Healthy Comfort Food 

Nutrient-dense dry beans are filling, economical, and delicious

 

Brr! It's the coldest part of the winter in our part of the world.  When it's frozen outside, comfort food can be—well, comforting.  Happily, some of the most filling and satisfying winter foods are also some of the healthiest—beans, whole grains, and root vegetables are nutrient-dense, high in fiber, versatile, economical, and delicious.

Beans can be eaten at every meal, from appetizers (there's a world of bean dips!) to desserts (Candy-Cane Black Bean Brownies, anyone?).  It's a broad topic, and the possible dishes are infinite!  In this article I'm going to share a few Kiva employees' tried-and-true recipes for dried beans, peas, and lentils.

First, a few general notes:

Dry beans pack a nutritional wallop.  A half-cup serving of cooked beans contains 7 to 8 grams of protein.  They contain a variety of minerals, including iron, copper, phosphorus, manganese, and magnesium.  Darker beans are especially rich in antioxidants. The vitamin list is also impressive: thiamin, folic acid, riboflavin, and vitamin B6, to name a few. 

With all that going for them, what's not to like?  Oh, yeah—that.  You can find many suggestions for eliminating legumes' unfortunate side effect, most involving changing the soaking and/or cooking water to reduce the indigestible sugars that cause the problem.  Cooking with certain spices like fennel or cumin might help.  Sherrill, our vitamin buyer, also recommends experimenting with different digestive enzymes, such as Solaray's Super Digestaway or similar brands, to find one that works best for you.

Two cups of dry beans usually weigh about a pound, and a pound of dry beans cooks up into five or six cups, making them an affordable superfood.   (Canned beans also offer great nutrition, and require a lot less preparation.  The sodium content of canned beans can be reduced significantly by draining and rinsing, if desired, and no-salt-added brands such as Eden are also available.)

A few notes about the cooking of beans in general:  

Many varieties, especially red kidney beans, contain a toxin (phytohemagglutinin) which must be reduced to a safe level by boiling before eating--beans eaten raw or undercooked can result in a nasty and even dangerous form of food poisoning; undercooking can make them even more toxic than they are raw.  Directions for the safe preparation of beans vary, but the standard method is as follows:

1. Sort.  Put the beans in a shallow pan or dish and pick them over to remove foreign objects (sorting machinery has gotten much more efficient in recent years, but the occasional stone, stick, or bean-sized blob of dirt sometimes gets through).  After any unwanted material is removed, rinse the beans thoroughly to remove dust or dirt.

2. Soak.  Beans should be soaked for at least 5 hours, and preferably 8 or more.  They may be soaked in the refrigerator to reduce the possibility of fermentation.

3.  Discard the soaking water, and add fresh water to cook.

4.  Boil.  Beans should be boiled rapidly for at least ten minutes for safety.

These steps are especially important if you plan to cook beans in a slow-cooker:  many do not get hot enough to reduce the phytohemagglutinin to a safe level, and cooking at too cool a temperature may increase its level.  Many bean recipes work wonderfully in a slow-cooker and are well worth the extra steps of pre-soaking and boiling.

Southern Style Mixed Bean Soup

Pretty much any mix of beans will work in this recipe: kidney beans, red beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, pinto beans, cranberry beans, lima beans, green and yellow split peas, green lentils, etc. etc.—the more the merrier.  Be aware that when you cook black beans, the cooking water will turn purple due to pigment in the beans.  Don't be alarmed.

2 cups mixed beans and peas, picked, rinsed, and soaked overnight
1 hamhock or hambone
1 16-oz can diced tomatoes
2 medium onions, chopped
6 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb sausage (spicy Italian is my first choice, but any tasty sausage, either sliced links or loose, will do)
2 chicken breasts
1/2 cup parsley, minced
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 tsp powdered bay leaf or 2 whole bay leaves
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp marjoram
1 Tbsp salt, more or less if desired
Pepper to taste

Put beans and 3 quarts water in a heavy-bottomed stockpot.  Add 1 Tbsp salt and the spices.  Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Add undrained tomatoes, chopped onions, minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer uncovered to allow reduction, 1 1/2 hours or until thickened.

Meanwhile, cook the sausage and chicken, let cool, and chop or slice.

Add the chicken, sausage, parsley, and wine; simmer 30 - 45 minutes.

Stir often and taste occasionally as the soup approaches being done.  It keeps well, freezes well, and is best made the day before serving, as its taste will improve with time.  Great served with crusty bread.

Split Pea Soup

This is a thick, traditional, solidly satisfying version of split pea soup.  

Dried peas and lentils don't require pre-soaking, though cooking time can be reduced by soaking.  

This is traditionally made with a ham hock or a hambone.  You can also use deli (sandwich) ham or bacon for flavoring (remove big pieces of limp bacon before serving).  I’ve never tried to make this as a vegan dish; however, a little smoked paprika or other savory flavor ought to lend the necessary note.


2 cups dried split peas (green or yellow)
7 - 8 cups water; can be partially replaced with chicken or vegetable stock, or add 1 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon Chicken Stock with the water (optional)
1 ham hock, hambone with some meat on it, chopped ham, etc.
2 carrots
1 large or medium onion
3 stalks celery
2 - 3 Tbsp butter, olive oil, ghee, or a blend
2 small to medium potatoes 
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf

Chop the onion and slice the carrots and celery.  Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium heat.  Add the vegetables and meat and cook, stirring, until the vegetables’ color deepens, about 5 minutes.  Add the water, split peas, Better Than Bouillon (if using), mustard, and herbs.  Stir and bring to a boil; reduce heat until bubbles are barely rising.

Stir occasionally until the peas start to turn into a puree, then stir more frequently to prevent scorching (which happens easily—be vigilant!).  Cooking time varies, but I find I usually leave this soup on the stove for several hours.  Freezes well.

Occasionally I've added a small dash of wine vinegar or a little white wine to the soup to lend a little zest.  Great served with whole-grain bread and a green salad.

Gil's Spinach-Lentil Soup

An original recipe by our multi-talented grocery-buyer Gil, this soup is zesty and lighter than many lentil recipes, and equally good in winter or summer.  Easy, delicious and unusual!  The use of the smaller and firmer French lentils is a must. 


3 cups French lentils
9 cups vegetable stock
Bay leaf
Olive oil
2 onions, chopped
5 or 6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large lemon or two small ones, zested and juiced (save juice)
Cumin
Salt
Black pepper
About three big handfuls of fresh, chopped spinach 
Half a bunch of cilantro
More salt

Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil and simmer the onions, garlic, lemon zest, cumin, salt, and black pepper until "just so." (Gil leaves this up to your judgement.)

Combine lentils and stock, add bay leaf and salt to taste; bring to a boil and simmer approximately 30 minutes (test lentils for doneness).

Add spinach, cilantro, and lemon juice.

Reheat to cook the spinach.  Adjust spices.  Serve.

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Winter Reading

Books About Smart Birds

 Ziggy Blum's picks

I have an inordinate fondness for all things feathered, and share my house with eleven roommates of the psittacine (parrot) persuasion, so it shouldn't be a big surprise that when I scan the shelves for reading material, books about birds catch my eye.  This passion for avians is something I share with George Brown, the book-buyer of the Kiva (who also happens to be one of the owners), which accounts for there being plenty of books on the Kiva's shelves which appeal to this interest.


These are some of the titles I chose.



The Mind of the Raven

by Bernd Heinrich, first published in hardcover in 1999

Ravens and crows are popular birds, and it's no wonder.  They're beautiful and devastatingly intelligent. Crows, comfortable in the metropolis, are easy and fun to observe as they negotiate traffic, drop nuts to crack on the pavement, mob predators, and otherwise demonstrate their smarts in town.

Ravens--larger, more solitary, much more at home in the wilderness, and possibly even cleverer than their city cousins--are harder for a townie to get to know.  Bernd Heinrich has spent many years observing ravens in the wild and in captivity, and Mind of the Raven is the next best thing to doing so yourself.  Interesting and scholarly, this book is a rich and fascinating glimpse into the complicated world of raven behavior and wild nature.

Crow Planet

by Lyanda Lynn Haupt, 2011

Closer to home (at least to my home!) we have Crow Planet, which examines the phenomena of nature in the midst of human civilization.  She shows us crows and their behavior in a vivid light, along with their biology and folklore, and gives us insights into the disjunction of nature and human nature as well.

The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

by Mark Bittner, 2005

Another exploration of nature in the setting of the unnatural, this book is a story of misfits--the author himself, inclined to be a Dharma Bum, and the parrots of the title--escaped conures whose breeding colony exists to this day in the city of San Francisco.  Reading this book brings up a lot of questions, but also brings to light the interrelationships that form between creatures as diverse as humans and feral parrots, and how misfits of all kinds can find their niche in alien environments.

The Parrot Who Owns Me

by Joanna Burger, 2001

A lively and informative read, written by a woman who not only knows and observes her companion parrots with a sharp and compassionate eye, but who is also an ornithologist.  In The Parrot Who Owns Me, Joanna Burger tells of her slowly developing relationship with Tiko, a middle-aged Amazon parrot, orphaned by his elderly owners.

Her tone is light and engaging, but the book is informative and thought-provoking, and the story of her bond with Tiko--who builds nests for her each breeding season--is touching.  She also speaks engagingly of birds in general--their habits, habitats, physiology--and nature and nature conservancy as a whole.

If you are looking for a gift for anyone who is contemplating the addition of a parrot as a family member, The Parrot Who Owns Me and Alex & Me are highly recommended reading--I guarantee they will open the eyes of the uninitiated to the amount of care, interaction, and attention a parrot demands and deserves, and the rewards the human in the relationship may receive in return.

Alex & Me

by Irene M. Pepperberg, first published in hardcover 2008

Not long ago birds were generally believed--by biologists and the populace at large--to be pretty stupid.  This idea has changed dramatically in the recent past, and Alex and Irene Pepperberg are two big reasons why.

Like many people, I was an avid fan of Alex, an African Grey parrot owned and taught by Dr. Irene Pepperberg.  He was a sort of avian ambassador, if not a superstar.  He fascinated researchers in animal intelligence, human psychology, and linguistics, not to mention a lot of us who simply like birds and believe them to be smarter than was generally recognized.  He delighted journalists and television hosts with what appeared to be his particular brand of wry humor.  In this tribute to her long collaboration with Alex, who died prematurely at the age of 31,  Dr. Pepperberg tells us about their journey together, and how he demonstrated his ability not only to learn and understand human language but to use it to "mess with [their] heads."  

Dr. Pepperberg shows us not only a bird, but a person, with quirky individual traits and a lot of charm.  Admittedly, I'm a softie where birds are concerned, but I was moved both to tears and to laughter a couple of times in the course of the narrative.


Now that the demands of yard and garden have mellowed with the onset of chilly weather, it's a great time to cozy up with a natural history book (and maybe a feathered friend or two--on your shoulder, or outside in the bird feeder).

Wine & Cheese Pairing for December

Gruyere and Morbier 

with Chateau Lugagnac Bordeaux Supérieur 

Reviewed by Ziggy (Kiva Beer & Wine) and Josh (Kiva Deli)

The Wine:  Chateau de Lugagnac Bordeaux Supérieur 2009:  50 % Merlot Noir, 50 % Cabernet Sauvignon

Ziggy says:  On the nose I detected scents of cut wood, blackberries, wood ash, violet, and the wet leaf scent of autumn woods.

On the palate: lots of vibrant fruit, black currant and blackberry, with hints of charcoal, licorice, and toast.  The flavor seemed concentrated on the front of the palate, with a thinner back palate that reminded me of bourbon whiskey. 

While at first sip it seemed like a big-bodied wine, it proved silky and evasive as it lingered in the mouth.  With its thinner texture, fine-grained tannins, and medium-long finish, Chateau de Lugagnac would be a good wine to enjoy with many foods, especially roasted meats and vegetables. 

The Cheeses:  Gruyere and Morbier

Delicious Duo: Morbier & Gruyere

Josh says:  Gruyere, a classic Swiss cheese, is made with raw milk and has a big, vibrant, slightly sweet and nutty flavor. This is a perfect cheese for the holiday season, whether for a cheese plate or everyone’s favorite, fondue. It is wonderful for cooking, whether melting over croutons for French onion soup or used in a gratin. Its versatility and big flavor makes this cheese a favorite.

Morbier, a raw milk cheese from France, has a beautifully silky texture broken by its signature layer of ash that provides a subtle but pleasantly gritty textural counterpoint. The flavor is complex and richly nutty, with a slight aromatic bitterness that is complimented nicely by a fruity red wine. The visual contrast between the ash and the white paste of the cheese makes this an intriguing addition to any cheese plate.

Morbier comes with a charming story to share with your guests. Traditionally, cheesemakers would press evening curd into a mold, brush their hands against blackened copper pots and spread the ash over the curds. The following day, the morning curd was pressed on top, creating the unique look of this cheese. (Modern day morbier is made with tasteless vegetable ash.)

The Pairings

Josh says:  The smooth, rich, full-bodied Bordeaux pairs nicely with both of these raw milk, nutty cheeses.

Ziggy says:  I have often found that Gruyere brings out the best in many wines, especially reds, and this pairing went very well--the Gruyere was scrumptious and savory, redolent with notes of nuts and roasted meat, rich without being buttery or heavy:  a grownup cheese that went very well with a grownup wine.  Its texture was firm, smooth, and slightly waxy, with a mouthfeel (not flavor) that reminded me of chocolate. 

The Morbier was a little mild for my personal taste--older Morbier can be quite strong.  It was rich and buttery, smooth and meltingly rich.  As a pairing, it brought out bright cherry and black fruit notes in the wine. 

In spite of my general preference for the Gruyere, I thought the Morbier worked better with the Lugagnac than the Gruyere did.  In either case, a juicy late-season pear would have made a perfect third.

There's a venerable wine business maxim:  "Buy on fruit, sell on cheese."   The tartness of fruit shows a wine's flavor more starkly and highlights its flaws, whereas cheese softens harsh tannins, brings out fruit notes, and plays up a wine's best side.  Gruyere and Morbier will probably bring out the best in any bottle.

More Chanterelles!

As promised, I'm back with a couple more recipes from Kiva employees.  

Robin, one of our talented chefs, made us a sample of the following recipe today that amazed all who tasted it.  This is a recipe that should be read all the way through, so you can familiarize yourself with the details and the length of preparation before you try it.  Without further ado, I present this gem:

Robin's Chanterelle Ragout

Robin's Polenta Wedges with Chanterelle Mushroom Ragout

Polenta:

• 1 c polenta (corn grits)
• 3 c water (for added flavor use chicken or vegetable stock)
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/3 teaspoon white pepper
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

Chanterelle Mushroom Ragout

• 2 c chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and pulled by hand into strips
• 1/4 c minced shallots
• 1/3 c chopped parsley
• 1/2 c Marsala wine
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Polenta wedges:  In saucepot, bring 3 c of water or stock to a boil.  Add 1 cup polenta.  Turn heat to low. Stir the polenta constantly until grits are creamy, then add 3 Tablespoons of butter, salt, white pepper, and parmesan cheese.  Stir until all ingredients are incorporated.  On a greased baking sheet with a lip pour polenta out and smooth into an even layer.  Chill for 1 to 2 hours or until firm (can be done overnight).  Flip pan onto a cutting surface and cut into wedges, or use a biscuit cutter to make rounds.

For Mushroom Ragout:  Clean chanterelles with a damp paper towel, rubbing gently.  Pull the chanterelles into strips.  Over high heat, bring the oil to the smoking point in a sauté pan.  Throw the polenta wedges into the pan and cook on each side until golden brown (be careful; it will spatter).  Remove and dab dry on a paper towel.

To serve:  Place Polenta Wedges on a plate and drizzle a generous portion of Chanterelle Ragout on top.  Garnish with additional grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.



If you're looking for something a little faster, here's another to try.  This looks like a terrific potluck contribution.

Elena's Chanterelles en Pastry

• 1 lb fresh chanterelles, chopped
• 6 oz salted butter
• 1 medium leek, sliced
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
• 2 to 3 packages Puff Pastry
• Salt and pepper

Sauté leek and onion in 1 oz of butter until caramelized.  Set aside.  Saute mushrooms and garlic with 1 oz butter and add to caramelized onions and leeks.  Toss with ricotta, add salt and pepper to taste.

Melt remaining butter.  Unfold pastry.  Brush with the melted butter, then cut in 2-inch strips.  Put a teaspoon or two of mushroom mix on one end of strip, then fold into triangles.

Place on parchment-covered cookie sheet.  Brush top with melted butter.  Bake at 350 until golden on top.  Serve warm.

The Season of Rain and Chanterelles

Well, here it is: after a record-breaking dry spell, the old familiar cold and rain have finally arrived.  Some of us love it; some of us hate it; and some of us tolerate the long grey months because we know that they have their rewards.

A match made in Heaven

Rewards?  Yes, there are a few.  What's rain in the valley is usually snow in the higher elevations, providing sport for skiers and snowboarders.  After we wait out a soggy winter we often have a beautiful spring (a little lacking in recent years) and wonderful summers, for a start.   

And for the intrepid hiker who isn't afraid of damp feet and slippery footing, Oregon's forests can be beautiful in the rainy season, and the many species of fascinating and edible mushrooms that spring up when the rain comes down are a reason to welcome the wet.

Of the wealth of the Northwest's wild mushrooms, one of the most versatile--and certainly the best-known--is the Chanterelle.

Rob Miller has been the Kiva's major supplier of chanterelles for about a decade--often our sole supplier.  Our produce department likes the fresh, clean, sound mushrooms he brings us, as well as his reliability and his sensitivity to the areas in which he picks.

"I don't like to work with intangibles," he says; he made the choice long ago to be out in the weather hunting for chanterelles rather than sitting behind a desk shuffling numbers.  Rob says he loves to spend time in nature and take longs walks in the forests where he harvests fungal delicacies; he needs time in the wild to be happy.  This is especially lucky this year, since unusual weather (the long, late-summer dry spell followed by not only rain, but cold) has made this year's mushroom crop scarce and harder to find--the worst year for picking that Rob has seen. 

Since we don't all have the time, ability, or know-how to go on those long walks ourselves, many of us rely on the convenient commercial availabilty of chanterelles and other wild mushrooms.  Having someone else do the legwork can be well worth the time and effort saved for busy folks, even though this year's smaller harvest has driven prices up.

Chanterelles have a nutty, savory, delicate flavor with wide appeal--varieties of this mushroom grow in the northerly areas of Europe, Asia, and America, and they're relished in many different cuisines.  There are endless ways to prepare and enjoy them; a quick search for "chanterelle recipes" on Google yielded 42,000 hits! 

Chanterelle recipes are easier to find than mushrooms, but in search of more, I solicited recipes from Kiva employees this week and got some to add to the record.

A caveat:  these are not recipes written or tested by professional chefs, so use your own judgement.  Your mileage may vary!

The simplest came from Tom, our local grocery buyer.  He likes to slice, pan-fry, and eat chanterelles before they leave the skillet.  It doesn't get easier than that! 

Dave, one of our produce managers, offered this recipe:

Dave's Kale with Chanterelle

Dave and a tasty friend

1 bunch Italian kale, chopped

A couple of medium-large chanterelles, halved

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 small or 1 large shallot, minced

A couple tablespoons olive oil

In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add minced garlic, stir until garlic is translucent.  Add minced shallots, simmer until translucent.  Lower the heat and add the chopped kale.

In a separate pan, heat the chanterelles until they release liquid, then add them to the kale mixture.  Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper; serve immediately.

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Our wine buyer Ziggy makes this creamy Chanterelle Chicken every autumn at least once.  As you might expect, wine plays an important part in this dish. 

Ziggy's Chanterelle Chicken (serves 4 to 6)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, browned and cubed (1/2 inch cubes)

About 1 lb chanterelles, chopped fairly small

Ziggy's Chanterelle Chicken Sauce ready to serve

Two very large or four small shallots, minced

2/3 to ¾  bottle of dry white wine for cooking

½ pint heavy cream or Half-and-Half

4 Tablespoons butter, give or take a little

A couple of Tablespoons of flour

Fettuccine pasta, preferably fresh

The proportions of this recipe are very flexible, and I vary them every time I make it with the same great results.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet until bubbling; add the minced shallots.  Cook until translucent (don’t let them brown), then add the chopped chanterelles.  Heat until mushrooms are cooked through and have released their liquid; cook a few more minutes, then add the white wine in dollops of about a cup and let reduce between each addition.  Allow some time for this; I generally let the shallot-chanterelle mixture simmer for an hour or more while adding wine slowly.  (Chanterelles, like many foods, have alcohol-soluble factors that release and develop flavor during cooking with wine.)

Note:  For cooking wine I used the Domino Pinot Grigio; any crisp, dry white wine would do, though for my personal taste I prefer not to use Chardonnay for cooking.  The usual caution about not cooking with wine you wouldn't want to drink applies; you don't want to cook with wine which is "off" or yucky.  However, I do often cook with wine which is simpler (and less expensive) than I usually want to sip with dinner.

Brown the chicken on a grill or in a separate skillet with a little additional butter or olive oil.  I usually cook it whole over medium or medium-high heat until the surface is browned, then cut it in cubes and brown the cut sides lightly.  The chicken can then be set aside while the shallot-chanterelle-wine mixture cooks down.

When the sauce is thickening but still contains a fair amount of liquid, add the browned chicken (the good stuff in the pan can be deglazed with a little wine and added along with the chicken) and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked.  The meat absorbs the flavor.

The flour is used to thicken the finished sauce; it can either be sprinkled lightly over the mixture and stirred in until the sauce gets a little dry, or a roux can be made in a separate pan or skillet (heat a little extra butter until bubbly; add the flour and cook for a few minutes without letting the mixture brown) and then added back into the main mixture.

After the sauce is thickened, add cream to taste (I like it to be a gravy-like consistency) and serve it over pasta.  (Pasta Plus’s fresh linguine is my favorite.)

Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

This is a traditional autumn recipe in my house, and I always pair it with an oaked Chardonnay which complements the savory woody notes of the mushrooms.  I recommend Stangeland for an Oregon Chardonnay (oaky but also floral and subtle with some crispness left), or J. Lohr’s Riverstone or Arroyo Vista Chardonnays for California wine.

I also always accompany the Chanterelle Chicken with a pear/blue-cheese salad.  Any pear of your choice can be sliced or cubed, topped with small pieces of blue cheese (I love the Fourme D’Ambert, which is sweet and nutty and complements fruit very well), and crushed roasted hazelnuts, covered with a balsamic vinaigrette and served on a bed of greens.


That's it for now.  Next week we'll be back with a few other recipes from familiar faces at the Kiva.  In the meantime,  tell us--what do you do with chanterelles?

Thinking Globally, Farming Locally

Cattail Creek Lamb Returns to Our Meat Section

The Kiva's meat selection focuses on local, naturally-raised products.  Our knowledgeable buyers Emma and Will deal directly with the farmers and ranchers who raise the animals rather than a central distributor, so their relationship with the food we sell is up-close and personal.

Local lamb producer Cattail Creek was one of the first suppliers the Kiva added when we first started carrying meat.  The mild flavor and tender texture made it an immediate hit with both families and restaurants in the area.  

After a hiatus of one and a half years, Cattail Creek Lamb is back on our shelves this month, and maybe better than ever. 

John Neumeister, Cattail Creek’s founder, has been a familiar face at the Kiva for a long time.  He was glad to answer all my questions when I called him last week, and had a lot of interesting things to say about food and how it’s produced.  John’s agricultural resumé is impressive: he grew up on a mixed sheep and cattle farm in Ohio; he has been raising lamb for thirty years since moving to Oregon; and has been involved in organic farming since the 1970’s.  He has degrees in animal and crop sciences from Oregon State University.  He co-authored the Certified Organic Standards for livestock which were adopted by Oregon Tilth and the National Organic Standards.  

Now in partnership with Farmland LP, a U.S. private equity fund whose mission is to acquire farmland and convert it to organic production, John is primarily in charge of marketing, while partners Craig Wichner and Jason Bradford oversee most of the operations, and the farms are managed by shepherd Mac Stewart--an all-star team whose qualifications are as formidable as Mr. Neumeister’s. 

I was impressed to find that Cattail Creek is more than a business enterprise--it’s a vision of community-supported, sustainable agriculture.  “We’re not looking for loopholes just to sell a more expensive product,” John told me.

It’s very literally a grassroots effort.  In John’s opinion, Cattail Creek has the strongest raising claim of any of the larger lamb-producing farms in the valley (most of which pasture their lambs on seed-producing or after-harvest fields that have been treated with chemicals), with 800 of its 900 acres--comprised of three properties between Corvallis and Philomath--certified organic, and the remainder transitional.

Sheep are designed by nature to be grazers, and better pasture produces better meat, so the conversion of commercial farmland to high-quality organic pasture is an important step.  Cattail Creek’s system encourages a wide variety of plant species in their pastures, such as cold-tolerant and drought-resistant grasses, legumes (which fix nitrogen in the soil), plantains, and chicory.  The land is never treated with chemicals, and rock powders are used as fertilizers.  The sheep make their contribution too, in the form of manure which cycles nutrients back into the soil.

Starting from the ground up, Cattail Creek is dedicated to humane care and handling of its animals.  They use no synthetic crop treatment and no GMO crops; lambs are 100% grass fed and free of antibiotics or hormones.

Although it’s a new enterprise, their breeding program assures that not only the lambs but their mothers as well eat a chemical- and GMO-free, 100% vegetarian diet, and are also free of hormones and antibiotics (animals which become sick and require treatment with antibiotics are removed from the program).  It’s their intention to find breeds of sheep which thrive best under local conditions and raise them through generations rather than buying lambs from brokers.

The advantage to consumers is obvious--the 100% grass-fed meat tastes better than the “muttony” lamb from a feedlot operation, but the benefits go beyond flavor.  Cattail Creek is diversifying their operations toward a goal of integrated holistic farming.  In addition to developing markets to utilize the byproducts of lamb production, they’ve incorporated a new poultry-raising project and added vegetable crops.  Some land is also leased to a hog farmer.  John hopes that Farmland LP may be a vision of the future of CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), where instead of having a farm subscription, the participants would be involved in a cooperative effort to acquire the land on which their food is grown. 

The Kiva is currently carrying Cattail Creek’s ground lamb, stew and kabob meat, lamb chops, and shoulder steak.  Sausage is expected to be available in November.

Cattail Creek’s meat is processed and packed by Century Oak Packing Co., a local company owned by Lonely Lane Farms. http://centuryoakpacking.com/html/contact_us.html

We’re lucky to live in an area with an abundance of sustainable agriculture, offering readily-available organic produce, meat, eggs, and dairy products.  It’s a luxury to be able to buy fresh, healthy food just one or two stops from the farm.  Welcome back, Cattail Creek!

For more information on Cattail Creek and Farmland LP, visit http://www.farmlandlp.com/

Cheese and Wine Pairing for October

This month Josh and Ziggy, our representatives from the Deli and the Wine Department respectively, tried pairing Seeing Red Cabernet and Perrydale Aged Gouda from Salem’s Willamette Valley Cheese Company.

Josh says:  Perrydale ($18.70/lb.) is the Kiva’s newest offering from Salem’s Willamette Valley Cheese Company.  A blend of sheep’s milk from Roseburg’s Catsby  Farm and local cow’s milk, this cheese is made in the style of a gouda and aged for one year.  The aging process yields a beautifully complex flavor, but with a still-tender creamy paste; however, the most exciting aspect of this cheese is its use of sheep’s milk from one of Oregon’s two commercial sheep dairies.

Pairing notes:  The mellow acid of the wine and the slight tang from the sheep’s milk worked well together to balance the creamy richness of the cheese.

Ziggy says:  Seeing Red ($13.75) is Columbia Valley juice from Cartel Wine Group.  Seattle Magazine describes Cartel Wine Group as modern-day négociants who buy the wine left over after blending from large established Washington wineries and blend this high-quality surplus themselves.  The result is an affordable wine with the flavor profile of a more expensive bottle. 

Seeing Red is a lovely wine for autumn--very fruity and rich, with notes of cassis, ripe berries, herbs, and smoke.  My tasting partner and I also found a hint of astringency and a slight trace of bitterness--both qualities which can be a plus in a food wine.  (Other foods which might pair well with Seeing Red include red meats and stews, hearty tomato-based dishes, and sharp cheeses.)

My tasting partner disdains the “stinky” cheeses that I love, and Perrydale pleased us both.  We found it to be strong but not overwhelming, mellow, a little musky and mildly fragrant with a round, creamy, complex flavor profile.  I think it would pair very well with a number of medium- to full-bodied Spanish or Italian red wines.  While it might work with some robust whites and even sweet wines, I think it will go best with red.

Perrydale and Seeing Red made an enjoyable match.  The cheese brought out tannic notes from the wine; the wine brought out complex and subtle herbal and bitter notes in the cheese.  Lovely as an intriguing appetizer; satisfying as a savory dessert.