Garden at City Hall
Inspired by Slow Food Nation and Victory Gardens 2008, San Francisco has overachieved with the planting of its own organic garden in front of city hall. Planted in July, the garden is in full swing and will be harvested on September 21st with all produce being donated to those with limited access to healthy organic produce through a partnership with local food banks and meal programs.
I had a chance to take a tour during the Slow Food Nation celebration over Labor Day. In addition to the garden, there were several organic food stands offering up samples, demonstrations about organic and sustainable gardening, a marketplace bazaar with vendors hawking street food, and a “soap box” lending itself for lively debate and discussion.
While the bazaar, soap box, and demonstrations have passed, the garden will be going strong for the next few weeks. It’s a sight that everyone should see and something that I hope San Francisco has plans to repeat in the future.
After attending, I am even more excited about being #1 on the waitlist for my garden plot in Mission Bay…. by the end of the year, I’ll be pulling my own organics out of the ground!
mkmtLIVE | Comment (0)Farmers Market in Santa Cruz
In case you were worried, my trip to Santa Cruz was not all about the Corn Dog. In fact, my second trip was centered on the Saturday morning farmer’s market at Cabrillo College. Paul and I were to meet friends there at 9am – sharp – so not to miss the best of the pickings.
I am spoiled. The San Francisco Ferry Building Farmers Market is a short walk from home. I went to Santa Cruz, but with a raised eyebrow – would it really be as good? Plus, I had to be in the car by 7:15am on a Saturday morning to be there by 9am… for a girl who likes to sleep in on the weekend, this was becoming a hardship.
The Santa Cruz market did not disappoint; in fact, it exceeded expectations. I don’t think that anything there came from more than 30 miles away – including the line caught wild halibut that we bought to eat for dinner. YUM!
As we wandered through the three levels of the market we were challenged by all of the options and found it difficult to decide what we were going to make for dinner that night and what we wanted to stock up on for the next several days. There were so many choices!
There was hybrid corn, heirloom tomatoes, baby spinach, little gem romaine, rainbow chard, mushrooms, fresh baguettes, peaches, plums… the abundance of fresh produce one would expect to see in the middle of farm country in the summer.
And did someone mention flowers? There were just as many flowers as there was produce – everything from mixed wild sunflower arrangements, to award winning begonias – yes, Santa Cruz is official begonia country but that’s another story, and dahlias to die for!
I left the market with my basket overflowing and looking forward to spending the afternoon in the kitchen preparing all of the goodies I brought home for dinner with friends.
mkmtGO, mkmtLIVE | Comment (0)When Was the Last Time You Ate a Corn Dog?
I wouldn’t have been able to answer that question a couple of weeks ago but now, I can proudly say that I have had 2 since mid-July. And with this confession, I’m scared… but let me explain… there is good reason for the corn dog consumption…. the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk – twice in 3 weeks! The motive was to ride the Giant Dipper but who can go to an amusement park without eating the requisite corn dog… especially when the concession is adjacent to the Dipper?
So this got me thinking…. How often does the average person eat a corn dog and where can the best dog be found? I don’t know the answer to these questions but I’ve learned that a lot of people like to indulge. National Corn Dog Day is celebrated in all 50 states of the union, the District of Columbia, and in 6 international locales with Pabst Blue Ribbon beer as the official sponsor. Mark your calendars for sometime next March (last year it was the 22nd) and seek it out in a city near you…or better yet, host your own corn dog celebration… I’m inviting him… 
Making corn dogs at home sounds easy. Here is a recipe adapted from the National Corn Dog Website – pinched, not tested, so make at your own risk. Now if someone could figure out how to infuse the Corn Dog with mustard so it’s between the dog and the batter that would be a real winner of a wiener.
Basic Corn Dogs
1 gallon vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
6 all beef hot dogs
6 wooden chopsticks
Heat oil in a deep fryer or a large, deep, heavy pot to 375 degrees.
In a bowl, mix together remaining ingredients except the wieners. Transfer to a plate or flat pie pan. Insert chopsticks into wieners about 1/3 through. Make sure there’s plenty left to hold on to! Roll wieners in the batter until thoroughly coated. Dip in the fryer and deep fry for 5-6 minutes until golden brown.
Serve immediately with mustard and ketchup and a ice cold beer!
mkmtCOOK, mkmtEAT, mkmtGO, mkmtLIVE | Comment (0)Let's Dance
Happy Monday!
A dear friend recently shared this video with me. It inspired me, gave me hope, made me smile… I think I even shed a tear. I hope it will do the same to you!
For best results, watch full screen and crank the volume.
Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.
Sunday in the Man Cave
It is time to acknowledge my friend Lou Lesko for his role in getting My Kitchen My Table up and running. For without Lesko there would be no MKMT. It all started at the Ferry Building Wine Bar where we meet frequently to dish and drink. One topic led to another and the idea was born.
Lou was instrumental in helping formulate the idea, held my feet to the fire with deadlines, gave me assignments, made me commit to deliverables, and was one of my biggest cheerleaders along the way. When it came time to launch, Lesko was under the gun with his own deadlines. I received the coveted invitation to his office, made the drive across the Golden Gate and entered The Man Cave – the clandestine place he goes undercover to be brilliant. After a crash course, I was live and here we are today.
My heartfelt thanks and cheers to you, Lou, I wouldn’t be here without you. xoxo ~ L.
mkmtLIVE | Comment (1)A Trip to the Flower Mart
I have a dream that some day I will have a cottage in the wine country with a garden that will be devoted to growing vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers. Until then, I enjoy my urban loft life without a stitch of outdoor living and a view of the hi-rise next door, the billboard of the next Disney blockbuster and the Bay Bridge view when craning one’s neck out the window – but I have a view!
While there is nothing better than being able to walk into the garden and snip the herbs that will be used in tonight’s dinner or pluck some lettuce out of the ground for tonight’s salad, I am a true believer that fresh flowers turn a house into a home. Unfortunately, something as simple as picking flowers from the garden – or in my case – taking a trip to the flower mart – is often a task that is relegated to the bottom of the list.
Yesterday I went to the mart and after browsing through several shops decided on sunflowers, lavender, and white lisanthius. I was shooting for summer, Provence, fresh and wild – mission accomplished – well, maybe not the lisanthius but I’ve had an affection for these flowers since discovering them 20 years ago at the Hollywood Farmers Market and just can’t resist.
Upon returning home I selected the perfect vases and removed the flowers from the paper they’re wrapped in. Now comes the creative part…. cutting the stems and placing each one in the vase until they’re pleasing to my eye. I always keep a few stems aside to make smaller arrangements to place in bathrooms or next to the kitchen sink. Once arranged and placed around the loft I can’t help but smile! Not only do the flowers offer a creative outlet but they add a special feeling of home and comfort to the loft.
mkmtLIVE | Comment (0)