(not so) Urban Hennery

First I want to thank everyone that participated in both the first half of the challenge and those that saw it all the way through. You made it possible, you made it happen. You collectively have made a difference. Not just for your own families, but for all the readers that have been checking in over the past 5 months. For all of your friends. For me.

When I put the challenge out there last year I never imagined that I’d get so many bloggers willing to come along with me. And I really never expected that we’d still be going in April.

As I read your wrap up posts, as I got emails from several of you, as I looked back I can’t help being alternately touched and humbled by your thanks and enthusiasm. It’s amazing what being willing to try squash, kale, mustard greens and chard can do for your perspective on food. What talking to farmers and looking for local producers and even growing your own food can mean to your soul.

So thank you, thank you, thank you. At the same time that I’m running full tilt towards spring, I’m sad to see these Dark Days and this small community go. While I’m glad to get my Sunday nights back, I’ll miss having an excuse to check in on so many blogs.

So enjoy your spring and relish your summer. Eat seasonally, eat locally, eat sustainably. And be sure to come back next year for the Second Annual Dark Days Challenge. We’ll start November 15 and wrap-up on March 15. See you then!

*****

The East:

No the peeps on her cake aren’t local, but the ham that went with them for Easter dinner certainly was. While she didn’t end the challenge with the bang that she hoped, Kim certainly did finish off in true Dark Days style. She utilized home frozen veggies, the Easter ham bone and a frozen mirepoix from the summer. She even made homemade pitas to go with - now that’s rising to the challenge all the way to the end. And Kim, thank you too - your enthusiasm and willingness to help were part of what made this so rewarding.

Taking advantage of the snow, Wendy made a lovely local quiche using eggs from her hens. She finished out the challenge by making breakfast with friends. Not only did they have omelets made with home grown eggs, they combined it with blueberry pancakes with Maine maple syrup and bacon from their pig. Finally she topped it all off with homemade bread and cinnamon sugar bread braids.

While also observing Earth Hour, The Purloined Letter enjoyed meatloaf, garden greens from their own backyard and baked potatoes from the farmer’s market. The greens included chard, kale and dandelion. Not only was everything local, but they enjoyed by candlelight and then sereraded themselves with their recorders before calling it a night.

Danielle has started to dig into the all the special treats that she’s hoarded all winter. Dinners the last two weeks included roast chicken done two ways, three cheese pasta with basil and the season’s first fresh salad. Way to finish out in style Danielle.

 

Sophie started off the week with a couple of accidental local meals including burgers and leftover ribeyes with sliced potatoes. She’s finding that over time she doesn’t plan as deliberately to be sure that local ingredients are included in just about every meal or snack. She finished out the challenge with pork chops smothered with sauteed onion and mango chutney. It was partnered with sauteed spinach and local red wine.

I continue to be in awe of the meals that Ed puts on - he’s my kind of cook and I truly aspire to his standards. He wraps up the challenge by serving a garden club meeting a buffet that included his sweet potato galette, pickled beets and green tomatoes, tomato jam and fluffy buttermilk biscuits. Then he made a butternut squash lasagne that even kids love - Ed gets my respect for this as I’ve been feeding the last of the squashes to the hens since I just can’t bear to eat any more. Finally he finds a way to make even sorrel sound delicious - if you’ve got access to some, try out his sorrel sauce on asparagus this spring.

Julia finished the challenge out in style. She started by recreating the scallop and beet dish that she enjoyed at the Gramercy Tavern last month. Then to use up the rest of the bacon, she created a dish with kale and chicken with bacon and currents over rice. Finally, she wrapped up the challenge with a standby dish of hers, skate, lemony kale and fries. Next time I’m out east I’ll have to try skate, I’ve never seen it here but it always sounds so intriguing when Julia makes it.

*****

The West:

As Melinda begins her search for a new home to call home, she continues to take full advantage of her garden. I’ve been, and continue to be, jealous of all of the treats she’s got growing out back. Meals this time included scrambled eggs with fresh(!!!!) tomatoes and homemade bread, anasazi beans and carrots from the garden, homemade drop biscuits and meyer lemon marmalade and cannellini bean dip with crostini. Be sure to keep checking in with Melinda for her Growing Challenge recaps and to find out where they end up with their big move.

Anita explored the perfect Reuben, taking advantage of the leftover homemade corned beef that she had. Then they literally went out to meet their dinner, touring Marin Sun Farms, the ranch that supplies most of their eggs and meat. Finally she reflects on the challenge, the last few meals and the arrival of spring. Isn’t that purple asparagus gorgeous? We’re still easily a month away from asparagus here, and two from strawberries. But maybe if I close my eyes and visualize I can enjoy those first bites of spring with Anita. Thanks Anita, your meals were truly an inspiration this winter.

Ellen wraps up the challenge with an omelet made with fresh eggs, beet greens, baby portabellos, cheese, onions and garlic. Then they were off and running straight into spring.

 

 

 

Donna’s homemade pasta just keeps getting better, especially now that she’s got grandma’s pasta recipe from an Italian friend. Wow, wonder what kind of bribes she’s taking for it? She wraps up the challenge for herself with a thoughtful, thought provoking post about what the challenge meant to her and how she’s continuing to move forward with local eating.

Katrina summed up the challenge, saying eloquently what I think we’re all feeling on some level.

“Mostly what I enjoyed about eating locally through the winter was this. When it rained I knew I would eat it, the same with the frost and the wind. I ate the southern afternoon light, the dark clouds, cloudy shadows. I devoured the late sun rises and early sunsets. Every winter pink sunset was in the food I found on my plate. And the mud and the cold and the quiet were there too. All the elements informed our food, strengthened our sense of place. Spoiled me for anything less then grown here.”

While her oven made a bigger bang than her cooking this week, Green Bean Dreams stills goes out with a bang in my book. With no oven, they ate from the freezer, enjoying  sweet potato gnocchi, pumpkin soup, winter squash risotto and local omelets. Even while she welcomes spring, she will miss the dark days - and so will I.

Joan’s been traveling a lot lately, but even so, meals have continued to include local ingredients and stock-piled supplies in the pantry/freezer. As she continues to hone her locavore skills and sources, she reflects on the challenge and what it meant to her.

*****

The Middle:

Anne continues to try egg yolks, including her first real omelet. Anne, I’m telling you girl, you can learn to like eggs. It’s all about making sure they’re really good eggs from happy hens, and then cooking them to take advantage of an egg’s natural egginess, not to make it into something else. Up until we got hens 18 months ago I only ate my eggs scrambled, now I like them better poached or fried… Sliding into home plate, she raided the freezer for grass-fed burgers, lamb chops and the last pasture-raised chicken - definitely going out in style. And then just to show off, she mastered the pie crust.