Salt by Mark Kurlansky is an entertaining, as well as, an eye-opening account of the history of one of Man’s most basic commodities: salt. Although “salt” is an item I use nearly every day, I have never contemplated how it came to my table or its impact on history. After reading Salt, I no longer take this humble seasoning for granted.
One tidbit that I found interesting is the role of “salt” in sustaining an army. Kurlansky notes that Napoleon’s army was bereft of salt as it retreating from Russia. Without salt as an antiseptic (OUCH!), minor wounds became fatal. Armies were paid with salt and salt was viewed as a necessary provision.
“Worth your salt” refers to the amount of work you accomplished since salt was used as a medium of commerce.
Kurlansky’s description of salt mining and evaporating was educational. The picture on my “Celtic Sea Salt” of a salt raker made sense to me after reading this book.
Salt was not a book I read rapidly. Each chapter is self-contained enough to easily put the book down and return to later without losing the flow of narration.
I found Salt to be informative, entertaining and a pleasure to read.
May is here and with a new month, we have a new market special! This month, your first two packages breakfast and/or Italian bulk sausage is only $5.00/lb. (regular price is $6.00-6.50/lb.).
Treat Mom to a breakfast with Wood Family Farm breakfast sausage or dinner with pasta and Wood Family Farm Italian sausage. Yum!
Just finished reading Full Moon Feast by Jessica Prentice. I found the reading entertaining and interesting. The recipes appear quite doable and tasty. I would classify this book as a companion reader to Nourishing Traditions.
One quote by the author struck home with me. “. . part of what makes cooking so fun for me is that I have the basic skills necessary to come home, look in the fridge, and cook something off the top of my head that I will find delicious and nourishing. I certainly read lots of recipes, but I very rarely (if ever) follow one exactly. It takes the creativity away.” (p. 247)
When I read this portion, I laughed to myself. No wonder I enjoyed the book. A perfect description of my own approach to cooking!
Prentice weaves her own experiences with food and cooking, her theology and philosophy, and anthropology throughout the book. Some points you may enjoy or agree with and other portions of the book you may not. Either way, the recipes are worth trying.
The Corvallis-Albany Farmers’ Markets begin April 16 at 9:00. We will be vendors at both markets at our usual location. See our “Current Inventory” page for our meat selections. You can order by Friday noon and we will have your order ready and waiting for you at market.
Looking forward to serving you another year.
We will NOT be at the Indoor Market, Saturday, April 9.
We WILL be at the first outdoor market in both Corvallis and Albany, Saturday, April 16. See you then!
Just where is Spring? I keep thinking I need to start my seeds for my garden, but, honestly, I just can’t create the ambition when the weather is so cool!
We started turning our calves out in the pastures this past week. We are raising 21 calves this year–a bumper crop! We hope to sell a few when they are weaned. The others will be raised and sold for meat. We will raise them for about 18-24 months.
Our daughter is the main caretaker of the calves. She braids halters for them and trains them to lead. She has done a terrific job raising the calves.
Just finished reading Cod by Mark Kurlansky as suggested by one of our customers, Camille.
Cod is a history of cod fishing and its impact on economies, people and, of course, the cod itself. As I read the book, I was impressed how the story of cod fishing is similar to that of farming. In both cases, advances in technology after World War Two caused dramatic changes in the economics of scale, manpower required and balance in the environment.
As is often the case, our technology outstripped our ethics and foresight.
The Corvallis Indoor Winter continues for the next two weeks and, yes, we will be there. See our “Current Inventory” page for our selections.
Four more calves arrived at the farm today. They will be ready for processing in about 20 months. Our daughter is doing a great job raising the calves this year. They are raised on milk for 8 weeks and then weaned. At about 2 weeks of age, they begin to nibble on grass. Our daughter makes halters for the young calves and tethers them around the yard and barnyard to eat the grass. When they are about 4 weeks old, the calves are moved to a community pen and graze in small paddocks. By the time they are weaned at eight weeks, the calves are hearty grass eaters.
We have been enjoying Oregon pears this past few weeks. Pears are one of our local fruits that stores well during the winter months. Here is a recipe using pears. Delightful.
Ginger Chicken with Pears
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 1-1 ½ hours
1 Chicken, cut up into parts
4 large pears, peeled and sliced
(May substitute 1 quart canned pears.)
1 Tablespoon minced gingerroot
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup white wine
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Salt and pepper
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Rub ginger salt combination on to all surfaces of chicken. Set chicken aside.
- Place pears, chopped onions and minced gingerroot in bottom of 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
- Season pears and onions with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoonpepper.
- Place chicken on top of pears.
- Cover and bake until breast meat is approximately 180 degrees.
- Remove chicken and pears from oven.
- Place chicken on cookie sheet and broil for 5-10 minutes to brown.
- Serve pears as side dish.
Serves 4-6
I absolutely love the drama of spring weather. We just experienced a torrent of hail and rain. The sky was dark grey, the temperature dropped suddenly and, then, the rain and hail was flung from the sky with power and intensity. As suddenly as it came, the squall passed. The bright sun broke out of the clouds, the sky cleared and all was calm and fresh-smelling.
As I look from my kitchen window, I see the crisp, blue sky, the Cascade foothills dappled in snow, the bright green of spring grass and the Jersey steers calming grazing in the pasture. Arching from the south side of our farm to the north side, a double rainbow crowns the entire scene.
Simply lovely.
