What a Joyful Journey

Last week marked our final appearance at the 6th Avenue Farmers Market for the season. As we close the chapter on a wonderful experience I am shifting my focus, with the seasons, to a greater dream. But, as I reflect on the events of the last several months, I can say with absolute certainty that I am a different person for embarking on a partnership with nature.

We started out with an idea, a shapeless plot of land, and a group of people who wanted to work with nature to grow lovely, fresh, healthy, and flavorful produce to bring to our neighbors. As seasons blossomed from spring into summer, so too did our creativity. With seeds churning silently in their beds under the cool ground, our thoughts began to sprout.

The first sprout of creativity was Aunt Farmer's. She knew the joy and excitement of gifting beautiful, edible flowers for salads, as well as growing unique vittles like Jerusalem Artichokes. Boo Boo farmer, and her multiple tubers of genius, offered tireless research on seed providers, impeccable and rare produce, and salad ensembles for all seasons. Like the herbs (pronounced, here, clearly with the "H") that she loves so much, Black Mama farmer brought the steadfast commitment, flavor and spice to the farm and market. Without fail, Merm Farmer kept a watchful eye on our new seedlings, tirelessly leading the charge against weeds, while Poppy Farmer carefully crafted, by hand, everything we needed to bring our produce to the market. And of course our beloved friend Tina (a most unusual name in comparison) created a visual embodiment of our group, through her gift of transforming words and ideas into pictures - amazing! And, the remaining members of our Vittles crew brought the motivation, joy, love, and a desire to work with nature.

Every Tuesday at market was like a time portal back to wholesome food, people, and community. The energy of the market staff, vendors and patrons was palpable and it spilled out onto Pine St. each market day. Perhaps the most subtle reward was the beautiful weather that we had for 18 Tuesdays - a gift for working in harmony with nature.

Lastly, I want to thank all of our friends-new and old- who stopped by our booth to say hello, try our "devine" vittles, and share their enthusiasm for our produce with us and others. Those interactions brought depth to our purpose. On behalf of all of the Vittles crew, revel in the commencement of autumn and its transition into winter. We look forward to seeing you next season. We will continue to share our endeavors through this blog and hope you do the same.

Jerusalem Artichokes are not from Jerusalem

They are in fact native to the United States. Jerusalem Artichokes, also called Sunchokes, are not artichokes either. They are related to sunflowers and the sunflower-like flowers, without the seeds, are on top of very tall stalks. They add a striking feast for the eyes in my vegetable garden. The edible parts are the tubers growing underground. The tubers look like a potato crossed with ginger root. They taste like nutty potatoes and are rich in potassium, iron, niacin, copper and more. My favorite way to eat them is simply steamed with butter or grated raw into a salad or chicken salad. This year I'm going to try making a soup of them since I found this: “The Jerusalem artichoke was titled ‘best soup vegetable’ in the 2002 Nice festival for the heritage of the French cuisine.” Apparently Jerusalem artichokes made their way from the states to France in the 1600’s from Cape Cod. An easy way to make a soup of them would be to boil them until they are very soft then mash them as finely as you can. Add cream, some of the water used to boil them, salt, pepper and any other seasons you like while heating gently. Their flavor would work well with any herb or you could go for a sweeter flavor with honey, ginger, nutmeg, and/or allspice. I'm going to start with the sweet version. If you’ve never had Jerusalem Artichokes, do try them!
With only 2 markets to go this year, I am going to do my best to get these fall vegetables to our faithful adventuring customers.
Aunt Farmer

Chop Suey Greens

You ate the flowers all summer and now we’re offering the leaves and stems. Garland chrysanthemums are those delightfully cheery little flowers we’ve been adding to the salads. Our fall crop is coming in now and instead of letting them flower, we are harvesting them as greens. Asians use these greens in salads and soups and stir-fries. They are known as chop suey greens, tong ho, shungiku, depending on the country. Use the stems as well as the leaves and be sure to add at the last minute when cooking them or they will become bitter. Since I like food to taste elegant but be easy to cook, I just throw them in with a little butter, garlic, onion, thyme, rosemary and any other herb I fancy, sauté briefly and have a nice side dish.
So why would I bother with chop suey greens when there are so many other greens available, especially from Vittles de Vine? Besides their slightly tangy taste, they have their own power packed nutrients. They contain vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K as well as minerals (notably calcium) and amino acids. Garland chrysanthemum are so full of nutrients they are used
as a tonic in China.
We've entered the last month of market but we hope we've still got a few oddities for you.
Aunt Farmer

Opus of the week

This week we prepared a Stir-Fry Vegetable Medley for Two. It includes 1 small broccoli, 2 scallions, sugar peas, baby dragon carrots, a small squash, chard, mustard leaves and cilantro. Now how easy is that! Of course, we will have other herbs for you to add as well, depending on your taste preferences. Also new for this week will be herbs already tied and ready for hanging for your winter teas.
The weather here now, in August no less, is already inviting a nice warm cup of healing tea. It is a little different having the warm cup of tea while sitting and gazing out on a landscape of flowers and vegetables, with a cloudy sky promising to do the work of watering for me.
My main activity of this week, besides saving “Aunt Farmer’s” heirloom seeds, has been making herbal vinegars. I have one that specifically commemorates many of the herbs and flowers we took to market. The white vinegar had turned the loveliest shade of pink within one hour of pouring it in over nasturtium flowers and leaves, thyme flowers, anise hyssop flowers, rosemary, hyssop flowers and more.
For those who have never made vinegars, it is the easiest thing in the world to do. Take the herb(s) and flowers, put them in a glass jar, pour the vinegar of your choice over them, and put a lid on it. Wait 3 weeks and you have just made your own easy and elegant vinegar. If you want to you can strain out the flowers and herbs at the end of that time and put in some fresh sprigs for display. I have a vacuum sealer that works on canning jars so can make lots to store too. These make great stocking stuffers, although not a surprise to my family now that I’ve blogged it. Oh well, maybe I’ll keep mine and encourage them to make their own instead.
Happy Market Day to You All,
Aunt Farmer

Eating What Is In Season

It is such fun to eat what is in season, grazing through the garden. But from what I know of nature, I am also sure there is a plan and the balance of tastes is just the beginning. For instance, in studying Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western use of herbs, dandelions just happen to be growing at exactly the right time medicinally to keep your body at peak health. This leads me to the global thought that all our vegetables and fruits are most harmonious to our systems during the season they are growing. Certainly it is true that things we think of as tasting good together happen to be growing together. Basil with tomatoes is an ideal example, and they even are good companion plants. Squash sautéed with onions,thyme and rosemary is a delight to me in these days.
While looking for less obvious recipes on the web I found some wonderful ones that I wanted to share here. These 2 are from Golden Harvest Organics (Thanks Judi for letting me post them!) and can be found on their recipes pages by clicking here

Rose Petal Soup
A surprisingly refreshing and delicious cold soup.
Ingredients:
1 red or pink fragrant rose flower
1 pint cold water
8 ounces dry white wine
Pinch of powdered cinnamon
1 16 oz. can pitted sweet cherries, drained
2 ounces of Kirsch
1/2 pint of sour cream
4 ounces of fine sugar
Pluck the rose petals from the head. Cut away the white basal (heels) portions and discard. Put aside some petals for a garnish. Put sugar, water and cinnamon in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil. Add the cherries and reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes. Add the wine and rose petals. Remove from the heat and allow to sit until cool. Put this mixture in the blender or food processor; liquefy it. Stir in 8 ounces of the sour cream and all the Kirsch. Refrigerate to chill thoroughly. Serve in a large glass bowl swirling the rest of sour cream on top. Scatter with rose petals and a sprinkling of cinnamon.
Yield: 6-8 servings

Cold Cucumber & Mint Soup
Ingredients:
3 small cucumbers, peeled
1/3 cup chopped chives
1/3 cup mint leaves
2 large cloves, peeled and mashed
1 cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
freshly ground pepper
1 Anaheim chile pepper
16 ounces of plain yogurt
Put all the ingredients into a food processor or blender. Process until smooth.
Whisk in the yogurt. Chill thoroughly and serve with choice of toppings like:
Chopped tomatoes, chive blossoms, minced arugula and croutons.
Yield: 4 servings

Find what's growing this season at the Tacoma Market on 6th!
Aunt Farmer

Fresh Herbs, Seasoning or Remedy?

This week we're featuring Rosemary and Sage. While we've had these at market often, including the flowers, we want to give them their due in center stage.
Rosemary has been used for everything from aiding circulation to regulating blood pressure, as an antidepressant and for migraines. It is a powerful antioxidant, is antiseptic and aids digestion. Rosemary tastes wonderful cooked with meats, eggs, fish, in soups, and in salads or salad dressings.
Sage has been linked with immortality in ancient lore. It is antispasmodic and relieves gas as well as bloating and cramps. Sage has been used to treat bacterial, viral and fungal infections, including oral infections. It also is said to help fight colds and coughs.
Both these herbs can be enjoyed as tea or as seasonings in cooking. You can't go wrong including these in your latest gourmet creation!
Aunt Farmer

Good Golly Aunt Molly

Most serious gardeners try something new and unusual, at least for them, each year. This year my experiment of choice was another heirloom, Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherries. The result is thrilling and I’m going into full production next year. The harvest is coming in, with a greater amount being gathered each day.

The most fun of all is watching as people try them for the first time. First they get to unwrap the little paper lantern surrounding the fruit. Then if you watch the eyes carefully you can see, almost every time, the person search for something to associate the taste with in the brain. Some come up with “melon”, others with “citrus” or “pineapple”. My favorite is when people realize they don’t have anywhere at all to put it. It is in a “new flavor” category. And that is how it was for me. If it is logged under any category in my brain it is under “tastes good”.

Like rose hips, ground cherries are high in pectin so if I can get enough of them this year I’m going to experiment with making them into jam. I did that accidentally with my Rosa Rugosa rose hips one year. I was making an extremely simple syrup so I’d have it to use with pancakes or to add a bit to hot water for the vitamin C, if needed. Something came up and I put the whole pot in the refrigerator before I was finished. The next day when I got back to it, I had what has since become one of my favorite jams already made. The only problem I foresee with making ground cherry jam is having enough left over after eating them raw on the way in from harvest.

I am going to make myself make sure some arrive at market tomorrow without them being eaten on the drive to market. For those of you that like a little sweetness, a little fruit, added to your salad, be sure to tell us and we’ll offer up that lagniappe with your salad bag (while they last). If you turn out to be a fan like I am, come back and let us know so we can enthuse together. We’ll also sell them a little later in the season when I've had my fill.
Aunt Farmer

Symphony Salad Ensemble

The Symphony Salad Ensemble we created last week was such a great hit that we decided to feature it this week. It is a great way to make a very robust salad as well as to try our unique produce. More people are becoming fascinated with our unusual selection so we thought this would be a nice way to let you a try a variety of items. The Ensemble starts with a bag of the Symphony Salad mix then adds golden sugar peas, podding radishes, dragon carrots, herbs and flowers. All of these are also available as single purchases without the ensemble. The ensemble ingredients change each week depending on what is in fruition in the garden.

We also discovered that some of you weren't familiar with our hallmark Symphony Salad mix. It is different in that it is a mixture of greens that offer a wider variety of flavor and nutrients than a simple salad. It is so nutrient dense it would take an entire web page, not one blog entry, to cover it all. The Vittles de Vine Symphony Salad mix contains 2 kinds of Kale (Red Russian and Red Ursa), Tres Fin Endive, Palla Rossa Chicory, 2 kinds of Parsley (Flat-Leaf Italian and Darki Mossi), 2 kinds of Spinach (Secret Spinach and Bloomsdale), Mild Mustard Mix, Chervil, Arugula, 2 kinds of Orach (Aurora and Magenta Magic). Burgundy Amaranth, Magentaspreen Goosefoot, Epazote, Blonde Escarole, Perfection Fennel, 7 kinds of Lettuce (Blushed Butter Oak, Divina, Jack Ice, Anuenue, Outredgeous, Brown Golding, Flashy Trout Back).
Thank you all for your support and wonderful comments. We look forward to seeing you at Market.
Aunt Farmer

Not So Common Thyme

I was harvesting thyme for the market today. It inspired me to blog. The entire bed is covered with beautiful edible thyme flowers and bees, bees, bees. When I water, the bees don't even bother to leave for the duration; they just dance in the rain and carry on.

Thyme is very high in a much-overlooked vitamin, Vitamin K. This vitamin is necessary for bone formation and blood clotting and helping the body assimilate calcium, a mineral along with manganese that is also found in abundance in thyme. Thyme is most known for containing the volatile oil, thymol, which makes it's antibacterial activity strong enough that it actually preserves food (and a few Egyptian mummies) and is known to be a great antioxidant. It has other valuable constituents as well, including terpenoids that are known to have anti-cancer properties. Cook with thyme to help make the food you eat safer from microbial beasties. Put it in salad dressings for taste and health benefits.

As an herbal remedy, it has historically been used as a remedy for a wide variety of ills ranging from coughs and colds to infections to hangovers. It makes a powerful tea so I like to have it on hand all the time.

This is only a single small blog entry and cannot begin to say all there is to say about thyme. So suffice it to say that while thyme is called "common thyme", I find nothing common about it at all.

We have plenty of both common thyme and lemon thyme for the market. Let us know if you want to dry your own and we'll bring extra for you.

Living with the Seasons

I find it to be a wonderful enigma that the more consciously I live in a season, the more aware I am of the future seasons. We are in the midst of summer now and everywhere around us are flowers and fruits and vegetables to be enjoyed as each plant expresses itself. And yet this is also the time when I need to be seeding again plants that prefer the coolness of fall. It is the time I am deciding which seeds to save for planting next spring. It is the time when I prepare for winter meals when there will be snow instead of lush produce on my property. The future truly does depend on the now.
I am presently freezing strawberries for future smoothies and sugar peas for the future stir fry. And all the while I am watching the tomatoes grow bigger and begin to ripen. I'm collecting old recipes and thinking of new creations I want to try when they are ready. I am planning salsa, stews, chutneys and a plum sauce. I feel pressed to can vegetable stock prepared with carrots, onions, garlic, herbs, potatoes, tomatoes and a variety of lettuces. Each vegetable stock creation will change with the phases of summer and keeps my winter from being repetitive, stark and bare.
What would my future be if I hadn't been aware of it now?
Thanks for listening to my summer musings.

Bee Balm is blooming as flowers take off at market

I'm always excited when Bee Balm bursts into bloom to add its startling color in my garden. This beautiful herb of the mint family is rich in historical lore and the list of its medicinal uses is long and impressive. The story is that the colonists switched to using their native Bee Balm after the Boston Tea Party. They didn't miss imported tea at all once they tried what was so easily available all along. The name Bee Balm comes from the use of the flowers in poultice form to ease bee stings.
Besides the traditional use of both leaves and flowers in tea, iced or hot, you can use this beautiful flower in garden or fruit salads, soups, breads, or as a garnish on any plate. It is particularly good with pork as it is slightly minty in flavor. The leaves have a bit of a citrus flavor added in with the mint. If you have a recipe for citrus rind, you can substitute with Bee Balm leaves.
Butterflies, bees and hummingbirds love this plant as much as we do. But we'll all sacrifice a bit and make sure we have some available at market next week.
Previously I said on this blog that we are fostering an attitude of "self-lagniapping". Yesterday showed a significant turn in that direction. More people came specifically to buy our herbs and flowers to beautify and flavor their food. Some had specific recipes or creations in mind while others wanted jazz in their salads. Also more people are realizing we are specializing in out of the ordinary items and came by to peruse the choices of the week. They went home with grape leaves, podding radishes, golden beets and the very popular dragon carrots.
I would like to thank all our customers who are finding they enjoy and share our quirky propensity for decorating food.

Last Week and This Week

So you noticed our new booth style last week! With summer here and the sun getting more intense we wanted to keep your produce as fresh as possible on ice instead of on display. We had fun coming up with a set up that would show you our salads without the actual salad you will take home having to suffer in the heat. It was fun having a floral dining room and being in the display instead of standing behind it. For me it was more interactive. And again, the people are definitely the most fun of all at the market.
Last week one of the first things we sold out of was our red-purple dragon carrots. We're pleased to have Dan Hutchinson use them in his Il Fiasco cooking demo tomorrow. He is making Moroccan Style Goat, and will add our dragon carrots, chervil, peppermint, and garlic chives. That should be a very interesting and colorful dish.
We also have golden beets, the Symphony salad, of course, and a wide array of lagniappes. Nasturtiums are in full force so the leaves and flowers are in a lot of the dishes we're eating now. The leaves are good in salad, on sandwiches, made into a pesto, or sauteed in with other vegetables. The flowers are just as versatile. Try stuffing them with any favorite filling and arranging them on a plate at your next dinner. Beauty and nutrition go together hand in hand.
And we will have our regular assortment of herbs, both common and exotic. For those that tried the lavender last week, isn't it surprisingly "right"!
See you tomorrow.
Aunt Farmer

Tuesday's Market, 30 June 2009

It was really great being at the Tacoma Farmer's Market on Tuesday. While bunching our cilantro (which was a big seller this week) I had the opportunity to spend time interacting with some of our customers and really enjoyed how unique each person is. (Reminds me of the uniqueness of our salad). Some people just stopped by to say how much they loved our booth; it caught their eye as they were walking by and made them stop in their tracks. They felt compelled to enquire as to exactly what we were doing with those flowers in our salad?

We truly appreciated your feedback, as we are evolving and changing each week and we know we are on the right track when we get this kind of response.

Some regulars stopped by to pick up their weekly supply of salad greens, arugula, onions, spinach and orach mix, herbs, edible flowers, etc. Others came to see what lagniappes we brought to the market this week. They discovered 3 varieties of beautiful rose petals, evening primrose leaves, strawberries, bachelors buttons, purple basil, lemon thyme, radish flower, and that is to name only a few.

Many people recognized flowers from our booth that they have growing in their garden but did not realize they could eat, so stopped by just for informational purpose and left with excitement and a sense of purposefulness. (I think there will be a lot of grazing going on in a few gardens in Tacoma this holiday weekend).

I was especially taken by one of our returning customer who brought her digital camera and showed us pictures of the salads she made with our salad mixes. We encouraged her to (and hopefully she will) post them on our blog so you can all see them and be inspired to beautify your salad as she did. Her salads were truly masterpieces, a work of art. The only problem with creating such a magnificent salad is you don’t want to disturb it; you just want to keep staring at it. I guess that's why digital camera and printers were created, so you can have your salad and eat it too. This beautiful lady shyly confessed to us that she takes photos of the meals that she makes because they are so beautiful. We boldly confessed to her that we do the same!

I must add that I find after a glass of red wine, the food definitely looks and tastes even more beautiful and succulent.

Bon Appetit!

Awesome Arugula

This week we will be featuring arugula at the market. It is one of the first items that sell out at our booth. People usually describe arugula as having a peppery taste. Actually I think it has its own taste that is indescribable. If I had to say, I'd choose the word "nutty" more than "peppery".
It is definitely my favorite green. Arugula salad, arugula on sandwiches, arugula pesto, arugula as a garnish on pizza, arugula straight out of the garden with no embellishment necessary - it all works for me.
Arugula and strawberry salad is a favorite this time of year. The two seem made to go together and pack a nutritional punch. It is like having a strawberry vinaigrette dressing just by adding some balsamic vinegar. I love fruit in salads anyway and will use dried wolfberries or raisins when fresh fruit isn't available.
Arugula flowers are edible and just as tasty. We'll try to make sure we have enough of those available as well.

Exotic and Elegant

It is our desire that you love food as we do. Healthy is not boring. Healthy is real food, fresh living food that still has its living energy to offer to you; and then Vittles de Vine is about making it fun. While we believe in healthy food, we also believe in lagniapping until you understand what the food is giving you. We make healthy food beautiful. We make healthy food elegant and we bring you exotic food no one else thinks to give you from simple farmers – grape leaves, chop suey greens and flowers, and flowers, flowers, flowers. Food should make you feel rich and abundant. The filet mignon of the vegetable world is at your whim with a new way of thinking. We love giving you this. But it isn’t about us. It is about you creating, being involved with food as an art form renewed. The exotic is at your fingertips. What minor addition of an herb or flower haven’t you tried? It is easy and not for the few chefs that have studied and made it a way of life. Why make the same boring dishes every day and night when a few flowers or a new herb can bring a sense of elegance into your life, while it secretly brings you greater health behind the scenes?
This week’s market is all about this as we bring you roses and herbs. Visit our booth, look at our book, and discover a few ever so simple ways to learn how to lagniappe yourself. And that should be a way of life.
Aunt Farmer

The No-GMO Challenge

Ordinarily, I would refrain from tainting our colorful and fun blog with the "dark side" of agriculture - GMO (what a very bad 3 letter acronym), but in my defense I have posted this rather charming lad with his super cape so I feel comfortable with the following discourse.


GMO is a ubiquitous term that induces a variety of feelings, opinions, and back-ally fists fights (so I've heard). It is a term rapidly approaching conversational infamy akin to politics or religion. So, rather than have you leave the party or challenge me to an wrestling match, I will refrain from sharing my opinions on the subject and ostensibly assume that we are both interested in learning how to avoid this 3 lettered monster lately hiding in the supermarket closet of every American.

I can't say with certainty how I stumbled upon this website: realfoodmedia but I know it started with a Russian scientist discussing how GMO potatoes used in fast food french fries are linked to the swine flu virus... Anyway, what matters is that I found the above site, which is starting a much needed dialogue on understanding GMOs. And more importantly, for those who do understand them, the site along with the Center for Food Safety offers a how-to-circumvent-immanent-GMO-ingestion-when-navigating-the seizure-inducing-isles-at-the-grocery-store otherwise known as the NON-GMO SHOPPING GUIDE. Refraining from entering into the religious arena (I'm doing well, huh?) I liken this guide to the irreplaceable "Handbook for the Dead" so vital to those navigating between worlds in Beetlejuice (click the link if you wish to tarnish all traces of my credibility).

So in conclusion, I encourage you to take the NO GMO challenge, as I will. At least take a look at the guide and see how many GMO items you already purchase and identify non-GMO substitutes for your current shopping excursions. Mostly I want to entice you to do your own homework and contribute to the dialogue. It's so important. Ultimately it boils down to personal responsibility and caring about how our food is grown. Do you?

Have You Been Lagniapped Today?

If lagniappe were only a noun before, meaning "something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure," I can proudly state that for us it has become a verb. We've been "lagniapping" our customers in joyful Vittles de Vine style for three weeks now at the 6th Ave Market, and yesterday at market and in the past week elsewhere, we've found others have lagiapped us as we never even thought to expect. From an armful of peonies to a loaf of fresh-baked olive bread, we're feeling the abundance coming back to us and enjoying it beyond words. The smiles on people's faces as they left our booth at market yesterday were the greatest of all the lagniappes we received. It was a day of wonderful, crowded enthusiasm where it was obvious that people really are learning the value of knowing not only where their food comes from but also who the people are that grow it and, of supreme importance to us, the spirit in which it is grown. I can hardly wait for next week!
Boo Boo Farmer

Lettuce Soup

This is one of my all time favourite soups, and this can be a great way to use

our salad mixes. The soup is also very satisfying chilled, especially

on a hot summer's day.

Bon Appetit!

Lettuce soup

(makes about 6 medium bowls)

2 large bunches or heads of lettuce

or outside leaves from 3-4 bunches

2 cups chicken stock (or other light soup stock)

2 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or to taste

1teaspoon honey or sugar

pepper, salt optional

1-2 tablespoons butter or cream

Shred the lettuce and put it in a pan with the soup stock.

Simmer gently till the lettuce is soft. Puree in a blender .

Return to the pan, add the milk, and season with nutmeg, honey or sugar, salt and pepper.

Heat without boiling.

Just before serving stir in a little butter or cream.

This delicate soup is said to have a soothing or tranquilizing effect.

This recipe comes from the book "The Craft of the Country Cook" by Pat Katz.

This Week at Market Features Red Giant Mustard

This week we're featuring Red Giant Mustard. Dan Hutchinson, the fabulous chef at Il Fiasco, is going to use it in his demo. He cooks the most tantalizing dishes and hands out the recipe. All the ingredients used may be found right there in the market.
Red Giant Mustard is an Asian green, rich in nutrients, medicinal lore and tangy taste. For those who like it hot, eat it raw in salads or on sandwiches. It tastes almost like horseradish. I am personally going to shred the leaves, add them along with Young Living lemon essential oil to mayonnaise, and then use that to dress my fresh salmon from a 6th Street farmer's market vendor.
If you don't like it quite so hot, or if you just like variety, sauté it. You can start with a light oil of your choice, add the stems chopped fine, and add garlic and onion. (Yes we'll have garlic and onions at the market this week too). Then when those are translucent and cooked to your liking, add mustard greens, cover and turn on very low. In just a few minutes you have a very easy and tasty meal. Cooking the greens makes for a milder flavor. For more fun, add herbs that you've never tried before.
And, of course, we will have the mustard flowers there for your salads or to add beauty to any meal you've cooked.
Looking forward to seeing you there,
Aunt Farmer

Thanks Ed Murrieta and Diana Prine

Things are moving fast for us and we couldn’t be more pleased. We just got to participate in the Tacoma Symphony’s Honor Thy Farmer dinner. We weren’t there but our salad greens were. Chef Diana Prine of Fife City Bar and Grill used our greens in her Northwest garden salad creation. In honor of this we have officially named the particular mix that we provided her the Symphony Mix. Thanks so much to Ed Murrieta for making it happen. Ed, though you only interacted with a few of us, you are now part of the buzz of excitement in the whole Lagniappe family.
Aunt Farmer

Grape Leaves This Week

This week we will have fresh deVine Grape Leaves at the Tacoma Market on 6th.
Here is a very simple way to use fresh grape leaves that will make you feel like a gourmet chef.

Make any kind of filling you like. You can make a rice mixture including meat or nuts, grated vegetables, raisins, shredded radish leaves, and anything else that suits your creative fancy. Make sure you add some interesting and healthy herbs, like mint.
Wash the leaves and remove the stem. Boil water in a pot. Remove the pot and add leaves. Leave them in the hot water for about 3 minutes. You’ve now officially blanched them.
Put a single grape leaf on a work surface like a chopping board.
Put a small amount of filling close to the stem area.
Fold the bottom points over the filling first. Then fold the side points in.
Roll from the bottom toward the top until there is no more to roll.
Put into a baking dish and go on to the next leaf.
Many recipes say to pour a broth, like chicken broth, over the grape leaves before baking. Bake for about ½ an hour.

There are loads of good recipes on the internet if you want to get more specific your first time!

Aunt Farmer

Lagniappe

I'm surprised no one has asked what 'lagniappe' means. They either already know or don't realize its significance. Alas, I can't wait any longer and have to spill the beans.
Vittles de Vine is a subset of Lagniappe Family Enterprises, LLC. And the Lagniappe Family, and its choice of name, is what therefore defines Vittles de Vine. Lagniappe is defined as "a small gift (especially one given by a merchant to a customer who makes a purchase)". The Lagnaippe family cannot help but gift gifts as the entire business is based on the concept, hence its name. More specifically the word is Cajun in origin and means a completely unexpected and nice surprise. Pronounce it lan-yap and if you love the concept, know that we love it even more. Being a giver is that much greater than receiving. Where most businesses are lucky or even expect to receive tips from their customers for a job well done, we consider ourselves abundant to be able to give tips and gifts to our customers for being so special to us. We love giving gifts just as bountifully as Nature gives its gifts to us.
Aunt Farmer

My obsession with Orach

I must admit I have been a spinach man since my first encounter with Popeye back in the day. I used to order it from a Luby's cafeteria in Texas every time my family would go there for dinner and as I grew older and bolder began to enjoy it raw as a substitute for salad greens. My limited palate considered the flavor and texture of spinach unmatched. Then I was introduced to Orach.

Almost identical in texture to spinach, this beautiful and tasty plant comes in colors ranging from light green almost white to deep and dramatic purples and will literally change the way you look at salads. Compared to spinach, this hardy plant can grow in less friendly soils, can sustain warmer temperatures and will grow up to 6 feet tall. These characteristics have earned this plant the name of mountain spinach (think: toughness of a mountain man versus an ordinary man), yet with such charming names as Magenta Magic and Aurora, you'd just as soon ask it out for a night on the town.

The Day After Market

We did it, We loved it, and Vittles de Vine is officially born and on it's way. The market was a resounding success for us. What fun. From the harvest to the cleaning of produce, from transporting to sighing and settling in, it was all pure adventure and manifested with the greatest of chaotic ease. Everyone in the Lagniappe family seemed to be going in different directions, concerned with different aspects, finding their niche and throwing themselves wholeheartedly into it. And in some miraculous way, everything arrived exactly on time with energy and ease.

We were all wide eyed in our new experience.... and waiting for you. We had plenty of time to meet the other vendors and enjoy their creations as well. It was exactly the atmosphere we wanted to be in; we were in the midst of those just like ourselves and all of us were creating and living our dreams.

And then the people arrived, you showed up. To all of you who visited us, thank you so much for sharing our first market ever with us. You stand out in our minds. If you enjoyed our lagniappes, come again as it will only evolve and get better. We're over our shy beginnings. Next market is a new day, a new week. Our desire is to decorate your salads with such beauty and nutrition that it is beyond any gourmet phantasm and right into your reality... Simple elegance and medicine for the soul. We already start with the best salad, a salad that actually has taste, but we intend to improve on that. We want to gift decorating and add beauty until each meal you carry away is your own private elegance or your personal ostentatious display - whatever your individuality chooses. That requires us to be able to know you, that requires your participation!

Please let us know what you want and we'll let you know if we have it in season. If we can we'll supply it and if we don't have it, we'll consider planting and loving it right into your life. We really are listening and caring. Read our book at the market, or write in our book and tell us about you. It is evolving like we are. Be part of that, scribble notes, make your mark!

Thank you all for making this a most spectacular experience for us, such a wonderful beginning.
Aunt Farmer

Breathing life into business

This video offers a fun and evolutionary view into how Vittles de Vine came about. From a single garden space to a beautiful and bountiful small scale farm, we have grown tremendously in a short time. To us, this video represents how each of us that makes up Vittles has learned from our experiences and grown as a family company. But most of all, it gives you a glimpse into the inner-workings of our beloved gardens, from which springs forth the produce we bring to you. We have transferred our individual gardening knowledge and passion for fresh, local, all-natural foods, into successful methods and steadfast standards for our little farm. We invite you to come take a walk inside our secret garden.

Countdown to Market Day

Although this is our first official post, as a group we have been hard at work since March 24, 2009 building the beautiful sub-acre farm that is the essence of Vittles de Vine. We are so excited to bring our quality and loved produce to the 6th Avenue Farmers Market in Tacoma, WA.

Our deVine Salad Mix is sure to tantalize your taste buds and add a tangy twist to your summer eats!

We will also be offering a variotous (yes, we have had to expand the english vocab to describe our abundance) spread of herbs to pleasure your pallette and reinvent your most favorite dishes.

Vittles de Vine: Re-deVining Salads!