker warmly remembered, and most appreciated by my family. I do hope that Swiss Bakers will have the same fondness in our collective memories of Reading.

I'll Have the Local Yokel Fish and Milk Please

Back to food once again.

There is a reason that settlers came here to Massachusetts first, and one of them is the resources of the sea. I know there are many conflicting ideas on the eating of seafood, but I am really going to take the position that if it is local then it's O.K. to eat it. We are so very lucky to have this productive portion of the Atlantic right off our near coast.


So here is what I learned from the informative owner of the truly terrific Twin Seafood .....591 Main St. (781) 942 5855 www.twinseafoodofreading.com.... All his fish comes through Boston and there are certain varieties that can be considered "local". Shellfish such as scallops, clams,and lobsters are fished in the waters off of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Many of these fishermen are out of Fall River. In addition, Cod and Haddock are also fished from this port and shipped to Boston fresh, fresh fresh. Additionally some of the clams come from the famous Ipswich tidal flats. I cannot leave out the seasonal running of tuna and swordfish that comes yearly off our coasts. However I do have to point out that there has been warnings issued for children and pregnant women in regards to eating too much of these fish due to the risk of mercury.

So why go over to Twin Seafood. Well, it local and the taste is AMAZING! I have created two memorable meals...one scallop and one haddock. With sides dishes cooked with my farm share from the Farm School you would think that I was cooking at a five star restaurant. I am not kidding...it was that good.

So that brings me around to milk. Sorry for the jarring segue :)

I really had a hard time deciding what milk my family should be drinking and especially my young son. For years we used organic milk and were very happy with it. However, I started to think about the local thing and read some reports on how many large organic producers were really not following the standards set forth in the requirements. These large companies are well....large companies. So here is what I did....I talked with a farmer at Richardson Dairy.



Here is what I learned. Richardson's has been there...in Middleton for 350 years! 350! Pretty amazing. I asked about their feed and why they are not considered organic. He explained that the cost of the feed for organic is prohibitive. Organic feed would cost 3 times as much as regular feed but unlike many organic farms Richardson's actually grows their own hay as part of the cows balanced and controlled diet. He also explained why the regulations regarding pasturing is difficult to achieve here in Massachusetts and northern climes in general. Simply, grass is not available all year long. Right...it seems so obvious, but I really never thought of it...what really do I now about raising cows. Also, if cows do go outside during our harsh winters the risk to them through falls are high. Hmmm..something else I did not consider.

The winning element for my choice of Richardson's Dairy is this. Transparency. Go to the farm in Middleton, put your eyes on the cows, decide for yourself. For me this trip was crucial. I have never laid my eyes on any of the organic cows that we drank for years. OK, I will be honest, I never laid eyes on any of the cows I have drank milk from! So that was it. I was sold. I go to the Reading store at Jordon's furniture and pick up my milk 1 or 2 times a week. I get to listen to Abba or Springsteen on the dancing waters show and I get my milk. In my most paranoid of states of mind, I know that I could actually ride my bike to the Middleton Farm in the unforeseen event of total societal breakdown. I do feel good about that.

Reading Recycling Confusion

Hello powers that be.....

Reading's communication regarding recycling is a bit of a mess. A friend of mine who is an avid recycler stopped recycling plastics 3-7 because she read an outdated document on the town's website. In fact...there are 3 different documents regarding recycling.

It is my understanding that Reading is now recycling plastic 1-7. All other references to any other policy needs to be removed ASAP!!!!! According to one of the latest communications recycling is mandatory! Many folks have no idea!

Well, many committed citizens are not doing the right thing through no fault of their own. Please, Town of Reading, help us to help the environment and update, communicate and reiterate!

The Egg and I

So let's begin to talk about food.

It really has been my obsession for several months now. I guess I seriously started after the Chinese pet food and animal feed contamination scare. I realized that I really didn't know where my food was grown or raised and I was concerned over the possible chemical contamination that my food may be exposed to. The pet food scare is really just the tip of the iceberg. China is notoriously lax in food safety and contamination and downright poisonings are common. Rural Chinese infants have died from fake baby formula, 51 stricken dead in Panama from cough syrup containing diethylene glycol...yes, that's right antifreeze. Arriving in the US for your consumption...dried apples preserved with a cancer-causing chemical, frozen catfish laden with banned antibiotics, mushrooms laced with illegal pesticides.

Yum.......... Not.

Even when I have tried to do the "right" thing by my family and purchased organic frozen vegetables I have discovered to my unpleasant surprise, grown in CHINA!

Can we really trust China to not use banned pesticides, or chemicals that can kill us? Hmmmm, I have not inspected a Chinese farm and I doubt US officials have either. Now the FDA will begin to allow Chinese chicken imports. According to the International Herald Tribune, "In China, some farmers try to maximize the output from their small plots by flooding produce with unapproved pesticides, pumping livestock with antibiotics banned in other countries and using human feces as fertilizer to increase soil productivity. But the questionable practices do not end there: Chicken pens are frequently suspended over ponds where seafood is raised, recycling chicken waste as a food source for seafood, according to a leading food safety expert who served as adviser to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration."

My guess is if there is a profit to be made, there are corners to bend.

So what can we do about all of this ....it is just too much....

So....a long story for a short trip. Seven Acres Farm in North Reading.

Seven Acres Farm

Paul Magliozzi

4 Concord St, N. Reading, MA 01864

978-664-2660

sevenacresfarms@verizon.net

Farmstand: Year round, daily, 9am-6pm Chicken*, turkey*, eggs*, baked goods, herbs*, flowers*, vegetables* They have USDA meat and poultry. They have been in business since 1938, selling turkeys and chicken pies, roasts cutlets and eggs. Store is 1 mile from Rt. 93.

I love this farm!!!! The taste of the eggs, chicken and turkey are unmatched by any organic grocery store bought item. My husband said he thought the chicken I cooked on the grill last week was the best chicken he has had in his entire life! Yes, you have to buy a whole chicken and quarter it yourself, but oh so worth the small effort. The eggs are so flavorful and yellow that I have sadly realized I have not had fresh eggs before. I have just been informed the each Friday they smoke chickens so I am headed back this afternoon for out dinner treat.

This really is such a big topic that will be continued on and on. Have you been to 7 Acres? Spread the word to your friends. So many people have said, "Oh I know where that is, but never stopped." Really do stop. I mean how many times in your life have your talked with a farmer....a real live farmer for goodness sake!

Reading Recycles 1-7 Plastic!!!!!!!

We are so very lucky that Reading offers curbside recycling for all plastics in additions to cans, glass and paper. My friend in Philly is so jealous because she makes trips to the dump for her recycling! Talk about commitment!

I know that most of you want to be a good steward of the earth....but most of you don't recycle your plastic. I know that you don't because I drive around and see the amount in your trash bins!!!! O.K. I fess up...I only started doing it 6 months ago in earnest. Now it is a contest with ourselves. We only want to fill 1 bin with garbage and the rest is composted or recycled.

Now...why should I get so crazy about keeping all this icky plastic. Ready to get your anxiety kicked into full gear...check out the article Plastic Ocean. I guarantee you will be making it work for your family.

Here's what we did. First we got a handle on the plastic codes and we were shocked how much could be recycled. Here we go:

Poly(ethylene terephthalate): Soda bottles, water bottles, vinegar bottles, medicine containers, backing for photography film.

High-density Polyethylene: Containers for: laundry/dish detergent, fabric softeners, bleach, milk, shampoo, conditioner, motor oil. Newer bullet proof vests, various toys.

Poly(vinyl cloride): Pipes, shower curtains, meat wraps, cooking oil bottles, baby bottle nipples, shrink wrap, clear medical tubing, vinyl dashboards and seat covers, coffee containers.


Low-density Polyethylene: Wrapping films, grocery bags, sandwich bags.

Polypropylene: Tupperware®, syrup bottles, yogurt tubs, diapers, outdoor carpet.

Polystyrene: Coffee cups, disposable cutlery and cups (clear and colored), bakery shells, meat trays, "cheap" hubcaps, packing peanuts, styrofoam insulation.

The hotdog of plastics! Products labeled as "other" are made of any combination of 1-6 or another, less commonly used plastic.

We then needed a system to separate our plastic, cans and glass from the rest of the trash. We put 2 bins under our sink, one for garbage one for recycling. Then we had to increase our capacity for recycling for curbside. My husband got stickers from town hall and placed them on one of our regular cans. Every other week we recycle 2 full red bins and one full "regular" trash bins. We are really proud of ourselves.

Oh...we do recycle paper. It is in a separate bin in our pantry.

You can do it!!!!!!

There Always is a First

Hello Reading!

So now it begins. I am making an official attempt to help change my part of the world...one idea at a time, one step after another, reaching out from one neighbor to the next. I know I can't be the only one looking around, watching the news, reading the newspaper and being a bit horrified and overwhelmed. Globalization, climate change, food safety and pollution is enough to give most people a bit of an anxiety attack.

So I have tried to go "green". One baby step at a time. I wanted to write my experiences down, and hopefully get ideas flowing. I know that I can't change the world, but perhaps I can make my own backyard greener...and my backyard is Reading Massachusetts.

So come along with me...be a part of the process with your feedback and ideas. We can truly turn these pages into resources that we can actually use. I really would love to learn from you and perhaps I can trigger ideas that you can use today.