Spending Real Money for the Real Thing

...And Thoughts On Watermelon Soup!

Why is it that when I shop at big supermarkets I buy more than I mean to, and spend more than I have? I try to get through the line almost sheepishly, knowing I'm just one more person the cashier has to deal with before he/she goes on break. Then I come home with stuff and packaging, with what may or may not even be food, feeling my life is just more cluttered instead of more full.

When I go to the farm stand, it's different. I buy less (but it seems to last the week), I pay a fair sum (but nothing to match the impulse purchases I make at the the big stores), and I feel my life is somehow better ordered.

I think it is because our buying speaks to a deeper human need than simply getting. It is about exchange. When I do business, I want to have a conversation with somebody about what I am about to buy, or what I bought last week (and hopefully used to create a really cool dish). I want to feel that they are glad I'm giving them my money, and that it is real money I'm giving them-- (not just zipping a card for some unspoken amount). I want it to matter that I was there, because they want to keep doing what they do.

So, since it is Friday, I went to my favorite farm store down the street Z Food Farm run by Dave Zaback (on Lawrenceville Pike just before the 95 on-ramp). I had a long talk with chef-farmer Greg (a darling young man with bad-boy scruffy hair) about which vegetables go best with gin and vodka. I'm afraid I kept him too long, as he had to ring my stuff up twice. I just love going there! Their farm store is even better than the farmers market because they are not so deluged with customers and they have the time to tell you about everything they have to offer (and what's especially good!) Plus, you get to talk RECIPES!!!! To top it off, David Z gives me all his extra produce, which I take to the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen! Z Food Farm is open Wednesday, Friday and now Saturday.

So, this week I've been into their watermelon. (I used it in one of my Ezekiel's Table classes, made it three times myself, and I still can't wait to eat more!) This is how it's done:

Watermelon Soup with Summer Herbs

I use a food mill set on the coarsest setting. It results in a deeper, richer
color and a pleasing, uniform texture. (The coarse setting leaves a nice little something to chew on, and it takes out most of the seeds.) If you're in a hurry, the blender or food processor is fine, but you will get a more foamy, pastel soup instead of that beautiful jewel red nectar.

1 large handful of basil, and/or other herbs such as lemon thyme, or rose-scented geranium
6 cups watermelon chunks
1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 pinch salt

Throwing the herbs in first, run the watermelon through the mill. Add the remaining ingredients. Give it a stir and you're good to go. Really, this stuff is like candy (if the watermelon is as good as the Z Farm ones!)





Enjoy the rest of Summer!!!!

And if you haven't already heard, I'm off to Italy next week and Ireland the week after that. I'll be back with recipes and stories. When I return, you can start to schedule your parties for Fall and Winter!

--Marcia W.
Ezekiel's Table

Cooking with Teens and Young Adults

Last weekend I had some kids over from the local high school to cook dinner with each other, and with me here at Ezekiel's Table. They are helping me with my recipe and menu testing while I await the decision from Princeton Township about my re-opening. Being with them reminds me of the importance that cooking has in the lives of kids anxious to go out into the world.

Kids are full of excitement and trepidation at the thought of leaving the nest. They try to jump the gun in too many ways, getting involved in things they think are adult behavior. Oh, yes...we complain so often that they want all the freedom of adulthood without the responsibility. But getting the chance to have a dinner party together, now that's one of the best things they can do. Besides the real-life skills of learning to sustain themselves nutritionally, they are learning the finer arts of working together, of gracious hospitality, and of just making do! When kids cook together and have fun at it, the line between fun and responsibility are gloriously blurred.

This month we made Caesar Salad with homemade croutons, Fettuccine Balsamico with pasta they made themselves, and my favorite Brownies with Ice Cream and Chocolate Ganache. I must admit, the menu was a bit heavy, something that would send most of us into a carbo-coma. It might have explained why they were go giggly by the end of dinner. But these were all recipes they wanted to try, and they did magnificently! Personally, I can't wait to see them again. You can see photos of them on my Ezekiel's Table facebook page. Visit me there when you can!

Here is the brownie recipe. It's one of my favorites.


The Best Brownies

These brownies are so fudgy, I like to freeze them and break them up into vanilla (or rose-scented) ice cream. Even when frozen, they are still chewy. The freezer also helps to hide them, because no one can stop eating them!

Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped finely
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups coarsely chopped nuts
Directions:
♨Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13”x9” baking pan.
♨In a medium saucepan melt the butter completely. Then remove from heat and add the chopped chocolate. Stir until smooth.

♨Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well blended after the addition of each egg. Add the flour, vanilla and salt to the mixture and stir in well. Then add the chopped nuts to the mixture and stir to blend.

♨Pour the mixture into the greased baking pan. Bake in oven 30 to 35 minutes. Brownies are done with a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack and cut into servings with a sharp knife.

You can make the chocolate ganache by warming 1/2 cup heavy cream in a saucepan just until it is too warm to touch. Add 4 oz of your favorite cooking chocolate cut as finely as you can. Stir gently until everything is melted. Drizzle directly over the brownies and ice cream.