| JUNE 30, 2011 -- Analiese Paik, founder of the Fairfield Green Food Guide, joined GMC Weekend (WTNH-8) to talk about a new cookbook featuring Connecticut grown produce called "Connecticut Farmer and Feast".
Fabulous bounty from Connecticut farms is now available at farm stands, farmers' markets, green markets, and farm-to-door retailers.
It's the perfect time to enjoy the fleeting flavors of late spring and early summer. For this segment, Analiese focused on strawberries, rhubarb, and garlic scapes.
Strawberries and rhubarb are a magical fruit and vegetable combination. Pies, crumbles, compotes and spicy chutneys are favorite ways to enjoy rhubarb. For this segment Analiese prepared a compote (fruit cooked in syrup) by cooking the rhubarb, which is quite tough and tannic raw, with some sugar, water, and a vanilla bean until tender, about 15 minutes, then adding sliced strawberries at the end and cooking them only slightly. The result is a delicious and flavorful strawberry-rhubarb sauce that can be served hot or cold as a pancake, waffle or ice cream topping, spread on toast, or stirred into plain yogurt. (flavor your own yogurt!)
If you're looking for a more sophisticated strawberry compote appropriate for adult guests, think of adding some flavored liqueur instead of sugar.
Millix Farm Strawberry Compote is a recipe from the just released cookbook, Connecticut Farmer and Feast. Author Emily Brooks visited almost 50 CT farms and has profiled each farmer, sharing stories of multi-generational farm families alongside those of first-time farmers. More than 85 seasonal recipes showcase each farm's products, and in the case of Millix Farm in Willington, it's strawberries, which are at their peak right now.
In Millix Farm Strawberry Compote Emily Brooks uses Grand Marnier and orange juice, a classic mixed drink combination, to create a decadent dessert appropriate for guests.
To learn more about "Connecticut Farmer and Feast", visit Analiese Paik online at http://fairfieldgreenfoodguide.com/ |
