Stawberry Season

My CSA is open for the season and the strawberries are abundant! 

strawberries picked fresh from the field.

 The Food and Pottery Connection:

FOOD:

Strawberry Shortcake 

(a Walker family favorite)

Biscuits - I usually pick up a batch at Roche Bros in Westwood

strawberries - hand picked, washed (see below**), hulled and sliced

sugar - sprinkle over cut strawberries and toss

whipped cream - Cabot's

strawberry jam - I love Fisher Brook Farm Strawberry Jam!

Slice biscuit and toast. Spread one half biscuit with jam. Add strawberries, whipped cream next... top with or without second biscuit half. yum.

AND POTTERY:

A Berry Bowl** for washing your strawberries

wheel thrown berry bowl with drain dish

Kate Hust

Ice Cream is the one treat I could not live without...Kate Hust has a thing for ice cream too.  In fact she has a page on her blog devoted entirely to ice cream recipes. 

Kate "loves to sew, knit, paint, and draw but always comes back to clay.  She enjoys mixing all of these mediums to make new genres and unusual pieces." She writes a blog full of photos and words that illustrate how moments in her life translate into pieces of art.  One cannot read it and not go away with the feeling that life is good and full of hope.

"We cook almost every night so I love making things that we would use in the kitchen; pitchers, garlic dipping bowls, mugs... " and to go with that: ice cream...

Kate shares this recipe:

Carmel Latte Ice Cream

2 cups whipping cream
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 packet Starbucks carmel VIA
1 packet Starbucks decaf VIA

Whisk eggs and sugar together.
Add creams, milk and via coffee packets. Stir until dissolved.
Freeze in maker according to manufactures instructions. Transfer to freezer safe container and continue to harden in freezer.

"As much as I love these items, I am most proud of my pieces that put a twist on functional pottery. Last year I began making journal covers from clay. I love mixing ceramics with other materials like silk, leather, paper and wool." The result changes the traditional functionality to one that works in tandem with feeding the soul and nurturing the inner self.

Find out more about Kate's art on her blog and etsy shop.

Kate Hust: 

"I make art because it brings me great joy, and I thrive from sharing it with others."

Spring Farm Fest - May 21 - Making the Choice to Buy Local

A few years back, I picked up Barbara Kingsolver’s book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and yes, I did make my book club read it (thank you ladies!).  At the same time I became a shareholder at the Powisset Farm CSA.  Perhaps it was the reading and the eating that worked together, but something changed in the way I was making choices for my family and my work as an artist.

The thrill of walking out into a field to pick beans off a vine (green, yellow and even purple varieties) or lifting a leaf and finding tiny ruby colored strawberries (and “sampling”… who could resist?).  It was just so fresh! I started to dread those trips to the grocery store where I had to admit to myself that I didn’t know much about what I was buying.

With this sudden change in lifestyle, my work as a potter changed. I started to delve into what makes a piece of pottery functional, not just pretty. How what we eat and what we choose to serve that food in really do go hand in hand.  Why wouldn’t you choose a handmade, one of a kind bowl to eat the lovely fresh local tomatoes in?  It’s a wonderful experience! One just needs to make the choice to do so.

This Saturday, May 21st, Powisset Farm, located at 37 Powisset Road in Dover, will host their Spring Farm Fest from 1-5pm.  Vendors will include wonderful local businesses and organizations that support sustainability, local agriculture, buying local and building community.  There will be local farmers, gardeners, potters and many community groups and non-profit organizations.  There will be farm tours, guided ecological walks, and live music.  This Fest marks the start of the new season.  If you haven’t been to Powisset before, bring your whole family and be prepared to fall in love….

Lisa WB Walker pottery will be for sale at the Powisset Farm Spring Fest.  She supports sustainability, local agriculture, buying local and building community.

Strawberry Fields Forever

To make room for my 3 months of CSA meat from Austin Farms, I had to make room in my freezer. I found a bag of frozen strawberries that I had picked this past summer and decided to see if they were not too freezer burned to use. I made a batch of strawberry muffins and those hand picked strawberries were perfectly delicious...



Strawberry Muffins - makes 12
Joy of Cooking

2 cups flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups strawberries, thawed

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Grease liners for 12 muffins in a muffin tin.
3. Combine dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients. Add dry to wet with a couple of quick beats.
4. Fold in strawberries. Divide batter into 12 muffin cups and sprinkle with a little sugar.
5. Bake about 17 minutes but allow 20. Cool a couple of minutes in the pan before cooling on the rack.

a vase of flowers for the table .....

Revisiting Apples

Fall in New England means apple season. The crisp crunch, the delicious color, the variety of choices make apple eating a wonderful adventure! Apple Crisp is a favorite in my family and isn't made especially for a Sunday meal, but a midweek luxury in celebration of the season. Depending on what apples you use to make it, the flavors change...our favorite is to make this recipe with Macoun Apples

Apple Crisp - serves 4-6
Joy of Cooking

4 cups sliced apples
2T lemon juice
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup salted butter

1. Combine apples and lemon juice in a buttered cooking dish 8-9"
2. Combine remaining ingredients until they become crumbly.
3. Spread topping over apples. (I usually have extra left over.)
4. Bake 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven

Bowl for Apples with a "treat for the dishwasher" on the bottom.

Fall Harvest

My senses were overwhelmed with the colors of fall: oranges, dark greens, ochres and yellows, as I pulled into Powessit Farm for the final pick up of the summer CSA season. There is no doubt about it being fall and harvest time in New England. It's the season of pumpkins, squashes and gourds for decorating and eating.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Maple Glaze - serves 4
Eating Local, The Cookbook Inspired by America's Farmers

Any hard shelled winter squash can be prepared this way, as long as the squash wedges have a cavity to hold the butter and syrup. Serve with pork chops, roast chicken or roast duck.

1 acorn squash, about 2 1/2 lbs
4 tsp butter
4 tsp maple syrup
1/4 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 375. Remove stem from squash and cut into quarters lengthwise and remove seeds.
2. Put squash quarters, cavity side up, in a baking dish. Put 1 tsp butter and 1 tsp maple syrup in each cavity. Pour water into baking dish, cover and bake until tender, about 45 minutes.
3. Pour any juice from squash into baking dish. Transfer squash to serving dish. Transfer all juices from baking dish into a small pan and place over high heat. Cook until reduced to a syrup, then spoon over squash. Let rest 15 minutes. It is best served not piping hot.

A bowl to celebrate the fall harvest season...

Striped Bass

I'm missing the lazy days of summer when the Atlantic Ocean soothes my soul, the sand and seaglass beckon, and, the stripers are running.

Striped Bass

Striped Bass - caught fresh and filleted
Olive Oil
Fresh tomato salsa

1. Pan fry fish fillet in olive oil.
2. Serve with fresh tomato salsa over top.
3. Delicious with a mesculin salad and fresh garlicy bread.

Northeast Salt-Water Fish ornaments...

Enjoy the last of seasonal blueberries..

It must be the end of summer when all the local blueberries are gone. Here's a recipe to savor the last of a favorite summer fruit. It freezes well too.

Blueberry Pound Cake
Cooking Light Cookbook 2000

2 cups sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
8 oz lemon yogurt

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Beat together sugar, butter and cream cheese. Add eggs. Add vanilla.
3. Combine 2 Tbls flour with blueberries.
4. Combine remaining dry ingredients. Add alternately with lemon yogurt to sugar mix. Fold in blueberries.
5. Pour batter into a 10" tube pan coated with cooking spray. Tap on table to rid air bubbles before putting in the oven to bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
6. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool 15 more minutes on rack.
7. If you like things really sweet, you can drizzle a mixture of 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar and 4 tsp lemon juice over the warm cake before serving.

Blue of Blueberries Bowls...

Ah...Tomatoes!

Not only was today distribution day at the farm, but I also received the latest issue of Everyday Food Magazine. Today is all about tomatoes...5 lbs of fabulous summer fruit from the farm and fresh tomato recipies to try!

Italian Panzanella - serves 4
Everyday Food Magazine

1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
coarse salt and pepper
2 cans (15.5 oz each) cannellini beans,
drained and rinsed
3 cups large cubes country bread (5-6 oz)
1 pound plum tomatoes, cut into small pieces
1 cucumber, thinly sliced crosswise
1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced
4 oz provolone cheese, diced
1/4 c fresh basil leaves, torn

1. In a large (handthrown!) bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, salt and pepper.
2. Add beans, bread, tomatoes, cucumber, onion and cheese. Toss to combine. Cover and refridgerate at 2-8 hours. Just before serving, stir in basil.

Big Blue Bowl for Salad...

Selling at Powessit

I'll be selling my pottery at that Powessit Farm in Dover on Tuesday, July 13th in the afternoon. So much of my work has been inspired by this place; I can't wait to spend the afternoon interacting with other CSA members!

Vases for fresh flowers

Ode to Asparagus

In the first chapter of Barbara Kingsolver's book, Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, she talks about asparagus being the tempting first crop of the harvest. I'm well into the season now and finding a good balance for picking, storing and cooking my local fare. Asparagus is symbolic in my life and my work as the start of Food and Pottery. Recipes from Barbara's book.

Asparagus Bowl to mark the start of a new season...

Strawberries: last of the month

Of course, there is nothing better than a strawberry eaten on the day it was picked, but here's an idea to extend that taste. We've started freezing ours in small batches to use in smoothies. Plug in your blender, throw in a handful of frozen strawberries, some vanilla yogurt and some milk. Blend, pour and sip through a brightly colored straw... now that a summer treat that can be made year round!

Click on the jam jar photo to find a delicious strawberry jam recipe.

Painting a "strawberry" bowl...

Take Ten

I found myself picking strawberries at a frantic pace when I realized that wasn't the point. Slow Food is all about taking the time to enjoy the process. So I took a deep breath, marveled at the beautiful red of the strawberries and listened quietly to the giggling children calling out, "I found one!"

Sipping red zinger tea in my favorite mug and reading my new Farmer Brown Cookbook...

Parsley, Rosemary and Thyme...

The first day of pick your own in the Powessitt fields had me picking fresh herbs today! A friend shared this great tip on storing fresh herbs for future use. Wash herbs. Microwave until crispy. Crumble into a bag. Label and store for use all year long! Thanks Sue!

Herb stakes for planting some of my own...