After a tour of the farm, we of course, ended up in the kitchen. Never in my life would I have imagined cooking with Odessa Piper! We started with a cheese board (all wisconsin made, obviously) and hard cider. She brought some fresh trout and we used veggies from the farm to make en papillote (fish and veggies wrapped in parchment and baked), salad with overwintered spinach, pears, cheese and ramps. For dessert we had simple maple candied hickory nuts, which were incredibly addicting. Long after the meal was finished, we sat around the table sipping Selbach Riesling Incline and discussing the future of food and how in the world we got into the food crisis we find ourselves in these days. I just sat back and soaked in as much as I could. So much experience and passion sat at both ends of the table. It was such an honor to be able to be part of it. This was defiantly one of those meals I will never forget for much more reason than just the food.
before....
...after!Today was back to the regular. Lunch prep. Lunch clean up. Parsley drying. Dinner prep. Dinner. Dinner clean up.
I tested 3 nettle recipes for the newsletter at dinner. I made a ramp and nettle pizza, nettle and sorrel cream soup and nettle gnocchi. I was literally sweating because as I was preparing them, I was certain they were all going to turn out awful.
You see, gnocchi and I are currently having a battle. I made them once, and they turned out great! I made them a second time and they turned out...not so great. I made them a third time, and it was a success! Confidently, I made them a forth time, this time making different flavors! Sweet potato, parsnip, beet, herb, carrot.... But when I cooked them, they turned into gruel for Jail Bird Barbi. So, with an even score, I attempted them again today. I'm happy to report gnocchi:2, me:3! They turned out so perfect and crispy! But to be fair, I used Jamie's recipe as a base. I should have known to listen to Jamie all along. I served them with baked trout and just a little chive cream sauce. I was surprised (and relieved) that it and the other dishes turned out pretty darn well!
The thing to learn from this is: you don't want to be the next person I make gnocchi for. The odds don't look good.
I tested 3 nettle recipes for the newsletter at dinner. I made a ramp and nettle pizza, nettle and sorrel cream soup and nettle gnocchi. I was literally sweating because as I was preparing them, I was certain they were all going to turn out awful.
You see, gnocchi and I are currently having a battle. I made them once, and they turned out great! I made them a second time and they turned out...not so great. I made them a third time, and it was a success! Confidently, I made them a forth time, this time making different flavors! Sweet potato, parsnip, beet, herb, carrot.... But when I cooked them, they turned into gruel for Jail Bird Barbi. So, with an even score, I attempted them again today. I'm happy to report gnocchi:2, me:3! They turned out so perfect and crispy! But to be fair, I used Jamie's recipe as a base. I should have known to listen to Jamie all along. I served them with baked trout and just a little chive cream sauce. I was surprised (and relieved) that it and the other dishes turned out pretty darn well!
The thing to learn from this is: you don't want to be the next person I make gnocchi for. The odds don't look good.
No comments:
Post a Comment