No matter where you live — even in a cold, four-season climate — you can eat healthy, local foods that are home-cooked and don’t cost a lot of money. That’s the message of a new book called Farmstead Chef, coauthored by Lisa Kivirist and John D. Ivanko — who are the proprietors of the renowned, eco-friendly Inn Serendipity Bed & Breakfast in Green County, Wisconsin.
Seasonal Wisdom sat down recently with the authors to learn more about this cookbook and their inspired tribute to local foods. Here’s your chance to get a delicious book recipe for Applicious Pancakes, and enter to win a copy of Farmstead Chef. But hurry! This random drawing ends at midnight on Nov. 9, 2012. All photos copyright John D. Ivanko/farmsteadchef.com.
Congratulations to Shannon of Washington State for winning this book!
Farmstead Chef (New Society Publishers) features mouth-watering and budget-friendly recipes for everything from breakfasts to desserts. But this book is more than just a cookbook. It’s more a love letter to local foods, sustainable lifestyles, community spirit and family farmers.
As co-author Lisa Kivirist explains, Farmstead Chef was written to help us all connect “directly with our food source, whether that be our own home gardens or from local farmers, beekeepers, butchers, bakers or artisan cheesemakers.”
You don’t need a lot of expensive or complicated cooking skills to concoct these culinary dishes.
“We all can become Farmstead Chefs,” explains Kivirist, “by getting back in our home kitchens — whether we live in rural, suburban or urban areas — and reclaiming independence and self-reliance by championing the homemade and homegrown.”
In this book, the authors describe how they ditched the corporate life of Chicago in their twenties, and ran off to buy an old farmhouse in Wisconsin. Eventually they opened Inn Serendipity, which Natural Home magazine later called one of the “top 10 eco-destinations in North America.”
The picturesque inn is completely operated on renewable energy, including the 10 kW Bergey wind turbine, which powers the farmstead.
Local Food Visionaries
Community plays an important role at Inn Serendipity. So, it’s not surprising the authors spend much of the book profiling other leaders in the sustainable agriculture and local foods movement.
The Kitchen Table Talks include interviews with such visionaries as grassroots organizer Roger Doiron, who founded Kitchen Gardeners International, and renowned Victory Garden historian Rose Hayden Smith.
“These Kitchen Table Talks serve to inspire and remind us that there are many roles we can individually play in transforming what’s on our plate,” explains Kivirist. “They showcase both the American melting pot of culinary influences and our growing taste for cuisine inspired by other cultures or commonly found in other countries.”
Getting Back to a Real Kitchen
Comfort foods and grandmother-approved foods feature prominently in the book’s recipes, and the authors don’t shy away from ingredients like sugar and butter. Many recipes — such as Roasted Asparagus in Balsamic Vinegar — are fast and simple to make. They include only a few ingredients and focus on showcasing the real flavors of the foods.
“Farmstead Chef is about getting back to a real kitchen,” says Kivirist, who sits above with her son Liam. “We mean real ingredients made as nature intended, ideally by a local farmer or food artisan. We also operate under the ‘everything in moderation’ theory with our recipes. Many feature tasty fruits and vegetables, ideally that you harvest yourself, and don’t need much if any sugar, butter or cream to bring out the flavor.”
Here’s a breakfast recipe that highlights the crisp taste of autumn apples:
Farmstead Chef’s Applicious Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 cups apples, peeled and finely chopped (about 6 large apples)
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Directions:
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat eggs and add milk and oil.
- Gradually stir dry ingredients into egg mixture until a batter forms, thick but still smooth and pourable.
- Fold in apples.
- Heat lightly oiled skillet over medium heat. With a ladle, drop about 1/4 cups of batter for each pancake. Spread batter with back of spoon. Cook about 2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned and starting to bubble on edges.
- Serve with maple syrup and a dusting of powdered sugar.
Yield: 4 servings.
Win a Copy of Farmstead Chef
We’d be delighted if you would follow Seasonal Wisdom and Farmstead Chef on Facebook, but it is NOT a requirement to enter this book giveaway:
How to Enter
It’s easy to enter the Farmstead Chef special book giveaway, valued at $19.99. Just do the following before midnight on November 9, 2012:
1) Leave a comment below and tell us why you think it’s important to celebrate homegrown foods and homemade cooking in the 21st century. Do you like knowing where your food originated? Is it important for you to eat local foods? Are you determined to save family farmers and small local food producers? Or, do you just think home cooked foods taste the best?
Whatever it is, we want to hear your thoughts about why local foods are important to you!
The winner will be chosen at random on Nov. 11, 2012 and contacted within 24 hours. If the proposed winner forfeits or does not claim the prize by Nov. 14, the prize will be re-awarded based on the sponsor’s sole discretion. All prizes will be awarded. Please provide your name and email to enter this contest, so we can contact you promptly if you win. Also, check your spam folder! The winner agrees to allow his/her first name to be mentioned in conjunction with this giveaway.
The number of eligible entries will determine the odds of winning. This giveaway is limited to U.S. residents only, who are over the age of 18 years old. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO WIN. This sweepstakes is VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. By entering this giveaway, you are agreeing to these conditions.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post, and the books were provided at no charge. However, all expressed opinions are my own.
All photos copyright John D. Ivanko/farmsteadchef.com.
Please be sure to enter this giveaway before midnight on Nov. 9, 2012. Good luck everyone! Stay tuned for more exciting Seasonal Wisdom giveaways in upcoming weeks. This giveaway is now over; congratulations to Shannon of Washington State for winning this book!
Learn More
Here’s more information about the authors, Inn Serendipity and their other award-winning books.
{ 63 comments }
Homegrown & homegrown foods are important to me because I prefer to know what is in my food. Plus, it takes better & looks prettier.
Grew up on a small (very very small) farm. Cousins from La Habra, Calif. came to visit. They excitedly brought in a egg and asked if they could take it back home to share at school because is was a “real egg and not one from the store.”
This says it all.
I’ve actually heard people I work with say the opposite – that eggs from neighborhood chickens are NOT “real” eggs – and therefore are not to be trusted – since they don’t come from a store!! It’s sad that people have lost touch with where their food actually comes from.
Karen, Just tell them to crack one “farm” egg and one “store” egg and compare the color of the yolk…
its the difference between pale yellow and bright gold.
Hi Jonquil: I agree that it’s wonderful knowing what exactly we’re eating!
Sandy, That’s a great story. Hard to compare fresh eggs with those in the store.
Good luck to you both, and thanks for entering this random drawing.
?I am a proponent of homegrown and homemade foods because I believe it is the best way to ensure my family gets real, healthy, nutritious foods. I feel it is important for people to learn to be sustainable and not depend on government or big industry to provide their food. I do my best to grow as much as possible and purchase local from farmers markets to supplement. I am on a journey towards havinvg my own farm, providing for others as a ministry in times of need or crisis, and selling at farmers markets. I feel community living will become a necessity in the near future. Would love to win a copy
We are working toward converting our 1 acre property into a permaculture style food forest. We want our children to know and value where their food comes from and to be able to have these skills for their future. Since we realize we can’t do it all ourselves, we also support our local and regional farmers. Fresh, local, lovingly grown food is the best and the PNW is a great place to live for this!
The foods we eat are part of our identity and are influenced by our locale culture and our family. Great reasons to celebrate
I so want this cookbook!
We moved to a rural location in part so we could grow more of our own food, as even the organic store-bought stuff seems to be coming from questionable growing practices (from a social and ecological standpoint) these days. Homegrown and/or local food that has not been sitting in a truck/fridge/shelf for days or weeks has so much more flavor, and seasonal food just makes more sense to us. A lot of the local food we do buy (like corn, which we’ve had no luck growing) may not be certified organic, but when you drive past the place all the time and see the actual growing practices, you get a better sense of how the farmer is treating the land and his employees. Preserving it yourself allows you to control what goes into your frozen veggies or jam. Home cooking is so much better than you can get at most restaurants, honestly, not to mention being healthier. I get a real rush when I cook an entire meal where all the ingredients (except, usually, the salt) originated either on our acreage or within a few miles!
It’s important to know what’s in our ood and where it comes from.
Eating local conserves energy because there is less transporting of food across the country; eating local means fresher food since you’re closer to the source. And eating local honey even helps with your allergies, since you’re getting exposed to the allergans in small doses so you can build up a tolerance to it (immunotherapy). Also it cuts out the middle man, so the farmers get a bit more back in their pocket. It’s a win-win!
I’m a 4 year cancer survivor and having gone thru such a serious health scare and long treatment plan, I know that health is EVERYTHING! I must know what I eat. Our bodies must be nourished with healthy foods! I’ve changed a lot about the way my family and I eat and live.
Local farmers markets are the way to go! I love that the food is fresh, local and pesticide free. As well, I like meeting the people who sell me my food! Love the samples too
Your book sounds amazing!
It is important to teach our children where their food comes from, and how to cook it. We can’t raise a generation of children who only know how to eat from a box.
The flavors of locally grown food are noticeably superior to supermarket purchased foods. However, living in the northeast is challenging in the winter months for fresh produce. I like that the authors are in Wisconsin and am looking forward to some recipes that follow the seasonal harvest in a northern climate.
I’ve been growing what my family eat for buying it local for the past 10 years. We moved to the country and I was able to see first hand from my neighbors what is behind the farming industry as well as the cattle and pork growers. After being able to buy our own meat knowing what it was feed and how it was butchered made it IMPOSSIBLE for me to ever buy meat in a big box store.
I’m off to share this fab giveaway along with your facebook pages with my friends using the #gardenchat and #spicychat hashtag!
GROW ON friends … it is easy and there are plenty of us out there who will help you learn how!
Thanks to everyone who has left a comment. You all are entered into this random drawing, and we love hearing why you prefer local foods. It’s true that fresh foods taste better, and they are healthier than foods that travel more than a thousand miles to reach your store. Good luck everyone, and keep the comments coming…
Homegrown and locally grown foods have opened my eyes, heart and tastebuds. As I wrote in Larrapin Garden Blog ( http://larrapin.us/?page_id=102 ), eating local, organic, in-season supports the kind of world I want to live in. Plus, the taste is beyond compare! Thanks for the contest, the book sounds great and I love this blog. Have added you to my “interest” list on that pesky facebook so I’ll see your posts more often there — keep up the great work!
Thanks, Leigh. I agree with you completely. Appreciated your sharing this great blog post about local foods! Good luck in this drawing. Teresa
I feel that homegrown food and cooking them are the best for my family. You know exactly what you are getting and there aren’t any herbicides/pesticides in it. No GMO’s or any type of chemical in your meat. My family likes to see the fruit of their labor on the table. It is satisfying for them. Its also less fat and so, so much better for you. More people should home grow their own food.
So true, Shannon. Your family sounds lucky to have such good food. Good luck in the drawing.
Know your farmer!
Local food tastes better, saves on transportation costs and the environmental consequences and supports your local economy.
Grow your own or support your local farmers market! You will be more healthy and will support yourcommunity!
I’m really lucky to live in a part of the country that has a continuous growing season. While my visits to the farmer’s market may cost me a bit more than the local supermarket. I feel it’s really important to support my local community and farmers. Plus, I’ve gotten some really great recipes and cooking tips from the folks selling the produce at the farmer’s market.
It’s not only important to me to know where my food comes from but how the livestock is treated and raised. And there’s nothing like a home cooked meal. We also love the idea of supported small, local farmers and artisans over the big food conglomerates.
Hi Jayme, Isabel, Elena, Petie and Shannon: Thanks for entering this random drawing. It’s nice to see so many fans of local foods, and all the support for your local farmers and food artisans. Good luck in this giveaway. Teresa
I love new cookbooks! I’d love to see what sort of recipes this book has that incorporate food grown just outside your front door.
I prefer food that is locally grown (so much better flavor) and prepared by my hands (or friend’s – it’s nice to have a meal made for you once in a while). The quality is so far superior, taste made to match my preference and nutritional value far more (I’m sure of this, though I’ve not actually tested anything) than food I’d get out of the freezer section of the grocery store, or from most restaurants.
Funny I should stumble across this today. I’m anxiously awaiting to hear how Prop 37 comes out in today after all the votes are tallied in California. Talk about a major movement towards putting the knowledge of “what my food is made from” back in the consumer’s hands.
Hi Amy: Welcome to Seasonal Wisdom, and good luck in the drawing. Sending our best wishes to the “Yes on Prop 37” campaign in California. With more than 40+ countries — including Russia and China — all requiring labels on genetically engineered foods. It seems only right that U.S. citizens have this same right to know what’s in their foods. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Teresa
I don’t trust my health to large corporations. Their interests and mine do not overlap! I grow as much of my own food as possible and am working on finding local sources for things I don’t or can’t grow. It isn’t easy, but I think it’s worth it. I can’t control my genes, but I can control what I eat and how I live, and I want to live as healthy and happy and as long as I can. Real food is a big part of my plan.
Donna: Good for you for supporting local foods and home cooking. Thanks for entering this giveaway, and good luck!
In 1992 I picked up a copy of the Permaculture Activist and read an article about Urban Foodsheds and learned that our food travels 1300 miles on average before it is consumed. The article also talked about the CSA movement in Japan and Europe which was nascent in the US then. I started a discussion group called the Foodshed Working Group in Madison, WI and we met monthly and had various farmers, cheese producers, cooperatives, faculty (urban planners, rural sociologists, nutritionists, agronomists, plant pathologists), NGOs and so forth talk about what they do. People went out and studied the local food system such as how food is procured in the UW hospital. We hosted a panel discussion with the Madison schools food procurer and the Wisconsin Fruit and Vegetable Producers and the UW Center for Cooperatives. Eventually I found a farm near Spring Green in 1996 and moved to the Driftless area in 1997. I am now trying to grow more of my own food and walk the talk. In the mean time the local food movement has grown into a national phenomenon and even the USDA my former employer is involved. I was inspired early on by Linda and John and visited their property and took a number of their workshops over the years. I have some of their other books.
Sally: Wow! You sound like a big force in the local food movement, and your work no doubt really helped your community. We’re delighted that you shared your comments, and good luck in the random drawing. Teresa
I love growing my own food since I learned about it from my father as a toddler. We bonded in the garden. We always brought what we grew inside the house and my mother cooked what we harvested. I continue the tradition and share the results on all the social media sites as well as my YouTube garden/food channel.
Cooking what you grow is much more rewarding, and I love my fresh herbs, tropical fruit trees and veggies.
Rob: I love the story of your father teaching you to grow your own food. It’s great that you continue to share your gardening expertise with others. Thanks for entering this random drawing — and for the tweet to share news about the contest. Good luck! Teresa
We grow gardens and cook from scratch with the purest ingredients because it is important to the health of our family, our soil and the planet. But, I try to help others learn how easy (and important) it is to grow and prepare your own food. What we don’t produce ourselves, we try to buy locally when at all possible. We also put up lots of food for future use.
Sounds like you’re doing everything right, Terri. Thanks for spreading the word to others, and good luck in this drawing. Teresa
homegrown food is becoming increasingly important to us all.
The more we can eat local and or grow our own – the less impact we have on an already overtaxed food supply system.
Beyond that – it brings us together in ways that our society has lost touch with! (AND, IT’S FUN!)
That’s all true, Casiopea. I love the idea of a communal dining table with everyone enjoying local foods. Thanks for participating and good luck! Teresa
Growing and canning your own food is a lost art that was once part of the American fabric. It is important to encourage people to participate in these activities for many reasons; one such being healthier eating. Also, when you grow your own food, you know exactly what you’re getting, no genetic engineering here!! Proud to say my husband jars fresh fish he catches from the Pacific Ocean, and he marinates and smokes albacore tuna! Happy growing and fishing!
Sounds delicious, Susie. Thanks for entering and good luck!
Just planted part of the “winter crops” it’s great knowing where your food actually comes from
Harry, Enjoy those winter crops and thanks for entering this random drawing. Teresa
Homegrown foods and meat are important to me because I grew up on a farm/ranch where we raised our own crops and beef/pork/chickens. The taste is so much better and you have the added advantage of knowing exactly what all went into food. Plus the satisfaction of growing and raising it all yourself.
Ilene, How wonderful to grow up raising your own food. It really does taste better! Thanks for entering and good luck! Teresa
Grow it yourself and you know how it was grown, you can harvest right before eating, you can help your children appreciate fruits and vegetables.
Beuna, Thanks for entering this drawing. Good luck! Teresa
Homemade and homegrown food tastes better, is healthier, and benefits the local community. It also makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside when I eat it. I love knowing where my food comes from, and that there are no nasty pesticides or Monsanto chemicals being used. That means a healthier environment for everyone.
Good food makes me feel warm and fuzzy too. Thanks for entering, Judi. Best of luck! Teresa
I want to get back to the basics. Eating home grown is better for our bodies. As a nurse, I see people in the worst physical shape and most of it is due to lack of exercise and diet. Americans have the worst diet. We need to eat better and be a better role model for our kids!!!
You said it, Lisa. Thanks for entering, and good luck. Teresa
I love cooking with homegrown veggies from our garden. And especially want to know where my foods come from. Your cookbook looks great.
Debbie, I really enjoyed reading this cookbook. It really has much more than just recipes. Good luck! Teresa
When I grow and cook my own food, I control what goes into it and know where it came from and what all went into the harvest. Those things are important in today’s environment when you never know if what the grocery store sells is GMO or pesticide laden. Even if you are buying local, you want to make sure you know who the farmers are that grew it and if they use sustainable and organic standards for the crops that they grow.
Wayne
@SubvrsiveHippie
I agree with you, Wayne!
Thanks for stopping by Seasonal Wisdom and good luck in this drawing. Teresa
Yes, home grown and homemade is affordable and healthy. But this year I also got a sense of pride and accomplishment by preserving tomatoes for winter.
Sounds delicious, Patsy Bell Hobson. I bet you’ll enjoy those tomatoes in the dead of winter. Good luck! Teresa
Would love to have this
not only do I love cookbooks but today is my birthday!
Happy birthday, Angie! Thanks for stopping by and good luck in this random drawing. Teresa
Eating homegrown & homemade in Mexico inspires me to do the same here….Colder weather is an issue but my intention is to do as much homemade & homegrown here as I can and support others who wish to do the same!
It’s important to know your food. Know the land it was grown/raised on. I think it makes me much more grateful and aware of this awesome earth we live on when I sit down to meal of vegetables I grew, eggs I gathered that morning. I have been personally involved with my meal.
Eating locally grown foods is important to support the local farmers. And eating your own foods from your garden insure you know what is in/on them.
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
What wonderful, inspiring thoughts and comments from everyone. Our food system — from corporate food to the family kitchen table — will truly change with visions like these. Thanks so much for your support of Farmstead Chef — much appreciate your support and all you do for the good food movement, Teresa!
My pleasure, Lisa. Enjoyed this opportunity to review your cookbook. As you can see,, Seasonal Wisdom readers tend to offer the most well-written and interesting comments about local foods, gardening tips and healthy eating. I’m always pleasantly surprised by what we receive here. All best, Teresa
I like it when folks get together and share ideas. Great blog, continue the
good work!
Comments on this entry are closed.
{ 1 trackback }