Sunday, April 28, 2013

WELCOME, Spring!


 
 
There are people who love food, people who love art, music, literature, poetry, and drama.. and some who love all of the above. Some of us even love history, and the history of food!
 
Above is a famous painting called The Four Seasons that expresses the way I feel about this time of year: everything is about to bloom and flower and vegetate, and we will be the beneficiaries of the varieties of smells, tastes, textures, and colors the earth produces for our pleasure.
 
I am so excited about being a part of the Springfield Farmers' Market  this season! The Little Red Hen Cafe will be at the Market every Saturday, with fresh muffins, breakfast sandwiches, baked goods, and good coffee. Stop by and see us when you come down to purchase veggies and meat!
 
Speaking of meat.. there is excellent meat available at the Farmers' Market: Beef from Rising Sons  and this year there will be pork from Julie and Jonas Hurley.
 
Below is a photo of one day's haul last summer, including beef. Starting this season, I plan to source as much of the meat I use as possible from local farms. There are so many reasons for this, but one is the alarming news that huge factory farms, which we all support when we demand mass-produced, cheaply-priced meat, use more and more anitbiotics because of the overcrowded and unsanitary conditions on these mega farms.. resulting in antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, now found on some meat.
 
Read the following to find out more about this... one of the best steps you can take is to purchase locally raised meat, and to eat at restaurants that do the same! With your support, I'll try to do just that.
 


 
Hope to see everyone down at the Depot this coming Saturday!


Sunday, April 7, 2013

Pho? no!!





Since a few people have commented that the Little Red Hen Cafe  serves less common food, you know.. unusual things like.. Quiche....! I can't help being a little worried that Pho will send some folks running for the hills (or the Knobs, as the case may be), so in case it sounds just TOO strange, here's a bit about this delicious Vietnamese Soup that Brandon will be fixing on Thursday.

It's a wonderful broth with beef and noodles and vegetables cooked Vietnamese-style. As one Blogger said:

I love pho! It cures whatever ails you! If it's cold outside, it'll warm yer innards. If your heart is broken, it offers succor (My sister took me out for pho after my 13 year old Labrador died, I cried in the soup as I drank up its warm comfort). If you're tired of the same old same old, it's different. 
 
Pho = Happiness.


I have a link I want to share with you. It's all about pho & very educational. Click here:

Pho Fever!


I have eaten Pho, and it was wonderful! So did you know this week is try something new week? Actually, every week should be try something new, learn something new, and experience something a little bit different week. The world is full of wonderful people, places, ideas, and foods.  I hope all the Pho (which does not rhyme with "know" but with "duh" ) gets sold on Thursday, all except one bowl, because I am hoping to have some that evening!