The Big Cook 2010

Years ago, John’s Dad and crew decided to set one special day aside each year to celebrate one of life’s true pleasures. That is, sharing extraordinary food with our friends.

The BIG COOK is growing each year. We are especially pleased that the BIG COOK is evolving into a venue that connects our guests (always free of charge) to local farmers and producers that support this special day. This year we created a flyer that introduces our ‘COOKS’ and PRODUCERS in order to better acquaint them with our guests. Also new for this year, a dessert contest to benefit NOFA-NY, the non-profit Organic organization of New York. For added fun, we held a special auction to benefit the FFA. The Big Cook is not a competition although it’s not uncommon for the cooks to try to out-do each other while attempting to create the crowd favorite dish.

Thank you NOFA- NY for donating the great prize bags for the winner and reserve winner of the Dessert Contest!! Pictured is winner Linda Rutherford who won with her delicious peaches and cream pie! She is presented the Golden Pie Plate award by Ed Eaves, last year's King of the Apple Pie! Also included in this photo is Abby Eaves our dessert contest manager! Reserve winner was Kelly Saner with her wonderful carrot cake served with homemade ice cream! Both beautiful ladies are from Branchport NY!!!

Thanks to all of the contestants for entering your great desserts! All proceeds from entry fees went to NOFA-NY!

https://www.nofany.org/

Radio Red

I could not stop smiling today! John and I went to Fulkerson's Winery and purchased red and white grape juice for this year's farm wine! Pictured is the barn kitchen with our 16 gallons of Concord, 5 gallons of Himrod and 5 gallons of Cayuga! Little do the kids know how handy that Radio Flyer Wagon is!! What a great smell and what a great surprise the Himrod juice started working already! I believe that would mean wine by Thanksgiving!! There really is no better place to live than the Finger Lakes!

For more information about Fulkerson Winery visit-
http://www.fulkersonwinery.com/

Favorite Local Breakfast!

Farm fresh scrambled eggs topped with local cheddar, and served with garden fresh tomatoes! Cannot get any better!!!

Local Produce

I stopped by one of my favorite local produce stands today in Penn Yan. They still had sweetcorn and it was very good. Surprisingly young tasting and very sweet! I bought peaches and pickling cucumbers as well. We had a great dinner of pork chops, corn, cuke and tomatoe salad and garden potatoes!

September 7

Locavore-Homeavore-Hermitavore-Ok, not sure what to call it. But seriously I have been living just fine off of our garden and tonight my neighbors garden! I am pretty lucky that I live in an area that I can have a garden to grow enough vegetables to last all winter! Tonight I visited a friend and we drank local wine, ate cherry tomatoes and red bell peppers from her garden. Between the food, wine and conversation I was full! Came home and snacked on the leftover watermelon that was in the fridge from our garden. Seriously I have got to get off this hill and go see new and exciting foods to find. But, if forced to live just on the hill, I think I would be quite fine :) Mind you I have a husband that surprised me when I came back from my 10 day trip. He froze 156 quarts of vegetables for me! There is no question I feel better already just 7 days into this challenge!

September 4

Have been home from London for 2 days and not only have I stuck to all local food, everything I have eaten has been grown on our farm! I feel a new word coming on, homeavore! Ok , sounds silly. Anyone have a better word???

Back in the USA!

I just got back last night from a 10 day trip to London. Ellie is taking a semester abroad and I went over early with her to see London and help her move in! Eating local and organic seems to be just as big there as here in the states. Walking through London there were several restaurants advertising local foods only or specials of the day using local foods! One of my favorite stores while there was Neal's Yard Dairy, a small shop selling farm cheeses from the British Isles. They were extremely generous with the samples and the store had such a wonderful smell throughout! I bought a very nice cheddar, Montgomery's Cheddar to be specific. I actually brought some back with me in my suitcase! John had some this morning and agreed with me, it is the best Cheddar cheese we have ever had! This cheese is made at Manor Farm, in North Cadbury, Somerset. Made with unpasteurised milk and aged for over a year, it truly is spectacular. I am going to be on a mission this month to find the best local cheese in the Finger Lakes!