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The opinions expressed in these blogs are solely those of the people who wrote them, and do not represent the views of WPSU or Penn State University.

Local Food Journey

Rustic Italian Fare at Harrison’s

Posted by Emily Wiley on 02/03 at 10:29 AM

In addition to the regular local menu at Harrison’s Wine Grill in State College, the restaurant is also featuring the flavors of rustic Italy during the month of February. Beginning today, sample a salad of arugula, fresh pear, and Pecorino; veal ravioli with fresh sage brown butter; seared sea scallops with whipped potatoes; and polenta with berries. Download the full menu. 

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Local Food Journey

Parsnips Recipe Contest

Posted by Emily Wiley on 02/02 at 10:47 AM

Parsnips are root vegetables, similar to carrots, and are one of the few pieces of produce available locally in Pennsylvania during the winter. They are buttery and slightly spicy and get sweet when cooked. Parsnips are commonly broiled, roasted, or cooked in soups and stews. Let us know how you prepare parsnips by sharing your favorite recipe this month. Submit your recipe for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Tait Farm Foods.

Continue reading for some of our favorite parsnips recipes.

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Local Food Journey

Farming for the Future

Posted by Emily Wiley on 02/01 at 11:09 AM

The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture’s (PASA) 21st Annual Farming for the Future Conference begins today at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel. Each year the conference gets bigger and better. Discover successful tomato growing techniques, take back the means of beekeeping, reclaim leftover landscapes, raise healthy chickens, and more. See the full workshop agenda and follow PASA on Facebook and Twitter for updates throughout the week.

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Local Food Journey

Roasted Potato Salad

Posted by Emily Wiley on 01/30 at 03:52 PM

Tomorrow is the last day to enter our potatoes recipe contest! How do you prepare Russet potatoes, sweet potatoes, fingerling potatoes, and new potatoes? Share your recipe for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Nature’s Pantry.

Looking for inspiration? Continue reading for my favorite potato salad recipe.

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Local Food Journey

Why Organic? Part 1: Introduction

Posted by James Eisenstein on 01/25 at 01:09 PM

My brother, a witty fellow indeed, never misses an opportunity to respond to my every utterance of the term “organic food” by saying that he much prefers it to inorganic food like rocks and plastic. His response follows a long tradition of cleverly tormenting his little brother, but it also revives my suspicion that many people don’t actually know what “organic food” is or why anyone would want to produce it or consume it. If this sounds like you (or even if it doesn’t), read on.

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Local Food Journey

Late January Greens

Posted by Tony Ricci on 01/23 at 09:20 AM

Green Heron Farm still has a nice supply of greens this week, but order early for those items – they fly off the shelf this time of year:

Baby Arugula
Baby Spinach
Baby Chard – Green, Red and Gold
Italian and Red Rib Dandelion

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Local Food Journey

Curried Chick Pea and Red Potato Hash

Posted by Kristin Camplese on 01/20 at 10:29 AM

I love the challenge of taking very disparate items and somehow bringing them together into a coherent dish. Certainly some of the dishes turn out a lot better than others, but it is always a fun experiment. In this case, I had new potatoes, garlic scapes (the green flower shoot from the garlic), green onions, parsley, and lots of eggs. I settled on a “hash” sort of thing and I was not disappointed. I love putting a slight twist on a very traditional approach and it was a delicious vegetarian entree. I served it with sauteed snow peas and a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

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Local Food Journey

Don’t wait to make online seed orders for 2012 garden season!

Posted by Jamie Oberdick on 01/18 at 06:48 PM

We are in the heart of winter, so buying garden seeds may not be the first thing on your mind. However, if you are planning on ordering seeds online (you will more choices online than you will in a store), now is the time to do so.

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Local Food Journey

Mark Your Calendar: Fiesta de invierno with Chef Pati Jinich

Posted by Emily Wiley on 01/17 at 11:18 AM

Join Chef Pati Jinich of the new PBS series Pati’s Mexican Table for WPSU’s 20th Annual Connoisseur’s Dinner on Saturday, February 18th. Experience firsthand the adventurous cuisine found across Mexico with each dish serving as a point of departure into the country’s rich history and culture.

For more details, visit http://wpsu.org/events/conndinner2012.

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Local Food Journey

Year Round Good Eating and Gratin Recipe

Posted by Fresh and Local Team, Harrison's Wine Grill on 01/10 at 02:07 PM

Our local food partners are the stars behind the scenes at Harrison’s Wine Grill – we purchase from more than 20 local businesses during the growing season. During the winter, we focus more on the year-round products, especially locally produced cheese like our Goot Essa cheddar and Three Belle goat cheese, both from Millheim, Pa. We are working to bring more Pennsylvania artisanal cheeses onto our menu this year because our menu items designed around Goot Essa Sharp Cheddar have been so popular, especially the gratin recipe featured below.

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Local Food Journey

Potatoes Recipe Contest

Posted by Emily Wiley on 01/05 at 12:23 PM

Russet potatoes. Sweet potatoes. Fingerling potatoes. New potatoes. How do you eat this starchy vegetable? Share your favorite recipe this month for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Nature’s Pantry in State College. Entries must be submitted by midnight on January 31st. See contest details. And good luck!

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Local Food Journey

Winner of the Cranberries Recipe Contest

Posted by Emily Wiley on 01/04 at 12:33 PM

Congratulations to Dee Saylor of State College! Her recipe for Cranberry Salsa Dip with Cream Cheese is the winner of the December recipe contest and the recipient of a $25 gift certificate to Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks.

Continue reading for Dee’s salsa recipe, along with others for cranberry cookies, cakes, and muffins.

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Local Food Journey

December Cookies: World Peace Cookies from Dorie Greenspan

Posted by Emily Wiley on 12/22 at 10:00 AM

Dorie Greenspan is an accomplished food writer and cookbook author, and her World Peace cookies are all over the Internet. (Find out how they got their name here.)

They are French shortbreads with a generous amount of bittersweet chocolate and a touch of fleur de sel (French finishing sea salt) to yield a really intense flavor. Find more of Dorie’s delectable dessert recipes in her book, BAKING: From My Home to Yours.

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Local Food Journey

December Cookies: Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Posted by Emily Wiley on 12/20 at 03:33 PM

The combination of pumpkin puree and oatmeal makes these cookies nice and chewy. The white chocolate chips are sweet, and the dried cherries are sour. And the spices couldn’t be more festive.

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Local Food Journey

December Cookies: Rum Balls

Posted by Kristin Camplese on 12/15 at 03:30 PM

‘Tis the season to indulge! Enjoy favorite holiday cookies from Local Food Journey contributors this week and next. And feel free to share your own recipes in the comment section below.

First up: Rum Balls from Kristin Camplese of Cuizoo.

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