Jen's Dish

Jen has moved!

2009-11-24T20:26:00.004-05:00

Just wanted to let you know Jen's Dish has moved!!
You can read Jen's culinary musings on wordpress now.
Hope you'll come by for a visit and say hi!!

Jen's Dish

It's been awhile!!

2009-03-19T15:28:00.004-05:00

I know, you haven't heard from me in quite some time. It's not like I haven't wanted to write, I have just been very busy with my full-time job. One of the best parts of my busy week is managing the Wintertime Farmer's Market in Pawtucket, RI every Saturday. This market has an amazing vibe. I liken it to hosting the biggest and best party of the week. A party that everyone wants an invite to. No invitations needed for this party, everyone is welcome, just bring an appetite!

What will you find at the market this week? Pea greens, Queso Blanco, Oysters, Grilled Cheese, Apples, Cider, and more. I recently made a video that gives you a just a taste of what the market is all about. I hope you'll stop by some Saturday and say hi!

Well, after trying to upload the video direct to this blog, I realized it is too big. So please visit my site on You Tube and watch, Scenes From a Winter Market.

Happy Thanksgiving from Jen!

2008-11-27T06:39:00.004-05:00

It is 6am and i am wishing and hoping for a Butterball radio station. It isn't that i need help with my Turkey. Think i am all set in that department. It is just very early and still dark outside, and as I unwrap my Turkey to get started, I would love to listen to others talk about food ad Turkey! NPR will have to do I guess.
What's on your menu this morning? As soon as the Turkey gets to room temperature, i will be rubbing an herb mixture under the skin (marjoram, thyme, sage and some s&p)and then coating the outside with butter. I will then stick the 20 lb. (I know, it is HUGE Turkey for 8 adults: lots of leftovers!)Turkey in a 350 degree oven (turning 180 degrees 3 times) for about 5hrs.
Is the coffee ready yet?
My sides today are surprisingly basic: mashed potatoes, butternut squash, green beans, honey glazed carrots, herb stuffing and my own cranberry sauce(please check out the video-up above and to the right-that I made) with orange zest and ginger. My Grandmother is bringing her famous Broccoli and cheese casserole. My Mom has made 2 pies: Apple and Pumpkin and my Great Grandmother Lida Baker's rolls. An heirloom recipe that was passed down to us from my Great Aunt Amanda who lived just shy of her 101st Birthday!
Mm mm...that is a lot of food! Hope I haven't forgotten anything! Oh yes, it is my daughter Zoe's 4th Birthday today!!!! So we will be having a small birthday cake as well.
I am very thankful for my family, friends: old and new, for you, the readers of my blog and listeners to my show!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Sushi and Celebration

2008-11-18T20:31:00.005-05:00

I love dinner parties. I would host one every week if i could. But alas, my husband isn't as keen on them as I (perhaps it is the amount of dishes I use.) Thankfully, we get invited to other people's dinner parties every so often and that satiates me for a little while.

Recently our friends Erin And Raoul had us over to their house to celebrate Raoul's birthday and the election of Barack Obama as our new President-Elect.

Erin started the evening out with some chilled Veuve Clicquot (I never turn down champagne!) and hand rolled Sushi(Norimaki). It was her first time making Sushi and she did a splendid job. Nori rolls are perfect party food and very simple to make.

A few years ago I received a cookbook entitled Easy Sushi(pub. Ryland Peters & Small)by Emi Kazuko. I highly recommend this book. The pictures are gorgeous and the recipes are easy to follow.

We easily finished off the champagne and sushi and went on to fondue! This was no ordinary cheese fondue. This was hot-oil fondue with marinated beef and shrimp. The oil sizzled as we added our fork pronged meat and shrimp. The beef and shrimp cooked in no time and we proceeded to dip them into a teriyaki style sauce. Yummy!!!

We ended the evening with Pomegranate Martinis and Belgian Chocolates.
Aw, I could get used to this!

In addition to rolling a mean norimaki, Erin Starr is a very talented artist whose work will be exhibited at Gallery Z's Holiday Show this Thursday Nov. 20th from 5:00 to 9:00 They will be serving food from Bacaro Restaurant.
Hope to see you there!

Invest in Rhode Island's Future: Protect Open Space and Farmlands

2008-11-03T19:45:00.006-05:00

VOTE TO APPROVE QUESTION 2
Tomorrow, November 4th, is election day. I want to inform you of a very important question on the Rhode Island ballot.

Question 2 - the Open Space and Recreation Development Bond - is crucial to the survival of Rhode Island agriculture.

This Bond will provide a $2.5 million state investment to match federal funding, foundation grants and donations to provide a total of over $10 million for the state's land conservation programs that:
· Save Rhode Island's vanishing farmland - and with them, locally grown foods
· Protect our communities' special open spaces and natural areas
· Create and expand parks when opportunities arise such as Rocky Point and private in-holdings in state parks
· Protect our drinking water and watersheds from pollution

Please take just a few moments to learn more about this very important issue!
The open space and recreational development bond will preserve state parks and natural open spaces, including the shorelines that make our Rhode Island so scenic and unique. The bond also addresses specific concerns of Rhode Island farmers and eaters.

Here is a bit more information about the bond and how it will affect our state's agricultural community, from our friend Rupert Friday of the Rhode Island Land Trust Council:

"Rhode Island has lost 80% of our farmland since 1945. Today, only 45,800 acres remain in production - less than 7% of the land in the state. Our remaining farmland is the basis for $100 million in Rhode Island's economy each year. It is also essential to defining the character of our communities and our quality of life. Rhode Island has the highest farmland prices in the nation and there is strong pressure to develop this land into new subdivisions.

Today, less than ¼ (25%) of our remaining farmland is protected. In 1985, the state began a visionary Farmland Protection Program to reign in the loss of farmland, save our agricultural heritage, and keep our agricultural economy viable. Since 1985, the state's farmland protection program has protected 81 farms and 6232 acres of productive farmland. Over 25 more farmers (nearly 2000 acres) have applied to protect their farms, been approved by the state program and are awaiting funding. The new Federal Farm Bill is providing $3-5 million each year to Rhode Island for farmland protection. The 2008 Open Space Bond is essential to provide some of the necessary matching funds."
Please let all your friends and family in Rhode Island know about this important ballot question.
Conserve our working farmlands and open spaces.
Question 2 APPROVE

Get Lost!

2008-10-24T15:50:00.004-05:00

What I really mean is, get out this weekend and get lost in a Corn Maze!! They are all over the place this time of year. There are family friendly mazes to follow along during the day and then there are the ones for night time that are so creepy, you might feel as if Jack Nicholson's crazy character from The Shining is lurking around the corner! Whatever floats your boat!

It will also be a great weekend to head out to a local apple orchard. Some orchards apples may be all picked by now, but the stands should still be open and ready for you to pick out that perfect apple for pie or a crisp!
Pick a perfect pumpkin from a pumkin patch.

My Mother-in-law just arrived for a week long visit from sunny Florida (she only brought open-toe shoes! What was she thinking?). We'll be showing her some foliage (little bit left here in Rhode Island) and making caramel apples and warming her up with some nice soup and hot chocolate!

Here are some links to check out to get you started:
Farm Fresh Rhode Island
Local Harvest
Salisbury Farm
Go New England

Video Blogging! an experiment......

2008-10-21T20:53:00.002-05:00

Introducing: RI Royals!

2008-10-07T13:29:00.011-05:00

I know what you're thinking, a new baseball team?!! No, silly I dish about food not sports! (except of course the OSU Buckeyes!)

Local Potato Farmers Team Up

With Local Spuds Ready: Now

Harvest season is upon us, and there is no time like the present to strengthen the local food movement by visiting your local grocer and purchasing Rhode Island and So. Eastern Massachusetts grown potatoes.

Farm Fresh Rhode Island, RI DEM Division of Agriculture and WJ Canaan Produce Co. and participating farmers have teamed up to introduce you to the best potato on the market now.

Introducing: The RI Royal

Whether you prefer your potatoes, mashed, fried or scalloped, this potato is up to the task! The RI Royal potato is a creamy, white flesh potato. A favorite of local chefs and consumers alike.

Not too long ago, the fields of Aquidneck and Sakonnet bustled with potatoes that fed New England and beyond. The Ocean State’s coastal climate and soils still are fertile ground for spuds.

Our participating farmers have over one hundred years of family farming experience between them.

Participating farmers include:

Ferolbink Farms in Tiverton
Lacerda Farm in Portsmouth

Quonset View Farm in Portsmouth

Sampson Farms in Westport, MA

Young Family Farm in Little Compton

Where can you find the RI Royal?

Look for the purple bags with the Narragansett label in the produce aisle.

Available at the following stores:

Belmont Market

Dave’s Marketplace

Ruggieri’s Market

Eastside Marketplace

Whole Foods

More stores added daily!

To find out more about these superior spuds, please e-mail me at:

jen@farmfreshri.org or visit: Farm Fresh RI

For wholesale inquiries please call: Nathan Canaan with W.J.Canaan, Inc (401) 435-9222

Dynamite Cook-Off 2008

2008-09-18T12:30:00.015-05:00

I happily spent Saturday September 13th in Woonsocket, RI, at the 2nd Annual Dynamite Cook-Off ! The day started out similar to last year, in that it rained in the morning, but by the time the judging was underway, the sun was shining! There were not have as many entrants as last year(almost 6o last year!), but there were some familiar faces!

Contestants busy getting ready!

Our judges ready to try some tasty dynamites!

Contestant Christine Brackett.

Christine uses sausage, hamburg and mushrooms to her dynamite mixture. To give it a kick, she adds adobo sauce for a smoky heat!

April Fagnant, one of our youngest contestants. April's mixture was dark and rich looking. Her secret? Making her Dynamites in a slow cooker overnight.

When I asked contestant Ray Chauvette, what the secret was to his Dynamite mixture, he said LOVE........

One of our returning contestants, Bruce Trudeau. Bruce's Mom used to make Dynamites every Sunday for Bruce's very large French Canadian family (13 kids!). He makes his Dynamites in her honor.

Contestant John Croteau.

Contestant Alex Sommer and his special Dynamite mixture. Alex had a secret ingredient. The judges loved his mixure, although becuase he works for the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, he could not officially compete. Alex wanted to see if he could pull off a successful Dynamite dish despite the fact that it was Vegetarian!!! The judges and others who tasted it loved it!!! Great job Alex!

Our Third Place Winner Jill Brackett.

Jill loves tex Mex food, so spiced up her mixture with some corn and fresh peppers, spicy and sweet.

Jill with the judges.

Second Place Winner, Dianne Jarrie Russell. Diane used a slow cooker for her mixture. She learned to make Dynamites at age 13, by watching and helping her Mom in the kitchen.
Lynne Leroux and Michelle Marcotte of The Friendly Home, were our Third Place IWnners from last year. They spent several months perfecting and tweaking their recipe and came back wanting to win it all!

Here is their entry. Presentation is very important at this cookoff. Of course Dynamites go hand in hand with Narragansett Beer!

Well, the ladies had what it takes. They came in first place not only with the judges, but they also won the People's Choice Award as well!

Congratulations to all the winners what a wonderful day it was. Hope to see you there next year!

Warm your Soul

2008-09-10T19:03:00.005-05:00

I recently found a recipe for corn chowder and vowed to make some before the summer was officially OVER! Since my sister-in-law Jen was visiting from Florida, I figured now is as good a time as any!
I purchased some end- of- season corn from Hill Orchards at the Hope St. Farmer's Market.
I also picked up some in-house baked/smoked turkey from Lee's Market in Westport, MA. I love going into that market. I always find some new locally made products & gourmet goodies there. After spending the better part of the day interviewing farmers and researching local potatoes for Farm Fresh RI. i came home and decided to cook up a storm! I must say, this chowder was fabulous!!! Jim said it was the best soup I have ever made (and i have made some great ones!!!!), even Emma thought it was fantastic!!!
Whether we like it or not the chilly weather is slowly creeping up on us here in New England (it is supposed to be 37 degrees tonight!), so find some corn, local potatoes and warm up your body and soul with this easy to make; hearty, creamy chowder. I found the recipe this summer in Wondertime Magazine.

I hope you get to make some soon! Please let me know what you think! ENJOY......

Mom, What's for Dinner????

2008-08-26T17:55:00.003-05:00

“What is for dinner”, you might say to yourself. Believe me, as a busy mom of 2 daughters ages 11 & 3 ½ yrs, I know how hard it is to come up with varied, healthy – and let’s not forget- yummy, meals for my family night after night. To keep my oldest daughter enthused about dinner and to let her have a little control over what we have (which in turn would get her to try new things) she came up with theme nights. Monday is Mexican, Tuesday is Meat or Fish, Wednesday is Pasta, Thursday is Chicken and Friday is Pizza. This leaves the weekend to BBQ in the backyard or to go out and explore some local restaurants. Instead of being bored cooking the “same old, same old”, I am constantly excited to come up with my weekly menu, using the themes as my guide and you can be too. If you expose your children to a variety of flavors early on chances are they’ll be better eaters.

You’re in luck, it is nearing the end of summer, but the bounty is still here. An abundance of fruit and vegetables are in season now, making it easier to come up with healthy, delicious meals for you and your family. The best way to ensure your children are getting the freshest, healthiest foods is to buy right from the source and teach them where things like fruits and vegetables come from. Coming up with good weekly meals is so easy, most of the time you barely need to do any cooking! Breakfast can consist of some fresh sliced peaches topped with plain low-fat yogurt, a scoop of granola and a drizzle of honey. For Lunch, blanch some chopped veggies, add them to your favorite shaped pasta that has been cooked al-dente, and toss with a light vinaigrette for an easy pasta salad. Dinner (Mexican night for example) could be Cheesy Corn and Bean Quesadillas made with fresh corn from the cob.

Our friend Lucian LOVES corn!

While it might not be enjoyable to bring your children along with you to the grocery store, bringing them to a roadside farm stand or a farmer’s market could be a great learning tool and adventure! The colors and smells of the fruits and vegetables out right now are so vibrant and fragrant. From a deep glossy green zucchini to a crimson red cherry to inhaling the sweet perfume of a perfectly ripe peach all will appeal to your child’s senses. Using your theme nights and what is fresh in season and what looks good, at the markets as your guide, you should be able to whip up some fabulous meals that you and your family will love. There are 30 Farmer’s Markets in the Rhode Island area. Farm Fresh RI manages 7 Farmer’s Markets in the State. Their website (www.farmfreshri.org) is a great resource. You can sign up to receive weekly e-mail updates of what’s going on at the market, what’s in season and find out where the nearest market is to you with directions and maps included. The site also lists; “Pick Your Own” farms and “Roadside” farm stands. If you live outside the Rhode Island area, you can find out when and where local markets are held by contacting your State’s agriculture department (or go to: www.localharvest.org).

Mmmmm, Peaches!

Despite the beauty of the bounty, some kids might not want to eat their fruits and veggies! Get creative, put shredded vegetables in burgers, turn-pureed fruit mixed with yogurt into frozen pops or steam your Childs’ favorite veggies such as sweet carrots and serve with a cool creamy dressing for dipping. If your kids don’t like one vegetable move on to another, such as sliced tomatoes and cucumbers sprinkled with a little salt & pepper, or a medley of grilled vegetables topped with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. It doesn’t take much to make your simple summer meals great.

Having your children help you in the kitchen preparing the meals is another great way to help persuade them to try new things. Kids as young as 4 can start to take on some responsibility with guidance. My oldest daughter started helping me in the kitchen when she was 5, rolling and forming the dough for Friday night Pizza. I then let her spread the sauce all around and sprinkle on the cheese, which she of course had to sample! She used to love watching the cheese bubble in the oven. Now she can’t wait until it is finished!

FOODIE FIELD TRIP: Camping in Maine

2008-08-22T20:47:00.008-05:00

I LOVE CAMPING!!

Jim, Zoe, Emma and I recently went camping in Southern Maine with my Sister-in-law Jen and my niece Desiree, who were up from Florida for the summer. We were very lucky to find a site considering we did not make reservations till a week before our trip! It was a bit rainy and chilly for much of the weekend, but that did not deter us from having a wonderful time together and enjoying the beautiful scenery. We were hoping to be close to Ogonquit, but our campground (located on Rt. 1) in Wells was much closer to Kennebunkport. New places to explore!

We took 95N up from Providence and made a favorite stop in York: Stonewall Kitchen! If you have never been, run, don't walk. Jonathan King and Jim Stott started their business by selling some terrific jams at the local famer's market (I remember purchasing some of their now-famous, award-winning, Roasted Garlic Onion Jam at the Hampton Beach farmer's market oh, so many years ago!). Their headquarter's now encompasses a cafe, store and a beyond fabulous cooking school where they hold classes daily! We picked up some of our favorites (wild maine blueberry) and a few new jars (you get to sample just about everything) , and then decided to take the "scenic" route 1, to our campground (instead of zipping back onto the highway).

Traffic was bumper to bumper on the Rt. 1, so by the time we got to our campsite and set up on our first night, it was dark, a bit late and drizzly. We were so very hungry (and a bit crabby) that we headed over to Wells House of Pizza (207-646-5578). A pepperoni pizza never tasted so good!
We woke up to a cool and sunny day, so we decided to check out the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge located about 5 min. from camp. Through her numerous books (most notably Silent Spring: 1962), Rachel Carson alerted the public to the link between human actions and their environmental effect. It is a beautiful preserve with trails that take you through a salt marsh. Since we were a minute from Kennebunkport, we just had to check out the Bush family summer home! We wanted to pop in to say hello to the President, but alas he and his family had just left for Bejing. Maybe next time..........
The drive along the coast thru Kennebunkport on to Cape Porpoise is gorgeous. The local fire station was having a lobster roll sale, but we opted for rolls and clam chowder from Port Lobster Company market across from The Breakwater Inn and Spa and parked ourselves on a bench overlooking the harbor where we watched the lobsterboats come in.
The lobstermen had to park here and count all of the lobsters, and then move on to let the other boats park and count.

After spending the day looking for edible plants in a salt marsh, driving along the ocean, doing some shopping in Kennebunkport :
(My favorite shop by the way is: Daytrip Society.)
We were ready for some good campfire grub!! The kids kept busy at the playground across from our site (not as wonderful as you might think!), and Jen and Jim and I popped open some terrific local beer: Geary's Summer Ale

While the rice pilaf was cooking on the camp-stove and Jim prepared the fire, I put together an easy Caprese salad made with RI basil, Maine grown tomatoes and Narragansett Creamery's fresh Mozzarella.

Jennifer had marinated some awesome steaks, so we threw those on the grill along with some corn and bread.

No camp dinner is complete without S'mores!

Here Zoe shows us how it is done!

Yummmm

The next morning Jim decided to make a hearty breakfast: coffee, hot chocolate, juice, bacon and pancakes!

Feeling full and happy, we decided to head down to York Beach and relive some happy moments from our childhood. Since we also had eager children with us and it was not a perfect beach day, we headed for the arcade!

Jim had almost as much fun as the kids! Me, I am not the biggest fan of arcades. Just don't like playing the games too much. I did enjoy Skee-ball though!

"Look into my crystal ball. Ooh, I see great things in your future!"

We were hungry after playing all of those games. Being by the seaside we had to go with the fish-n-chips. Crunchy and fresh. Really scrumptious!

You cannot visit York Beach without visiting The Goldenrod; home of the famous Goldenrod Kisses!

They have been making (my favorite taffy!!!!) their famous kisses since, 1896! My favorite flavor and their best-seller is Molasses. It is so fun to press your face against the window and watch the taffy being made!

Stretching the taffy

Pulling the taffy
Wrapping the taffy
Pick up an assorted box the next time you are in town or order online!

No trip to coastal Maine would be complete without a visit to a lighthouse and a lobster dinner.

We took Jen and Desi to see the famous Nubble Light in Cape Neddick.

This Cape Neddick Lighthouse began operating in 1879.

The forecast was calling for severe thunderstorms in the area, so we ended our camping trip a day early, but not without treating ourselves to a lobster dinner at my favorite lobster in-the-rough location: Ogunquit Lobster Pound (504 Main St, Ogunquit, ME (207) 646-2516) You pick out your lobsters as they are swimming around the tank outside, and then the guys take the steamers and lobsters and tie them up in a net and boil them in sea water for you!

The other Jen Corbin (my sweet sister-in-law) loved them so much she decided she would eat everyone's lobstah!

Woonsocket Farmer's Market TODAY!

2008-08-19T12:35:00.009-05:00

There were massive down pours at the start of last week's Woonsocket Farmer's Market, but that didn't deter the faithful foodies on their hunt for farm fresh goodies!
What can you expect to to see today? Hopefully no rain!
Moosup River Farm: cantaloupe, red bliss potatoes, broccoli (or, as Zoe calls them. little green trees), beautiful big eggplant(with chilly weather around the corner I see Eggplant Parmesan in my future!).

last week I purchased some of White Oak Farm's 'famous" corn. It was so scrumptious! Naturally buttery sweet, I can't wait to get more this week!
They also had green beans, field grown tomatoes, blueberries, Sicilian eggplant and some lovely , tiny, lavender colored fairy tale eggplant.

Hill Orchards had vibrant green peppers, corn, squash and cucumbers. Some early short term apples are starting to appear! Pristine Apples, Wellingtons and Jersey Macs. All are on the tart side. Alan also had some lovely, little, golden Japanese Shiso Plums along with some Santa Rosa plums which are actually very hard to grow here in New England. They prefer an all around warmer climate.

Here is a great deal: the Hill Orchards stand had: 3lbs. of plums, peaches and nectarines for $5.00!!

Cooks Valley Farm had 2ND Quality Peaches for sale which are great for canning, freezing and baking. At one section of the table, you could fill a bag of 2ND quality(I saw nothing wrong with them!) peppers and squash for $2.50! Terrific for stews, quiches and freezing.

They also had their own onions, shallots, potatoes. Green, golden and purple peppers. Big heads of lettuce and kale. Big, beautiful melons as well.
I love heading to the local markets every week. I always see something new and delicious I can't wait to take home and try. Or if you are like me, leave some napkins in the car. Those juicy plums and tasty tart apples, might not make it all the way home!

As always, the Woonsocket Farmer's Market is held every Tuesday from 4pm-7pm at St. Ann's Church. For more information about this market and others please go to the Farm Fresh RI web-site: www.farmfreshri.org
****A big thank you to market manager Laura Genello for this week's market pictures!

Caprese Salad: How do I love thee? Let me count the ways!

2008-08-14T16:54:00.005-05:00

1.) Traditional: Insalata Caprese (salad in the style of Capri) is a simple salad from the Italian region of Campania.
The dish reproduces the colours of the flag of Italy.
Alternately layer slices of garden fresh tomatoes and fresh mozzarella (my favorite mozz?: Narragansett Creamery's of course!) with basil leaves, sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with your favorite extra virgin olive oil. Serve with a crusty baguette on the side.

2.) Twist: Quarter a pint's worth of cherry tomatoes ( I recently used a colorful assorted pint from Zephyr Farm),
Slice and quarter a ball of fresh mozzarella. Place all into a big bowl, add some shredded basil leaves, salt to taste add some olive oil and stir carefully. Serve at room temperature alongside some grilled chicken or hamburgers.

3.) Tasty: Save some of the previous salad. Pick up pizza dough at your local pizza bakery or grocery store (I get my dough fresh from Sal's in Providence). Preheat your oven to 425. Spray your pizza pan, roll out your dough to fit the pan and place on top. Spread dough with some Pesto (we happened to have some of Jim's homemade Pesto in the fridge) and top the Pesto with the salad. Add some chopped scallions. Bake in the oven for 15-20min. until crust is golden and the cheese is slightly bubbly.

4.) Terrific: My friend Kara LOVES fresh mozzarella so much she would happily eat it every day, in every way. That is until the weather cools enough for her to enjoy her beloved brie! While our kids were having their picnic lunch on the lawn today, we enjoyed a Kara special: Caprese Sandwiches!
Cut 4 slices of foccacia bread and place them in toaster oven just until crunchy.
Slice some fresh mozz, place on top of a slice of foccacia, top with cherry tomatoes, basil and a
little drizzle of olive oil and place the other slice on top.

Four very simple ways to enjoy the bounty of the summer. ENJOY!!!

Beantown is Greentown

2008-08-04T15:08:00.009-05:00

Planning a “staycation” this summer? Have I got a great idea for you! Head on up (or N,S or E) to Boston & Cambridge for a Green weekend! Jim and I did just that a few weeks ago and had a fabulous time.

**"Locals and visitors alike can explore Boston in a whole new way with the debut of BeanTown is GreenTown^SM, which highlights Boston and Cambridge as a “green” destination.

Boasting an exclusive collection of eco-friendly businesses, such as The Lenox Hotel, the shop Envi on Newbury Street, Boston Pedicab tours, the Cambridge inn Irving House and restaurants Garden at the Cellar and Taranta, BeanTown is GreenTown itineraries pack a variety of earth-friendly things to do into a weekend or a week."

Saturday: After checking in to the Irving House, and pinching ourselves that it would be just the two of us for the weekend, we headed out for our first green adventure: a Pedicab tour of Boston! What a treat it was: our Pedicab driver Kyle gave us a 75-minute all-encompassing tour of Boston's Hot spots and historical destinations. Jim and I are no strangers to the city, but this Pedicab tour gave us a unique view of the city you cannot get from riding in a car.

Our driver Kyle, was an Emerson College alum and since I attended the school as well, he made sure to point out all of the changes the school has been going through over the years. For example: almost all of the buildings used in my time, such as the theatre building and my old dorm, have been sold and are now fancy condos! The young kids attending the school now have moved up the Common a bit and live in and attend classes in more modern, cutting edge structures.
He told us that the facades of many of the old buildings are being saved and new structures will be built behind them. We saw many familiar sights. Back in the day, this was The Blue Diner, open all night!
The Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge, part of The Big Dig Project in Boston, is the widest cable-stayed bridge in the world. The Bridge serves as the northern entrance to and exit from Boston. The Bridge is named after civil rights activist Lenny Zakim and the American colonists who fought the British in the Battle of Bunker Hill.

There is always construction going on in the city!
Being on the bike you really get to see the cool shapes of the city.
Custom House
City sidewalks, pretty sidewalks.....

Our Green Pedicab tour of Boston couldn't have ended at a more perfect location!

After heading back to the Irving House to rest, it was soon time to head out for dinner. We had a spot reserved for us at The Garden at the Cellar on Mass Ave. in Cambridge. This cool gastropub is conveniently located between Harvard Square and Central Square. Chef Will Gilson is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University and was raised to appreciate what is local and in season. His family runs The Herb Lyceum at Gilson's.
We started off with local-handmade Burrata cheese drizzled with olive oil and topped with roasted grapes that had been coated with a heavenly mixture of Middle Eastern spices. Burrata cheese looks at first glance like fresh mozzarella, but wait, when you cut into the center it oozes with a tangy core of cream. In this case, mascarpone!!

Next up were Island Creek Oysters topped with a warm mignonette (sauce) and placed on individual beds of sea salt. We then moved on to Watermelon Gazpacho with Lillet, local tomatoes and red shiso. The gazpacho was so smooth and creamy(although no cream was added)! With a divine mellow flavor offset beautifully with the tender shiso.
Just when I thought the dinner couldn't get any better we moved on to our main courses:
Roasted mushroom flatbread with thyme and herbed ricotta. The mushrooms were so pleasantly hearty, they reminded Jim of the mushroom hunt we took while on our honeymoon in France, oh so many years ago.
Skillet of striped bass with summer beans, baby onions, basil, wine braised fennel, and brown butter. This dish was so scrumptious I hardly wanted to share! The crispy skin on the fish reminded me of summers with my Mom and Dad at our favorite campground. My Dad and I would take the rowboat out and fish, and then my Mom would fry up our catch in the cast-iron skillet for breakfast! Yum
Garden at The Cellar does not serve dessert. However, we did leave with a copy of Edible Boston and 2 single origin, 59% dark chocolate coins from Columbia. The night was still young so Chef Will sent us to one of his top three favorite drinking holes in Boston and Cambridge: Green Street Grill(how appropriate!). We asked for his favorite bartender, Misty K. and she made the most divine drink for me:
The Summer of Sureau
Misty had received very high marks with it at a recent St. Germain mixology competition in NYC. She was happy to share the recipe with me and my readers!
1 1/2oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur
1/2oz Batavia Arrack
1/2oz lemon juice
1/4oz pineapple syrup
3 dashes Bittermans Boston Summer Bittahs

Shake over ice and strain into a cocktail glass. *Pineapple syrup: pass fresh pineapple juice through a fine strainer lined with a cone filter (a coffee filter would work, too). Then take the pineapple water and make a syrup that's two parts pineapple water, one part sugar. Recipe: Misty Kalkofen via drinkboston.com. **Sorry there are no pictures of our drinks. It was very dark in the bar area!
With very full bellies and tired legs we were so happy to finally rest our heads at the Irving House at Harvard. This lovely hybrid hotel allows guests to experience the vibe of a historic college neighborhood, while providing a charming and cozy alternative to a typical hotel stay. Visitors are encouraged to participate in recycling an composting initiatives. In addition to using local products (so many yummy breakfast choices!) and amenities, reducing waste, conserving energy and promoting public transportation, Irving House is pleased to support Renewable Choice, the leader in providing clean energy to organizations and individuals across the country. Irving House has been repeatedly bestowed with the EPA's Energy Star Award.
I so thoroughly enjoyed my stay at Irving House I wished I could have stayed one more night!

Sunday: We had one more Green destination to visit. Feeling a bit discouraged at first after heading over the bridge to Newbury St. Everyone was out visiting their favorite brunch spots (it was a beautiful day to sit outside) so a parking spot on Newbury at first seemed impossible to come by. However, the parking angel was watching over Jim. He scored a spot right in front of Johnson Paint store and very close to the Mass Ave. turnpike on-ramp!
After window shopping for a little bit and visiting a favorite shop of mine: Kitchen Arts, we arrived at our final BeanTown is GreenTown destination: ENVI.

Driven by a passion for Green fashion, Callie Smith and Ursula Stahl opened Envi about a year ago to much acclaim. This cool boutique offers an exclusive selection of style-conscious clothing by designers like, Covet, Kelly B and the very popular Linda Loudermilk. Items are made with vintage fabrics, hemp, organic cotton bamboo and vegetable tanned leather. With its pro-environment construction, store design and use of recycled products in daily business practices, Envi's planet-positive concept goes deeper than it's clothing, shoes and jewelry. Stephanie was a very helpful saleswoman giving us a tour of the store and mentioning green fashion tidbits here and there.
***(Jim took some fabulous photos of Envi, but my computer is not letting me download them right now. Will try again tomorrow.)
After picking up some cupcakes at Sweet, for my sister in law (she babysat!), my niece and the girls, (Ok, not very green: pink actually!) we hopped on the turnpike and headed home.

For more information on how you can have your own BeanTown is GreenTown weekend, please contact Civetta Comunicazioni at 617-577-8098 or visit them online at: www.civettacom.com
**I would like to thank Colleen Oteri and Nancy Civetta of Civetta Comunicazioni, for setting up this spectacular "staycation". Irving House GM Rachel Solem, Kyle with Boston Pedicab, Stephanie of Envi and Chef Will Gilson of Garden at the Cellar for their fabulous food and terrific hospitality!!

Saturday Foodie Field Trip: Wickford

2008-08-02T15:47:00.004-05:00

Despite the gloomy forecast of showers for the day; my Mom and I along with the girls went off to the Hope St. Market this morning.
At the market we picked out some bright orange & pale yellow carrots from Bettencourt Farm (Hi Al!). Bought (bribed the girls really, "We won't be long at the market! Mommy won't run into anyone she knows today; I promise. Oh look, here are a couple of yummy cookies!": a Mom has do to what a Mom has to do!) 2 Ginger Star cookies from Seven Stars Bakery stand, some awesome Pepper Jack Cheese from Narragansett Creamery and my favorite Diva Cukes form Arcadian Fields and something special to top the pizza with tonight: Pistou Basil (really tiny bunches of leaves a local chef asked them to grow.). I have never had it before and am looking forward to experimenting! Oh, I did run into my friend Anisa, she has a terrifc blog you really should check out: www.kidoinfo.com!
Since Jim wanted the majority of the day to himself to finish up some home projects, we took off down south and stopped in the charming historic town of Wickford, RI. Seeing as it was lunch time when we arrived and knowing that I did not want to shop with a cranky preschooler: we started our visit with lunch.
I have not been to Wickford in a while so I really had no clue where to eat (hard to believe I know!). Since it wasn't raining, we picked one of the places on the water. What great decision! We chose: the Beach Rose Cafe. We all had clam chowder and clam cakes. SCRUMPTIOUS! Actually the clam chowder was awfully hot, so we did not get to finish it all. My Mom was most impressed by the addition of Dill in the chowder, not too much mind you, just enough to add a great flavorful dimension. Nice array of clams and potatoes and a not too thick, creamy broth. The restaurant recycles and uses compostable take-out containers and sources local ingredients whenever possible. After making some new friends (Hi Brook!) we were ready to shop. Wickford is filled with charming shops all along the boat-filled harbor. I was looking of for a wedding present for some friends who were recently married in Tuscany. I looked in a few charming shops and finally found the perfect gift at Kitchen and Table of Wickford (401-295-1105).
Ann E. Cobb is the lovely new proprieter. She is so friendly and helpful and the shop is stock ful of everything you might need for the kitchen and dining room: pots, pans, gadgets, glasware, dishes and more. Including some fab locally made pottery and pottery from Ann's home country of Ireland.
I hope you get a chance sometime this Summer or Fall to venture south to Wickford and check out these places and more. Be sure to tell the proprieters that Jen's dish sent you!
*****(sorry there are no pics: I was spacey today due to the antihistamine I had to take this morning. Taking pictures required way too much energy since all I wanted to do was sleep!).

EZ "Baked Beans"

2008-08-01T09:24:00.003-05:00

Here is the "Baked Bean" recipe I promised one of my radio show listeners on Wednesday. I think this will pair perfectly with anything you might throw on the grill this weekend! ENJOY.

Time: About 21/2 hours, plus overnight soaking

1 pound dry white beans, like navy, pea or cannellini (see note) I like to mix up the size of the beans a bit. Some small and some large.
2 whole cloves
1 small onion, halved lengthwise and peeled
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup molasses
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 slices thick-cut bacon
Chopped red onion, for garnish.

1. Cover beans with water to top them by 2 inches and refrigerate overnight, or bring to boil in water to cover, cool 1 hour.

2. Drain and rinse beans. Put them in a pot. Stick whole cloves into onion halves and add to pot along with garlic and bay leaf. Cover with enough water to top them by 1 inch. Simmer beans, partly covered, until just tender, about 1 to 2 hours depending upon age and size of beans; do not overcook. Add boiling water if beans look dry during cooking; they should be surrounded by just a little liquid.

3. Remove onion, cloves, garlic (if desired) and bay leaf from pot. Stir in the salt.

4. In a small bowl, mix together ketchup, molasses, vinegar, mustard powder, Tabasco and pepper. Pour mixture into beans and stir well. Add a slice of bacon to pot and bring everything to a simmer. Let simmer over low heat until beans are thickened, about 30 to 45 minutes. Remove bacon slice, if desired. Season with more salt if needed.

5. Just before serving, reheat beans, if necessary. Fry remaining bacon in large skillet and drain on paper-towel-lined plate. Transfer beans to heated gratin dish or baking pan and top with bacon and red onion. Serve hot.

Yield: 4 servings.

Note: You can substitute three 15-ounce cans of white beans, if desired. Put them, with their liquid, in a pot and simmer with the ketchup, molasses, vinegar, mustard, Tabasco, pepper and bacon as directed in Step 4. Serve as above.

**To make this a vegetarian dish: do not add BACON.

Farmer's Market: Today!

2008-07-29T10:04:00.006-05:00

Join us every Tuesday from: 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM

July 8 to October 28, 2008

St. Ann Arts & Cultural Center
82 Cumberland St.
Woonsocket

The market accepts cash, EBT, credit cards, WIC and Senior vouchers, as do all 8 Providence area farmers’ markets run by Farm Fresh. RIPTA Buses: 54, 87

Bike route: Blackstone River Bikeway
Heidi and Meg from URI's Food Stamp Program were there last week doling out some yummy samples!
Juicy Peaches available now! Can you say, Peach Cobbler??!!
Sweet Corn, perfect for the grill or in some sweet and smoky chowder.
The market is a great place for kids. Bring yours and show them the different shapes and colors, play "I Spy" or have a scavenger hunt while you shop!
Laura G. our trusty Market Manager is there every week saying hi to the kids and answering any questions you may have!
Hope to see you there!

Saturday Market Report: Hope St.

2008-07-26T13:32:00.003-05:00

Stopped by the Saturday market today at Hope High. It is always "old home days" when I go. Bound to run into at least one person I know! After saying hi to my friend Perry (who was selling his steamers, oysters and littlenecks), I ran into David Gracer, "The Bug Guy" he filled me on all of the exciting happenings in his Bug world.
I then proceeded to scope out the scene. I like to look at everything first, at all of the stands and then figure out, what I would like, what I need, and which stand I will get it from. Everything looked so good! Woodstock Farms had sour cherries, peaches, summer squash and more. I opted for peaches, tomatoes, green peppers and some squash.
I saw my friend Alden, and we talked about our favorite summer veggies and salads. She purchased some beets today. She told me, she likes to cook them (boil) and then cut them up and leave them in the fridge to use in salads or just to simply munch on. She also told me about this chicken salad she makes mixing yogurt, mayo and curry powder together. She then adds the cooked, chopped chicken, diced mango and some sliced or slivered almonds for extra crunch. Served on some Ciabatta bread (Whole Foods had loaves for $.99!) or a bed of nice greens you have a refreshing easy summertime meal!
Narragansett Creamery was there, selling a wide array of their locally made cheeses. I was dying to try their newest addition: fresh mozzarella. Alas, the line was too long and I needed to get going. Maybe next time! I did stop at the Arcadian Fields stand and purchased some beautiful basil and a Diva cucumber (slightly sweet with no bitterness!). Jim is now busy now making some pesto and I am using the cucumber in some tasty tabbouleh.

Hope you had a chance to visit your local farmers market this weekend and are at home, or at the beach, enjoying the local bounty.
Have a great one!

Chefs offer up the flavors of August in Rhode Island

2008-07-23T16:08:00.002-05:00

We’re lucky to be living in a place that boasts such a thriving culinary scene. Rhode Island’s breezy coasts and fertile inland soils produce fine wines, succulent shellfish, plump fruits and delicate greens. They’re the perfect mix for a cadre of inspired chefs who know how to craft these quintessentially Rhode Island ingredients to thrill any palate.

So it will be a delicious occasion on August 6 when eleven talented chefs gather at the Local Food Fest to benefit Farm Fresh RI. Each paired with a local farmer, they’ll offer a guided tour for the tongue that celebrates the harvest of the fields and waters of the Ocean State:

Castle Hill – Jonathan Cambra
Newport Restaurant Group – Casey Riley
Blackstone Catering – Derek Jolie
Café Zelda – John Philcox
Chez Pascal – Matt Gennuso
DeWolf Tavern – Sai Viswanath
Gracie’s – Joe Hefner
La Laiterie – Matt Jennings
Local 121 – Dave Johnson
New Rivers – Bruce Tillinghast
Nick’s on Broadway – Derek Wagner

Buy your ticket online for a flavorful evening at Castle Hill in Newport. Taste the bounty and wide-ranging flavors of summer in Rhode Island.

One more note: the Local Food Fest was the brainchild of Chef Casey Riley, once the Executive Chef at Castle Hill and now Culinary Arts Director for the Newport Restaurant Group. Casey pioneered many of Castle Hill’s relationships with local farmers and we’re excited to have him back as a chef at the Local Food Fest in its second year.

Woonsocket Farmer's Market TODAY!

2008-07-22T11:02:00.004-05:00

Join us every Tuesday from: 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
July 8 to October 28, 2008

St. Ann Arts & Cultural Center
82 Cumberland St.
Woonsocket

The market accepts cash, EBT, credit cards, WIC and Senior vouchers, as do all 8 Providence area farmers’ markets run by Farm Fresh. RIPTA Buses: 54, 87

Bike route: Blackstone River Bikeway
At last week's market Hill Orchards had juicy Peaches and were selling the first of this season's sweet corn. Almost all of the farmers had cucumbers, and Summer Squash for sale. Moosup Farm featured gorgeous, plump, just picked, blueberries.
Another demo took place this past week: "Veggin' Out" Cooking & Nutrition Demo by Johnson & Wales Community Service Center, sponsored by RI DOH WIC Program & RI Dept. of Environmental Management.
Cook's Valley Farm featured These gorgeous new potatoes perfect for a picnic worthy potato salad! They also had spring garlic, fresh onions, summer squash, peas, raspberries and cabbage! I have a regular listener who seeks out local cabbage at the farm stands and markets so she can make her son's favorite stuffed cabbage dish!
Puzzled about what you see or what to do with your veggies once you get them home? Ask your farmer!!! He or she will be happy to explain what something is, how to cook it and even pass along some favorite recipes.
I'm so hungry now.
See you at the Market!

Beach Bound!

2008-07-21T14:06:00.004-05:00

It was another scorcher this weekend so Jim and the girls and I headed down to Roger Wheeler State Beach. in Narragansett. A gorgeous beach with nice facilities, fluffy soft sand and pretty calm waves. Jim and I grew up going to the beaches in New Hampshire (yes, NH DOES have a coastline! 13miles of it in fact) and Southern Maine. Up there, if you aren't beach-bound by 8 or 9am (at the latest!) you will encounter awful beach traffic and then will be LUCKY if you find a decent parking spot, let alone a good place for your blanket on the beach! With that in mind, we loaded the jeep, filled the cooler, buckled in the girls and hit the road at 8:15am.
We were awfully hungry, so once on Rt. 4, we took exit 6 to Rt.2 South. after 5 miles or so, we spied Allies Donuts (3661 Quaker Lane N Kingstown, RI 02852 401-295-8036)! Ever since moving to Rhode Island 3 years ago, we have heard how fabulous these donuts are: Best in the State!! They live up to their reputation! I love the plain ones - crunchy and slightly sweet on the outside and light and fluffy inside. Half a dozen packed up and two coffees and off we went to the beach.
We knew we were on to a good thing. As families started to arrive at the beach, I spied one group of 3 couples and their kids, with 6 boxes of ALLIES!
Once at the beach, keep that box covered: Seagulls LOVE Allies Donuts!!!!!!
"Gosh, (I said to Jim) I hope we don't hit too much traffic once we get to Rt. 1" Up till this point we had encountered no traffic to speak of, on a weekend day!! Well, wouldn't you know it, we breezed on in the parking lot in no time. "If it is this easy(it took about 45-50min. from Providence), we'll have to come here more often" Jim said. So we happily purchased a state beach season pass (good for all of the state beaches). A true bargain at $30 (you put the pass/sticker on your vehicle) for state residents.
Despite the fact that it was way too windy to read the Sunday Paper, we really enjoyed ourselves! The water was so refreshing. Up on the coasts of NH and Maine, you can (maybe) put your feet in the water. More than that and you might want to consider donning a wet suit. It is THAT cold! Another pleasant observation: It wasn't crowded! Granted, we haven't been to Misquamicut Beach or Scarborough Beach : two of the most popular beaches in the State. I hear these two get VERY crowded. Perhaps we'll give those a try next time. Since we arrived nice and early, we were ready to leave and get out of the hot sun by about 1pm. We were very hungry and decided to have some clam cakes and chowder at another Rhode Island institution:
Aunt Carrie's!

Aunt Carrie's has been family owned and operated for over 85 years. The restaurant is famed for bringing us the clam cake. Crunchy, fluffy studded with clams and perfect for dunking in their famous clam chowder. Located just a few short minutes from Roger Wheeler State Beach in Narragansett, it was an obvious choice for us. We arrived shortly before the weekend rush. We placed our order at the take-out window and ate across the way at the picnic benches, where we could enjoy our lunch in the shade with cool ocean breezes. They serve lunch and dinner six days a week and along with take-out, they have a very nice dining room as well!
In 2007, they were honored with a*James Beard Foundation “America’s Classics” Award . Deemed the "Oscars of the Food World" , the James Beard award was one of many awards they have received over the years.

Since heading to the beach in, THE OCEAN STATE is so darn easy, I will be making my way to one of the many beautiful beaches here at least once a week, till the season is over. Hope to see you there!

Summer Coolers: Pimm's Cup

2008-07-18T07:21:00.005-05:00

It's going to be a scorcher this weekend, best to stay in the shade and keep yourself refreshed. I recommend, my favorite Summer Cooler this year: a Pimm's Cup. Pimm's is a brand of alcoholic beverages, the most popular being the Pimm's No. 1 Cup, a gin-based beverage served either on ice or in cocktails. It has a dark tea color, with a reddish tint, and has a slight spice and citrus fruit taste. It was created in 1859 by the English oyster bar owner James Pimm. The recipe is still a secret, and only six people know exactly how it is made!
Pimm's Cup is most common in England and is one of the staple drinks at Wimbledon and the Henley Royal Regatta, the other one being champagne.
Give this recipe a try and you to can transport yourself to the banks of the River Thames to watch the Henley Regatta, or imagine you were Rafael Nadal taking away Roger Federer's long running title at Wimbledon!!!!
***Ok, so it won't magically transport you anywhere but it just might cool you off! Enjoy.

RECIPE: Pimm's Cup

Fill a Collins glass with ice.
Mix 1 part Pimm's Cup No. 1 with 2 parts lemonade.
Stir or shake.
Top off with club soda, or use lemon-lime soda for a sweeter drink.
Stir lightly -- but do NOT shake again.
Garnish with a slice of Kirby cucumber; lemon wedge optional.

Options

If no lemonade is at hand, use Sprite or 7-Up.
To make with ginger ale, use plenty of lemons.
Mint, apple and orange can be added.

**Please note, I used a lemon-lime soda and thought it was tasty, but wanted the drink to be tarter. In England their lemonade is sparkling. So if you can find a lemonade soda I would give that a try. The cucumber is so good in the drink!!!

Jen's Dish Radio Show: Besto Pesto

2008-07-17T16:32:00.008-05:00

When the temperature rises in the summertime and the humidity levels skyrocket, I rarely want to "cook" or eat much of anything. Many times I have a hankering for a cool tossed salad topped with grilled chicken, steak or even shrimp. I also find this is the perfect time of year for pasta with pesto! Normally I make my own, but as a busy Mom of two, there are times when i would like to just cook some pasta and pull some pesto out of my frig to top the pasta! What is my favorite ready made pesto? Rhode Island's own, BESTO PESTO! Recently the ladies of Besto Pesto, Barbara Simon-Olson and Michele Kozloski joined me in the studio to talk about and eat some pesto and to discuss entrepreneurship. Their business was launched in the Spring of 2007. Michele was farming at Urban Edge Farm in Cranston wondering what to do with her organic basil that was thriving in the hot summertime Rhode Island sun. She soon met Barbara who was looking for something new to do after retiring from teaching. Barbara just happened to have a fantastic pesto recipe that she would make for dinner parties and backyard cook-outs. Their partnership seemed a natural fit; so with much desire, but not much "start-up" business experience, the ladies went out with their Pesto looking for a commercial kitchen to start concocting and packaging. They found a great home at the Dartmouth Grange, a certified commercial kitchen in Dartmouth Massachusetts.
A friend created the label, they found the right size container, packed some up and started selling at a couple of Rhode Island Farmer's Markets. The pesto became so popular at the markets they decided to start peddling it to some area grocery stores! Since Besto Pesto is made with organic garlic and basil and other all-natural ingredients, it was a perfect fit for local stores such as Whole Foods and East Side Market.
Their Lemon Pesto has a refreshing zing to it with a wonderful smell of freshly picked basil. Besto Pesto is terrific enjoyed simply: passed around a table in a bowl to spoon on your favorite pasta. For a wonderful meal, I add grilled chicken to top off the dish. With tomatoes coming into season now, the pesto is also superb drizzled on some slices of crusty french bread that have been topped with slices of fresh mozzarella and tomato. Mmmmmmmm........

Michele is excited to announce the beginning of a new farm venture, Zephyr Farm located in Cranston, RI. The farm will be offering vegetable shares for the 2008 season along with farm fresh egg shares and flower shares. Vegetables including the Basil, are grown without any synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.

In addition to Whole Foods and Eastside Marketplace, you can also find Besto Pesto at Farmstead Downcity, and at the Pawtuxet Village Farmers Market and Casey Farm market on Saturdays.

For more information about Besto Pesto, please visit their web-site: www.bestopestori.com or e-mail Barbara and Michele at: thebestopesto@gmail.com

Opening Day: Woonsocket Farmer's Market!

2008-07-10T20:07:00.003-05:00

Opening day at the Woonsocket Farmer's Market (Tuesdays from 4pm to 7pm) started off with a bang. 50 + people shopped just in the first hour! Some folks had been eagerly awaiting the opening since 3:15 that afternoon (the market opens at 4pm). Last year the Woonsocket Farmers Market was in held in the parking lot of Precious Blood Church and was not very well atttended. This year Farm Fresh RI found a more central location on busy Cumberland St. in the parking lot of St. Ann Arts and Cultural Center.
Celebrating their 25th year of farming, Moosup River Farm from western Coventry (they also run Knight's Farm stand, cafe and Apple Orchard in Glocester) was there selling beautiful blueberries, potatoes, squash, spinach, chard, green beans and tomatoes!
My friends at Cooks Valley Farm in Wrentham, MA were there selling luscious raspberries red and white baby onions with the tops on, beets with the greens, lovely lettuces, broccoli, potatoes, cucumbers, cabbage and shell peas. Oh and some beautiful big zucchini ripe for stuffing!
The Farm Fresh Table (Rhode Island's Food Stamp Nutrition Program) will be at the Market twice a month teaching people how to use fresh, local produce to cook dishes that are delicious and nutritious! They'll have free recipes, nutrition information and food samples. The recipes they demo and hand out are low cost and very easy to make! On this day the Herb Garbanzo Dip cost less than $2.00 to make!

Herb Garbanzo Dip
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chick peas)
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh herbs (parsley, cilantro, chives, dill, basil etc.)
Rinse herbs in cool water and dry with a paper towel. Open the garbanzo beans. Drain and save the liquid from the can. In a food processor, combine garbanzos, garlic, oil, lemon, salt and herbs. Blend on low speed, gradually adding bean liquid until dip is thick and creamy.

Serve with pita bread, carrot sticks or other cut up vegetables. Or spread dip on a tortilla and roll it up with cheese and fresh veggies.
Makes 8 servings (3 tablespoons each). Per serving: 60 calories, 2g fiber, 2g protein

Alan Hill of Hill Orchards had not only sweet Ida Red apples for sale, but he also had his own Applesauce (no added sugar! made with naturally sweet Cortland apples) and Apple Butter. Oh and some terrific early tomatoes (so lovely and sweet with a sprinkling of salt!).

The market is managed by Laura Genello. Laura will be manning the table and available to answer any questions you may have regarding Senior Coupons, WIC, EBT and more. Don't have any cash on you but you really want some fresh veggies? Farm Fresh RI accepts credit cards and will turn that into fresh bucks to spend as you wish at any of their markets. The market this week even had some freshly baked dynamite and dinner rolls for sale for $1.50 a bag, from Dupras Baking Co. (Caranci's Bakery).

I will be attending the market every week to put together the fresh from the market report for my radio show (Jen's Dish on WNRI/1380am every Wednesday from 9am-10am - to listen live: www.wnri.com). I look forward to seeing you there!

Screen Doors and Sweet Tea

2008-06-20T07:07:00.003-05:00

Last Wednesday I had the privilege of interviewing Martha Hall Foose, author of the delightful new cookbook, Screen Doors and Sweet Tea. We sat on her farmhouse porch, sipping sweet tea and fanning ourselves to keep cool (oh lordy, you know how obstreperous that Mississippi humidity can be don't you?!?) . We enjoyed some Blueberry Muffins using blueberries from Old Mr. Ashcraft, and had some of Martha's famous Sweet Tea Pie! Ah, such is the life of a food show host!!!
Oh, all right, I'll fess up: I was in a hot and stuffy studio in Woonsocket, RI.... and Martha was calling from her Mississippi kitchen! jeez....a girl can dream can't she? Have you ever read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil(a terrific mystery set in Savannah) or The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (A classic Southern tale of hilarity set in a sleepy Louisiana parish)? Well, although Screen Doors and Sweet Tea is a cookbook, Martha's writing/storytelling brings alive the the characters, landscape and traditions of the South and it's cuisine. While reading the book I felt as if knew the characters and could taste the food! Martha is currently the Executive Chef of the Viking Cooking School. I love the book, so much so, I can't wait to try out every single recipe! Since the price of gas is so high now and folks are sticking close to home, why not head to your local bookstore (or click on the amazon link below) and pick up a copy or two of this wonderful book and "take a trip down south" and experience some Southern cuisine and hospitality for yourself! ENJOY!
Here are a couple of recipes from Screen Doors and Sweet Tea to enjoy:

Blueberry Muffins
makes 18
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 2 large eggs
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar 1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 cup (i stick0 unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon grated lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Grating of nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries(do not thaw)

Preheat the oven to 350 F (in the book it says 475! Way too high, most of my muffins burned on the outside! but were so tasty inside ) Line 18 muffin cups with paper baking cups.
Ina large bowl with a whisk, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Toss the blueberries to coat with the flour and evenly distribute. Ina separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, butter, zest, and almond and vanilla extracts.
Using a rubber spatula, combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir just until everything is moistened. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each two-thirds full.
Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until the tops spring back lightly when touched. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then turn out of the pan onto a rack to cool.

Three Day Slaw
I made this Slaw on Saturday to take to a Graduation party. After marinating for about 6 hours it was tasty, but not half as good as it was on the second day!!!! Still crunchy, with the perfect TANG! Yummy, yummy.......
1 cup cider vinegar 1 small head green cabbage, shredded
1/4 cup sugar 1 small white onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dry mustard 1 red bell pepper, sliced thinly
1 teaspoon celery seeds 1 cup shredded, peeled carrot
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup corn or vegetable oil
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine vinegar, sugar, mustard, celery seeds and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the oil. Cool until just warm to the touch, about 30 minutes.
In a large bowl or resealable food bag, combine cabbage, onion, bell pepper and carrot. Pour the warm dressing over the cabbage mixture. Cover and marinate for 8 hours, refrigerated, or up to three days.
Thank you Miss Martha!

Thanks Dad!

2008-06-16T21:01:00.003-05:00

I have been hosting my radio show, Jen's Dish for almost 2 years now and I often share personal food-related stories with my listeners. When sharing a food memory that involves my Mom or Dad, they always seem to be (pleasantly) surprised by the impact the memory has had on my life. Most of the time, they don't even remember the event (ie; foraging for fiddleheads: my Mom doesn't even remember my being there!). They may not realize it, but my parents had a huge influence on my "Culinary point of view", for the better I might add!
So in honor of Father's Day and my up-coming birthday, I thought I would publicly thank Dad for some of these cherished memories I have and food experiences he has shared with me over the years.

How to cook the perfect STEAK: Hotel Del Coronado style

Saturdays in Brattleboro: Dump runs, Grossman's and a Quarter Pounder with cheese please!

Salami and provolone w/Dijon on an onion roll, perched on a rock while watching Kayak Races

Saturday lunches: Hot Pastrami Sandwiches

Burritos for 8 HUNGRY Firefighters

Doug's TACOS

Sunday Omeletes without the EGG!

Cross-country FOOD Huntley style

SOUL FOOD

Black-eyed Peas and Rice!

Please pass the Tabasco

Cheese Quesadillas

James Beard is the Man

Black Beans, Rice and Chard

Macaroni Salad

Aunt Amanda's Fried Chicken

Thanks Dad, Keep Cooking,
I love you!
Bon Appetit!

Upcoming Rhode Island Food Events

2008-05-16T14:22:00.004-05:00

Southside Community Land Trust Rare and Unusual Plant Sale (16th annual)

Saturday May 17, 2008 10 am-2 pm. Sunday May 18, 2008 10am-2pm.
City Farm, Dudley and West Clifford streets, Providence. 273-9419;

More than 14,000 organically raised plants available including culinary and medicinal herbs for kitchen windowsill gardens; vegetables for backyard and container gardens; flowering annuals; assortment of perennials for window boxes, flowerbeds and rooftop gardens. Rare and unusual plants available in limited quantities and are available for sale on a first-come, first-served basis.

SCLT's Youth Garden Clubs will be selling vegetable and herb seeds. Organic compost and fertilizer will also be for sale. Plant experts will be available to answer questions. Last year over 1,400 people came to support SCLT's mission and work in the community through their plant sale purchases. Proceeds benefit SCLT's innovative urban agriculture and education programs.

Plan Ahead and get there early!

Free admission. Benefit for SCLT’s mission to help people grow their own food.

Pre-Season Farmers' Market
Saturday, 9:30am - 12:30pm
Hope High School
Hope & Olney St, Providence

Hill Orchards apples, cider, applesauce, cider vinegar, potatoes
Marcia's Chutneys jams, chutneys
Matunuck Oyster Farm oysters, littlenecks, steamers, lobster
Narragansett Creamery cheese
Robin Hollow Farm flowers
Wishing Stone Farm seedlings

Special during the May pre-season only:

Cutie Pies pies, tarts
OceanState Chocolates truffles, chocolate bars, biscotti
Simmons Farm eggs, meat, greens, asparagus
Whispering Elms Farm eggs

*Please bring cash! No EBT or credit card transaction this week!*

STARTING WEDNESDAY MAY 21ST AT 8:30 Geppetto's Pizzeria continues it's popular karaoke competition on Wednesdays starting at 8:30 p.m. Every week the two top performers will be given $25 gift certificates to dine at Geppetto's. . The GRAND prizes are as follows; $1000 FIRST PLACE $300 SECOND PLACE $200 THIRD PLACE IT'S NOT TO LATE TO JOIN The competition will continue through the summer with the finals taking place on the Wednesday following labor day. For more information on karaoke at Geppetto's, contact Mark Maginot at by phone at 401-270-3003, or by e-mail at info@geppettospizzeria.com.

Local 121 Celebrates One-Year Anniversary

Local 121, located at 121 Washington Street, Providence, is celebrating it one-year anniversary on Thursday, June 19^th with a reception from 5 – 7 pm featuring a raw bar and a prefixe dinner beginning at 7 pm.

Over the past year, Local 121 has introduced many new concepts and hosted a variety of events such as the popular “Wednesday Night Film Series,” which showcase both local short and independent films, as well as documentaries and feature films. In keeping with the tradition of “All Things Local,” every Sunday the restaurant offers a 50 Mile Meal dinner featuring a special prefixe menu that changes weekly. This spring, the restaurant introduced their “Field to Table Series,” a variety of locally-centered events focused on connecting farmers with the community. The restaurant regularly features local resident DJs that entertain and attracts Providence's young, trendy crowd.

In addition, Local 121 recently debuted their spring seasonal food and beverage menu featuring the creations of their new Executive Chef, Dave Johnson. Known for seasonal, locally grown food, Local 121 has added more dishes to their menu such as the Stuffed Butter-Braised Cavendish Quail, a Spring Arborio Risotto, Grilled Marinated Wolfe’s Neck Farm Bavette Steak Salad, and a Croque Monsieur with Northeast Family Farms Maple Smoked Ham.

Taking seriously their obligation of providing the best each season has to offer, Local 121’s mission is to serve the best locally- raised foods available: vegetables harvested in season by local farmers who care about the health of their land and your food. Meats raised in sunshine on New England pastures, with no inhumane confinement, antibiotics or growth hormones-ever. Their suppliers are small-scale New England farmers, cheese makers, and other food artisans they know by name. It’s our goal to provide warm, gracious service and share our dedication of locally harvested ingredients with our patrons.

Local 121 is located at 121 Washington St. Providence. Reservations strongly recommended. 401.274.2121

Wines of Madrid

2008-04-21T18:14:00.016-05:00

I recently attended the first presentation of Wines of Madrid in the U.S. It was held at Rialto Restaurant in Cambridge, MA. I love Harvard Square and this was the perfect excuse to get away from the office for a bit, learn something new and, well, drink some
wine! After not being able to find my keys at the last minute, I raced over (within the speed limit of course!) to the Attleboro train station and made my train with a few minutes to spare. It was a bit nippy that morning, but seeing as it was opening day for the Red Sox (!!) the sun was shining, and I would warm up soon with some wine, I didn't mind the chill at all.

Starting promptly at 11am was a seminar and tasting led by writer-photographer Gerry Dawes, specialist in Spanish gastronomy, wines, culture and travel. In the past decade, he has made more than sixty extensive food and wine trips to Spain and leads gastronomic and wine tours to the country. According to Food Arts magazine, he is known, "for good reasons in wine and periodical circles as 'Mr. Spain.'" Dawes was awarded the prestigious Spanish National Gastronomy Prize in 2003.
He started us off with a brief slide-show/overview of the Madrid wine region. Madrid is the only world capital that lends its name to a wine growing region. The D.O. of Madrid, located one hour outside Spain's cosmopolitan capital, has been producing wines since the 13th century according to ancient documents. It was not until the 1990's that Spain's Ministry of Agriculture officially recognized the area as a protected D.O. Today, there are 44 wine producers in the three sub zones of the D.O. covering more than 10,000 hectares devoted to vineyards. 13% of total production is exported to the U.S.
The Red Wines of Madrid are made using Tempranillo, Garnacha, Cabernet Savignon, Merlot and Syrah grapes, with the first two of these being the main grapes grown in the D.O.
The White Wines of Madrid are made using Malvar, Albillo, Parellada, Torontés, Viura, Airén and Moscatel small grain grapes. The first two of these grape varieties are the main ones grown and are native to the region.
The region has three sub-zones:
Arganda is located on the Jarama River and it's tributaries the Tajuňa and Henares. The area has the lowest rainfall in the region, and has abundant sunshine - over 2,800 hours per year! Key grape varieties are Tempranillo and Malvar.
Navalcarnero is located in the southern zone, dividing north to south by the Guadarrama River. The area is known for it's rosé but is also gaining recognition for it's reds. The predominant grape variety is Garnacha.
San Martĺn, located in the southwest zone near the central mountain system, accounts for 35% of all vines. Temperatures are milder than the other areas since the mountains protect from such strong winds. The predominant grape varieties are Albillo and Garnacha.

In addition to the seminar, we were able to enjoy some Tapas provided by the talented kitchen staff at Rialto while sampling wines from the nine featured producers in attendance:
1.)Bodega Don Alvaro de Luna Quod White: 100% Albillo grape. Aged for 1-2 months. in American oak barrels. An entry level wine, very affordable. Light, light, good with fish.
2.)B odegas Je sus Diaz Tinto 2007: 85% Tempranillo and 15% Syrah. Light and fruity
3.)Valleyglesias Organic Vineyards: Red, 1st wine out of the bodega under this new demonination. Very little sulfites. A very young wine, mildly rich and spicy. Great with lamb and bean dishes.
4.)Bodegas Orusco Main Crianza 2005: 100% Tempranillo. 4th generation wine maker. A lovely wine that feels great on the tongue.
5.)Vinos Jeromin Grego Crianza 2005: a well balanced red, lovely color. Not a strong bite. 60% Tempranilo, 30% Syrah, and 10% Garnacha(14% alcohol). This wine and the above, would be great paired with lamb, goat or steak.
6.)Bodegas Nueva Valverde "750" 2004: 100% Tempranillo, aged 14 months in French & American oak barrels. This one is popular in most Madrid restaurants. Very nice balance, good right away.
7.)Bodega de l Real Cortijo de Carlos 111 - Homet: a deep gorgeous, delicious wine really nice nose, spicy finish, oak and fruit. Do serve this with food!
8.)Bodegas Tagonius Gran Vino 2003: 50% Cabernet, 45% Syrah, 5% Tempranillo. The Syrah really pokes thru on this one. This wine is getting lots of press. It is a high octane, expensive wine with a nice bite and a little pepperiness.

9.)Bodegas Ricardo Benito Divo: A voluptuos expensive wine ($150!)aged for 18 months in new French barrels. Winery is gorgeous and located 2,00 ft. above sea level in the subzone: Navalcarnero. Only 2,000 bottles are produced a year.

The February 29, 2008 issue of Wine Advocate gave five wines form the region ratings of 90 points or higher: Vinos Jeromin Manu 2005 (93 points); Bodegas Tagonius Roble 2005 (90 points); Bodegas Tagonius Crianza 2004 (91 points); Bodegas Tagonius Reserva 2003 (93 points) and Bodegas Tagonius Gran Vino 2003 (95 points).

Wines of Madrid also hosted a dinner party at Hamersley's Bistro in Boston. At the restaurant famed Chef, Gordon Hamersley paired the wines with a custom menu to show their compatability with a range of dishes.

1st Course: Seared Salt Cod with Cherry Tomatoes, Saffron and Olive Oil paired with Vinos Jeromin Grego Crianza 2005

2nd Course: Grilled Quail with Apricots and Toasted Almonds
paired with, Bodegas Nueva Valverde "750" 2004

3rd Course: Lamb Three Ways with White Beans, Garlic and Sherry vinegar paired with:
Bodega Del Real Cortijo De Carlos 111 Homet 2003 note: this winery served many years ago, as the command post of the Republic. The wine caves are made of limestone and are 900 meters long!
4th Course: Spanish cheeses with Quince Paste and Toasts paired with Bodegas Jesús Diaz Tinto 2007 (this is considered the "Beaujolais of Madrid" a delightful young wine sometimes served a little chilled.)
The cod was beautifully crusty on the outside and I loved the saffron sauce, but the cod was wildly over-salted. My dining companions said it is so very important to rinse and rinse and rinse the salt cod to rid it of excess salt. The Quail was so yummy served with a perfect risotto. The Lamb three ways was outrageous, but I was so full by that point sadly, I could hardly finish!

This D.O. is relatively young (1990) and has just recently started to really promote itself within Madrid, Spain and the rest of the world. Wines of Madrid are even finally being noticed by Madrid wine writers. Most of these wines are currently not available in the US, but very soon that will change!

Thank you to chef/owner Gordon Hamersley of Hamersley's Bistro for preparing such a wonderful dinner. It was so terric to finally meet him! A special thank you as well to Melanie Young of M. Young Communications and Nancy Civetta & Colleen Oteri of Civetta Comunicazioni. Thanks as well to Mark Starr of Newsweek Magazine for making sure I got to the train station in one piece to catch the last one out!
It was such a pleasure meeting the wine makers and promoters from Madrid and trying their wonderful wines. I have never been to Spain, but am preparing my passport so I will be ready! In the meantime I will be patiently waiting for these fabulous wines to arrive stateside!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

2008-03-17T14:10:00.004-05:00

Top O' The Afternoon to you! Doesn't flow as well as Top O' The Mornin' does it? Oh well. Couldn't write this morning, Zoe and I were invited to a St. Patrick's Day party at her friend William's house. William's Mommy Anne put out a fantastic spread of Green Shamrock Pancakes (Peanut Free and very yummy!!), Green Fruit (grapes, apples, melon) with some sort of scrumptious dip, Guacamole & Chips, Green Pirate's Booty, Green Limeade, Green Twizzlers, Green Milk, Green Sushi (yes, cucumber & avocado), Green Tortellini with Broccoli & Pesto and Green Jello Shamrocks! Hope I didn't miss anything. It was a nice, sunny day and the kids played so well together. Thank you Anne!
My Corned Beef is on the stove slowly simmering now. You can start now too. It only takes 2 to 3 hours to cook the brisket (which usually comes already prepared with the seasonings in a separate packet. Cover with water and cook away). I am going to cut up my veggies now, so they will be ready.
CityMama's Corned Beef and Cabbage
When buying your brisket, plan on about 1 lb. per person (more if you want leftovers) since there usually is a fair amount of fat to account for and it shrinks quite a bit when cooking.
· 1 prepared corned beef brisket (these come already "corned" or brined and are sold prepackaged at supermarket).
· 3-4 garlic cloves
· 1 bay leaf
· 10 peppercorns
· 4 whole cloves
· peel from half an orange
· 1 savoy or regular cabbage, cut into six wedges
· 1 pound of carrots, scrubbed, ends trimmed, leave whole
· 2 turnips, peeled and quartered
· 4 parsnips, peeled, ends trimmed, leave whole (or if they are particularly large, cut in half lengthwise)
· potatoes, scrubbed (1 medium waxy potato [like white or Yukon Gold] or two new potatoes per person)
· finely chopped flat-leaf parsley to garnish
Condiments for serving: freshly grated horseradish, coarse salt, whole grain mustard
Place brisket fat side up in a dutch over or other heavy bottomed pot and cover with cold water. Add garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves, and orange peel and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer slowly according to package directions or until fork tender, 2-3 hours. Skim foamy impurities every so often.
Remove brisket to a large platter and tent with foil. Remove orange peel and discard. Raise temperature of liquid to medium, and add veggies to the pot. Simmer until root vegetable are just fork-tender, about 15 minutes.
Slice corned beef on the bias against the grain and return to platter. Arrange vegetables around the meat and sprinkle parsley over all. Serve with condiments on the side.

Guinness anyone? Actually I forgot to pick some up on my way home today. I will have to ask Jim to pick some up. My Mom made some yummy Irish Soda Bread, which will be a nice accompaniment.
Here is a nice Irish Toast to start your meal:
Who through strategy and stealth,
Drove all the snakes form Ireland,
Here's a toasting to his health.
But not too many toastings
Lest you lose yourself and then
Forget the good Saint Patrick
And see those snakes again.
'Beannachtam na Feile Padraig!'
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Have a great day, I am off to find the elusive four leaf clover! We could all use a wee bit of luck couldn't we?

Spring has Sprung!

2008-03-11T08:57:00.004-05:00

Here in New England, the arrival of March, warmer days and slightly freezing temps at night mean the sap is flowing from the Maple Trees! Yes, it is Maple Sugar season! I love to take the girls to visit and observe the process of making Maple Syrup. Unfortunately, now that I live in Rhode Island, there are not as many sugar shacks to visit as there are in NH & Vermont. One of my favorites here in Rhode Island, is
Charlie's Sugar Shack in Coventry. For tour hours and directions give
them a call at: 401-397-7102. For more info about Sugar Shacks near
you go to: North American Maple

The first sign of Daffodils and crocuses have inspired me to bake
something yummy for breakfast. I think I'll pull out my newly acquired
gallon of local maple syrup and whip up some Scones! Enjoy this recipe from one of Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa cookbook.

Ina’s Maple Scones
Ingredients
Serving: Makes 14
· 3 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
· 1 Cup whole-wheat flour
· 1 Cup quick-cooking oats, such as McCann's quick-cooking Irish oatmeal, plus more for sprinkling (optional)
· 2 Tablespoons baking powder
· 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
· 2 Teaspoons salt
· 1 Pound (4 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
· 1/2 Cup cold buttermilk
· 1/2 Cup pure maple syrup
· 4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
· 1 extra-large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon milk or water, for egg wash
· 1 1/4 Cups confectioners' sugar
· 1/2 Cup pure maple syrup
· 1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees; with rack in center. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, oats, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Blend butter in at the lowest speed, and mix until butter is in pea-size pieces. In a medium bowl, combine buttermilk, maple syrup, and 4 eggs; mix to combine. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough may be sticky.
2. Place dough on a well-floured surface. Roll dough out to a 3/4- to 1-inch thickness with a well-floured rolling pin (there will be lumps of butter in dough). Cut into 3-inch rounds with a plain or fluted cutter, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Brush tops of scones with egg wash. Bake until tops are crisp and insides are done, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove baking sheet to wire rack to cool for 5 minutes.
4. Make the glaze: Combine confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. Drizzle each cooled scone with 1 tablespoon glaze (the warmer the scones are when glazed, the thinner the glaze will be). Sprinkle with uncooked oats, if desired, and serve.

Sunday in The Park With: Emma, Zoe, and Jim

2008-03-02T18:23:00.004-05:00

A few Sundays ago, Jim suggested we all go ice skating! Ooooh fun, I thought. I used to go all the time when I was growing up. We bundled up and headed over to
The Bank of America City Center in Providence, rented some skates and took to the ice! Emma skated pretty well (read: didn't fall down much!) for someone that has hardly ever skated. Jim spent most of the time holding Zoe's hands, while she let him pull her along. Me? Well, I was shaky at first, pretty sure I was going to fall quite a bit. But then I remembered the times growing up in Vermont when I would go to the skating rink at Living Memorial Park. I was there pretty much every weekend during the winter season. Took some lessons and was pretty sure I was going to become the next Dorothy Hamill (I mean come on, I had the hairstyle!)! Ok, I wasn't that good, but at least I didn't fall down all the time. The awesome music playing that afternoon took me back to my Jr. High & High School days when my friends and I would try to catch the attention of the high school hockey players waiting for ice time. Just as I was getting into the swing of things, feeling very confident on my ice skates, a 4 year old youngster dressed in full hockey regalia, whizzed by, almost knocking me over and brought me back to reality! Alas, no winter Olympic medal for me this year, but we did have fun! The best part was snack time! We enjoyed some yummy Sugar Cookies that Jim and Zoe had made the day before. Soon our legs couldn't keep us up much longer so we packed up, headed home and warmed our insides with cups of hot cocoa. Jim and I enjoyed
Garrison Confections' Spicy Hot Chocolate and the girls drank their steaming cups of Swiss Miss topped with mini marshmallows. A lovely way to end the weekend!

Leftover Roast Chicken

2008-02-25T20:39:00.003-05:00

"Honey make sure you do something with the Blog-Worthy Roast Chicken in the fridge! Lot's of good meat still left on the bone. Don't let it go to waste!" Goodness gracious.. "OK, Dear!"
Such an easy thing really, picking the meat off the bone. Therapuetic actually. Pick, pick, nibble, nibble... Of course when my hubby gave me the little reminder this morning he didn't really have any suggestions of what to do with the meat. It isn't that I couldn't think of anything, but I wanted to make something other than chicken soup (a popular standby in our house). Actually, he did suggest Chicken Enchiladas. Yummm.... Still having made them many times before I wanted to switch things up a bit. So, I went off to Whole Foods and spied a jar of Frontera Red Chili & Roasted Garlic (with tomatillo and sweet onion) Mexican cooking sauce. I figured, I could get creative with this sauce, and it was a good price at 2 for $6.00 for a 12oz. jar. On the way home I stopped into Sanchez Market on Atwells Ave. here in Providence. They make wonderful corn tortillas fresh everyday and at $1.00 for 3 dozen a true bargain!!! Joy of joys, on this day they had made some blue-corn tortillas! Haven't had any since my last trip to New Mexico! I splurged on these :$1.50 for 3 dozen :) When I got home, I decided to make New Mexican style free-form Chicken Enchiladas. I invited my Mom over and the girls and I devoured our servings! We left some for Jim (lucky for him) who was late getting home. I am shocked there are leftovers! (The recipe is something i just put together, so you can be lax on the measurements.) Give this easy breezy recipe a try (sorry I didn't take a picture!):
New Mexican style Free-form Chicken Enchiladas
1 16oz (plus another half a jar) jar of Frontera Red Chili & Roasted Garlic cooking sauce
1 cup Half-N-Half
1 4oz. can of Diced and Peeled Mild Green Chilis
1 Cup Frozen Corn
1 Cup frozen sliced peppers (I used Trader Joe's Tri-Color pack)
1 Medium Onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
About 3-4 cups leftover cooked-Chicken cut or shredded
12oz. shredded Colby Jack cheese
12-16 corn tortillas
garnish with: shredded lettuce, sour cream, diced avocado and salsa.
Saute the onion in a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil.
Add frozen corn and peppers saute for about 5 minutes.
Add Chicken and one 16 oz. jar of sauce.
Add the half-n-half and cook till heated through, about 5-7 minutes on medium heat.
In the meantime, lightly spray a 13x9" pan with cooking oil.
Pour a ladle full of sauce to coat the bottom.
Cover with 6 corn tortillas (they will overlap a bit)I dip my corn tortillas in the sauce mixture to soften them up.
Add some more sauce and sprinle with cheese.
Repeat procedure for another layer or two as if you making lasagna.
The final layer should have remaining (half jar of sauce) and shredded cheese on top.
Bake in a preheated oven at 375 for about 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
Serve with rice and shredded lettuce.
ENJOY!
This is a relatively mild dish, so feel free to sprinkle on the hot sauce afterwards.

1st Annual Jen's Dish Event!

2008-02-12T13:48:00.000-05:00

The first ever Jen's Dish event was held the Saturday before the Super Bowl :(, at Washington Hill Liquors in Lincoln, RI. The afternoon was made all the more festive by the addition of Mike Murray and his Saugy Hot Dog cart! Who can resist free Saugy Frankfurts? A big THANK YOU to Kent & Gregg for putting together a terrific list of Super Bowl pairings accompanied by special Super Bowl prices! Another big THANK YOU to Mary O'Brien of Saugy,Inc. for supplying the frankfurts and Mike Murray for bringing his cart along and making up some yummy dogs! Inside my Mom and I (thanks Mom!)gave out samples of False Alarm Chili. 5 Alarm was more like it! A hearty, vegetarian chili packed with heat!

When making the chili the night before, I was reading over the recipe and measuring out my herbs and spices. The recipe called for 1/3 cup of chili powder. Seeing as i was doubling the recipe, I scooped away! Well, you'd think i would take a dose of my advice and taste first before adding too much heat. But Noooo, I just plopped the second 1/3 cup in! Oh my goodness, have you ever stuck your nose in chili powder? No, probably not. Well, I couldn't breathe! I had to put on the ceiling fan to get the air circulating. I realized quickly that this was going to be way too much heat, so luckily I was able to scoop out some of the chili powder that was sitting at the top of the liquid, having not yet dissolved. Still, even after I did that it was almost inedible - except for the most daring of palates! Mmmm, 9pm what to do???? Call MOM!
My Mom suggested I split the chili in half, and add more tomatoes (28oz. can diced in juice) to each pot and let it sit overnight. The next morning, well, it still had heat but much more bearable! By the time we set up the table at Washington Hill, the chili had mellowed out nicely and was: PERFECT! Certainly woke up the hung over University students that came in to try it.
Here is the recipe I adapted from Martha Stewart
You will not miss the meat in this one!!
Five Alarm Chili (otherwise known as False Alarm chili!)
Ingredients
Serves 10.
· 2 tablespoons olive oil
· 1 medium onion, chopped
· 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
· 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
· 1 large carrot, chopped medium
· 2 cloves garlic, minced
· 1 pound dried lentils, rinsed
· 1/3 cup tomato paste
· 1 (15-ounce) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
· 1 (15-ounce) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
· 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
· 2 Tablespoons (or more to taste) chili powder
· 4 teaspoons ground cumin
· 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
· 1/4 teaspoon salt
· 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, green and red peppers, carrot, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in 7 cups water, lentils, tomato paste, kidney beans, and pinto beans. Stir to blend, adding diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and crushed red-pepper flakes.
2. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. If the chili starts to dry out, add hot water as needed. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
Adapted from a MSL recipe.
Will certainly let you know when and where the next Jen's Dish event will be!

Jambalaya with Jarvis

2008-02-02T09:10:00.000-05:00

On January 5th I had the privilege of cooking with and interviewing Jarvis Green, #97 Defensive Lineman for the New England Patriots! What a great experience that was. Jarvis is a kind, humble, talented athlete and generous individual. He also loves to cook! Jarvis is an entrepreneur at heart and will soon be opening up a restaurant in his home state of Louisiana and has spent some off season time learning the ropes from the terrific folks at Prime Steakhouse and The Oyster Bar in Providence's Federal Hill. At the time of the interview the Patriots were undefeated at 16-0, so with thoughts of The Super Bowl looming ahead, I thought we would cook up something yummy and easy to serve at any Super Bowl Party! Seeing as Jarvis is from the New Orleans area, I thought maybe a hearty one pot meal like Jambalaya would be perfect. I found an easy recipe on Martha Stewart's site and adapted it a bit.

Firehouse Jambalaya

Ingredients
Serves 8 to 10.
· 1 whole chicken, (3 to 4 pound), rinsed and patted dry
· 1/2 medium onion, plus 2 chopped medium onions
· 3 whole garlic clove, plus 3 minced garlic clove
· 1/4 cup coarse salt
· 1 28oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
· 1 tablespoon ground allspice
· 1 tablespoon dried thyme
· 1 teaspoon dried basil
· 1 teaspoon dried oregano
· 1 tablespoon hot sauce
· 1/4 cup vegetable oil
· 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
· 1 green bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, chopped
· 1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, chopped
· 1 pound andouille sausage or kielbasa, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
· 2 cups long-grain white rice
· 1 pound medium shrimp, (about 30), peeled, deveined, and tails removed

Directions
1. In a large stockpot, combine chicken and enough cold water to just cover the chicken. Add 1/2 onion, 3 whole garlic cloves, and 2 tablespoons salt. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium, and cook for about 1 hour. Allow to cool. Remove chicken from pot; remove meat, discarding skin, and shred. Set aside. Strain broth, discarding solids. Set aside.
2. In a large Dutch-oven, combine 3 cups of the chicken broth, tomatoes, allspice, thyme, basil, oregano, and hot sauce over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, breaking up the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon.
3. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add celery, chopped onions, bell peppers, and minced garlic. Cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes; add to Dutch-oven.
4. In the same skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over high heat; add sausage, and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to Dutch-oven. Add shredded chicken, rice, and remaining 2 tablespoons salt; simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Add shrimp, and simmer, covered, until rice is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand for a few minutes, and serve.
First published MSL September 2005

We paired the Jambalaya with a 2005 X Winery Syrahtica
An ample,but not overbearing red with hints of blackberry and plum and a bit of toasted oak.

Something almost as important to Jarvis as his family and football is his Foundation: "The mission of the Jarvis Green Foundation, a non-for-profit 501(c)3 organization, is to provide support to single working mothers in disadvantaged, low-income areas", especially those mothers affected by Hurricane Katrina.
You could win a lunch with Jarvis Green! enter to win tickets to his Fundraiser at Capital Grill on Feb. 11, 2008.

I want to thank some folks for making this interview & videos possible!
Eric Eisenberg
Wendy Hanson of The Sassy Ladies Coaching Group
Mike Ritz of The Genesis Center
Mike Degnan, Chef Emily and Mimi of Providence Prime
Michelle Girasole of Precision Web
Arty Goldstein and the gang at A Gold Production
and of Jarvis Green himself!
I hope you enjoy the videos! This will be the start of a new venture for "Jen's Dish" stay tuned.......

This Wednesday on "Jen's Dish" radio show

2008-01-29T22:02:00.000-05:00

It’s a Pep Rally for the Patriots on “Jen’s Dish”!!!
Joining Jen this Wednesday Jan. 30th will be Mike Murray of Saugy’s Frankfurts, Derek Archambault, writer of the Blog: Hot-n-Saucy Wings, and don’t miss Jen’s interview and cooking segment with Jarvis Green, #97 / Defensive Lineman for the NE Patriots!

Jen’s Dish can be heard every Wednesday from 9am-10am on WNRI/1380am or you can listen live online: www.wnri.com
For more information please e-mail Jen: jensdish@cox.net

Snow Day!

2008-01-15T19:43:00.000-05:00

I think I have formed my ideal Monday routine, Clean, Bake, Play & Cook...Yesterday was a Snow Day here in RI. Not that we were hit with an enormous amount of snow or anything. I think the City didn't want any school buses stuck in the snow for hours again (don't even get me started!).

The girls ended up staying in their PJ's all day (wouldn't that be nice?!). They played, read and watched TV while I cleaned a little and baked some really yummy Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies. Check out the recipe on the back of the Nestle Toll House White Chocolate Chip Bag. Watch out, they are slightly addictive and oh so chewy! In the fridge I had some Italian Sweet Sausages purchased the day before from Venda Ravioli. I was inspired by a recipe I saw in Jamie Oliver's book, "Jamie's Dinners". In olive oil I sauteed 3 chopped cloves of garlic and some dried oregano. I then added some Tomato puree I had just pulled from the freezer (fresh from my garden roasted, pureed and frozen this summer), sprinkled with a little Salt and pepper and warmed up. I put some of the warmed up sauce in a baking dish, added a 14 oz. can of (drained) cannellini beans, and added the sausage that i had cut up into chunks. Placed into my oven which was preheated to 45o and baked for 30 minutes. In the meantime, I made some polenta:

3 cups of milk
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup stone ground cornmeal (give Kenyon's a try)

Combine the milk, butter, sugar and salt in a heavy saucepan and heat to simmer.
Slowly add cornmeal in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Lower the heat and continue stirring with a wooden spoon until the mixture has thickened and leaves the sides of the pan, about 10 minutes.

Boy when the sausage mixture came out, the sauce was so sweet and the sausages were a perfect texture. I sliced them and put dollops of the mixture on top of the polenta and grated some Parmesan cheese to put on top. Jim and Emma loved it , but alas Zoe said, "Ewe, YUCKY" and pushed it away! Don't listen to a three year old. Give it a try, I know you will say YUMMM!

Blog-Worthy Roast Chicken

2007-12-17T20:20:00.000-05:00

In the midst of all of this inevitable Holiday chaos, I yearn for comfort food. One of my favorites is Roast Chicken. Emma's Fourth grade teacher (last year), visits family in Greece every summer. When she got back back this Fall, she brought me Greek Oregano & Bay Leaves from her Mother's garden & a beautiful wooden Mortar & Pestle (which I look forward to christening as soon as the kitchen renovation is complete!). Along with the oregano came a recipe for her famous Roast Chicken. I thought I would share it with you. Be forewarned: if there is any leftover, you will find yourself tearing off bite-size pieces and dipping them into the juice! Yummmmmm....................

Holly's Greek Chicken
Wash and dry a whole chicken. Place it in a baking pan and generously lather it with olive oil. completely cover the chicken with oregano. Mix half a cup of water, half a cup of olive oil and the juice of two fresh lemons. Pour the mixture around the chicken in the baking pan. You may add peeled and quartered potatoes around the chicken for a real treat. Bake at 425 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours or until the juices from the thigh run clear!
NOTE: I served my chicken this evening with steamed broccoli and mashed potatoes I made with local potatoes purchased from the Winter Farmers Market in downtown Providence.
ENJOY!!!

How 'bout them Apples?

2007-11-26T20:30:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago, I purchased a bushel of apples at a Farm that was closing for the season that week. We ate some of the Apples, but seeing as most of them were a bit blemished, I decided the rest were going to be "saved" for cooking. Well, they sat and sat, till one day My husband said, "Honey you need to do something with those apples, they are getting mushy!!!" "I know I know, don't worry I'll be using them soon...." I was keeping them in a bag at the top of the cellar stairs where it was nice and chilly. Figuring of course that they would, oh I don't know, keep through the winter?! The smell was just too much. Jim and Zoe picked a bunch out and pulled out the Apple- Peeler-Corer-Slicer I had purchased last year (and hadn't even used yet!). While Emma and I were at rehearsal for the play we are in together, they baked a yummy apple pie! Jim said Zoe went to town with the contraption. Peeling and coring those apples in 5 minutes. Truth be told I had avoided the Apple Peeler-Corer-Slicer. I am just not that technically inclined. Oh I love appliances like my Kitchen-aid Mixer, but sometimes I would just as soon peel and core things like apples by hand!
Even after they baked the pie, I still had a ton of apples left, and I did NOT want them going bad! I made a pie to take to NH for Thanksgiving, but peeled and cored the apples by hand!
"Honey, just use it, it will take 5 minutes! Heck, even a 3 year old can do it!"
So,,, today Zoe and I put on our aprons and got busy. I set up the Apple Peeler-Corer-Slicer, and put Zoe to work! You should have seen her, grunting as she cranked the handle round and round. I'll be darn, it WAS easy. I plopped the Apple slices (about15 apples in all) in a big pot, added 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, dash of cinnamon and 1 cup of water. There you have it, easy yummy Applesauce!

DYNAMITES!

2007-10-16T20:01:00.000-05:00

The beauty of having a radio show all about Food is, the food! Sometimes it's guests bringing breakfast, like Maria from El Rancho Grande in Providence. Last Wednesday she brought me the most amazing Tamales! Perfect with my morning cup of coffee. Other perks of the job? Getting to judge, emcee and attend Cook-Offs & Galas! This Fall has proven to be especially busy! I used to think I couldn't wait to start judging cook-offs, but it is so hard!

At the Dynamite (a spicy Sloppy Joe) Cook-Off held recently in Woonsocket, RI, there were 50 competitors vying for the top prize of King or Queen of the Dynamite. Luckily, I was an emcee and didn't have to try and judge 50 different Dynamite Sandwiches. It was great fun getting to know the contestants and hearing their stories about the origins of their secret Dynamite recipes that have been passed down through the generations. The youngest competitor was just 4 years old. The oldest was 83!
Third place winners were Lynne Leroux And Michelle Marcotte of The Friendly Home, Second Place was GiGi Therien. Michelle Shiavo took top honors, winning Queen of the Dynamite! She got to ride in the coolest car in the Autumnfest Parade held this past Columbus Day. Her winning recipe will be mass-produced and sold on supermarket shelves, with Michelle being credited by name on every label! The proceeds from the sale of what will be called "Dynamite Sauce" will serve as a permanent fundraiser for the nonprofit Blackstone Valley Tourism Council. For more pictures and information about the cook-off and the history of Dynamites, go to www.tourblackstone.com and click on Dynamite Highlights.

Judging the event were: State Sen. Marc Cote of Woonsocket; GianCarlo Iannuccilli, of GianCarlo’s Ristorante in Woonsocket; Larry Lovejoy, of Vintage restaurant in Woonsocket; local entertainer Noel Pincince; Ron St. Pierre, host of WPRO radio talk show; Sue Tessier-McKenzie, of The Call in Woonsocket; and Tom Ward, publisher of The Valley Breeze.

Sponsors besides the tourism council were: Narragansett Beer, Northern Rhode Island Council for the Arts, Jen’s Dish, Calise Bakery, Li’l General Stores, The Woonsocket Call, City of Woonsocket, Lions Club of Woonsocket, Government of Canada, Blackstone River Valley National Corridor Commission.

Organizing your Kitchen!

2007-05-08T17:50:00.000-05:00

Ever try to produce a favorite recipe, only to find halfway thru you didn’t have the next ingredient on the list? Or perhaps you thought you did have the ingredient, but items in your fridge were jam-packed and pantry staples were hidden behind big boxes of cereal, so you ended up repurchasing the ingredients? That happened to me recently while attempting to make skillet lasagna! I decided to: Become more organized in the kitchen! So to start, I enlisted the help of a professional: Kathleen Madden of “Get Organized, LLC”.

We started off with the Pantry:

1.1.) Create a Space

2.) Purge: We pulled everything out of the Pantry. Gave it a fresh coat of paint, and threw away any expired items. I then donated canned & dry goods I knew I wasn’t going to consume.

3.) Reinstall: Kathleen went to The Container Store and purchased bins, shelving, liners & the like, to see which items would best maximize the space. Kathleen recommends purchasing more than you think you are going to need. You can always return what you don’t use. If you stick with the same brands the bins and what not will nestle together and stack easier. Plus, it looks neater and more streamlined. After spending an hour or so with various configurations, we settled on the following:

· Clear plastic shoe bins: used to gather snacks, pastas, beans & sauce packets.

· Large plastic bin: used to corralle extra juice, soda water & paper towels on the bottom of the pantry.

· Expand-A-Shelf: terrific for organizing your canned goods! It has an expanding tiered design, which elevates contents exposing items and labels.

· Stackable shelving: to maximize space towards the ceiling.

· Three-drawer organizer: for breads & baking ingredients.

Some excellent tips when reinstalling: clean & wipe down items before putting them back. Group like items together (i.e.; spices, canned goods, snacks). Have what you access the most, where you can reach it the easiest. Kathleen says, “The pantry system should be family friendly & SIMPLE. If you don’t make the system simple, it won’t be maintained.”

After Kathleen left I was inspired to tackle the Fridge & Freezer!

When organizing your refrigerator & freezer, apply the same organizational steps that you used with your pantry:

· Purge & clean! Throw any “science experiments” or items you can’t identify. If you aren’t sure when you first stored that leftover “Chicken ala King”, it’s probably best to throw it away!

· Wipe down all of the shelves and wash the fruit and vegetable drawers with hot soapy water.

· Purchase a refrigerator thermometer (available for about $2) & place in the middle of the unit. The temperature should be around 38 degrees and never over 40 degrees. Check it at least once a week.

· Don’t cram items in your freezer and fridge. Make sure there are spaces between products.

· Label your leftovers so you know how long to keep them before tossing.

· Don’t keep perishable foods on the door shelves. That is the warmest area of your fridge. The shelves are designed for dressings & condiments.

· Keep eggs in their original container on the main shelf.

· Use clips and zip lock bags to keep items like frozen vegetables sealed and fresh.

· Use a Sharpie to label frozen items so they will be easy to identify.

Now that I have an organized & clean freezer, refrigerator & pantry, I am a happy, inspired and stress-free cook!

Kathleen & I did consult with the folks at Closet & Storage Concepts in Franklin, MA. After taking measurements they came up with a plan that includes the installation of all new adjustable shelves. The cost starts with a base price and goes up depending on any components you might want to add on. You certainly could spend thousands for a custom-made deluxe pantry. Perhaps the next house!

To have a professional organizer such as Kathleen, come to your house: preview, assess, shop and install an organized pantry, can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands. Depending on the size and scope of the project.

Kathleen is a member of NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers). To find a member near you or for more information, go to:

www.napo.net

Many thanks to my sources: Closet & Storage Concepts

(508) 553-3550

1-800-THE-CLOSET

http://www.closetandstorageconcepts.com/

Get Organized, LLC

Kathleen Madden

(508) 528-6158

GetOrganzd@aol.com

Happy Organizing!

March 7th's show

2007-03-19T19:05:00.000-05:00

Pictured at left is my guest from March 7th, Sanjiv Dhar, the owner and Executive Chef of Rasoi. A terrific new restaurant in Pawtucket, RI. Rasoi, Hindi for kitchen is the fruition of a dream by Chef Sanjiv Dhar and his team to balance healthy food, personalized service and Indian culture. The menu is traditional and creative and features diverse regions of India.
For example:
Rasoi features coastal cuisine of India where boiling and steaming are preferred to frying and where people can specify just how spicy their meals are to be.
In the west of India, fish is considered to be an essential component of every meal so get ready for plenty of seafood choices you have probably never tried before.
In nearby Gujrat, most of the population is Vegetarian so dishes are simpler, healthier and nutritional, accompanied by a range of breads.
In Northern India meat is popular and the Kashmiri and Punjabi cuisine features hearty and wholesome meat dishes.
He brought a trio of dishes for me to try; Chicken Tikka Lababdar, which my 9 year old devoured and now asks for every night! Lamb Saag, cubes of lamb cooked in a Punjabi style spinach puree (smooth and heavenly), and Gujarati Mango Curry, fresh vegetables stewed in a mango curry infused with jaggery and gujarati garam masala, a delicious combination of sweet and spicy! All were served with a light basmati rice.
If you would like to know more about Indian Cuisine and you live in the Rhode Island area, you can take a cooking class at Rasoi! The next class will be held on March 31st and will feature regional cuisines of the Northern and Southern parts of India. If I have wetted your appetite for Indian Food and you would like more information about Rasoi, check out their website:
www.rasoi-restaurant.com

2007-03-06T18:51:00.000-05:00

Last week's Encore Awards were so much fun! I got to meet some folks I have always wanted to, and say hi to some friends and former guests. The food was fabulous as was the entertainment.

Tina Wright of Wright Martini Media

Heather and Tom Toupin of White Electric Coffee in Providence.
Terrific Coffee!!!!!!

Gail Hulbert, Marketing Director, Gamm Theatre and Jan Faust, writer of eat. shop. rhode island.

Maria Evans, Executive Sous Chef, Castle Hill Inn & Resort, Newport.
She made some amazing scallops!

Joe Hafner, Executive Chef, GRACIE'S, Providence.

Looking forward to tomorrow's show. Sanjiv Dhar, Executive Chef & Owner of Rasoi Restaurant in Pawtucket, RI will be my guest. We will learn all about Indian Cuisine & how varied it can be. I'll be sipping some hot chai and hoping for a yummy samosa to eat!

Encore Awards

2007-03-03T10:01:00.000-05:00

On Thursday March 1, 2007, a newly refurbished factory space in Olneyville sang with a fusion of art, music, food and dance as The Arts and Business Council of RI presented the 17th annual Encore Awards. 10 area chefs from celebrated restaurants around the state, prepared special menus for the night in original spaces created by different area designers using elements as diverse as neon, paintings and floral displays.

Special Guest Ruth Reichl, Editor-in-Chief, Gourmet Magazine

Arts and Business Council of Rhode Island Executive Director Peter Bramante and Jessica Wall

Chocolatier Extraordinaire, Andrew Schotts, of Garrison Confections

Matt Foley, Sous-Chef, Citron, making delightful hand-rolled Purple Peruvian Potato Gnocchi.

Brian Counihan, Executive Chef, Vintage Restaurant, Woonsocket

Holiday Foodie Frenzy

2006-12-19T20:15:00.000-05:00

Hi All!
I am up to my elbows in flour, baking up a storm. Found three new cookie recipes I think are so easy. I will give them a try first and then let you know. Here are those recipes from recent "Jen's Dish" episodes I have promised!
Spicy Pumpkin Seeds (from Cook's Illustrated online)

1 cup raw green pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1.) Preheat oven to 350d. In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin seeds, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt and lime juice; toss to coat.
2.) Spread on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until puffed and browned, about 10 minutes

Blizzard Drink (from Cherie Fisher/Diabetes Foundation of Rhode Island)

Fresca - up to 8oz.
Grapefruit Vodka - 1oz.
less than 5 Carbs!!!!

It was so much fun last week to talk with Ellen Hollander, my good friend Lauren's Mom. She shared some of her Latke making secrets with me. For a good, easy recipe, check out the NY Times online from the Weds. Food edition from Dec. 6th!

Tomorrow (Weds. Dec. 20) my guest will be Gian Carlo Iannucilli, owner of Gian Carlo's Ristorante in Woonsocket, RI. We will be talking about the Italian Christmas Eve tradition of Feast of the Seven Fishes!
Happy Baking!

Edible Holiday Gifts

2006-12-05T21:48:00.000-05:00

Hi!I really need to update my blog more frequently! Just takes a bit of getting used to. Thanks so much for the comments. Keep them coming! :)
Looking forward to tomorrow's show. My guest will be Licette Comanzo Walker of Comanzo Biscotti. Delicious & beautifully packaged cookies ready to dunk in your morning cup of joe! Her biscotti are served at Harpo Studios to all of the guests and employees!!!! Looking forward to making some edible gifts this week. I really enjoy making chutney & spiced nuts. Cookies & truffles are easy & fun as well.
I'll be giving some great foodie gift ideas tomorrow, so try to listen in! I will also be heading up to Whole Foods Bellingham tomorrow evening (weds. dec. 6), for a Holiday themed ladie's night out! Looking forward to promoting the show & helping folks pick out some great gifts. Well, i must go now, I have to write two more ads for the show. Until next next time,
Buy Local, Eat Fresh!
Jen

Welcome to "Jen's Dish"

2006-11-14T21:18:00.000-05:00

Hi Welcome to my blog! (Wow, was this easy....)

This will accompany my weekly radio show, "Jen's Dish", which airs live every Wednesday at 9am until 10am (EST) on WNRI 1380am or find me live at www.wnri.com.

"Jen's Dish" is an hour long live radio show all about FOOD. I talk about shopping, cooking & eating. During the hour, You'll come with me on "Foodie Field trips", you'll meet with "Special Guests", You'll learn about the latest kitchen gadgets in my "Counter Space" segment and more. You can even call in and talk to us live!

I hope you get a chance to listen in. Check here for weekly recipes, upcoming topics, special guests and much, much more.

Please use this blog to send me your comments and suggestions! I would love to hear from you!

In the meantime, buy local, cook fresh, eat well!
Jen Huntley-Corbin