100 Mile Dinner

This past June we celebrated another one of our memorable 100 mile events. A dinner comprised totally of foods found within one hundred miles of the restaurant. 

Things have changed wildly over the last 7 years that we have been doing these. There is almost nothing we can't find locally. Almost. The ever elusive wheat haunts my dreams but one day this local larder will be filled with pasta and bread. Cobbler and crumb. 

Even so, we had some truly great additions this Summer. Sharp Shooter cheddar from Veldhuizen farms and local apples. So many choices of local honey that I decided to do a tasting side by side. House smoked pork belly, garlic soup and more garlic grilled rabbit. Wild Hive honey ice cream with berries, ratatouille and even a local grain/corn vodka called Nue vodka. Distilled six times just down the road in Lewisville with locally sourced ingredients.

Many thanks go out to Cardo's farm project, Ryan & Earthwise produce, The Dallas Farmers Market and every local farmer, backdoor gardener and Rancher who has helped create these new memories. Thank you.

Brunch in the Fields

Join farmer's Amanda and Dan at their first annual Brunch in the fields at Cardo's Farm Project.

For ticket purchase and more info please visit Cardo's website. 

In the same spirit as our 100 mile dinners, I will be preparing Quiche, Chicken Soup, Garden Salad, Chocolate Beet Muffins, fresh Pork Belly, Smoked Ham and more from local ingredients.  Local milk and locally roasted coffee will also be provided.

Also, don't forget that space is limited so make your ticket purchase early!

See you there

September at the Farmers Market

If you haven't been to our local Farmer's Market here in Denton at the corner of Carroll and Mulberry, then you have really been missing out! Not just an array of your usual zucchini, tomatoes and such. The hardworking vendors who show up each week have really been putting it all out there and testing new products. Things I am really excited about: Local dates, local garlic, lots of homemade jams and preserves, fresh sprouts of all kinds, lemon cucumbers and the Denton Community Market held once a month on Saturday. Check it out here!

Farmers Market and Denton Community Market

There was a very productive meeting tonight about the Denton Community Farmers Market held in the basement planning room of City Hall. I arrived shortly after the meeting had begun to a great surprise of standing room only! I will try to post updates on where the planning stages are for this new endeavor as things progress. Tonight was mostly about introductions, gauging interest and floating ideas.

Before I got away from the kitchen though, I did manage to put a totally local salad together...We featured 5- 6 tomato varieties from the Farmers Market, locally grown basil and locally made fresh mozzarella cheese for a really tasty Caprese. MMMMM!



Varieties included; Pink Cherries, Celebrity, Fourth of July's and Yellow Pears.

Chef

Farmer's Market Bounty

I just could not wait to write about the wonderful things I found at the Denton Farmer's Market today. When I see the first table, or in this case tailgate of a beat up pickup, I get so excited, and worried that someone might buy things that I want for the restaurant. I become very protective of every squash and onion I see. Looking quickly down the row to gauge what is available, I can then take my time to pick out the best of what there is to offer. Scooping up the last of the early summer cucumbers and late spring garlic,before anyone else even has a chance, thank you. Those are mine! It is a full on contact sport, don't be fooled, I go knowing full well that I might come back with an empty wallet, a market bag overflowing and perhaps a bloody knee!

However, there are some things you don't do at the farmers market. You don't try to pay with a debit card. Come on people! You don't haggle over prices. These guys work hard for what they offer and they are probably already underpricing what they have, and you don't buy from those guys with tons of boxes of tomatoes from Chile in the back of their U-Haul! Those tomatoes are not local!

Some polite do's..... You can ask where their farm is, they are only too happy to tell you. Sometimes this may take more than a few minutes, location, acreage, what is coming out of the ground soon, but it is part of the charm of our little farmer's market.
Do bring your own market bag, or at least use one bag from a vender to fill up from everyone else, do try to buy at least one thing from every local vender, and if the beet greens look a little wilted it is OK to ask if they have anymore in the back (i.e, the floorboard of the truck, under the table or coming tomorrow).

Today's Treasures are leeks, onions, garlic ( I am thinking of a totally local three onion soup!)
Daikon radishes, yellow squash and cucumbers ( Roasted Daikon Scallops with squash frittata and curry cucumber yogurt ) and
Round Zucchini- sliced thin and fried , layered with cheese and bacon ( we are in Texas, it will sell). Enjoy!

Chef Sheena