Showing posts with label farmers market. Show all posts
Showing posts with label farmers market. Show all posts

Friday, August 01, 2014

Seasons Change, So Should Your Food

I love shopping at the farmers market for fresh fruits and vegetables.  It is the perfect place to buy seasonal fresh foods.  The seasons changing set a natural backdrop for what we should be eating.  With fall approaching…well kind of, it’s just my favorite season, I thought I would share how I try to eat seasonally and a few of my fall favorites.  Who is ready for some apple cider and scarfs?


Fall is one of my favorite seasons, the rich trending colors and the unexplainable feeling of warmth makes it my favorite season.  Although San Francisco doesn't have that much of a change from summer to fall, you can still find seasonal foods and cook with the fresh harvests of the season.

It is hard know what foods are in season if you go to a grocery store.  Pesticides, chemicals, and means of transportation allow you to find any fruit or vegetable available the throughout the year.  To truly know what is seasonal I go to the local farmers market.  It is great, you can see what the farmers are growing and harvesting.  CUESA.org is a great website to see what fruits, vegetables, and herbs are in season in the San Francisco area.  CUESA (Center of Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture) is a great organization that works to cultivate sustainable food systems through the operation of the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market and its educational programs.
When I go to the farmers market, whether it is for the restaurant or for my personal consumption, I take pride in knowing where my food came from and how it was grown.  I like to ask the farmer questions about the food and how they grow it.  It’s nice getting to know them a little bit before you purchase.  I find it rewarding when I understand the relationship that the food has beyond just filling our stomachs.  When I know where my ingredients came from, I can embrace the passion that went into growing them and express that passion when cooking them.

Fall makes me want to cook warm delicious food nonstop.  When I think of fall I immediately think about apples, pumpkins, and warm spices; coincidentally they are in season too.  One of my favorite desert snacks for fall are Ginger Baked apples.  It is so good, seasonal, and the whole family loves them.  I found the recipe last fall at herbazest.com .  I’m pretty sure I made them at least once a week.  Fall cooking is one of my favorites, check out my Pinterest board for all my favorite recipes.  I promise they are so good; they won’t disappoint you!



What makes eating healthy even more enjoyable is participating in seasonal harvests.  You can appreciate your food and knowing where it came from.  Going to a farmers market isn’t like going to a grocery store, it is an experience like no other.  Check out your local farmers market and share what seasonal fruits and vegetables you find!
Happy almost fall,

Go Green and Staying Keen,

Julie

Friday, July 18, 2014

Learning never ends

Even when you think you know it all…there are always new things to learn and innovative ways to be creative with your food.  I have been a vegetarian for more than five years and still feel like I keep learning new ways to cook and incorporate different ingredients into recipes.  Everyone at the restaurant is so knowledgeable and happy to share ideas and experiences to all that want to listen.  Working at a vegetarian restaurant has catapulted my learning into something even more than I thought possible.  It is definitely what makes working there so great!  


My brilliant chef has not only been my herb garden instigator, but also been my personal cookbook the past couple months.  He is always suggesting new ways to make dishes and how to add a little “pizazz” to an old recipe.  Somehow he can concoct a fresh recipe out of ingredients you would never thought about putting together.  His enthusiasm for vegetarian cuisine is great for our restaurant’s morale, the patrons who come here, and most importantly their taste buds.
As the manager, I have to learned to wear many hats; public relations, human resources, customer service, contracting food and so many more. I have also learned about sourcing food and what to look out for when purchasing goods.  Our restaurant always strives to yield fresh and original blends of ingredients in every dish.  I enjoy purchasing from local farmers that do not process their products.  By buying straight from the farmers you can be assured they have not be cross contaminated any of the products with meat; which is extremely important in our restaurant.  We purchase a few ingredients from a restaurant distributor, but we always make sure that it has been certified as vegetarian by the American Vegetarian Association.
Farmers Market- Meeting with local farmers

The knowledge I have obtained about foods and herbs from working in the restaurant is abundant.  I have a better understanding of ingredients and how they work in to create an unforgettable favor.  I have learned even more about how different types of foods yield important nutrients that are important in a vegetarian diet. Don’t worry I will post be posting my experiences with you, my friends, and family.
Oh, the things I have learned…J I never expected to learn how to order ingredients for a restaurant or working directly with patrons to create new dishes that appeal to them.  I am proud of how far I’ve come and what still lies in front of me.  I hope I never stop learning! 

Go Green and Keep Staying Keen!

Julie

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