Keep on cooking!

"Fremont Mile Marker" by Joe Mabel (2006).
CCA: SA 3.0 Unported.

"But little Mouse, you are not alone,

In proving foresight may be vain:

The best laid schemes of mice and men

Go often askew..." 

-- Robert Burns, "To a Mouse"

You just never know where the road will take you. 

My path merged with a couple of others over the last year and I find myself getting ready to return to school within the month. 

Suddenly the world has shifted and I'm focusing on a new journey. That means, unfortunately, that this blog will be on an indefinite hiatus. I'll need to get through a rigorous 15 months of training, coursework and practicum starting in March. Ideally, I will land a job after that, and only then will I be able to take a look around and see what kind of time I'll have for blogging. 

In the meantime, I am polishing up one of my novel manuscripts so that I can move it off my desk and (with any luck) into the hands of an agent or publisher. My work toward an Extra! Extra! cookbook and another recipe-related project are slow but steady projects that will have to take place in the background of my life for the next year, as well. But that's okay; I'm fine being the tortoise, rather than the hare, on these projects.

The Extra! Extra! blog has been a great project for me and, I hope, a useful tool and inspiration for you. I've learned a lot about my own cooking habits, become a better cook and hope to pass these ideas, techniques and traditions on to my children as they near college age. Even if I won't be blogging, I'll still be experimenting with techniques, tools, new-fangled and old-fashioned produce and growing and preserving food. I'll make sure and take notes! I hope you'll be doing the same.

Don't forget: this blog includes many recipes for seasonal cooking that never go out of style. I hope you'll use Extra! Extra! time and again for hunting out scratch recipes and have included a searchable section in the upper left column to help you find what you're looking for. 

Keep cooking, everyone!  I know I will (just put on a crockpot of beef stew this morning using all kinds of leftover vegies, including sunchokes, cabbage, and fresh herbs and leftover mashed potatoes to thicken it all... yum!). 

Thanks to everyone who supported this blog, cheered me on, expressed interest in my ideas and shared what they knew. It's been a wonderful feast!

[giveaway] And the winner is...

I'm pleased to announce that Angel Latterell of Seattle, WA is the winner of the Extra! Extra! Locavore Apron giveaway.

This is what Angel had to say about cooking and eating locally:

"To grow and prepare your own food is a level of nurturing for yourself and the planet that makes you a creator and contributor, rather than a taker or a tax on the system (eco or economy or you name it). You literally eat the fruits of your own labor, as opposed to being separated from it and paying for others' labor. It puts you into the equation of "you are what you eat," and to become "you are what you grow" (and what you gather or hunt). It is empowering to create and what you create. My family has been farmers, urban farmers and locavores for generations, as I am only one generation removed from the farm. I grow food in my yard and a Seattle P-Patch and write about my adventures with food on my blog, Cooking with Paprika Angel."

http://paprikaangel.typepad.com/paprika-angel/

Bravo, Angel, I can relate, having been raised by Midwestern back-yard gardeners (and my grandparents on my mom's side had a dairy farm as well).

I was just having this conversation with a friend only two hours ago, how we as Americans have really put so much distance between ourselves and our food supply (by eating fast food, carry out, food from cans or boxes, frozen dinners, even those "healthy" meals that diet programs send you). Our bodies don't naturally recognize these foods; our bodies were born to eat a wide variety of whole foods (including meats and fats and even natural sugar). The more processed the food in our diets, the more stress we put on what should otherwise be fairly well-oiled machinery.

I also appreciate Angel's point that growing and preparing one's own food makes you a contributor and not a taker. Even if we all can't grow our own food, we can certainly reward our local organic farmers with our business so that we can at least eat THAT close to the source and support their contributions to a healthier system, a system which not only benefits them, but ourselves, the earth, the local economy and the community at large.

You can also connect with Angel via Facebook at the Cooking With Paprika Angel page or via Twitter @paprikaangel.

Again, congratulations to Angel for winning!

[giveaway] Our first blogoversary! Win a Locavore apron!

FEBRUARY 2 

is Extra! Extra!'s 

FIRST ANNIVERSARY!

I'm celebrating Extra! Extra!'s first anniversary by offering this great cotton apron designed by Evil Geniuses to a reader who, during the month of February, posts an answer to this question:

Why do I cook local?

It could be that you grow your own food, or your friend is a farmer, or maybe you live close to a year-round farm market or belong to a CSA. It could be your choice to cook local is about supporting the local economy or organic growing or sustainability. I'd love to hear your story!

TO ENTER: Simply post your reply as a comment to this blog entry. I will be reposting this entry every other day so you have plenty of chances to post your answer. Along with your answer, post your name and email address so I can contact you in March if you win! Entries can be as short or as long as you like. I'll use a random number generator to select the winner. I look forward to hearing all the different reasons why people choose to cook using local foods!

ABOUT THE APRON
Apron is designed by Evil Geniuses; it sports a gorgeous logo that proudly displays the title, LOCAVORE. It's made of high-quality heavy 100% cotton twill in a natural khaki shade; the apron is rugged and can stand up to regular machine washing. One size fits most; two generous pockets hold utensils and more.

As the designer points out, "Buying your food locally makes you a locavore. Perfect for a supporter of your local small farmer. Sustainable, organic, local farms!" This fun apron is a great way to show off your "eat local" pride! A $22 value.

[pantry basics] Three Seafood Dipping Sauces

Mike and his pals always take advantage of opening day for shrimp season and usually bring home full limits of spot prawns. I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to seafood like prawns or crab; I prefer to cook them simply so that they are the centerpiece of the meal. Usually, with spot prawns, that means peel and eat (hot or cold) with some delicious dipping sauces. Here are three to get you going:

CREOLE SHRIMP SAUCE

½ cup tomato juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons Louisiana-style pepper sauce
½ medium rib of celery, minced 
1 tablespoon creamy horseradish sauce

Combine all ingredients in small bowl.

Makes about 1 cup


THAI LEMON GARLIC DIPPING SAUCE

Peanut oil
2 tablespoons shrimp paste
⅓ cup fish sauce
Juice of two small lemons
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon sriracha
¼ cup diced baby eggplant
2 cloves garlic, minced

In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm up a small amount of peanut oil and add the shrimp paste. Stir fry briefly over medium heat until the paste is warmed up. Stir in the remaining ingredients, one at a time, until well incorporated and the sauce is heated through.

Makes about 1 cup


SKORDALIA FOR SHRIMP

3 slices firm white bread, crusts removed
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons sliced blanched almonds
3 medium cloves garlic
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Sea salt to taste

1.. Rip bread slices into small pieces and place in a small bowl. Cover with water and soak for 15 minutes. Squeeze out excess water and set aside.

2. While waiting for bread to soak, toasted the sliced blanched almonds in a small saute pan over medium heat until golden. Remove from heat and place almonds in blender.

3. Add garlic and soaked bread to almonds in blender. Blend mixture until fluffy and smooth. With motor running, add olive oil in a slow stream through blender top until sauce emulsifies. Blend in lemon juice, Season to taste with salt and pour mixture into serving bowl.

Makes about 1 cup

[giveaway] Our first blogoversary! Win a Locavore apron!

FEBRUARY 2 

is Extra! Extra!'s 

FIRST ANNIVERSARY!

I'm celebrating Extra! Extra!'s first anniversary by offering this great cotton apron designed by Evil Geniuses to a reader who, during the month of February, posts an answer to this question:

Why do I cook local?

It could be that you grow your own food, or your friend is a farmer, or maybe you live close to a year-round farm market or belong to a CSA. It could be your choice to cook local is about supporting the local economy or organic growing or sustainability. I'd love to hear your story!

TO ENTER: Simply post your reply as a comment to this blog entry. I will be reposting this entry every other day so you have plenty of chances to post your answer. Along with your answer, post your name and email address so I can contact you in March if you win! Entries can be as short or as long as you like. I'll use a random number generator to select the winner. I look forward to hearing all the different reasons why people choose to cook using local foods!

ABOUT THE APRON
Apron is designed by Evil Geniuses; it sports a gorgeous logo that proudly displays the title, LOCAVORE. It's made of high-quality heavy 100% cotton twill in a natural khaki shade; the apron is rugged and can stand up to regular machine washing. One size fits most; two generous pockets hold utensils and more.

As the designer points out, "Buying your food locally makes you a locavore. Perfect for a supporter of your local small farmer. Sustainable, organic, local farms!" This fun apron is a great way to show off your "eat local" pride! A $22 value.

[fresh picked] Tending to a community garden may foster higher fruit and vegetable consumption

Something to think about in the heart of winter, actually. Community gardeners eat more fruits and vegetables (from the chicagotribune.com).

Why think about it now? Because community plots reserve out very quickly. Don't wait until the spring is ready to bloom, start now!

[giveaway] Our first blogoversary! Win a Locavore apron!

FEBRUARY 2 

is Extra! Extra!'s 

FIRST ANNIVERSARY!

I'm celebrating Extra! Extra!'s first anniversary by offering this great cotton apron designed by Evil Geniuses to a reader who, during the month of February, posts an answer to this question:

Why do I cook local?

It could be that you grow your own food, or your friend is a farmer, or maybe you live close to a year-round farm market or belong to a CSA. It could be your choice to cook local is about supporting the local economy or organic growing or sustainability. I'd love to hear your story!

TO ENTER: Simply post your reply as a comment to this blog entry. I will be reposting this entry every other day so you have plenty of chances to post your answer. Along with your answer, post your name and email address so I can contact you in March if you win! Entries can be as short or as long as you like. I'll use a random number generator to select the winner. I look forward to hearing all the different reasons why people choose to cook using local foods!

ABOUT THE APRON
Apron is designed by Evil Geniuses; it sports a gorgeous logo that proudly displays the title, LOCAVORE. It's made of high-quality heavy 100% cotton twill in a natural khaki shade; the apron is rugged and can stand up to regular machine washing. One size fits most; two generous pockets hold utensils and more.

As the designer points out, "Buying your food locally makes you a locavore. Perfect for a supporter of your local small farmer. Sustainable, organic, local farms!" This fun apron is a great way to show off your "eat local" pride! A $22 value.