Archive for August, 2010

by Carrie Koepke

I have a particular weakness for soups.  In general cooking soup makes me happy because it is one of the most forgiving dishes as far as a recipe goes.  You can go with what you have and alter liberally.  Sadly, the summer heat fights off my craving for a sauté and simmer ritual.  I tend to freeze single servings of each batch of winter soup to hold me off.  Come corn season, however, I have to pull out the soup pot.  When it is cold I sweat onions and garlic for at least an hour before even deciding what kind of evolution will simmer through the afternoon.  In the heat I forgo the fancy good smelling embrace.  I tried chilled fruit soups, but decided they were just weak smoothies.  So instead I trust this simple base and embellish with sharp cheddar if there is rain, add slices of venison on top for my meat eating husband, cucumber seeds for my son, and a few kernels of frozen corn for my daughter and myself.  If you have some extra time when you cut your kernels off the farmer’s market corn, soak the cobs in the milk and broth to ease out the last of the deliciousness before you start the blending and cooking.  If you know you will be in a rush just cook extra corn the night before and have the bowl of kernels waiting for you when you get home.  From that point on it is only ten to fifteen minutes from blend to table depending on how smooth you want the soup.

 5 cups of corn

2 cups of milk (or soy milk)

2 cups of chicken broth (or vegetable broth or even water)

1 Tablespoon hot salsa (or 5 sun dried tomatoes)

Pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Put all ingredients in a blender and puree or use a stick blender in the pot.  Heat on medium until slight simmer starts.  Serve with a few local spinach leaves and some fresh sour cream.

Thanks to everyone who made the 2010 Taste of the Market such a great success. 

Here is just a partial list of folks to THANK!

Emcees: Peggy Kirkpatrick & Judy Baker and Win Grace

Sponsors:  Boone County National Bank, The Columbia Farmers Market, Columbia’s Kitchen, Kilgore’s Medical Pharmacy, MFA Oil, Missouri Legacy Beef, MU Bradford Research and Extension Center, Twaddle Orthodontics

Food from:  Annie’s Breads, Boley Farm, Crocker Farm Pork, Kenny Duzan, Grower, Main Squeeze Natural Foods Café, Missouri Legacy Beef, Nobis Farms, Pete’s Produce, Phil’s Garden, Rt. B Greenhouse, Shepherdsfield Bakery, Show Me Farms Beef, Shrock’s Greenhouse & Produce, Thoenen Ag Sales, Uprise Bakery, and Walk-About Acre- Honey Ice Cream

Entertainment from:  The Bubbas, The Rambling Daniels, LaMovida, Dancers- Ashley from studio B, Face Painters: Ami Romero-Perez & Sam Albert

IRON CHEFS: Craig Cyr from The Wine Cellar & Bistro; Aaron Wells-Morgan from Les Bourgeois Blufftop Bistro; and Jina Yoo from Jina Yoos Asian Bistro.
The Iron Chef Judges:  Mayor McDavid, Andrea Cobb  Karen Touzeau, John Turchiano, and Nick Twenter.  Sous Chefs: With Craig Cyr- Martha Dragich, With Aaron Wells-Morgan- Mindy Lonkausky, With Jina Yoo- Nazak Birjandifar

Event Photographer Kevin Dingman

The Steering and Advisory Committee Members for the Pavilion Campaign

And the nearly 100 Volunteers who helped plan, set up, run and clean up the 2010 Taste of the Market!  We could not have done it without you!!!

ENJOY THE SLIDESHOW.  If you have any fun pictures from the event and you are willing to share them with our site, please email them to me!  casey@farmersmarketpavilion.org.

Read about a massive egg recall!  Head on over to the Columbia Farmers Market this weekend and try some fresh, safe eggs!! 

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/08/19/eggs.recall.salmonella/index.html?hpt=T2

Judy Baker, Chris Stevens, Don Ginsburg and other local celebrities enjoy the feast!

At the Taste of The Market, 2009, three Local Chef/Local Farm Dinners were auctioned to benefit Sustainable Farms & Communities Pavilion Project. Chef Ben Randolph and farmer Dan Kuebler teamed up to host a dinner for eight at the Salad Garden Farm. Our dinner was bought by Sharon & Don Ginsburg, Judy & John Baker, Bonnie Trickey & Larry Giddeon, and Jennifer Perlow & Chris Stephens. Kim Coldicott and I were on hand to assist.

We began with icy mint tea and a tour of the farm showing vegetable production in the fields and high tunnels, along with the solar powered irrigation system. Dinner started on the deck under a canopy but rain moved us inside to a grand harvest table.

Ben Randolph, former Executive Chef at Trattoria Strada Nova and currently Chef at Harpo’s, created a seasonal tasting menu highlighting local foods from our farm and others at the Columbia Farmers Market. The multi course meal featured many small plates giving a sense of the chef’s style and range.  The guests enjoyed seven courses:

Tomato Trio
Gazpacho
Caprese Salad
BLT with Crocker Farm’s Bacon & Heirloom Tomato

Yellow Sweet Corn Bisque
Powdered Salsa
Shrimp Ceviche

Herd Salad in Truffle Vinaigrette

Troutdale Farm’s Trout
Sautéed and Sweet pickled Chard
Baby Patty Pan Squash
Green Beans

Susie’s Grass Fed Lamb Strip Steak
Mint
Eggplant
New Potato
Red Onion
Chili Oil

Grilled Peaches
Ginger Crème Anglaise
Beurre Noisette (Brown Butter handmade) Ice Cream

 Goats Beard Farm Fromage
Feta with Pink Peppercorns and Bonne Femme Honey
Chèvre with Country Goodies Apricot Preserve
Missouri Moon with Dates and Norton Syrup

 The presentation was glorious with unique and artistic plating. Chef Ben did an excellent job matching the impromptu selection of wines brought by the guests with the corresponding courses. Fabulous food and excellent  conversation were enjoyed by all.

Chef Ben Randolph and Farmer Dan Kuebler will be donating another Chef’s Tasting Dinner at this year’s Taste of the Market. Other auction dinners available are Chef Trey Quinlan at Deep Mud Farm and finally Mike Odette of Sycamore will host a dinner for six in the winning bidder’s home!!  These auctions will be held at the 2010 Taste of the Market this Saturday, Aug 7, from 6-9:30 pm across from the ARC!

Go to the homepage to get tickets to the event and bid on one of these amazing dinners!

Diane La Mar
The Salad Garden
Diane is a local psychotherapist and freelance writer, and lives at The Salad Garden Farm with her husband Dan Kuebler.