hunger pangs

Almost time..

janellebendycki — Thu, 09 May 2013 11:57:52 +0000

for the farmers markets!! Next week is our first one of the season here in Pittsburgh. Check when your local markets begin here.

Frozen summer for the most frigid of days.

janellebendycki — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 03:28:35 +0000

This past summer was not the best for berry picking, but I was determined to have a berry stash for the winter. After calling around to all the local berry picking farms within an hour drive of my house, I found one farm with berries left to pick, one. This particular farm had irrigation systems hooked up in their patch and it was probably the only reason they still had some fruit left on the bushes. It was sweltering hot that morning in the berry patch and I only lasted an hour and a half before I surrendered to the hot June heat. I left the farm with 2 pints of blueberries and 1 pint of raspberries. I took this photo after I got home and quickly froze as much of the bounty, all while knowing full well I would eat them all if I didn’t . Thankfully these made it into the freezer and I will enjoy them in the many short days of winter that lie ahead.

Bees buzzing in the ‘Burgh

janellebendycki — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 02:48:47 +0000

There was really nothing better I could have done on the first day of autumn than check out Pittsburgh’s own community apiary, Burgh’s Bees. A friend and I went on a hike through a local organization, Venture Outdoors, that ended up at the hives. Our guide said there were over one million bees combined in all of the hives there. We suited up in the classic mesh mats and only managed to have one person get stung in the group, me. Probably, because I was taking pictures and not paying enough attention..either way, it was a fabulous way to start autumn.

Fresh infusions.

janellebendycki — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 15:25:14 +0000

It has been such a bountiful summer. Almost all of the fruit received via our CSA was eaten before we could prepare anything with it. The peaches this year were unimaginably delicious. I ended up ordering an extra box of peaches to preserve with intentions of using a couple to infuse vodka. I have wanted to infuse vodka for quite a while now, but was still on the fence. The idea finally surfaced as a reality when one of my closest friends had invited us over to try his kale/garlic infusion for Bloody Marys a couple of weeks ago. The flavors were rich and the process was so simple to create. When we left his house I had made up my mind and that same day I set out to get the rest of our supplies needed, vodka.

Directions to infuse peach vodka:

Obtain a litre of your favorite vodka. (We used Luksusowa; a reasonably priced potato vodka)

2 Sliced ripe peaches with the skins on

A glass container to hold the ingredients for the duration of infusion.

Place your sliced fruit into the glass container. I used my iced tea pitcher but a jar would work just as well. Pour all vodka over the sliced fruit. Then cover with lid or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to sit for 6-8 days. Make sure you stir or shake the mixture every couple of days. After the 6-8 days, it is time to strain out the fruit. Using a funnel pour all of the contents back into the original liquor bottle. A lot of liquor and flavor is absorbed into the fruit so I recommend squeezing the remaining fruit through cheesecloth. After the straining is complete, your vodka is ready to be enjoyed!

Weekend refreshments.

janellebendycki — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 00:17:39 +0000

This past weekend we attended a friend’s fabulous outdoor wedding on a farm located just outside of the city. I tried pig roast for the first time and couldn’t stop eyeing up dessert all night, which did not disappoint!

Calm before the tomato storm.

janellebendycki — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 01:57:07 +0000

The garden is gloriously climbing to the best part of the summer, harvest time. Our first peek with the tiniest cherry tomatoes. They are the size of marbles, seriously. First pickling session of the season to hopefully happen this week, stay tuned.

The most wonderful time of the year..

janellebendycki — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 03:52:20 +0000

Summer may not be officially here, but it sure feels like it outside. Yesterday we received our first CSA box of the season and I was more than excited to see what was inside. Sadly, Matthew is allergic to strawberries and I get all those sweet berries to myself. Other than the strawberries, the box was rather green. We have lots of spinach, bibb and red-leaf lettuce as well as some great looking flat-leaf parsley. Did I mention there was spring mix? Lots of salads on the menu for next week!

A spring roasting.

janellebendycki — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 17:32:36 +0000

I still find it funny when people insist they don’t like vegetables, outrageous! Have you tried them roasted? Even the least favorite of vegetables taste better roasted. When we are down to the last of our vegetable supply and don’t feel like eating out, roasted veggies on a bed of couscous or rice is usually a go-to meal. For perfectly roasted veggies there are only three things really needed: oil, seasoning, and a hot oven.

Crash Course on Roasting Vegetables:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Chop larger vegetables into 1-2 inch size chunks. Toss veggies with oil and seasoning of choice, I prefer extra virgin olive oil. Spread on cookie sheet and cook for 25 minutes or until soft and golden on the edges. Flipping vegetables halfway through ensures even browning.

Any favorite veggies to roast out there?

Cranberries for the other 364 days of the year.

janellebendycki — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 16:56:00 +0000

My least favorite side on the Thanksgiving spread was once cranberry sauce. Then it was my turn to prepare this giant feast. Being the budding foodie that I was at the time, I tweaked all the recipes with new ingredients and flavors that peaked my interest. Three years later, I can’t seem to get enough of these things on Thanksgiving, and (gasp) I may make them again. This side dish/ leftover tastes great on bagels, oatmeal, yogurt, and just as is by themselves.

Cranberry Sauce with Dried Figs (adapted from Martha Stewart)

1 bag fresh cranberries

5 oz dried Calimyrna figs, quartered

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cranberry pomegranate juice (I normally buy a small bottle of the 100% juice kind)

1/4 cup red wine of choice ( I use Shiraz or whatever is on hand)

dash of freshly grated nutmeg

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients. Cook over low heat until most of the cranberries have burst. Approximately 15-20 minutes. Transfer mixture to small bowl to cool; cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Serve at room temperature or use cold as a spread for bagels, or oatmeal and yogurt mix-ins.

Green with inspiration

janellebendycki — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 23:23:58 +0000

My favorite season seems to have flashed before my eyes. The late summer harvest is something I look forward to mainly because there are some of the best vegetables available all year long. I had one of the first successful gardens with my love this summer. We also joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) for the first time, and we couldn’t have been more pleased. Every week was a new basketful of inspiration. Between the rich morning sun in our kitchen and the abundant vibrant veggies every week there was no way I couldn’t be inspired. If you are city dwellers like us, I definitely recommend looking into joining a CSA. We found our farm through the local harvest site. There are participating farms from all over the states listed.