Discretely nestled in the foothills of Hollywood, just beyond the urban chaos of Hollywood Boulevard, lies Wattles Farm. This organic community garden has offered a natural respite for Angelinos since 1975, and on October 25th, 2017, it served as the venue of choice for the roaming farm-to-table dining concept, Outstanding in the Field. Nearly ninety guests gathered for the organization’s first completely plant-based supper among the lush garden plots of Wattles for a truly unique dining experience.

The five-hour event was both rustic and refined, meticulously curated yet extremely relaxed and comfortable. Women in breezy sundresses adorned with large-brimmed hats and men in smart tailored shirts and sunglasses paired their chic attire with practical boots and sneakers, prepared to “rough it” in the soft dirt of the garden. The day was hot – over 100 degrees – but the ample trees, giant misting fan, and chilled high-alcohol kombucha kept guests tolerably cool. Upon arrival, a chipper, sandy-haired Outstanding team member greeted each individual and instructed them to place their plate at the communal table (it is a tradition to bring your own plate). Guests were then free to enjoy a leisurely ninety minute reception and optional garden tour.

As attendees became acquainted with each other, they were treated to boozy refreshments supplied by local beverage companies and intricately prepared passed hors d’oeuvres. 101 Cider House impressed guests with brightly colored alcoholic probiotic drinks, filling wine glasses with the lavender hues of “Purple Monkey” and vibrant green “Bonfire Betty.” The host chefs of the evening, Donna Jean’s esteemed Roy Elam and up-and-coming S+M Vegan’s duo Marie Chia and Shane Stanbridge, delighted with an array of petite bites before the sit down supper. The standout was the cultured cashew cream cheese-stuffed date wrapped in marinated eggplant – a vegan take on the trending bacon-wrapped date.

Just prior to settling in for dinner, Outstanding in the Field Founder, artist Jim Denevan, gave a short speech to educate the crowd on the history and mission of the organization. It began in the summer of 1999, and has since flourished into the robust roaming restaurant it is today. In 2017 they will serve close to ninety outdoor dinners in twenty-seven states, in addition to four Canadian provinces and even Burgundy, France. The goal is to introduce people to the source of their food and the local chefs that create it. They turn farm-to-table on its head, literally bringing the table to the farm.

Wattles Farm president, Toby Leaman, concluded the presentation with a final warm-hearted welcome. Guests were then asked to take their seats at the tree-lined communal dining table. The multi-course meal was served family style, one dish for every eight diners, each thoughtfully paired with a beer or wine. Freshly made baguettes and sage focaccia accompanied a crudite platter of olives, picked carrots, tomato-onion jam, shiitake pate, and creamy vegan butter. The pate was decimated in minutes, the obvious favorite. The second course featured roasted magic myrna potatoes drizzled with a preserved plant-based lemon yogurt. This was followed by a lighter course of an arugula lentil salad, tossed with tomatoes, pistachio-milk curd, and smoked beets, dressed in a lemon-tamari vinaigrette. Both were exquisite, but the chefs demonstrated their true talents with their two main courses. Eyes popped wide as the gigantic bowl of green risotto was placed on the table alongside the elegantly plated winter squash ravioli with sauteed kale. The multiple textures of the risotto, such as the popped sorghum and roasted brussels sprouts, added an addictive contrast to the creamy herb pesto base. Diners helped themselves to second and even third scoops. After some time to digest and savor the rich meal, the evening concluded with a stellar pear cobbler, topped with homemade vegan “nutella” and cashew cream. Mere crumbs remained.

Contentedly full guests left the event just after sunset with a new appreciation for local produce and perhaps a new friend or two. The five hours of mingling, tasting, and learning was more than just a pleasant picnic on the farm, it is the beginning of a new approach to eating and entertainment. Outstanding in the Field educates people about the importance of eating and buying local through the entertaining culinary events, highlighting local chefs and producers while familiarizing diners with the source of their food. The team encourages everyone to “follow the bus” to see where the next meal will be held, but in the meantime, you can host your own Outstanding dinner. Prepare a meal using produce from the farmers market and local purveyors. You don’t need to be a trained chef to create a fantastic, locally-grown meal. The produce does the work for you!

Find Tanya on Instagram and The Vegan Potluck Podcast.

Related on EcoSalon

Forager Makes Sourcing Local Food Even Easier
7 Fall Vegetables You Should Be Eating More of (Besides Pumpkin)
This Vegan Coconut Curry Bowl Has Endless Variations

The post Traveling Outdoor Pop-Up Restaurant Debuts First Plant-Based Dinner in Los Angeles appeared first on EcoSalon.

Amazon will do almost anything to grow its business—and these days, it will also do anything to try to get you to forget about recent allegations that working for the company is a little bit like being in a prison. The latest effort has the company becoming your digital farmers market. 

Called Farmers Market Direct, the program is a partnership with Fresh Nation, and has launched in southern California, with plans to expand to other cities. It promises to bring you farm fresh fruits and vegetables within 36 hours of harvest, much like what’s offered at local farmers markets.

The program works like a CSA box (community-supported agriculture), where for $39 or $59, you can order a basket with an assortment of fresh produce. But unlike a CSA, which typically requires a time-frame commitment, Farmers Market Direct doesn’t require repeat purchases.

“It’s the brainchild of former techie Tony Lee, who took a break from a career in e-commerce to manage a farmers market in his hometown of Danbury, Conn., and then fell in love with the business,” reports the Los Angeles Times:

“The thing that I learned was that oftentimes the vendors weren’t making enough money to keep going,” Lee says. “I became very friendly with a lot of them and I grew to appreciate how passionate they were about their business. They are amazing people.

“But because farmers markets are only open for a few hours a week, there wasn’t enough time for people who want fresh local food to get it.

“Making fresh local food more available to more people on the one hand and on the other bringing more business to these small farmers and food producers — that’s our mission,” he says. “We want to get millions of people eating fresh local food and having access to it every day.”

And that’s certainly not a bad thing, especially since many Angelinos still don’t have supermarkets or farmers markets in their neighborhoods. It’s also filling a gap left behind by the recent Good Eggs implosion earlier this month.

But is it enough to replace trips to local farmers markets? Hopefully not. Even if it is supporting local growers and giving consumers easier access to fresh food, we’re more connected to what we eat when we can roll our fingers around a fresh tomato, tap a melon, or smell a bunch of parsley, before deciding it’s the right food for us. We need these visceral experiences, perhaps now more than ever, to reconnect us with our farmers and our food.

And Farmers Market Direct is certainly not going to make people forget about the issues with Amazon’s work environment. That’s news that will hover for a long time, and certainly ruin a few appetites.

Find Jill on Twitter and Instagram

Related on EcoSalon

Amazon Introduces Frustration Free Packaging

Farmers Markets, Food, Placemaking and Smarter, Stronger Communities: Foodie Underground

The Decline of the French Farmers Market

image: SounderBruce

The post Amazon Wants to Replace Your Farmers Market With One Simple Click appeared first on EcoSalon.

10 seasonal farmers market items to put in your basket.

Hello harvest season! It’s good to see you again.

Right now, the farmers market is brimming with all of the glorious produce that fall has to offer, and if you’re trying to stick to more seasonal foods, it’s time to take advantage. Shopping at the farmers market makes it easy to eat seasonally; if your local farmer comes from the Willamette Valley for example, he or she is hard pressed to be growing grapefruit. If they’re not selling it, you shouldn’t be buying it, simple as that.

So what foods does fall have to offer? Obviously it’s hard to write a comprehensive guide to seasonal foods, without breaking it down region by region. But assuming that most of you are somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere, and not above the Arctic Circle, this guide will help you navigate your autumn farmers market.

There are some regional specialties that not everyone gets to enjoy – huckleberries comes to mind – but for the most part, autumn harvest season means good farmers market finds for all of us. Depending on exactly where you are, some produce items may be earlier later, and some sooner.

Here are 10 seasonal foods to keep an eye out for at your local farmers market, as well as a few ideas for how to use them in scrumptious fall recipes.

1. Apples

Apples, apples, apples: fall is the time to test out every single apple variety you can find. From sweet to savory, there is almost nothing the apple can’t do, and apple recipes abound. Buy a few pounds at the farmers market and see where they take you, be it kale and apple soup or grain-free apple cardamom breakfast popovers.

2. Figs

The fig season is short, so make sure you take full advantage. Roast, drizzle with honey and serve with goat cheese as an appetizer. Or eat with yogurt for breakfast. Need more inspiration? Here are 21 of our favorite fig recipes.

3. Greens

Chard, chicory, kale and beyond, greens do better in colder weather, as they get bitter during the warmer months. Leafy and wonderful, add them to soups, sauté with a little olive oil, or if you like a stronger taste, make a raw salad. Also be sure to check out this roundup of over 240 greens recipes.

4. Wild Mushrooms

Coming across a farmers market table covered in chanterelles is like happening upon a pot of gold. Don’t balk at the price; chanterelle mushrooms are always worth it. Buy more than you need, serve up some in a hearty breakfast of baked eggs with chanterells and chard, then fry the rest in butter and freeze for use at a later date. Lots of other wild mushrooms are in their hay-day during this season as well, like morels. Try them in a morel risotto.

5. Fennel

I often feel that fennel is a forgotten vegetable. But it certainly shouldn’t be. Fennel is a great source of Vitamin C, perfect for fending off the colds that can start to pop up at this time of year, and good for digestion. If you score some at the farmers market, simply dice, throw in a pan, top with olive oil and some herbs and roast like you would root vegetables. You can also shave the fennel and use in a soup (carrot perhaps?) or make a fennel relish.

6. Pears

Much like apples, pears can play double duty in the kitchen, a versatile fruit that’s meant to be experimented with. It’s as good in a crisp as it is right off the tree. Roast a few pears and add them to scones, into gluten-free polenta scones, or simply add to a seasonal salad

7. Eggplant

A fresh eggplant is a beautiful thing. Smooth with a glorious color, it’s practically asking to be turned into something delicious. Slice, roast in the oven and layer the slices with goat cheese for an eggplant stack, or combine with quinoa and lentils for healthy vegetarian burgers. Bought too much of it? Pickle it. You can even make a vegan bacon out of it.

8. Brussel Sprouts

Brussels sprouts have for a long time gotten a bad reputation, probably on account of being served overcooked one too many times. But that ends now. Roast them in the oven and you’ll get a sweet, caramelized flavor, or braise them in mustard. Buy them straight on the stalk – they last longer that way, and look more striking as well.

9. Cauliflower

Why people don’t eat more cool-weather loving cauliflower is beyond me. In fact roasted cauliflower is right up their with french fries in my book, and much better for you. Or try it in a cauliflower mash, a raw and healthy alternative to regular mashed potatoes.

10. Parsnips

Fall is the time for root vegetables, and while the potato is a commonly sought after tuber, parsnip gets left in the dust. Rich in potassium and a good source of fiber, they shouldn’t be passed up during your farmers market vegetable raid. The parsnip makes for an excellent creamy soup (especially with the addition of roasted garlic), a healthy chip to satisfy a junk food craving, and as a raw salad with carrots.

Related on EcoSalon:

7 Tips for Farmers Market Shopping Success

Going Local Online: The Rise of the Online Farmers Market

Image: Sarah Sampsel, bjaglin, See-ming Lee, gina pina,

The post Fall Farmers Market Guide: 10 Seasonal Products and Recipe Ideas appeared first on EcoSalon.

ColumnWhy eating locally isn’t just smart. It’s the socially just thing to do.

We all know the benefits of locavorism: eat food that comes from close to where you live and you not only support the local economy, but you have better access to the people that produce your food.

But unfortunately, the infrastructure of growing local food hasn’t necessarily caught up with the increase in demand and awareness, and while the popularity of farmers markets may be on the rise, that doesn’t mean that the lives of farmers are getting any easier.

An NPR story last week highlighted the difficulties that some of these small-scale, independent farmers face. Farming in Illinois, Amy Cloud and her husband produce all those things we crave to put in our weekend farmers market basket: kale, broccoli, onions, Swiss chard. But while we’re busy sauteing a luxurious assortment of greens for dinner and pondering what organic, artisan cheese to pair with it, the Clouds are working hard to simple scrape by, living off a combined annual income of $25,000 – $30,000.

As Cloud told NPR, “Both my husband and I live off of an income that any normal person would consider to be just enough for one person, certainly not for a whole couple. We don’t have health insurance.”

Why does this discrepancy still exist and how do we fix it?

That is a complicated question with a multifaceted answer, but let’s start with this simple fact: we live in a globalized system where processed food and profit margins reign, no matter the cost to the environment, the local economy or an individual’s health. This is a world of Monsantos, and no matter where you turn, it’s hard – even impossible – to live a lifestyle where you are 100 percent removed from the powers of big agribusiness.

No matter how conscious we are, we consume more and more processed foods and chemicals, from high fructose corn syrup to residual pesticides. On the health side, food companies are fully aware of the effects that this has, but again, profits win out over public health. As former Executive Vice President at Kraft Foods stated in a New York Times Op-ed: “… executives who run these companies like to say they don’t create demand, they try only to satisfy it. “We’re just giving people what they want. We’re not putting a gun to their heads,” the refrain goes.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Over the years, relentless efforts were made to increase the number of “eating occasions” people indulged in and the amount of food they consumed at each.

To think that we have a certain level of choice when we head to the grocery store is to live in a dream world; we are inundated with products that are meant to create an addiction, and many of those products require cheaply produced ingredients like corn. Corporate agribusiness has a tight grip on the food system, and in it, there’s certainly no room for the independent farmer.

To exist in a world where independent farming can succeed, we have to therefore think about an entire restructuring of the system, from individual consumer habits, to how grocery stores operate to the transportation of goods, and that’s why it’s going to take more than just expanding farmers markets across the country. The solution is a combination of changing personal habits and change that comes from the top down. We need a system that better supports independent agriculture; one that aims to protect food culture instead of slowly losing it.

We can all vote with our forks, but to do so, we have to really do it, not just some of the time. “Buy local” shouldn’t just be a mantra for your apples and kale, it should be a mantra for everything. Until we as consumers start really demanding locally produced goods from independent sources, we won’t get the amount of government support that we need to ensure that these products continue to exist on the shelves, and we will continue to go down a path where we have less and less say over what we are eating.

There are many things that are part of our everyday consumption habits that are difficult to change. (If you find a local farmer in North America growing coffee beans, please tell me about it.) But there’s a lot that we can change, and if we are in an economic position to shop locally, we have the obligation to do so. Not just for our own health, but for the health of our local economies and our neighbors.

If we want to keep eating freshly grown kale, we better do something to ensure that the farmers down the road can continue to grow it, and that starts with buying from them every single time. Not just once a week, but changing our shopping habits so that we really are consuming locally every chance that we get. Only when we start showing that we are serious about our demands will industry follow suit. Support local not because it’s a trend, but because it’s the socially just thing to do.

This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’ weekly column at EcoSalon: Foodie Underground, an exploration of what’s new and different in the underground movement, and how we make the topic of good food more accessible to everyone. More musings on the topic can be found at www.foodieunderground.com.

Image: ianmalcm

The post Foodie Underground: Food, Farmers and Choice appeared first on EcoSalon.

Can digital platforms open up the booming farmers market category for easier access to local foods and goods?

Using online services to live a more local lifestyle is a concept that seems like a paradox – it’s the worldwide web after all – but in the food realm, the digital world is helping to bring more local producers and consumers together.

Much like some grocery stores have implemented online shopping capabilities for their customers, farmers markets are the next frontier. In fact, when it comes to supporting a more local economy, the digital space can be an excellent platform for facilitating exchanges between producers and customers.

Many farmers markets are implementing online platforms which allow their customers to shop from home; this is an ideal set up for smaller scale co-ops that allow members to peruse the selection online, make an order and then collect it at the designated pick up. Even in my small hometown in Western Washington my parents shop local goods online thanks to the platform that their co-op Fresh Food Revolution uses, Local Food Marketplace, which hosts online farmers markets, CSAs, wholesalers, and buying clubs across the US. Local farmers use it to update what they have available, co-op members make their orders, and pick up day is Wednesday afternoon, and you better be sure to put it on your calendar.

It goes without saying that we live busy lives, and the ability to have a bit more flexibility when it comes to grocery shopping is a good thing. Farmigo is tapping into that exact idea. One of the key missions of the online platform is to “bring better quality food to everyone across the nation by giving them access to local, sustainable food directly from farmer.” Working with over 300 farms in 25 states, Farmigo accomplishes this by providing an online marketplace where farmers can better manage their CSA programs, and in turn have allowed farmers to directly interact with large companies like Google and Twitter.

Farmigo also recently launched its community-based initiative, tapping into the power of individuals who want to bring more local food to their own communities. The website allows for coordinating an online farmers market specifically for the community in question, and then a community center becomes the delivery site for local farms to deliver food that has traveled fewer than 100 miles. Shoppers order online and pick up their food within 48 hours of its harvest. Currently Farmigo has community initiatives going in California and New York.

Based in the Bay Area in California, GoodEggs is born out of a similar concept: create a hub to bring people and food closer together. Customers shop on the online marketplace, which features not only local produce, but harder to find products like locally baked gluten free muffins, granola and homemade soups. Think of it as the best of an underground market except with the ease of clicking and then picking up your entire purchase at one pick up location. What may have once been a hole-in-the-wall operation that people would only know about via word of mouth, these are the kind of digital tools that help farmers and food makers sell directly, in turn reaching a wider market.

But these digital applications aren’t just serving the individual consumer. If you want to change the food industry you have to attack it from all levels. FoodHub is doing just that by connecting professional food buyers, wholesale producers, distributors and industry suppliers in one community. Which means when the restaurateur wants a locally grown bunch of kale for the month’s salad special, he or she has a website that will tell them exactly where to get it.

Selling in an online space is also good for the farmers, not only because it expands their market, but because it lets them know how much they are going to sell, eliminating waste. Pitch a tent at farmers market over the weekend and you have to do some serious calculating for how many heads of cabbage and rutabagas to bring. An online system streamlines that process, which means farmers know exactly how much they are selling and where it’s going.

All these tools do however beg the question: while online platforms give us better access, are they discouraging us from engaging. The “Bowling Alone” social phenomenon is much discussed in political science circles, the idea that with the rise of internet and technology we spend more time alone than in community settings and in turn political involvement. The point of a farmers market after all isn’t just to get access to local food, it’s to engage in a discussion, and in a world where we already separate ourselves from society because of online channels, it’s important to keep in mind that even if we can make our purchases online, it shouldn’t stop us from interacting with the people that are producing what we’re buying. Conversation is just as much part of buying local as the actual products are – that’s something you simply don’t get when you shop at big box stores.

Ultimately, we can hope that platforms like these will not only provide greater access to good and local food, but also inspire us to engage more, talking about what we eat with those around us and seeking out new producers within our communities, all of which is part of the process of creating a more sustainable food system.

Images: Anna Brones

The post Going Local Online: The Rise of the Online Farmers Market appeared first on EcoSalon.

Because life is sexier with fresh, organic produce.

1. Mmm, these honey samples are so mouthwatering.
2. I forgot my reusable bag, can I borrow one of yours?
3. Have you ever frolicked in the fields of [name of your favorite farm]?
4. What do you do in your off season?
5. I’d love to do a vegetable wash for you.
6. Are you still looking for seasonal labor?
7. Can I offer you a slice of my pie?
8. Can I help you pitch your stand?
9. It sure is hot under this tent.
10. These plums are so soft.
11. What’s your favorite way to eat rhubarb? [Wait for answer] I’d love to make it for you.
12. So, how long have you been pickling these cucumbers?
13. This bushel is so dry, let’s change that.
14. I know you make artisan cheese, but what else can you do with your hands?
15. How long does it take for your bread to rise?
16. If you were a bouquet of fresh cut flowers, I would take you home.
17. Let’s get dirty.
18. Isn’t it tuber time?
19. These bags of organic spinach would make some great pillows don’t you think?
20. Want to show me how to make steamy greens?
21. It’s funny how slippery this jam is!
22. Want to melt my beeswax candles tonight?
23. I hear lavender makes underwear drawers smell nice, does it?
24. I’ve always wanted to be a farmer’s wife.
25. That hand spun sweater looks big enough for two to get cozy in.
26. These Heirloom tomatoes are so firm and juicy.
27. I like baby carrots because they totally fit in your mouth.
28. Want to come over later and help me shuck?
29. I hear spices like cayenne can act as an aphrodisiac? Do you know?
30. You sure have big baguettes!
31. These two quail eggs just fit in my hand perfectly.
32. Do you need helping seeding your flower garden for next season?
33. How early do you rise?
34. I like my men like my homemade bread, dense.
35. I see you’re pretty skilled at churning your butter.
36. This beer has a very sensual taste. What were you thinking of when you brewed it?
37. Can I be your next varietal?
38. You’re so cute I’d add you to my woven basket.
39. How do you like your organic, free range eggs?
40. Those Carhartt overalls would look even better on my floor.
41. Want to cross pollinate?
42. Your hands seem to be full. I have big panniers you can borrow to bike all that produce home.
43. Do you prefer organic or local? Because I’m both.
44. I’d love a taste of that [insert name of product] before I commit to buying.
45. What a huge eggplant.
46. Can I wear your plaid flannel when I make you breakfast tomorrow morning?
47. Are you as spicy as your artisan hot sauce?
48. What else can you pickle?
49. Oh, you’re out of eggs? That’s ok, you can have mine.
50. I’d like to see your full farmer’s tan.

ALSO CHECK OUT:

Pick Up Lines for Jetsetters

Pick Up Lines for the Backyard Homesteader

Pick Up Lines for Foodies

Image: jazzylolo 

The post 50 Pick Up Lines for Farmers Market appeared first on EcoSalon.

VideoLate to the growing season? Find out which plants are best to buy.

You’ve spaced on getting your seeds started for your garden.

We can excuse this one time, only if you promise to watch this video to learn what transplants you should buy from the farmers market so that you can still grow your garden.

When your done watching that, be sure to check out the archives to learn:

• The basics of starting your apartment garden
• Herbs you can grow indoors
• Choosing the right vegetables to grow in your garden (for next season)

Mike Lieberman shows people with little to no land how to start growing their own food so they can avoid toxic pesticides, eat healthier and not feel limited by their lack of experience and space. Connect with him here to learn more urban gardening tips.

Image: fairfaxcounty

The post Which Transplants Should You Buy For Your Garden? appeared first on EcoSalon.

 It’s fall and while apples are everywhere, consider making them into a warm tart.

In autumn, apples are a big deal in New York, especially if you visit any of the food markets around town. Even though I grew up in a very apple-rich area called the Apple Kingdom of Sweden, I’m deeply impressed at the variety that’s on display at the markets. I don’t know all the names and flavors so I’m happy that many vendors have apple tastings. It helps when you need to find the perfect apple for your apple pie, compote, juice or the one you just want to bite into.

For example, the McIntosh apple, with its soft and sweet/sour flavor, is excellent soaked with rum under a sweet butter rich crumble, as it melts when baked in the oven. I also like the McIntosh apple in the morning cooked for five minutes with cardamom and cinnamon, topped with kefir or yogurt. For an apple tart, where the apples lay on top of the crust, I prefer a firmer apple such as Granny Smith (sour) or Gala (sweeter). My new favorite apple to eat is the Honey Crisp which is both crispy and juicy. The apple has just enough sweetness without being sour. As its name spells out, it has an elegant honey flavor.

Ever since I was a teenager I’ve been making apple pies in different ways. My caramelized Apple Tart is my latest creation. Enjoy!

Caramelized Apple Tart
for 4-6 people

1 ¼ cup (about 300 ml) regular flour
3.5 ounces (about 100 grams) butter
3 tablespoons sucanat*
1½ teaspoons finely crushed cardamom
a splash of water

4 apples (preferably apples that are sour + firm inside, ex. Granny Smith)
4-5 tablespoons sucanat* (depending on how sour the apples are)
juice from one lemon
2½ ounces (70 grams) butter
½ cup (100 ml ) almonds, toasted and chopped

heavy cream, whipped with a little sugar

Start by mixing together butter, flour, cardamom and sucanat. When the butter is well divided add a splash of water. Work the dough together and let it rest in the fridge for at least one hour. Line a greased 9 inch (about 23 cm) spring form. Pre-bake at 400°F (200°C) the pie shell for about 10-15 minutes until it has got some color. Let cool.

Wash and peel the apples. Cut in half, take out the seeds and slice the rest of the apple in thin slices. Sprinkle the slices with sucanat and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat in a frying pan until they start to get juicy. Add ½ of the butter. Keep cooking the apples until they starts to caramelize. If you think the apples need more sugar you may add some now and let cook for a little bit more. The color should be golden and have some brown spots. Remove from heat and add the rest of the butter and toasted almonds. Let cool a little before arranging the apples inside the baked pie shell. Bake at 450°F (230C) for about 15 minutes until the apples have gotten some nice color. Serve with whipped cream.

*Sucanat is a brown sugar extracted from sugar cane. It’s perfect to bake with and gives cakes and cookies a richer taste. In the U.S. you can often find Sucanat in organic shops. If you can’t find sucanat you may use muscovado sugar or even regular brown sugar instead. When I’m in Sweden I use Farin sugar which works really well too.

Illustration: Johanna Kindvall

The post Caramelized Apple Tart appeared first on EcoSalon.

Sometimes, an article needs to be set to song. Go ahead, click, and come back to us in a new window. We trust you. All set? Great. Our February Man We Love had to be introduced against Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out For a Hero” because he is all things dreamy and heroic. He is actor Jake Gyllenhaal, and here’s why we adore him.

First, look at him. Dreamy! With an “everyman” look about him, he could be your hunky next-door-neighbor with a penchant for sit ups. He’s the sensitive high school English teacher who first introduces young minds to the idea that Romeo and Juliet wasn’t originally a Leonardo DiCaprio movie. He’s a modern day Clark Gable with a dash of Jimmy Stewart smarts.

Second, Jake can play buff superhero types and iconic sensitive leads. He made creepy Donnie Darko endearing. His Jack Twist in Brokeback Mountain was heartbreaking and will be remember for decades. He went blockbuster buff as Dastan in the Prince of Persia and then circled back as sensitive in the barely seen but critically-hailed Brothers. He’s fearless in his portrayals of relatable yet sensitive men and has a range of talent not easily paralleled in his peer group.

And, steady against swoons, Jake lives the conscious life. Recently, he teamed up with Chez Panisse creator and chef Alice Waters to help promote the Edible Schoolyard Program. Via Berkleyside, this is a “Berkeley-based program which teaches students in schools across the country how to grow and cook their own food.” As Gyllenhaal said of the collaboration, “I care deeply about helping children better their health, communities and environment…The Chez Panisse Foundation is not only offering an education that students will benefit from for the rest of their lives, but they’re a leading force in the movement to change the future of this country’s youngest generations.”

Accordingly, Jake has started showing up in schoolyards to promote healthy eating. In October, he appeared at Brooklyn’s P.S. 216 to look over “an organic garden and landscape that is wholly integrated into the school’s curriculum, culture, and food program.”

But our Jakey takes healthy eating a step further. When not concerned about children’s diets, he admits to whipping up a romantic, farmers’ market fresh meal for a special someone. Jake shares, “If I’m making a romantic dinner, I like to go to a farmers’ market first, buy things fresh and come up with my own dish based on whatever I’ve bought. I grow my own vegetables at home because I love fresh food,” he added. ”I don’t follow a special diet but I try and eat well, so I grow my own vegetables.” That sound you just heard was the swoon heard round the world.

Want more men to love? Check out Ryan Gosling, Mr. December, and Jonathan Franzen, Mr. January.

Images: Wikimedia Commons, ramsey everydaypants

The post February Man We Love: Jake Gyllenhaal Cares Deeply appeared first on EcoSalon.

The point of Foodie Underground is to take a look at all things related to the underground food movement, but sometimes all those cool, avant-garde, underground things start to add up and lead to more than just a small movement; they start to become mainstream.

Food carts can be found in smaller cities that don’t start with words like “San” and “New,” a town without a farmers’ market is getting harder to find, and around the country people are starting to think about what the word “organic” really means. They may have started as underground trends, but the fact that more people are paying attention to what they eat and where it comes from is a good thing.

Proof? The National Restaurant Association surveyed almost 2,000 chefs to find out what they think the trends of 2010 will be come year’s end, and the answer wasn’t bacon. At the top of the list was locally grown produce, with 88 percent of the chefs naming it a hot trend. Some of the other trends that ranked highly in various categories were restaurants with on-site gardens, environmentally friendly kitchen equipment, locally produced wine and beer, and organic produce.

Where does that put the underground food movement? In a good spot. It means that all the efforts that go into sourcing food locally, brewing craft beers, supporting community gardens, and all the other things that conscious foodies around the country partake in on a regular basis are having a significant positive impact.

The work comes in turning these trends into culinary norms; until the general population comes to expect locally sourced produce whenever possible, and puts a value on organic, fresh food, then we’ve still got plenty of hours to put in supporting the ongoing underground movement.

Editor’s note: This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’s column at EcoSalon, Foodie Underground. Each week, Anna will be taking a look at something new and different that’s taking place in the underground food movement, from supper clubs to mini markets to culinary avant garde.

Image: bokchoi-snowpea

The post Foodie Underground: Local Foods and Sustainability Really Booming appeared first on EcoSalon.