UPICK Blueberries

I froze blueberries from a UPick farm in Cooperstown NY named INGALLS BLUEBERY HILL.  they are organic - more expensive - the berries are plump and the owner is helpful.
we picked for about 3 hours.

It was the middle of August, I think a later harvest than normal.  Call 607-547-2600 for info + facebook link - call first for best picking.  

They provide buckets to pick lined with bags to take your blueberries home.  I brought a plastic tray to lay them in the car - they are fragile.  Than I washed and froze them and de-stemmed.  I froze in large 2 mil bags that I use for freezer products.  They held up very well.  I recently made blueberry muffins.  Here is the recipe.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
2 c cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking pwder
3/4 tsp salt
mix dry ingredients

cream
1 stick butter
3/4 c sugar or substitute (honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar)
3/4 c sour cream or buttermilk
2 eggs

add dry ingredients and mix
add blueberries to taste - I used alot

the frozen berries help the batter to chill immediately which makes for better baking
Bake at 350 degrees until a tester comes out clean depending on the size of your muffins they take as little as 15-20 minutes to bake.  They stay moist and soft for a good amount of time in your frig! Enjoy! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ingalls-Blueberry-Hill/254264028089345

kale chips coming soon from Ambrosia Farms

Peking Duck

we raised ducks a few years back...Gene did not like taking them to be "processed".  he always has been a bird man.  otherwise a vegetarian...i do enjoy peking duck...roasted Chinese style.  he and i both feel so much for all creatures that we are better off with veggies...

The Making of Siggi's

What I like about this product is the taste and the ingredients.  It is thick like Greek yogurt - strained - but not as thick as some.  Best of all it is produced by Evans Farmhouse, wonderful, down to earth people and local.  While the product is not organic - the cows are pastured and that allows them to live in their natural environment.
http://siggisdairy.com/
Chobani yogurt, another local producer, is made from milk largely from factory farms that confine their cows 24/7.  The founder, Hamdi Ulukaya has brought some revitalization to the area's job market.   However, reports that "his ex-wife Dr Alyse Giray is suing Ulukaya for $1.5 billion, claiming she gave him money to start and expand his original business in exchange for a 53% stake." Ulukaya says the suit has "no merit"  I wonder when the case will be determined? I hardly think any locals know about this.  But that has no bearing on the yogurt product of course...

If I had to choose a Greek yogurt for taste, the runner up would be Fage, also made in New York State.
We have alot to celebrate with so many yogurts made in New York State.  Here is a list of some:
Agro Farmer - Chobani
Fage
Muller
Byrne
Sheep
Siggis
Evans

Foodie Year in Review: 2014

this is the pineapple heirloom - a great slicing tomato!

My favorite food consumption this year included oysters at a local restaurant.  Cleaned and served chilled with fresh lemon and hot sauce is one of the truly simple and delectable treats.  I found these purveyors posted on the Martha blog.  I have not tried them yet, but intend to in the future for parties!

These are reasonable prices, especially if you are having guests and need 100 oysters!
http://coppsislandoysters.com/shop/

for smoked salmon, you may try russ and daughters:

http://shop.russanddaughters.com/store/product/233/Gaspe-Nova-Smoked-Salmon/

My all time favorite food - is the fresh heirloom tomato plucked from our farm gardens and sliced on Italian bread topped with mayo.  Nothing else screams summer to me, except the beach!  Purely delectable...

here is a sandwich with tomatoes, my cousins great fried hot peppers, and chunks of provolone cheese.

Onion Souffle Cheese Dip

Really like this dip!  It is an indulgence, so we'll only have it once or twice a year.  I saute the chopped onions first to carmelize them but you dont have to.  To vary this mixture: replace cream cheese with any soft goat or sheep cheese, instead of a pecorino, use any hard grating cheese.  Add a blue cheese.  Bake the whole mixture in individual ramekins and serve room temp or warmed, not hot.  Serve with crackers or thin sliced toasted bread.

3-4 onions chopped
24 oz cream cheese
2 cup pecorino
1/2 cup mayo

Spelt Tortillas

I love avocado and sprouts in a sandwich - that goes way back... invented in California, I believe...so good!!!

 Spelt Tortillas

Ingredients:
2 ¾ c. spelt flour
1 tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 TBS. coconut oil
¾ c. hot water + more, as needed

Mix everything together to form a dough ball and let it proof for one hour.  roll to preferred size paper thin and fry in cast iron skillet for 30 seconds on each side - do not overcook.

We had a cucumber bonanza harvest this year.  Use them to make pickles - bread % butter pickles - and made t he Greek tzatziki, and use in sandwiches like the one above, in addition to salads.