The Last Taste Test of the Year...

Over the past two weeks we completed our final local foods taste test of the year- salad greens from 3 Level Farm in Phippsburg. First, the Chefs of Woolwich and Mrs. Vise's 2nd grade class tried the greens with two varieties of dressings, and selected the most popular, Lemon-Olive Oil Vinaigrette, for the whole school to try.

Thank you for following our taste testing adventures, and many thanks to the Flannel Shirt Fund for making this possible. We also had help from numerous staff, parents, and children at the Woolwich Central School. Thank you for your help in making this a success!

Photos from Mrs. Vise's class taste test:

Christopher Hahn, the farmer who owns 3 Level Farm, came in to speak to Mrs. Vises's class about his greens, and his farm. They had prepared numerous questions for him, and were very inquisitive about what he does.

Two of the Chefs of Woolwich proudly display their greens and dressing, which they served up to the whole school.

Then, after serving the taste test in compostable corn cups, with compostable corn forks, we experimented with putting some of the cups in our compost!

Try the recipe at home!

Recipe: Salad Greens with Lemon-Olive Oil Vinaigrette

-a bunch of greens- half a pound will serve a good salad portion to a family of 6
-1 small clove of garlic, peeled
-1/4 lemon (pulp and rind), seeded and finely minced (this ingredient is optional)
-1 tsp Dijon mustard
-1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
-1/4 cup red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
-1/4 tsp sugar
-1/4 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup olive oil

1.First, make the dressing: combine garlic, lemon, onion, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in food processor or blender. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds.
2.With the motor running, add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream and process for 30 seconds more to form an emulsion. (If your motor will not run while the top is off, simply add the olive oil at step 1- your dressing will still taste great) Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
3. Gently toss the greens with the vinaigrette- start with a small amount at first, and add dressing to your taste.

Baked Oats are a hit!

The word is in- baked oatmeal with apples and honey got some rave reviews! Kids thought it tasted like apple crisp. One boy (who hesitated to try it) said it was "shockingly good!"

We had our second school-wide taste test on Wednesday, April 1st, at 10:15 am. Karen Kleinkopf and daughter Clara came into to help chop, mix, bake, and scoop what my grandmother would have called, "a taste sensation." The recipe had already been vetted by Mrs. Morin's and Mrs. Plummer's classes, and they approved it. They encouraged their schoolmates to try the oatmeal by making a poster and announcements over the loud speaker. Many thanks also to Claudette Tainter (Woolwich head cook) and to Mrs. Keefe's third graders for delivering the snacks. As with our other taste tests, all the food was local. The oats came from Grandy Oats of Maine, the eggs and milk from Straw's Farm, and the apples from Ricker Hill. Many thanks to the farmers for helping to make this taste test possible.

Check out the pictures below, and try the recipe at home.

Recipe: Baked Oats with Apples and Honey

Ingredients:
- 3 cups of oats (rolled, not quick oats)
-1/2 cup of honey (or less if you prefer)
-1/4 cup of butter, melted
-2 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp salt
-1 ¼ cup milk
-2 eggs, lightly beaten
-chopped fruit, can be apples, blueberries, bananas, use an amount to your taste, approximately 1 cup

Mix your ingredients in a large bowl and pour into a greased 8x8 pan. Bake at 375 for about 40-45 minutes.
Enjoy!

3 pans full of baked oats for our school
Special delivery!

Taste Test Number 2- Maine Oats!

Maine Oats are featured this month in our taste test series, and Mrs. Plummer's and Mrs. Morin's classroom took it upon themselves to prepare and taste and series of oatmeal recipes. First, we all gathered together for "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," where we read about porridge. Then, we decided we would make some porridge ourselves- only we were going to add Maine blueberries and maple syrup to ours! (According to the story, they did have some additions, honey, berries, and nuts) Our oats were also special because they came from Maine.

Then, we divided up into our respective classrooms, to measure out the appropriate amounts of oats, water, and blueberries.

We also had a station that examined the different textures, colors, and smells of oats, whole wheat flour, and all-purpose flour to continue our whole grain discussion. Mrs. Morin's class all passed around the bowls of the different ingredients, and the kids noticed the soft, silky texture of the white flour, the sandy, grittier texture of the wheat, and the much coarser texture of the oats. We discussed how the all-purpose flour had been stripped of bran, and some other parts of the plant in the processing. The classroom got a little messy (and everyone had to wash their hands after getting in the flours) but it was fun.

After all the ingredients were measured, Mrs. Plummer's class walked the ingredients down to the kitchen, where they were cooked. 20 minutes later, the stovetop, blueberry filled oatmeal and the oven-baked apple oatmeal, (which Mrs. Dittmann had prepared earlier) were ushered back to both classrooms. Luckily, many parent volunteers were on hand to make everything go smoothly, and they began dishing and passing out the samples.

Most people tried the oats (even some older students who were visiting the classroom!), and many comments were heard. Some people didn't want to try the oats, but when they heard that they were going to need to vote on the winning recipe for the school-wide taste test, they decided to sample the two oat recipes. There was lots of excitement- many students wanted seconds, and said it was delicious! Some thought the baked oatmeal tasted almost like rice- it had a similar texture- and others could smell the cinnamon in the oat recipes, and noticed that familiar smell. Then it was time to vote. Both classroom results were neck and neck, with the baked oatmeal with apples nudging out the stovetop oats with blueberries by a hair. So, now the whole school will sample the results on Wednesday, April 1st, as our healthy, school-wide snack. Thanks to Mrs. Morin's class, Mrs. Plummer's class, and all the parent volunteers (Debbie Harper, Renee Melvin, Laney LaRochelle, Vicky Hennin, and Stephanie McElman) for being such excellent taste testers!

Knife Skills 101

On Thursday, February 12th, guest chef Tim Andrews of Henry and Marty visited the Chefs of Woolwich to demonstrate and teach professional knife skills.

He began by introducing us to various knives, from a butcher knife, to zesters (they are considered knives!), to bread knives and paring knives. Then, Tim showed us the difference between dicing, zesting, chopping, julienning and mincing. Armed with new skills (and hands on help) we began to prepare a vegetable stir fry.

The stir fry featured local shitake mushrooms, local carrots, peppers, and onions, as well as broccoli and zucchini. We cooked our veggies on high heat, then Tim added a sauce that he prepared ahead of time, and we enjoyed the snack over white sushi rice.

Tim is an excellent teacher, and we all left eager to continue practicing our knife skills. Homemade fresh pasta is one of his fortes- check it out at Henry and Marty, or learn to make it yourself in a cooking class Tim is hosting at Now You're Cooking. Thank you Tim and Aaron of Henry and Marty!

"I love that squash stuff- it's my new favorite snack!"

This is one of my favorite student quotes from our recent school-wide snack and taste test. Parents Susan Dyer and Michele Rhines, alongside volunteer Karen Kleinkopf, chopped up almost 70 pounds of butternut squash and 35 pounds of parsnips. (see them chopping below) Then, they handed them off to classroom representatives to distribute to the classrooms throughout the school.

Though their wrists and hands were a little sore, all pain was forgotten when the student comments began to pour in. One student said, "I never thought I would like vegetables as much as I do!" Others said the snack was "awesome," and many middle schoolers delighted when the leftovers were put on the salad bar.

Here's to many more taste tests! Don't forget- the recipe is posted in the previous post if you would like to make the vegetables at home.

The Results Are In...

This past Friday Mrs. Keefe's 3rd grade class also sampled roasted butternut squash and parnips from Goranson's Farm in Dresden. Many asked for seconds, (and thirds!) and the results were clear- the roasted vegetables tossed lightly with olive oil and sprinkled with salt were the class favorite. Many thanks to Mrs. Keefe's and Mrs. Pols's classes for sampling the veggies and determining the winning topping. We'll celebrate the results by sampling roasted butternut squash and parsnips as a school on Tuesday.

Here's a recap of our recent taste test in Mrs. Keefe's classroom:

We had some excellent choppers. (including Mrs. Rhines, a parent volunteer, and Karen Kleinkopf, of FARMS)

After all that chopping, we took a break and sampled a raw piece of squash and parsnip. We were pleasantly suprised with the taste, especially of the raw parsnip. Many found it similar to carrot, and admired the sweet smell. All of the students were eager to try the raw veggies- kudos to them for their adventurous spirit!

Then, we tossed the vegetables with olive oil...

divided them onto pans, and topped them with maple syrup, honey, or a dash of salt.

While they were roasting, Karen told us about Goranson Farm, and how the vegetables were grown.

Then Mrs. Keefe tied the taste test to what we had been learning in health class- nutrients, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, and other elements of food. We brainstormed what might be in the vegetables, then examined the actual nutritional information. We were suprised at all the vitamin C in butternut squash, and amazed that according to our information, it didn't have fiber. Parsnips had plenty of fiber, and a suprising amount of B6.

Finally- the veggies were done! We sampled the 3 batches, and even had seconds. Everyone tried it- and many of us loved it!

Try it at home...

Roasted Butternut Squash and Parsnips

Ingredients:

- butternut squash

- parsnips

-olive oil

- salt, or honey, or maple syrup (or try all 3!)

Peel the squash if desired, and chop all vegetables. (The smaller the chop, the faster it cooks, we used about a 1/2 inch chop size) Toss all the vegetables with some olive oil, enough to coat.

Spread the vegetables on a baking sheet. Sprinkle some salt, or drizzle maple syrup or honey over the top. Roast at 425 for about 20-40 minutes, depending on the size of your chopped vegetables.

Enjoy!

Pass the parsnips!

Check out the Times Record article about our first taste test of the year:
http://www.timesrecord.com/website/main.nsf/news.nsf/0/F16F85C73B8F1BD28525755200742827?Opendocument

Our first classroom taste test of 2009!

On Friday, January 30th, Mrs. Pols's second graders sampled delicious roasted butternut squash and parsnips. We purchased the vegetables from Goranson's Farm with money from our Flannel Shirt Fund grant. First, they chopped up the veggies in the morning.



























Then, they fed the scraps to their classroom worms.




























We stored the vegetables in the kitchen refrigerator, until it was time for our guests to arrive and the taste tests to begin. Karen Kleinkopf of FARMS carries the vegetables back to the classroom to be mixed with their roasting toppings.




We divided the vegetables into 3 pans, then topped them each with a different flavor. One pan's vegetables were coated in olive oil and a dash of salt, another had a drizzle of Goranson's maple syrup, and a third had a splash of honey sprinkled on the top.




While the veggies roasted in the oven, the second graders interviewed Jan Goranson about her life as a farmer.

They asked many questions, from what she feeds her animals, to how she takes care of the entire farm, to the size of her farm. The young authors will be compiling the interview results into a book about what it's like to be a farmer.

After about 20 minutes, our vegetables were finished roasting. We tasted butternut squash and parsnips, and were overall delighted at the results. Haiden Dunning even proclaimed himself a "parsnips guy!" The classroom voted for olive oil and salt as the favorite topping. Stay tuned for next week to find out the results of the next taste test in Mrs. Keefe's classroom.

Just in...Family Activity Night Recipes

The Edible Schoolyard has granted us permission to post the recipes from our recent FAN night. Please make and enjoy these at home!



Winter Vegetable Soup
Serves 8- Adapted from edibleschoolyard.org

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 leeks- thinly sliced white stalk, save green tops for stock
3 carrots- peeled and chopped, save skins for stock
3 ribs celery- chopped, save ends for stock
6 cups of winter vegetables, peeled if desired, and cubed (possibilities include turnip, squash, pumpkin, rutabaga)
5 sprigs of thyme
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons of parsley, minced
1 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes- don’t drain, add the whole can to the soup
¾ cup bulgur wheat (bring to a boil with 1 cup of water, then simmer about 10 minutes until water is absorbed, then add to the soup when called for)
4 cups vegetable stock, homemade or store bought
1 bunch of chard or other greens if available

Heat oil in a large soup pot and sauté leeks, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes. Add mixed winter vegetables, thyme, garlic, and parsley. Saute briefly for about 1-2 minutes, then vegetable stock and simmer until the winter vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Add bulgur and tomatoes (and greens, if available) and simmer another 10 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!


Potato and Chive Biscuits
Makes about 12- from edibleschoolyard.org

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup chilled butter
¾ cup buttermilk
1 cup mashed potatoes
¼-1/2 cup of chopped chives

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until there are no more large lumps. In another bowl combine the mashed potatoes, buttermilk, and chives. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and pat or roll to ½ inch thickness. Cut biscuits out with round cutter or a glass dipped in flour. Bake at 450 for about 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

Family Activity Night- the Soups On!

Wednesday, 1/21/09 was our first Family Activity Night at Woolwich. There were activities of all kinds, from chess, to snowshoeing, Wii, Dance Dance Revolution, step aerobics, health Jeopardy, cooking, and more.

In the cooking class chefs of all ages came together to prepare Winter Vegetable Soup and Potato Chive Biscuits for the 125+ community members in attendance. We had a fabulous time, made some good food in the process, and got lots of positive reviews. Check out the pictures below.

The chefs and diners were excited because the organic vegetables were grown locally by Goranson's Farm.

At first the piles of veggies seemed daunting...

So we just dug right in...

and chopped...

and chopped...

and rolled...

until we had biscuits and soup for 125!

The community seemed happy...

and the night was a success!

Preparations for FAN night

This Wednesday we are hosting Family Activity Night (FAN) at school. We have numerous activities planned, including but not limited to: volleyball, wii, step aerobics, chess, health jeopardy, and cooking. The cooking class will be making a snack of winter vegetable soup and potato chive biscuits for all the attendees to enjoy at the conclusion of our evening. Today I will test drive the recipes, courtesy of Edible Schoolyard, in preparation for Wednesday's class.

We have purchased the vegetables from Goranson Farm. Jan Goranson (on the right) and Julia Reid (left) are pictured at the Bath Farmers Market selling their vegetables and maple syrup.

Tips for Farm to School Purchasing
1. Be aware of what is in season when choosing your recipes. Ask the farmers what they have available, visit a farmers market, or check your local co-op or natural foods market to determine what is seasonal. Then, choose your recipes accordingly.
2. Start early. If you can plan ahead, then you can allow plenty of time for communication. Farmers are busy people, and may not be readily available by phone.
3. Be organized. Have a checklist ready of the vegetables or products you are looking for, as well as approximate amounts. Be prepared to share this information quickly and succinctly.
4. Try the recipe in your own home first for increased flexibility. This way, you will have a sense of what ingredients are key, and what can be swapped depending on availability. That way, if the soup recipe calls for leeks and the farm doesn't have leeks, but does have onions, you'll know if you can change the recipe. (or find a new one)
5. Share the transportation. At our school we are lucky enough to have a principal who drives right by Goranson's farm during his morning commute. He kindly offered to pick up the vegetables, saving the Goranson's a car trip.