Local Foods Archives | Page 14 of 16

Myths and Truths: My First Half Marathon

March 29, 2010

For a while now I’ve been trying to determine where this goal came from, this goal to run a half marathon. A goal which, I might add, I successfully accomplished yesterday morning.

I’ve never especially liked running. There are times when I hated it with a passion. I just prefer other forms of activity. However, I was to the point where I wanted to stop confusing not liking it with not being able to do it. As a result I’m starting to enjoy it more.

Let’s be clear. I run, I’m not a runner. And there are several reasons why I likely won’t ever consider myself a runner. When I think of a runner, I think of someone who is in love with running, and needs it in their lives. Someone who is willing to push themselves to the point of injury and past it to run. Now, I don’t mean to generalize, certainly not all runners are like this, but I know many who are.

Personally, if I hurt, I’m not going to run. I don’t just mean sore, aches and pains hurt, I mean injury hurt. I view my body and all its wonderful capabilities as a gift. Hurting it to the point where it is injured and can’t function is not respecting this gift. Wellness means understanding your limits as well as exceeding them when appropriate. For me, not respecting this gift by pushing too hard is as bad as not respecting it by not using it and letting it waste away without any activity at all. I have issues with both.

The second reason I say I’m not a runner is that I am slow. And I mean slow. I fall into the jogger/walker category. In fact, there were race walkers flying right by me yesterday. When people tell me to slow my pace down I laugh because going any slower for me is walking and it is physically impossible for me to go any faster. I’ve tried hard, too.

My goal was to finish the race in a motion that somewhat resembled running for 13.1 miles and I did. I never stopped running and I came in at a time of 2:57:26. About a 13 minute mile. See, I told you. The fastest I’ve run is a 5K at a 10:45 mile. Still no speed of lightening.

One thing that helped me keep fighting for my goal was a comment I recently read in a book which said “there is no freedom without discipline.” I’d never really thought much about that before. But if we don’t provide structure for our lives, make ourselves do things, we really can’t accomplish much.

Setting out on my training it wasn’t until I was able to run 10-11 miles that I honestly felt like I was going to complete the half marathon. That was about 2 weeks ago, so I was basically pushing myself to obtain a goal I wasn’t sure was possible for 10 weeks.

Throughout the training I knew I wanted to present a post that highlighted the honesty of running a half marathon. Not something that says “it was tough, but so worth it.”

I don’t have finish line blinders on, I have reality set in my mind. The reality of how hard it was to accomplish my goal. I also thought a lot about the things people told me along the way or views I developed and whether or not they were true. So if you are thinking of running or shooting towards a goal you aren’t sure you can accomplish, this is for you.

12 weeks is enough time for training. Debatable.

I think everyone is different when it comes to this. My original plan was to run a half sometime during 2010 and I was shooting for fall. When I discovered this local event it was 14 weeks out. I began training at 13 weeks and used Hal Higdon’s Novice Half Marathon program which is a 12 week program. I added an extra week myself and got up to 11 miles before the race.

Initially I thought this program was too ambitious and at certain points it was. The day I was supposed to run 9 miles, I had to stop at 4.5. I did not reach the goal for many weekday runs because of shin problems in the middle of my training. Also, if I had stopped my training at the 10 mile mark, I’m not sure I could have finished. Making to 11 miles pre-race had a postive impact on me mentally.

Looking back though, I’m glad I pushed the training and got the race in early in the year. At certain times 12 weeks seemed fast, but it is also enough time to get discouraged. If I had pushed the race to later I may not have stayed motivated to meet my goal.

Cross-training is important. Truth.

I suppose there are people out there who love to run and run and run. I don’t. I ran 3 days per week and if I had been forced to run more I would not have enjoyed my training at all. I didn’t enjoy it that much to begin with. In addition, my shin problems stopped as soon as I incorporated yoga into my routine. As with everything else in life physical fitness is about balance and performing different types of exercise helps establish that.

Running will make you lose weight. Myth.

I lost only 6 lbs during my training, but I knew that losing weight by running was a myth before I started because you typically eat more. I could have cut back drastically on my caloric intake and lost weight, but I wasn’t willing to do it. If I didn’t eat, I didn’t have the energy to run. It was a difficult balance for me and stressed me out in the beginning. Finally I decided I would eat healthy foods as I needed them and let my body decide what it wanted to do.

It hurts. Truth.

Fortunately, I had no injuries, not even a blister during my training. I suffered from shin splints halfway through, and a bit of chaffing that was taken care of by BodyGlide. Everything I encountered was manageable.

That being said I have been exhausted for the past 12 weeks. I came home after runs of 5 miles and longer and basically lay around the rest of the day. I was sleepy all the time and incredibly sore after my long runs. During the runs themselves my knees, ankles and hips ached like crazy. It was just part of it for me and I’m glad that part is over.

The adrenaline and atmosphere will push you through the last few miles. Myth.

I’ve heard and read this several times, and I’m sorry, but I don’t agree. It is highly dependent upon the race you do. This was not a high energy race, it was a rainy day and I was running past other people leaving as I rounded the ½ mile mark to the finish. The last two miles were complete agony. I got maybe two cheers when I rounded the bend for the finish and a couple claps once I crossed the line. Perhaps if you choose a high energy race with lots of people, music and celebration on a sunny day this statement could be true. Yes I made it, but it would have taken a lot less effort on my part if there had been more support.

Crossing the finish is the best part of the race. Debatable.

I’m going to be honest, because of this particular race, crossing the finish was one of the most disappointing experiences of my training. I was hoping for cheers, music and lots of people around. The place had cleared out. It was me and a handful of people there to hand me a medal and take my picture (a special thank you to them). There were granola bars, water and bananas left to eat, and all the vendors had packed up early. To be honest, it made me sad and even sadder for all the people behind me who still had to finish. Because of this, I think it is important to be prepared that the finish may not be what you have envisioned in your mind.

Note, this doesn’t include seeing my husband there to take pictures of me and hug me afterward. Now that was the best part of the race.

After all this, am I glad I did it? Of course! I accomplished something that I honestly didn’t think I would ever be able to. I also fully believe that pushing myself this hard was beneficial to my well being. I think it is important to find things that push you as hard physically, but it doesn’t have to be running.

What are my goals now?

My running started back in January 2009 with a goal of being able to pick up and run a 5K at any point. I accomplished that and then set one to run a half. Now, I’ve accomplished that.

I’ve discovered that I do enjoy running out in the country and seeing the landscape, I just enjoy running shorter distances. To be honest, I’m tired of running long distances and having to be so structured with my workouts.

So the plan is to now be comfortable with running a 10K at any point in time. I’ll likely run 2-3 miles two days per week and 4-5 miles on the weekend. I want to increase my speed and get closer to a 10 minute mile. I also want to start concentrating on other activities again such as more yoga, spinning and strength training.

Will I run another half?

I haven’t decided that yet. Three weeks ago I would have said no. Everyone told me that when I made it to the finish I would want to do more, but I’m not there yet. I can see signing up for a half that is guaranteed to be fun and energetic at some point during the future, but now I’ll stick with 5Ks and 10Ks. I just find them more enjoyable and don’t view them as work like I do a half.

Now for all those who have been holding out for the food. We had an amazing post-race brunch at Alfalfa Restaurant in downtown Lexington, KY. I’ve posted about this place before and we certainly weren’t disappointed on this visit. I enjoyed a Spanish Omelet with white cheddar and ranchero sauce with their special Alfafries. My husband had the Breakfast Burritos. We split the Buttermilk Buckwheat Blueberry Pancake. This thing is amazing. The first bite tastes like a blueberry cake donut!

Special congrats to my husband! Although he’s run relays of the same or greater difficulty, this was his first official half marathon finish as well. He finished in 1:53 and is preparing for the Flying Pig Marathon in May.

Dreaming of Grilled Vegetables

March 23, 2010

For two whole summers I enviously read blog post after blog post about grilled vegetables from around the food blogging world. At that point we were in an apartment in Brazil with no grill of our own. Not to mention, while grills of Brazil and the foods they produce are quite nice, it’s just not the same as our version in the U.S. I’m also not sure a vegetable has ever touched a grill where we were living. Red meat, yes, veggies not so much.

My anticipation of creating my own grilled produce has been building all winter. Now, that we are finally in a house, there is a spot being held for a new grill. However, it has turned out to be the last thing on our shopping list. While we have filled the house with couches, chairs and desks, the yard is still looking a bit bare.

That will change soon enough, but today I just couldn’t wait. After finding some zucchini and mushrooms in the fridge I decided to grab the grill pan and make an indoor version of a grilled vegetable sandwich for lunch.

I sliced up the vegetables, drizzled them with olive oil, and then sprinkled them with this herb rub.

A friend of mine gave me this and it is from Herb ‘n Renewal, a Kentucky company that sells herb products. You may not have access to this exact combo, but you can see the ingredient list here if you want to mimic it.

I cooked everything for a few minutes on each side, layered everything on the bread (Flax Oat Bran from Great Harvest) and then grilled the sandwich itself to make it more of a Panini. It hit the spot, but unfortunately it has made my longing for grilled foods even stronger!

There really isn’t an exact recipe here, but I will list out what I added to my sandwich. You can add whatever veggies you like.

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

2 slices of whole grain bread
4 slices of zucchini
10 rings of Anaheim pepper
2 white mushrooms, sliced
Sprinkle of olive oil and herb seasoning
1 ½ tbsp cream cheese
1 green onion, sliced
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
¼ tsp garlic powder
Handful of fresh spinach

Place the veggies on the grill and sprinkle with olive oil and herb seasoning. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until tender. In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese, green onion, cilantro and garlic powder. Spread on one slice of the bread. Stack the grilled veggies on the second slice and top it with the spinach. Place the first slice on top, cream cheese side down. Return to the grill pan and grill for 1 minute on each side.

This post is being submitted to Souper Sundays at the Kahakai Kitchen.

Apple Cheddar Brown Biscuits

March 18, 2010

You know those moments when you taste something incredible? Not just good food, but something that could quite possibly be the best version of a dish or an individual ingredient you’ve ever put in your mouth.

I had that experience this week and with something that was unexpected – sausage.

I wouldn’t say we eat a lot of sausage. Although, German sausage is in my top 5 of all time favorite meals, and I have to say a piece with waffles or an omelet can really complete a breakfast. However, it has been a long while since I’ve had any.

I’ve been steering clear of ordering meat out at restaurants and buying meat from the supermarket since the beginning of the year. It’s just a personal choice I’ve made. I want the meat I consume to come from grass-fed, pastured and humane (as possible) sources. The last time I tried to order sausage from the farm that has become our regular resource, they were all out. A restaurant had completely wiped them out of all their pork sausage. Bummer.

But a few weeks ago, I placed an order for eggs and Teresa let me know that there would be sausage available in a week, so I signed up and waited patiently. This week, I finally got around to trying it.

I took one nibble from the skillet after I browned it up and I knew. This is what sausage is supposed to taste like! Not greasy, not dry and overcooked, not so salty and seasoned that you can barely taste anything else. This was perfection.

The lack of fat, I’m sure, has to do with it being pastured meat. The seasoning, perhaps it was their processor, but somebody is doing something right. The meat was tender and that familiar sausage flavor was there, but mild and there was just a tiny bit of heat that lingered.

Seriously, I can’t believe I’m going on about sausage like this, but this is some good stuff.

Since I really don’t think it is a good idea to sit down to a bowl of sausage I needed something with which to eat this tasty meat. I love the way apple and cheddar cheese go together, so I thought why not put them in a biscuit.

However, you know me; it couldn’t be just a plain white biscuit, so I decided to combine white whole wheat flour and whole wheat flour for some lesser refined brown biscuits. The sausage pairs up with them nicely and I love the tiny bits of sweet apple I get among the salty flavors.

Next up? Bacon. I’m on the waiting list, though, so the anticipation will be building until May!

Apple Cheddar Brown Biscuits

1 cup white whole wheat flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp dried parsley
¼ tsp garlic powder
4 tbsp butter
¾ cup milk
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup apple, finely diced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Combine the flours, baking powder, salt, parsley and garlic powder in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into cubes and add to the bowl. Mix using a pastry blender until the butter is transformed into pea-sized pieces. Make a well in the center of the dry mix and add the milk. Stir to combine.

Add in the cheddar and apples and gently mix in. It is easier to use your hand for this. Place the dough on a floured surfaced and roll it out to about a 1 to 1 ½ inch thickness. Using a glass or biscuit cutter, cut into biscuits and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool to touch, slice open and place a sausage patty inside. Makes about 12, 2-inch biscuits. (Mine made 11, but I think they were slightly bigger than 2 inches.)

Small Towns and Real Food

March 16, 2010

Once we moved into our house a whopping two and a half weeks ago, I had this overwhelming urge to immediately dive right into the local community. Perhaps it was because since I left grad school I’ve had these big ideas of volunteering, but have never actually done anything. Or maybe it was because when we moved to Brazil I had these big ideas of being involved in the community, but was too overwhelmed with getting accustomed to my new lifestyle to actually do anything.

Notice a lot of wanting and thinking, but not a lot of doing.

So now that our feet are on the ground with a very loose grip (I still have to travel!), I wanted to get in there before I started making excuses again. My first two steps were to join the Farmer’s Market planning committee (a small event with a handful of vendors) and attend a Farm-to-Table diversity conference offered by the county’s Women in Ag organization.

Let me first explain the setting. We’ve moved to a small, rural county that is about 40 minutes from a college town of about 300,000 people, and about 90 minutes from two major, metropolitan cities. So we aren’t way out there by any means, but far enough out that you know you aren’t in the big city anymore.

What do you think of when you think of the rural areas of the US?

I’ll tell you want I think of, more food from the farm, eating from the land and consuming more nourishing, whole foods prepared like they used to be. The way that advocates of real food are encouraging – butter, lard, whole dairy, grass-fed beef, pastured eggs and pork, freshly picked fruits and veggies, and home baked breads.

Fresh fruits and veggies – check. At least when I my garden gets-to-going. Humanely raised meat and eggs – check. I buy from a local farm and so far all the farmer’s market vendors I’ve met follow the same practices.

But now, let me tell you about the Farm-to-Table event this past weekend. I went to learn about worm farm composting, herbs and photography. However, I was equally excited about the Taste of the County sampling menu we would be having for lunch.

I snuck into the kitchen early to try and get some photos and speak with the cook. I only spoke with her a few minutes, but I learned an interesting story. She once owned a catering business in Berkley, CA which then turned into a private chef business. She then got into the Alpaca business, stopped catering and moved to Kentucky. Incredibly sweet lady and I hope to learn more from her in the future.

I was all about this meal. Here is what we got to try.

Spinach and Tomato Quiche, and Barbeque Chicken Salad in Tortilla Cups

Braised Lamb on Polenta

Beef Sliders with Onion Jam

Shredded Pork with Spicy Peach Chutney

Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Garlic

Lemon and Black Walnut Pound Cake

After lunch a person from the planning team asked how many people had tried something that they had never had before. Half the room raised their hands. Completely surprised I looked back over the menu. Okay, well maybe it was the peach chutney or polenta. It was hard for me to believe.

But there’s more.

Two days later I attended a Farmer’s Market planning meeting and one of the farmer’s mentioned that his mother had attended the event. Her comment after lunch – I can’t wait to get home and have a bologna sandwich and a Pepsi.

Then it hit me. Perhaps my perception that rural life and real food go together isn’t entirely accurate.

Cola companies, convenience food, unidentifiable cheese products have also permeated our rural communities. Did I mention that our town center is about 6 buildings total, yet driving in you will see golden arches?

The sandwich comment was also followed by discussions of how farmer’s market customers have no idea how to use new varieties of cucumbers, eggplants or butternut squash which discourages them from buying these items. Now, curry paste and udon I would understand, but vegetables in a rural community?

Needless to say, I have a lot to learn, and for my own, tiny little mission, a lot of work to do. Much of it may begin with showing people how to enjoy these foods I would have thought were common; and then convincing them that there are A LOT of people out there dying to get their hands on the local produce, humanely raised meats and artisanal products they have to offer.

Pastured Pork and Black Beans

March 10, 2010

Sometimes I think I try so hard to get creative with recipes that I forget just how simple a good meal can be. For example, this past week I picked up an order from Pike Valley Farm. A small order since it is the time of year where the selection is low until the spring season. They did have some pastured pork chops available, though, so I decided to get a pack for something different.

I was trying to decide what to do with them. I was a bit stuck because they were the type of chops that looked to be best slow cooked, not a lean center cut chop for grilling. I showed them to my husband and he said, “Why don’t you just throw them in a crockpot with some beans. Then serve it with rice, kind of like a feijoada.”

I couldn’t help but wonder to myself – now I’m the cook in the family, why didn’t I think of that?

It turned out to be a great suggestion. Throughout a day of simmering, the fat melted away allowing me to easily remove any bones, leaving tender pieces of meat. Not to mention the soft and smoky black beans.

A heavier, filling meal I’m glad I got it in for the season. The weather is turning warmer here and the trees out front are beginning to bloom. However, I think the leftovers will be perfect for the rain that is predicted for the next few days.

Pastured Pork and Black Beans

16 oz bag of black beans, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
¾ to 1 lb. pastured pork chops
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the pre-soaked beans, onion, garlic and spices in a Crock-pot and add the water. Place the pork chops on top of the beans and cover the pot with the lid. I cooked it on high for 4 hours and then on low for 2 more hours. This had it finished by about 4:00 pm so I kept it on warm until dinner. If you are gone all day, cooking it on low for 8 hours would likely work out fine. Add salt and pepper to taste near the end of cooking. I added about 1 ½ tsp salt and ¾ tsp of black pepper. Serve with rice and/or some greens and hot sauce, of course.

Food Finds and College Memories

February 17, 2010

I suppose how one feels about where they went to college will vary from person to person. For me, happiness, fond memories, pride and a bit of longing for times past come to mind. I may have had my complaints from time to time when I was there, but now that I’ve experienced other campuses and various forms of academic life I appreciate Purdue University more than ever.

We visited West Lafayette, IN this past weekend to see a basketball game with my brother –in-law and his wife and I was once again reminded of what a great place Purdue is. It’s been about four years or so since our last visit and now that my trips tend to be a bit more food-centric, it made the weekend even more fun.

A few months ago we saw an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and were surprised to see the Triple XXX featured on the show. It does claim to be Indiana’s first drive-in restaurant, but we were surprised because this is a place I think I went to once during college. Why? Well, because it was sooooo unhealthy and I viewed it as an overcrowded, dirty diner.

Yes, I lacked appreciation for local culture back then, despised fat and needed floors I could eat off of. Well, I’ve changed a lot. Travel has led me to incredible food in places a lot less sparkling and my personal bubble has been known to disappear from time to time. I have a newfound appreciation.

We were cheerfully greeted by the cashier and we waited in our car (no space inside) about 20 minutes for a bar stool. Yep, this is a true diner. Only stools around a winding bar and it was beyond packed, shoulder to shoulder.

Since the beginning of the year I’ve only been eating non-meat options when dining out unless I know the source of the meat. I made a bit of an exception at Triple XXX, but not a big one. We felt the option of meat without fillers or additives was the second best choice. You know that gray stuff they showed in Food, Inc. Yeah, there is none of that. The diner grinds their own sirloin and I’m going to be honest. It was one of the best burgers I have had in a very long time.

They are perfectly grilled and thin. I love my burgers thin. I got the Barney Burger which was topped with grilled onions.

Going in my husband said he wasn’t going to order it, but caved at the last minute. I’m talking about the Duane Purvis All-American (many of the menu options are named after Purdue athletes) which was featured on the show – a burger with peanut butter on it.

Wait. I encourage you to practice the don’t-knock-it-until-you-try-it rule. I was surprised at how good the slightly sweet spread of pb was with the burger. However, my husband did admit that my burger with the grilled onions was more his style. No regrets in trying it though.

Our next stop we had really been looking forward to, but ended up disappointed. Lafayette Brewing Company was a favorite when we lived in the area and we made a point to go back. Perhaps it is because we’ve had the opportunity to visit many more microbreweries since then or maybe we are just upset they took the fried pickles off the menu, but we found both the food and beer somewhat mediocre. We did have a very friendly server though. Always want to mention the positive.

I ordered the Wit Bier which was made of 100% organic ingredients, but I really just ordered it because I love wheat beers . It was okay, not the best wheat I’ve had. It lacked the sweeter flavor I prefer in a wheat. I did really enjoy the Piper’s Pride Scottish ale and the Eight-Five my husband ordered though.

We shared our entrees and I got the bison burger. Yes, we had a lot of burgers, but I wasn’t too thrilled with the veggie options here. I was also pleased that the burger was Indiana-raised, grass-fed, organic American bison. My husband got the fish and chips of which the tartar sauce was excellent with a strong dill flavor. Otherwise the meal was good, and that is about the highest rating I’d give it.

We weren’t completely disappointed, it just reminded us of how fortunate we are that we can make all of these food comparisons among places we’ve lived and traveled.

On Sunday we walked around for part of the morning and I was reminded of one of the reasons I love Purdue’s campus so much. There are so many areas just like this where we could always gather and study. The tables and chairs in the Union alone have such character.

We met a friend at Noodles & Company for lunch. We don’t have any noodle places like this that I know of in Lexington as of yet. Not sure if this is a good or bad thing, but we did enjoy this place. Apparently, everyone else does too because it was packed. I had the Indonesian Peanut Sauté. The rice noodles were a bit too sticky, but it was nice and spicy with a great peanut flavor. My husband had the Japanese Pan-fried noodles with lots of udon and sprinkled with black sesame seeds. He enjoyed that as well.

Before heading out we stopped by Greyhouse Coffee. This place used to be called The Village Coffeehouse when I was on campus and I loved studying there as much as I loved their raspberry mochas. The place has only gotten better. The inside is a mix of modern and traditional with an upscale, cozy feel. I’d be studying here daily if I was still in school.

Fortunately for me, the raspberry mocha of sorts is still on the menu as the Raspberry Truffle. Although, I will admit I was tempted by the Dr. Strangelove as well. It was a coffee drink made with Mexican Oaxacan sauce infused with Sri Lankan cinnamon, orange and cloves.

My husband and I have both promised ourselves that we will make it back more often. Even with all this great food, there were several favorite places we didn’t get to visit and we’ve learned of many more we need to try. When all is said and done, I really do miss Purdue’s campus and the surrounding area, I do not, however, miss being in school.

Learning? I love it. School? Glad I’m done, but college towns have some of the best food around and the Lafayette area is no exception.

Triple XXX Family Restaurant
2 North Salisbury Street
West Lafayette, IN 47906-3027
(765) 743-5373

Lafayette Brewing Company
622 Main Street
Lafayette, IN 47901
(765) 742-2591

Noodles & Company
102 N. Chauncey Ave.
West Lafayette, IN. 47906
(765) 743-4444

Greyhouse Coffee & Supply Co
100 Northwestern Avenue
West Lafayette, IN 47906
(765) 743-5316

Local Eats in Louisville

January 27, 2010

Update: Unfortunately Lynn’s Paradise Cafe closed in 2013.

There are times when I feel that the only food Kentucky is known for is fried chicken, along with that famous place that makes it. Anytime my husband and I travel abroad we are often asked by locals where we are from. When we say Kentucky, the person says fried chicken.

I’m not the biggest fan of this worldwide recognition our state seems to have. I think the history of it is great; what it has become, not so much. Therefore, I am excited when another Bluegrass-based restaurant gets much deserved attention. I get even more excited when I actually get to go there.

This past weekend I visited a good friend in Louisville and she took me to lunch at Lynn’s Paradise Café. I’ve only been once, several years ago, and even before that time the restaurant had been in the travel and food media spotlight quite often. It’s been mentioned in Bon Appetite, Southern Living, and Travel & Leisure. It was also featured in the show “Throwdown with Bobby Flay”.

The inside of Lynn’s is everything you would expect it to be based on the look of the outside. I mean, where else are you going to find all those flowers in Kentucky in the middle of winter? There are bright colors, eclectic decor, a tree in the center of the dining room, booths, tables and a diner-like service bar. Before entering the actual restaurant visitors make their way through the gift shop full of gag gifts, cards and stationary and even hats and hair accessories perfect for any Derby Day celebration.

We made reservations because the place is overflowing on Sundays with after-church diners, even at 2:00 pm when we arrived. I had checked out the menu online beforehand so I knew what I was in for and I couldn’t have been happier with the selection.

Lynn’s serves lots of local options such as Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese (which I plan to review soon), and their burgers and meat loaf are made with Kentucky grass-fed beef. You can get anything from a comfort food-focused turkey and stuffing to non-meat options like the Grilled Portobello Mushroom Sandwich with sweet potato fries that I chose. The sandwich had baby greens, Gorgonzola cheese, cider honey vinaigrette and sweet onion marmalade.

It was as delicious as it sounds! Sweet and salty from the marmalade and cheese combined with a deep, rich woodsy flavor from the mushroom. The fries were crispy and slightly sweet, seasoned with cinnamon.

Lynn’s also offers breakfast all day and I have to admit that I was tempted by the Bourbon Ball French Toast. This was listed as the star of the “Throwdown with Bobby Flay” episode. I need to look that up because I haven’t gotten the chance to see it yet.

My friend Michelle, who graciously put up with my food photography, decided on the Popeye Omelet, which is the regular for her, she tells me. It looked wonderful too, stuffed with creamy spinach, bacon and tomatoes.

Lynn’s Paradise Café has such a unique character with fantastic local food options. It is no surprise that it has gotten so much media attention. If you find yourself in Louisville, put it on your list, but make reservations or you might be waiting quite a while for seat!

Lynn’s Paradise Cafe
984 Barret Ave.
Louisville, KY
(502) 583-3447

Homemade Tortillas

January 22, 2010

When I announced on Twitter last night that I was going to try making my own tortillas one of the responses I received was that once I had them, I’d never go back to the packaged version.

Well, it only took one bite to prove that statement true.

I was tortilla deprived while we were in Brazil. When I visited the US I would always bring back a couple packages in my suitcase and we’d go through them in a week or two. Because this was my only option I stuck with the packaged version, but I knew I wanted to make my own.

So when my brothers asked me what I wanted for my belated birthday gift during my visit home over the holidays, I immediately said a tortilla press. There was some confusion and I had to clarify that is was not a quesadilla maker I was speaking of. Once we established that the contraption wasn’t to actually cook the tortillas, but to press them, we began looking for one at stores each time we were out finding none.

Finally at about 8:00 pm the night before I left to come back to Kentucky my brothers (two of the three) announced that they were going out for a bit. Considering strange ideas aren’t all that uncommon in my family, no one paid any attention.

About an hour later they walked in the door announcing they were home, and laid a bag on the kitchen counter with a clanging thud.

My tortilla press!

It turns out that a Mexican restaurant they favor had just opened a market next door. They went in just before closing and found the last tortilla maker. Their descriptions of the look the cashier gave them were pretty funny. He seemed surprised that two gringo men (who also ordered chips and salsa to-go, by the way) would need such an item.

I finally got some corn masa flour last week and pulled out the press last night for my first attempt at making tortillas. I opted for a half batch of eight. The instructions called for 1 cup of the flour, 1/8 tsp salt and 1/3 cup water. The label mentioned that more water could be added if the dough was dry. Mine was dry so I added about 2 tbsp more of water.

I rolled the dough into eight balls as instructed, covered the press with plastic wrap on both sides, placed the dough ball in the middle and pressed down the dough.

As you can see, not so good on my first try. It wasn’t round at all. I decided to flatten the ball out a bit before pressing to encourage it to go round and this is what I got. Success!

I popped them on a hot griddle pan for about one minute on each side and kept the cooked tortillas warm and soft by covering the plate with a wet paper towel.

I went for the standard fillings this time, but the exciting part was that I got to try my first purchase of grass fed and finished ground beef from Pike Valley Farm. Delicious! I seasoned it up with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.

Oh, and crushed red pepper. About the crushed red pepper…be sure you check your cap before sprinkling it in. Yep, pulled the whole unscrewed-the-cap-when-it-was-a-flip-top and poured in about a ½ cup of red pepper. With my husband’s help, I spent about 10 minutes washing it off with water. Fortunately we managed to get it down to a tolerable level of spiciness.

After we saved the meat I topped the tacos with lettuce, cheddar cheese, chopped jalapenos, salsa, olives and green onion.

I was taken a bit by surprise with my husband’s reaction to the dinner. He raved about the flavor of both the tortillas and the beef saying that all the flavors came out perfectly. I have to agree. The texture of the tortillas was excellent too, soft, yet firm and they didn’t break apart.

No more packaged tortillas for us. The extra 15 minutes it took to make them myself was worth every second!

Tasting Antigua

January 4, 2010

I wrote this post back in 2010, but we have since returned to beautiful Antigua! We hired Roger, the tour guide mentioned in this post, once again and had another great trip exploring this stunning island!

“What would you like for lunch?,” our guide asked.

“Something local,” my husband and I said in unison.

I think our guide was a little surprised. There are a lot of food choices available on the island of Antigua, especially considering its rather European history. I had, however, read up on some of local, native foods of island before our trip and had been looking forward to trying them for months.

For the past several years we’ve taken a vacation in the Caribbean the week before Christmas. This year we made our first visit to the island of Antigua. We stay at Sandals resort, which we love, but as we’ve traveled more and more we find it important to get off the comfy resort and learn more about the places we are visiting. That, of course, also means having some local food.

This year we hired a private driver, a local named Roger. He took us out driving for the day and taught us so much about the history of his island. Probably due to the focus of my questions a large portion of what we learned was focused on food. For starters, he showed just about every fruit plant that grows in the area. I tried to make a list of the things we saw, but I’m sure I missed a few.

Sorrel, breadfruit, pomelo, lemon, lime, cacao, guava, passion fruit, pomegranate, custard apple, pineapple, banana, soursop, mango, avocado, ackee, papaya, tamarind and coconut.

That’s a lot of tropical fruit for one small island! In fact, Roger told us that many fruits such as the lemon and mango simply go to waste because they aren’t used in a lot of local cooking.

Midday we passed a few roadside stands selling fresh fruit, the highlight being the Antiguan Black Pineapple. Roger assured us that it would be the sweetest we’ve ever tried. I was skeptical considering all the delicious pineapples we were able to try in Brazil, but Roger was spot on. The flavor rivaled those of South America.

As you can see the pineapple isn’t black at all. It is small in size with a dark, golden skin when ripe. The owner of the stand we stopped at prides herself on only selling the Antiguan Black Pineapple. We got a plate of the pineapple and some finger bananas (as they were being called). The bananas were much like the banana maça we used to get in Brazil, but I’m not sure that they are the exact same variety. What a plate of nature’s goodness!

Roger came across as a natural, unprocessed food advocate and we had a lot of interesting, informative conversations throughout the day. He told us that because Antigua is so small many foods are imported. That also means that many food trends come along with it. For example, he said when he was growing up they made their own sea salt harvesting it from the water around them. Then all of a sudden they started receiving shipments of table salt and it began showing up in stores.

They began eating that type of salt being told that it was better, likely because of the iodine. Of course, today the focus is back on sea salt because of its beneficial mineral content. So what they had done as kids turned out to be the best practice.

I think we can all relate to that. Food trends whether for health or taste always seem to upset cultures and often healthy practices whether it be a large landmass or a small island.

For lunch we ended up at a small restaurant called Caribbean Taste. The best way to describe it was a home-slash-restaurant. Family and friends came in and out while we ate and groups of women sat in the main area of the building eating and preparing more food for cooking.

I was hoping to get to try the sorrel drink which is made around the holiday season, but they had not made it that particular day. Instead, we got some homemade ginger drink. This stuff was amazing. I’ve had ginger beer before which is carbonated, but this was like lemonade, but made with ginger instead. It was sweet with that spicy burn specific to fresh ginger root.

When I found out there was only one order of Ducana left for the day I quickly decided what I wanted. I had read about it prior to our trip and Roger explained it to us on the tour as well. Made of sweet potato, flour, sugar, coconut and spices it is a dumpling steamed in a banana leaf. Mine was served with salted cod in a red sauce and chop-up which is a mixture of veggies most prominently spinach. A delicious sweet and savory combination.

My husband tried the curried goat. Okay, I did try it. Since I had pet goats growing up and my parents still raise them I have a really hard time enjoying goat as a meal. However, I do understand the fact that it is a common protein source for many cultures. So in the spirit of being open to foods and culture I tried a bite.

I can’t say I loved it and that had nothing to do with the fact that it was goat. It reminded me of a roast like my mom used to make when I was growing up. Kind of fatty, but with tender yet slightly chewy meat. The flavor of the sauce was great, but I didn’t enjoy the meat, however, I think my husband would order it again for sure.

Along with the great food out on the island, the food at the resort wasn’t too shabby either. I will say we were disappointed that more local foods didn’t make the menu. We talked to Roger about this and he expressed that he wished the people of Antigua would demand that local foods be used on the menu. I’m speaking of local dishes/recipes here, not necessarily local ingredients. Apparently in Jamaica it is a priority so although you may not have something truly authentic it is likely you will find a version of escovitch fish, jerk chicken and ackee and salt fish even on the menus of all-inclusive resorts.

The one exception was the Caribbean rock lobster for which Barbuda (part of the same country as Antigua) is known. We had grilled lobster many times during our visit. I also had a bit of fungi for breakfast one morning which is a cornmeal similar to polenta. This version was formed into patties or cakes and served with okra.

Sushi with spicy crab

Fried Calamari

Seafood Chowder

Curry Lamb

Paradise Punch from the swim-up bar

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Deconstructed Tiramisu

I love foods of the Caribbean and Antiguan cuisine was no exception. If you find yourself there, head out and explore the island and eat some fantastic food while you’re at it!

Need a guide when you are there?

Our day with Roger was fantastic!

Roger’s Taxi & Tours

(268) 764 -6331

rogertaxitours (at) gmail (dot) com

Finding the Right Word

December 31, 2009

No one seems to like the word resolution anymore. It’s as if it’s some term that is certain to set you up for failure. I’ve seen that in 2010 we should set goals instead, but that doesn’t really strike a chord with me either. I’ve been thinking about it a lot though, and this year I think I will call them commitments. These things I choose to better myself in the next year will be promises to me and actions that I commit myself to.

I think last year was the first year that I took my resolutions/commitments seriously and I’m pretty proud of what I accomplished. (I honestly can’t believe I’ve been running regularly for a year now!) I don’t like it that this New Year’s practice has gotten such a bad reputation over the years, so I decided to change that for me personally. I agree we should set goals and make commitments throughout the year, but what better time to evaluate ourselves and recommit than a brand new year. I think reflecting on our faults and shortcomings and making a promise to better ourselves is an important part of wellness.

So here you go. These are my 2010 Commitments. I’ll be checking back with them in the spring to stay on track and I think there are a few that have the potential to result in some great reading and recipes!

Run my first half marathon on March 28th.
I’m giving it a try. I’ve grown to enjoy running although I can’t say it is my favorite activity just yet. This could be my one and only half, but I have to give it a try to challenge myself and my abilities.

Make at least one recipe from a fellow food blogger each month.
Like most of you, I have recipe after recipe bookmarked from all the great food blogs out there. I’m going to commit to trying one or more each month. My goal with this is to leave them relatively unaltered so that I can try some great food, give you a new recipe you may have missed in your reading and spread the word about some of my fave blogs.

Make at least one recipe from a cookbook each month.
Similar to food blogs I have cookbooks and magazine cut-outs galore. It is time to start trying some of these recipes more often!

Read one informative book & one novel each month.
This one may be tough, but I want to structure my time to get in more off-screen reading. I love mysteries because they help me unwind and take a break from work. Similarly I want to keep up with reading nonfiction, informational books such as those focused on nutrition, cooking, environmental concerns and world religions.

Visit as many local food festivals as possible this year.
No I don’t have a number associated with this, but I’m thinking anything better than zero will be a good start. There are so many local food fests around Kentucky. From spoon bread to strawberries to bourbon there always seems to be something going on. This is the year I’m going to make it a priority to attend. Now that I’ve learned about cultures halfway around the world I’m realizing how important it is to learn more about that which is right in my backyard.

Make at least 75% of our food purchases local and sustainable.
I’m not exactly sure how I will measure this, but I will figure it out. I would say now we are somewhere in the 50% range and I want that to change. I chose 80% because there will always be some things such as grains which we eat that are not likely to come from nearby. In addition, I enjoy eating and cooking ethnic foods and those ingredients aren’t always available locally. To define the foods I’m talking about here, locally grown produce, grass-finished beef, naturally raised chicken and pork and local honey are examples.

Frequent my local international markets.
My plan is to shop here once a month for grains and spices. My goal is for this to also help me diversify my cooking and start making more of the wonderful foods we’ve had the opportunity to try during our travels.

Okay, so what do you think? I’m actually pretty excited about it and ready to get 2010 underway!

I’d love to hear what some of your food and wellness related commitments/resolutions/goals are this year!

Also, if you are looking for some support while adopting some healthier habits this coming year, check out the Ten in 2010 event going on at Recipe Girl. I’ve joined in with the goal to stick to my half marathon training and lose 10 lbs.

I also wanted to be a part of it because I’m seeing a lot of commitments to eat less fat and carbs. I think we all know how I feel about that. I certainly believe in everyone’s right to their definition of health and healthy eating, but I’m hoping I can use myself as an example to debunk some of those old school healthy eating myths. I’ll be eating lots of full fat, whole grains and naturally grown foods. I’d love to see you join in if you haven’t yet!