Ohrwurm is German for Ear Worm

And ear worm is English for having a song stuck in your head, which is the case for me every morning. Good thing we have youtube so I can spend 4-10 minutes watching music videos right? This morning though, I have to admit it was a show tune called Cold Feets from the play called The Drowsy Chaperone. Right...so anyway, what about the food?

Breakfast
* kiwi
* apple
* Justin's honey nut peanut butter squeeze pack

It seems like the peanut butter ship must have sunk on the way to Denmark because until yesterday I couldn't find it anywhere. It's probably better because it's an addiction and at nearly $6 for a small jar, it's enough to break my non-working income bank. But, addictions are addictions and as such, we must feed them. Lucky for me I had a secret stash hidden away for desperate moments. 

Lunch
*left-over gnocchi + beet root pesto + olives

red herring soup
* herring boiled, cooled then de-boned
* strain stock to remove bones
* sauté onion, zucchini, cabbage + any other veg you want
* add spices, especially paprika + bay leaf
* add fish + stock + milk and boil until achieve desired taste

My friend had me for lunch. Her husband caught these herring fishing somewhere near Copenhagen. Here's a link to fishing near CPH, can't wait to try this! 

Dinner
left-over gnocchi two ways

Russian John Style
* gnocchi + butter + pepper + sour cream + parmesan

my way--gnocchi salad
* gnocchi + chopped fresh spinach + chopped raw zucchini + chopped yellow bell pepper + lemon + capers + olives + beet root pesto

note: I've packed gnocchi once again for my train ride tonight, but now that we're over it, we froze the rest.

elderberry juice aka hipster mixer of choice
* a little dab'll do ya when you add it to water

dessert
square of Choco love chocolate, also stashed away from the States

Tasks
* farm work resumes June 2nd, heading to Deutschland tonight

Events
* there is a world of fermented goods around me these days--kombucha, water kefir, pickles, sauerkraut, sourdough. All to be discussed in detail eventually. And, as my friend Fiona says, "Ferment the world!"

It's like this and like that and like this and a...

                   make-shift greenhouse
My mom has been reading along with the new recipes and she seems to think all I do is eat! At first I thought, geez, maybe she's right. But then I realized that we all eat roundabout 3 times a day, I'm just preparing it all and writing it down. The other thing is that I eat meals, especially dinner, with people everyday so full meals are prepared. It's all pretty normal and I hope to inspire readers to prepare more simple, seasonal(ish), vegetarian(ish) meals. So without further adieu, I bring you today's recipes and I'll just highlight dinner today...

Dinner

fraîche salad

* crème fraîche 

* dill

* pepper 

* cucumber

* spinach 

* green onion (early onions from farm)

* toss

beet root pesto

* roasted beets--I boiled and it worked okay, roasted is better. (over-wintered from farm)

* toasted sunflower seeds + roasted or fresh garlic + oil + salt + parmesan + balsamic vinegar
* food process

roasted veg
* thinly sliced potatoes (over-wintered from farm)
* sliced pepper and eggplant
* bake 200C (400ishF)until roasty

celery root + potato gnocchi

* peel then roast one celery root + potatoes (over-wintered from farm)

* get a pot of water boiling

* mash with fork

* add salt

* add 1/2 or more flour until doughy

* flour surface and roll into logs (think play-doh)

* cleanly cut into 4 cm (1in-ish) pieces

* toss into boiling water and cook until float to top  

(note: I boiled celery root and potatoes to try to make it faster and it was a fatal mistake--the dough was WAY to watery and took more flour than usually needed. In the end, it also took longer and more effort. Also, normally I would add egg to help bind things together but one of the dinner-eaters doesn't eat eggs.)

topping for gnocchi
* you can get this going whilst gnocchi cook
* sliced and sauteed leeks (over-wintered, in ground from farm) 
* throw in some capers + bag of frozen peas
* squeeze lemon juice on top
* salt + pepper
* serve with parmesan or other cheese crumbles or no cheese

apple nut crumble
* sliced apples--I leave skin on (over wintered from farm)
* throw a bit of sweetener (honey, sugar, etc) on top + cinnamon
* mix oats + ground nuts + bit of salt + cinnamon + bit of sugar + oil + water and top apples
* bake with other oven goods that are baking--which is a bit too hot for the crumble so make sure to keep an eye on it

cooking note: I tried to organize in order of what would take longest to cook since my goal is to create the simplest shortest cooking times. I put the baking stuff in first, then peeled things to boil, but again should have just roasted, then started to work on slicing things for the topping and salad. Because of the gnocchi, it still took too long though and was a really big clean-up. It'll be awhile before I make gnocchi again.

Oh and just because... just because this bourbon was recommended and I didn't like the flavor I infused it

infused bourbon

* just add sugar + coffee beans

* shake every so often for three weeks 

Tasks
* homework
* thesis meeting about developing country field work--holla!

Events
* what's in season in Denmark? Greenhouse-spring lettuces, green onions, herbs, radishes are just beginning. Outside, nettles and anything we dig up that was over-wintered.

Sharing is caring
* Bidder 70--watch online for free
 "Bidder 70 centers on an extraordinary, ingenious and effective act of civil disobedience demanding government and industry accountability. In 2008, University of Utah economics student Tim DeChristopher committed an act which would redefine patriotism in our time, igniting a spirit of civil disobedience in the name of climate justice."
http://www.bidder70film.com/

* Food Policy for Thought blog https://foodpolicyforthought.wordpress.com/ 

Urban Farm Log

Well, sometimes I stay in Copenhagen instead of the farm, but a girl's still gotta eat so here's what we did today. 

Breakfast
* homemade spelt bread (more later)
* boiled eggs
* leftovers from yesterday

Lunch
* fruit salad + almonds + honey
* another pizza sans wood-fired oven and Italian

scallion butter (like hummus)
* chickpeas
* chopped scallions (aka green/spring onions)
* 1 clove garlic
* usually miso paste but we didn't have it so I used a red-curry paste + soy sauce 
* tahini
* oil
* water for smoother consistency
* salt if desired
* food process until smooth

Dinner
* a friend made chilled Vietnamese spicy rice noodles + veggies 
* prepare rice noodles
* chop veggies of your choice to add
* sauce--> sweet chili sauce, red chili flake,lime juice (rice)vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, coriander (cilantro)fresh or ground 

Tasks
* ride the bike to the city with heavy legs today
* eat food
* nap
* seed balcony garden
* homework 

A nice break from farm work!

Sharing is Caring: 
Free yale open course--
PSYC 123: The Psychology, Biology and Politics of Food
http://oyc.yale.edu/psychology/psyc-123#sessions

Farm Work Party

The bests kinds of days end with a bonfire and today was one of those epic days where you have amazing weather, a great group of people and hands that are eager to work. My amazing boyfriend organized a work party to get cracking on the permaculture garden, chop wood and of course eat good food. 

Breakfast
apple porridge (same as applesauce)
leftovers gratin from yesterday

Brunch and Lunch

spelt sourdough bread
* mix sourdough (more on how to make a starter later)+ spelt flour + salt + water + herb, nuts
* mix thoroughly but NO NEED TO KNEAD--getting the right consistency takes some trial and error
* let rise at least 6 hours but as much as 24 
* pour into a breadform, make a 5cm (1.5ish in) slice into wet dough
* bake at 225C (400F) for 1 hour

carrot Spread
* boil or bake carrots
* add nuts of your choice + salt + EVOO + spices 
* use a food processor or hand blender and puree

beet root horseradish 
* finely grate both roots together
* mix in apple cider vinegar (ACV) + EVOO + Salt

carrot + apple cake bread: recipe here

someone brought gluten-free brownies and I guess the recipe might go like this: 

* nut meal (flour)
* eggs (maybe two or three)
* cacao powder
* sugar
* minimal oil if any
* baking powder 
* mix and bake at 175C (350F) for 30-45 minutes

Also, here's a link to an Elena's pantry recipe that is similar and I've been wanting to try. If only nut butters weren't so expensive over here! 

Dinner

wood-fired pizza 

                   Salvatore from Napoli
* first you need an Italian, which we had on hand
* early in the day we made spelt/wheat sour-dough (same as above) and let rise all day
* make your sauces and toppings
* make pizza

                 hand-crafted earthen oven
Quick salad 
*feldsalat + carrot + apple + balsamic + EVOO + pepper

Dessert
Chocolate + beer 

Tasks:
* cook
* dig and sift grass
* plant fruit bushes 
* seeded beds--potatoes, onions, banana beans, pole beans
* chopped wood

Events:

                        
* it was a party mang!
* also, Allan had a group of 30 from Copenhagen that paid money to hang out at the farm, eat cake drink coffee and the kids baked bread on a stick--a Danish tradition. 

Friday farm day

Fridays on the farm are spent preparing new goods to supply the farm's vegetable boutique for the week. Allan serves about 25 regular families each week all year (more on how he supplies year-round later) in addition to some randoms and catering parties here or there. Somehow the weather is always cold on Thursdays and Fridays which is perfect because we spend time in the greenhouse and barn preparing. 

Food today: 

Breakfast 

* oat at porridge topped with applesauce + oat milk + some dried rosehip powder (good for the joints) + flaxseed meal + pumpkin seed oil. 

Lunch

quick salad

* feldsalat + carrot + apple (<--from the farm) + cucumber + lemon juice

* smørrebrod

Dinner (Rasmus--the other intern and I made it)

Lamb heart 

* onion + chopped heart + carrots + beet root + leeks + nettles (all from the farm)

* red wine + apple cider vinegar + EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

* salt and herbs

* cook on low heat for at least an hour

Carrot-Potato-Leek Au Gratin

* slice carrots and potatoes 1/8in (less than half cm) thick and line casserole dish and toss with EVOO 

* toast bread or use panko or breadcrumbs for topping

* chop garlic and leeks (over-wintered from farm)and sautee

* as 1/3C broth (or in my case salt + balsamic + water)after leeks are very soft

* create alternating layers of carrot/potatoes + leeks mixture

* top with shredded cheese if you like ( I used blue cheese and some ultra smelly Danish style cheese)

* bake at 450F (210ish C) for 30ish minutes

Roasted Parsnips

* bake along side gratin with a bit of water in pan

* top with honey-mustard dressing 

Quick salad--same as the lunch salad

Admittedly dinner took longer to prepare than I would have liked. The goal is to keep it quick and simple and I think these dishes could actually take less time in the future.

Tasks:

* feed animals

* stare at lambs for awhile

* sort potatoes + leeks + other roots + search for non-carrot fly infested carrots to put in the boutique

* an accidental long nap followed by staring at the lambs again

* tidy up barn

* feed cows in the field potatoes

* feed the other animals

* pick some dandelion greens for the mama sheep that isn't feeling well after birth

Events 

* Cool couple who helped organize a Ugandan farmers network stopped by to announce a visit from Ugandans in June!

* A butterfly collector places some homes in the barn for them to hatch eggs in. Allan is part of a butterfly collectors group

Farm Log

I barely have time to write here anymore but since I'm at a farm this summer and my friend is begging me to write a cookbook, I thought I could at least post some of the things we're cooking from the farm produce. I can have a tendency to spend too long in the kitchen but here's what I've learned about farm life: 

* After 7 + hours of working, food must be quick
* Simple
* Mostly vegetarian/vegan
* Creativity is a must to avoid repetition
* detailed recipes are not really my thing so it has to be an intuitive cooking process

So...here's what we made yesterday: 

Muesli for breakfast (always or porridge)

Lunch is always smørrebrød which is open face Danish sandwiches on their rugbød (rye bread). More on smørrebrød later. 

Dinner: 

root vegetable pancake
* shred root veggies (over-wintered from farm)
* slice onions and mix (over-wintered from farm)
* heat oil in a pan
* add veggies to hot oiled pan and pat down
* don't touch for 20 minutes
* use a big flat surface and flip pancake onto it (think Spanish tortilla)and turn pancake onto uncooked side
* leave for another 15 minutes
* sprinkle with salt (I've also topped with Crème fraîche, yogurt, etc and chopped green onions) 

salad of the day
* chopped jerusalem artichoke 
(over-wintered, in ground from farm)
* chopped kohlrabi 
* chopped apple (over-wintered from farm)
* chopped red pepper
* chopped greens (first greenhouse greens-eg, feldsalat)
* tossed with lemon juice

Served with a fried egg and buckwheat

Today I also made: 

carrot and apple cakebread
* Mix 1 cup flour (may need more depending on how moist you like     bread), baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt
* Add 2 eggs, 1/2 c. oil, 1/2 c. sugar (more if you like)
* Mix 1 cup shredded apple + 1.5 cup shredded carrot
* raisins, nuts, coconut if you like
* Bake 350F/175C for an hourish

apple porridge
* slice a bunch of apples and put in a pot + hot water + cinnamon and cook for an hourish

Farm tasks today:
* feed teenager cows and sheeps
* chop and stack wood
* dig up over-wintered leeks + some hard to get roots I don't know the name of
* week the strawberry patch
* harvest salad mix + early onions (green) in the greenhouse
* feed cows, sheep, ducks, chickens, harvest eggs

events
* 3 lambs were born today (a 4th one died during birth)

Solar Oven Apple Crumble

Independence Day is this week and what could be more American than an apple crumble? This crumble was baked in the pictured solar oven prototype. The temperature outside was 99F and was a mostly sunny afternoon. While preparing the crumble, I "preheated" the oven by putting it in direct sunlight and adding a block underneath the cooker so that the angled position would capture more sunlight (45 degrees is generally best). To make the apple part I cored and thinly sliced 5 Granny Smith apples, mixed them up with lemon juice, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, cinnamon and a bit of cornstarch. For the crumble part I mixed up flour, polenta (finely ground cornmeal in this case), more cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar and butter. Using a food processor to mix the crumble ingredients is easiest. After mixing, I placed the crumble on top of the apples and put the dish in the solar cooker for about 2.5 hours. I did have to keep an eye out and move the cooker, when needed, to more direct sunlight. At the very end, once the apples are soft and the crumble is bubbly, pop it under the broiler for a few minutes to toast up the topping. The pressure was on since the dish was taken to a party and, though my family had their doubts, it was a great success!

(As a side note, I did try to bake a loaf of banana bread two days ago but the afternoon became overcast and I had to finish the bread in a regular oven.)