Last Sunday, as YUM’s assistant, I made the rounds of the Pittsburgh local food events. My first stop was at the Tomato and Garlic Festival at Phipps. There was a good sized crowd there early in the day. A bunch of environmental and gardening organizations had tables at the event and there was a small farmers’ market.
Enon Valley Garlic had a whole table filled with different garlic varieties all grown locally. I bought one of the spiciest ones. Two ladies were also giving out samples of roasted garlic on crackers…that’s always the start of a good day in my book.
A chef drew a large crowd for a cooking demonstration under a tent by the outdoor gardens. The aroma of Garlic wafted every way you turned.
The second stop on my food tour was at Rachel Carson’s Sustainable Feast on the 9th St. Bridge, also known as the Rachel Carson Bridge. All the proceeds benefited the Rachel Carson Homestead Association and their work.
The bridge was dotted with tents showcasing the work of environmental organizations as well as area restaurants that use local products in their recipes.
I zeroed in on the restaurants and what they were providing as samples…for professional purposes of course. Slow Food Pittsburgh was there with an amazing Tomato Jam…wow…I didn’t think I could fall any further in love with tomatoes…but this did the trick. It had honey and even cinnamon in it…and they were handing out the recipe.
There were long lines for the restaurants, some of which were Eleven, Six Penn Kitchen, Seviche, Bella Sera, the Enrico Biscotti Company, Dozen Bakeshop, and the big Burrito Restaurant Group. The East End Brewing Company was even there with a couple beers on tap, including their Blueberry Ale.
Chatham University was there as well showcasing their MA in Food Studies that launches this fall. They were offering samples of a delicious cobbler.
Another great feature of the day was their effort to reduce the waste from the event that went into the landfill. They hired Zero Waste Pittsburgh, a project of the Pennsylvania Resources Council, to have people at stations aiding attendees in composting and recycling as much of their waste as possible.
It was fun to wander along the bridge and run into lots of friends and aquaintances from the envrionmental and local food community. The turnout was huge, especially at the beginning of the event.
I think these events highlight the fact that the winds of change are strong in Pittsburgh and they’re shifting in the direction of locally and regionally grown foods. It sure is a delicious way to enjoy the season!
On a lovely Wednesday afternoon when the weather was feeling just slightly cooler – and a tinge of fall was in the air – I pulled into the parking lot across from the Phipps Conservatory. I immediately noticed the market had slightly grown…by one vendor, but still, it had grown. There was a comforting feeling of seeing the familiar faces and being greeted with smiles of recognition.
The man from Friendship Farms, whom I had met at the Bloomfield market a couple weeks ago, waved me over and encouraged me to take pictures of the table set up with a table cloth and nice display. At the other market he had been rushed. Here are some pictures of the usual set up.
This time I got to taste some of their St. Benedict bread. I broke down and bought a loaf. It’s good and hearty. They also have vegetable bread that he told me is good simply plain with a little butter or olive oil. Mmmm…
Over at the Son Shine Farm tables there was a whole new table dedicated to handmade wool hats and mittens. It confirmed my suspicion that temperatures are falling. She had cute hats for babies through adults. Then of course there was their main product, their grass-fed meats. On this day I purchased ½ a chicken for $8.50, which I thought was very reasonable. As we got talking she told me about how her chickens run all over the place, but it was easy to lure them into the place where…well, you know… I just won’t think too much about that when I cook it.
Café Phipps also had a table with some fresh-squeezed lemonade. It looked really good, but I needed to stick to my budget.
So many people were there, and I was happy to see the market busy with customers. On the other side of the market was Clarion River Organics with a whole range of new offerings since I visited here last. It’s so fun to see the seasonal changes in produce.
They had beautiful tomatoes, edamame, patty pan squash, honey dew melons and watermelons. If you’re looking for some local, organic potatoes they have those too. The vendors were the same couple I met last time, but the woman has had her baby since I was there in June. It’s fun to see how life rolls along. Back in June she had garlic scape pesto available, but now she was selling her basil pesto.
Blackberry Meadows Farm was also there with their usual selection of beautiful produce. They had lovely potatoes, beets, tomatoes and lots of greens. Their picturesque farm is in Natrona Heights, PA and is certified organic.
The last stand I visited was the one that I noticed wasn’t there the last time I visited, the Mott Family Farm.
Maybe they had simply been away that week in June. In any case they were busily helping customers this day. I really enjoy their rustic display of vegetables. It gives you the feeling of actually visiting the farm.
They had some stunning tomatoes, little fingerling potatoes and many varieties of hot peppers. My idea of a perfect summer meal must contain eggplant in some form. I’ve been experimenting lately with an all eggplant cookbook. A few weeks ago I made a Thai Eggplant Salad. It was fabulous, so I definitely needed to replenish my supply while at the market. I would highly recommend taking advantage of the delicious fresh, local eggplant while it’s in season. It’s so versatile and has a wonderful flavor simply roasted with some olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Enjoy those last tastes of summer…fall is peeking around the corner.
Come spend a Sunday afternoon enjoying delicious sustainably grown food and a beautiful view of Pittsburgh to boot! This Sunday, August 29th, on the Rachel Carson (9th St.) Bridge the Rachel Carson Homestead Association is hosting their 4th annual sustainable feast! The event takes place from 12:00 pm-5:00 pm and costs $10 per person. Children 5 and under get in free! Come whenever you can.
Many varied organizations will be tabling on environmentally-related issues and much of the food being cooked up by local chefs will come from local producers. Click here for more information.
Yum’s sidekick here again, bringing it back to the East End. Last Thursday I enjoyed a stroll over to the farmers’ market in Bloomfield. It’s by Friendship Park in the parking lot of the Immaculate Conception School at Cedarville Street & Friendship Avenue. It runs from 3:30-7:30 on Thursdays. On my way there the sky got progressively darker, but I was convinced it wasn’t going to rain.
I got to the market right when it was opening and was already filling up with customers.
In their usual spot was King’s Farm with plentiful produce and a steady stream of customers.
As I walked along, some tasty-looking philo-spinach delights caught my eye. There were two gentlemen there representing Pita Land, which has a location at 620 Brookline Boulevard.
They sell Middle Eastern and Greek foods. One of the vendors kindly offered me a taste of falafel. It was so delicious! I have plans to by some next time I plan a Middle Eastern meal. He also gave me a taste of meat he sliced off the rotisserie. I’m not usually a big red meat eater, but I couldn’t refuse the hospitality, and I’m glad I didn’t. It was so well-seasoned and flavorful that I was grateful to have been able to try some.
As I was standing there it had begun to sprinkle and fat rain drops were landing on my notebook, when suddenly it poured. Thankfully I had made friends with these men and they invited me to stand under their tent until the rain passed. I learned that the man who had been serving me was from Lebanon. We talked for a few minutes until it cleared up as quickly as it had started. The rain left behind clear blue skies and what felt like 10° higher temperatures.
Next on my tour was Paul’s Orchards out of Burgettstown, PA. The rain had left behind its calling card, still visible on the surface of the fruit. I’ve been enjoying their plums all summer. They give out generous samples of their peaches and plums. All their fruit is juicy and delicious. Their apples and pears were picture perfect.
After buying a stockpile of fruit for the rest of the week and for a potluck dessert I needed to make, I stepped over to the McElhinny Farm stand. They are located in Evans City, PA and were doing a good business with their sweet corn that day. I spoke with the woman there and she explained they had butter and sugar corn, which were yellow and white, respectively. She told me they have different varieties according to the season, so they will have corn available into the fall.
A few vendors over, I was tempted by La Scola’s Italian Ice. This would be a nice summer treat. The vendor told me that you can also find them in the Strip District and at the South Side, North Side and East Liberty Farmers’ Markets.
Directly to the right was a gentleman in an American flag T-shirt behind a vibrant display of zinnias and gladiolas. I asked him if there was a name for his business that I could list, and he asked me if I thought he looked like a business man. I laughed and told him, “Well, not really.” He laughed. Here are some of the gorgeous flowers he had for sale.
Then I walked over to the Bluebird Farm booth, the same one that’s at the East Liberty market on Mondays. I took notice of some beautiful light green-colored beans with pink spots. They were called Cranberry beans and looked too pretty to eat. The farmer, Mic, opened a bean pod for me so I could see the jelly bean-like beans inside. They are shelling beans. Here they are, so you believe me.
Across the way was Gosia’s Pierogies that I first discovered at the South Side market.
At the very end of the market was the Old Tyme Kettle Korn tent with the enticing smell of kettle corn and signs for lemonade and strawberry lemonade. Mmm…it sounded great to me, and the kids that came up were equally as excited.
On my way back through the market I passed by the largest vendor there, Jodikinos Farms and Greenhouses out of Clinton, PA. Any time you visit you can hear the voice of the man at this booth resounding throughout the market. They have a huge variety of produce and buckets full of flowers. Judging by their long line of customers, they were doing a booming business.
The last vendor I visited was Friendship Farms. The gentleman from this farm made the disclaimer that usually they have table cloths and a nice display, but this particular day he had been rushed and then it rained. I honestly still thought it looked great and their products looked as good as always. They had beautiful breads, scones, jams, granola and all-natural, hormone-free beef.
On my way out of the market I ran into a colleague from Penn State Extension. She was as impressed by the market as I was and had purchased some produce for her cooking demonstrations that took place at the Allegheny Green and Innovation Festival at Hartwood Acres last Saturday.
Penn State Extension has developed a new online resource related to starting and managing farms and various farm-related enterprises in PA. This site serves as a wonderful one-stop source of much information and provides links between agricultural entrepreneurship resources and agricultural sciences.
I was looking forward to this all week…when I got to wake up early on a Saturday morning and venture down to one of my favorite places in the Strip…Farmers at the Firehouse. It’s located at 2216 Penn Avenue. I got there a little before they opened at 9:00, but there were already customers milling about, eying their first purchases. Recently this market was voted the Best Farmers’ Market in Pittsburgh in the contest in Edible Allegheny magazine.
I can easily see why. It has all the essentials. It’s an organic and certified naturally grown market with stringent rules for participation. If any products are conventionally grown they are labeled as such.
When you enter the market from the left you’re greeted by beautiful $8.00 bouquets of flowers from the height of summer. They are grown by Goose Creek Gardens, which also sells produce and lots of fresh herbs. Next down the line is Next Life Farm out of Homer City, PA and owned by Ken and Beth Marshall. They were very friendly and had the biggest assortment of tomatoes I’d seen this season. I was so close to buying one of their very affordable bags of cherry tomatoes, or an intriguing lemon cucumber. I decided to make the rounds first.
My next stop was at the Blackberry Meadows Farm table, which is a farm and CSA run by Jen Montgomery and Greg Boulos.
They always have a beautiful assortment of greens available, herbs and bunches of great, certified organic produce. They had quail eggs and blueberries. I bought a bag of delicious baby chard for $2.oo. It’s so good sauteed with onions.
Then I came upon a booth I hadn’t seen before and one that made my mouth water for pancakes. It was Hillegas Sugar Camp. I introduced myself to two amiable guys, Brandon and Kyle, who proudly showed off their products; Pennsylvania Maple Syrup, maple candies and maple sugar. It sounded so good and gave me an idea for zucchini bread with maple sugar…mmm. They’ve been making maple syrup for about fifteen years now, but that was when they said they were using a big copper kettle. In the past few years they have upgraded and have been producing more for commercial use…great news for us!
I walked to the next booth and was greeted by a woman named Karen, who was all smiles. She was accompanied by her two sons who were helping her out with sales. They were part of the family of Heilman’s Hog Wash Farms: Premium Pastured Pork from Sarver, PA. As soon as I introduced myself as a representative of Penn State Extension she beamed, “My husband, Dave, and I are both Penn State Grads.”
As I stood there a couple came up inquiring after a pork liver. They were in luck she had one left in the cooler. The woman purchasing it insisted there was a delicious way of preparing it that she had in Italy. However, after my last experience with beef liver I wasn’t convinced. The next man that came up asked for a shoulder and then specifically asked if there were any organ meats left. Again, it was his lucky day. She had two hearts to sell him. Their stuff must be good!
I continued my tour and met three young men, two of which are brothers, who recently started the Crested Duck Charcuterie. A charcuterie is a French word for an artisanal meat market. They use locally sourced meats to make patés, sausages, bacon and so much more! This will be a must visit for those who love specialty meats. They will be a vendor at the Pittsburgh Public Market when it opens in the Strip District over Labor Day weekend. One of the founders, Kevin Costa, told me, “Penn State Extension’s Ag Map was incredibly useful in starting my business. It would have been much harder to start the business without it.”
Backtracking a little bit I visited with David Chirico from West Liberty Farm. He was selling his pastured chicken and he showed me pictures of the “houses” that get moved around the pasture for the chickens to feed.
After seriously considering buying some chicken, I wandered back over to the Paradise Gardens and Farm table. The woman there was cheerful and had lots of samples out. She had goat cheese, goat milk and goat yogurt available as well as cartons of eggs. They were the first organic goat dairy established in Northwest Pennsylvania and their operation is 100% solar powered!
As I stood there a family approached the table and a little boy exclaimed, “I like the goat milk!” I had to agree with him.
Walking down the center of the market I started at the Mott Family Farm booth. They’re a certified naturally grown farm that I have enjoyed all summer. Shelley and Jeff, the owners, were there with their two sons. It was so nice to see several farm families at the market. They still had rhubarb, which I haven’t been able to resist every time I’ve come to this market. It has never disappointed. They have a beautiful selection of tomatoes, rare varieties of potatoes and some of the best peaches I’ve ever had. I had big plans for peach cobbler, but chances were they wouldn’t make it long enough to be made into a cobbler…they’re just too good. While I stood there a gentleman who had come to the market just to buy one of their peaches picked one out of the basket. It made me smile. When the stream of customers slowed down a little I had a great chat with Jeff about family farm policy.
The next booth was the Wild Alaskan Salmon Company. They had other kinds of fish available as well, but I resisted the temptation to stop and talk because I remembered the salmon sitting patiently in my freezer.
The next person in line was the Allegheny Mountain Mushroom Man. By the long line waiting to talk to him, it looked like he had a devoted following. Recently he found a new spot for chanterelles, as he had a big box full of the divine yellow mushrooms. He also forages for porcini mushrooms. He grows the oyster mushrooms and also had shitakes, ports and criminis available. Any of them would be sure to add some great flavor and flare to a summer grill-out.
Next to him were tables full of the stunning breads from Mediterra Bakehouse. A few weeks ago I bought some of their bread and it was absolutely delicious.
In the front center isle, where a cooking demo is often set up, was Burgh Bees, our local urban beekeeping association. They had a demonstration hive set up with glass windows for easy viewing of the bees.
There were also samples of different varieties of honey, some infused with spices, and a demonstration of honey infused yogurt with blackberries. Delish! There were even a couple local beekeepers there, ready to answer any questions people had about bees and honey. It was a great, educational and lively addition to the market.
On the right side as you enter the market you will see one of the founding members of the market, Pucker Brush Farm from Shelocta, PA. Often they have handspun yarns available and today there was a wide variety of produce available. They even had one of my all-time favorite fruits, and rare in these parts…figs!
To their left was Najat’s cuisine with their usual, lovely spread of Lebanese foods.
Next door was the delightful woman from “The Farmer’s Wife” farm, and she was even wearing the cute apron to prove it. We had a great chat and I bought some eggs and sweet corn for a cook-out I was going to later that day. Since I’m a novice griller she told me to soak the ears in salt water for at least 30 minutes so the corn doesn’t dry out on the grill. She also had a large variety of Soap Alchemy soaps available. I was curious, so she gave me a little crash course in soap-making. It was very interesting and she was obviously passionate about it, so I left there with a bar of Shea butter soap. She said you can even use it as shampoo with an occasional switch-up with regular shampoo.
Before I left I made sure to speak with the Market Manager, Jenalee Schenk, who was very helpful. They are open from 9:00-1:00 from Mother’s Day weekend through the weekend before Thanksgiving. She also reminded me of their new status as Pittsburgh’s Best Farmers’ Market of 2010. The market was packed, so she must be doing a good job, along with all the wonderful vendors.
While I still had some money in my wallet I had to tear myself away. I highly recommend going down there as a first stop on a Saturday stroll through the Strip District. Oh, and the grilled sweet corn turned out great! I was quite proud, and of course thankful for the tip from the farmer. I’ll be returning some Saturday soon.
From July 23-25 Yum and her sidekick attended the Pittsburgh Blues Festival at Hartwood Acres in partnership with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and the Student Conservation Association (SCA).
With this event we wanted to introduce people to extension and the regional food infrastructure work we do. One of our goals was to explain the benefits of eating locally grown foods as well as where and how to find local products.
Over the three days approximately two hundred people came by our table. There were several thousand attendees of the festival, but not everyone walked through the “Green Tent.”
The SCA organized an exposition of area environmental organizations to demonstrate sustainability projects in Western Pennsylvania. There were many different organizations represented under the Green Tent and we were there to promote eating locally grown foods. We organized a small farmers’ market as part of the effort to ‘green’ the festival. The vendors that came were Frankferd Farms, The Purple Spoon, Mary Mac Bakehouse and Pittsburgh Sports Sauce.
YUM’s intern did a cooking demo and tasting in conjunction with the farmers’ market. She made Tomato Bruschetta with locally sourced ingredients. The garlic was from Blue Bird Farm in Cadiz, Ohio and the tomatoes were from Blue Goose Farm out of Nicktown, Pennsylvania. The basil was picked from the North Park Demonstration Garden tended by Penn State Extension Master Gardeners. It all combined to make a delicious summer appetizer. Some of the other greening efforts of the festival were to compost and recycle as much of the festival waste as possible, including some compostable utensils and plates from vendors. Some of the waste cooking oil was even collected and used to make biodiesel.
Many new people learned about programs from Penn State Extension of Allegheny County and how to find locally produced foods. They also learned about opportunities with 4-H, Master Gardeners, and the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council.
Braddock Farms is hosting a cooking demonstration with
Food & Water Watch’s Chef Rocky Barnette
2:30 to 4:00 PM
1129 Braddock Avenue | Braddock, PA 15104
Meet up with Food & Water Watch and other local
activists at the Quiet Storm Café
5:00 to 7:00 PM
5430 Penn Avenue | Pittsburgh, PA 15206
The organization Food & Water Watch was founded in 2005 with the mission of protecting our planet’s essential resources. Food & Water Watch works to ensure the food, water and fish we consume is safe, accessible and sustainably produced. Their organization understands the importance of sustainable food systems and local agriculture, thereby they consistently support small farmers. Food and Water Watch is calling for a revision of the Farm Bill in Congress in 2012 that will include measures to protect these farmers against the lack of competition caused by big agribusiness. Their Farm Bill campaign is just getting launched, so while organizers in their office are calling groups around the country to get their support, the Education and Outreach team is planning a road trip through America’s heartland to reach out directly to the people most affected by these issues. They will be accompanied by celebrity chef and foodie activist Rocky Barnette who, as the face of their road trip, will be visiting farms, county fairs, farmers’ markets, and more to educate people on our campaign. They are also going to be collecting petition signatures at these events that they then plan to drop off at the respective Senators’ offices before they leave each state.
The organization is hoping to get the Braddock Youth Project to come out for a youth-oriented chef demonstration to teach young people the importance of local food, fresh produce, sustainability in our food systems, and more. Chef Rocky loves kids and is a really dynamic speaker. He is really excited for the chance to show them easy ways to cook with fresh produce, and to talk about how this issue effects them more than they may know (for example, the Farm Bill determines public school food policy).
After the cooking demonstration, people will be invited to sample the food prepared that day and explore Braddock Farms.
· Children’s attractions including the giant tube slides, Moonbounce obstacle course, playground and farm animals.
The farm bakery will feature peach muffins, peach breads and peach pies, along with other homemade treats. Featured fudge flavors that day will include peach and peach-pecan.
Come on out and enjoy a delicious day on the farm!
For directions or more information, see our website at www.triplebfarms.com or call Carolyn or Suzanne Beinlich at 724-258-3557.
yumpittsburgh is part of a Penn State project which strives to strengthen the local food infrastructure in Western Pa by connecting the supply and demand sides of our foodshed. This site will highlight timely info for and about farmers, food, events and resources in our community. Yum is coordinated by Heather Mikulas, Program Associate, Community Based Agriculture, Penn State Extension, Allegheny County. Email Heather at hem12@psu.edu.
Visit the 'about' page to learn more.
Follow yum @ http://twitter.com/yumpittsburgh
Son Shine Farm
Next down the line is 
I introduced myself to two amiable guys, Brandon and Kyle, who proudly showed off their products; Pennsylvania Maple Syrup, maple candies and maple sugar. It sounded so good and gave me an idea for zucchini bread with maple sugar…mmm. They’ve been making maple syrup for about fifteen years now, but that was when they said they were using a big copper kettle. In the past few years they have upgraded and have been producing more for commercial use…great news for us!
The next man that came up asked for a shoulder and then specifically asked if there were any organ meats left. Again, it was his lucky day. She had two hearts to sell him. Their stuff must be good!
I continued my tour and met three young men, two of which are brothers, who recently started the 
They use locally sourced meats to make patés, sausages, bacon and so much more! This will be a must visit for those who love specialty meats. They will be a vendor at the Pittsburgh Public Market when it opens in the Strip District over Labor Day weekend. One of the founders, Kevin Costa, told me, “
Walking down the center of the market I started at the 
Shelley and Jeff, the owners, were there with their two sons. It was so nice to see several farm families at the market. They still had rhubarb, which I haven’t been able to resist every time I’ve come to this market. It has never disappointed. They have a beautiful selection of tomatoes, rare varieties of potatoes and some of the best peaches I’ve ever had. I had big plans for peach cobbler, but chances were they wouldn’t make it long enough to be made into a cobbler…they’re just too good. While I stood there a gentleman who had come to the market just to buy one of their peaches picked one out of the basket. It made me smile. 
When the stream of customers slowed down a little I had a great chat with Jeff about family farm policy.
He also forages for porcini mushrooms. He grows the oyster mushrooms and also had shitakes, ports and criminis available. Any of them would be sure to add some great flavor and flare to a summer grill-out.
Some of the other greening efforts of the festival were to compost and recycle as much of the festival waste as possible, including some compostable utensils and plates from vendors. Some of the waste cooking oil was even collected and used to make biodiesel. 