The Cookies of New England

http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2014/10/share-your-cookie-tips-and-tricks/

It may be after the holidays, but baking season is still in full force as I look out my icy winter windows. Now that so many of us have relaxed on our New Years resolutions a teensy bit, let's talk baking. There is almost nothing better than standing by a warm oven on a cold January Day, and doing so in a cloud of sweet-smells wafting from anticipated warm cookies, to boot! 

Taken from a recent Bobs Red Mill blog, here are some incredible New England cookie recipes, by the state. Though my family's goal has been getting to all six New England states this year, I think I may just have to add trying a cookie from each!

Connecticut: Nutmeg Log Cookies

Maine: Lemon Blueberry Cream Cookies

Massachusetts: Boston Cream Pie Cookies

New Hampshire: Molasses Cookies

Rhode Island: Cranberry-Walnut Stuffed Shortbread

New-York-the-Adopted-New-England-State: Apple-Pie-Stuffed Snickerdoodles

Vermont: Maple Frosted Sugar Cookies

Supporting Local Seasonal Festivities: Roger Williams Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular

Living it up in a New England fall?

I think so.

The leaves are in their full glory, the weather's gorgeous, and the festivities are endless.  While we try to pack in what we can before a New England winter takes hold in just a few short weeks or months (why, why, why?!), there are oodles of local activities designed to bring people out of their homes to, as a community, enjoy the local fall fun of living in such a place! While we relish our local community-based apple orchards and pumpkin patches, my family discovered another fall festivity that is sure to become a family tradition.

Let me introduce you to the Roger Williams Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, located in Providence, Rhode Island. As a nighttime display of 5,000 illuminated jack-o-lanterns on the ground, in the air, and sitting atop water, this walk along the Roger William's Zoos pristine Wetlands Trail will tickle your sense of whim, art, and magic, whether you are nine years old or ninety. This was truly the most fun "art show" my child has ever walked through, visiting the elephants before taking in incredible pieces of skilled pumpkin carving and creative landscapes. It's worth a drive and a late night for the little ones. Just the way this 7 year old's mama likes it: not bloody or gory or spooky, but yet somehow magically Halloweeny in every way.  I highly recommend this spectacular "Spectacular":

http://www.rwpzoo.org/jack-o-lantern-spectacular

  

If Rhode Island's too far, don't fear! Here is a fantastic list by New England.com of the 5 best pumpkin festivals in New England. Apparently we have some traveling to do next year!

https://newengland.com/today/travel/new-england/things-to-do/5-best-pumpkin-festivals-in-new-england/

Narrangassett Cheese

I know, I know. I'm dairy free. But do not remind my husband.

Always happy to find a reason to sneak milk into our household, Kurt recently enjoyed this tasty treat, straight off the boat (or truck perhaps...) from Providence, Rhode Island. Though the Narragansett Creamery has oodles of local artisan products, including their you-can't-go-wrong-with-this Fresh and Feathery Mozarella (left), their best is one of their most recent product creations, Mediterranean Grilling Cheese (below).

Until moving abroad, like most Americans I was not familiar with "grilling cheese," also known as halloumi. Once I tasted it, a standard fare in a number of parts of the world, it was an immediate favorite. The cheese is squeaky clean and perfect on a number of tasty complex treats or simply a slice of local, grilled apple. Grilling cheeses have a deeply savory taste that pairs well with just about anything, standing up to heat by becoming crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. Is your mouth watering yet?! Though we may be a cheese-centric country, this is one kind of cheese Americans need to learn more about!

What's even better than good cheese? Good production practices.  At Narragansett Creamery, local milk, kind bacteria, vegetable-based rennet, and salt are used to produce a pure and responsible product. Narragansett supports fair-trade and local ingredients to the best of their ability, their farmers pledge to not use growth hormones, and they are proud to be a family-owned company providing products to their local community of New England.

Do try a slice today... just don't remind me and my dairy free tummy what I'm missing! Sigh...

Need a few fantastic ideas of how to incorporate Narrangasett's Grilling Cheese into your next meal? The BBC may not be local, but they do know their halloumi cheese! Check it out here: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/9-new-ways-serve-halloumi

Find Narrangassett Cheeses in these local markets:

Rhode Island:  A Market Natural Foods * Belmont Market * Black Pear * The Blue Kangaroo * Blue Rocks Market * Brigido’s Fresh Market * C & R Mercantile * Carpenter’s Farm * Charlestown Wine & Spirits * Clement’s Market * Dave’s Marketplace * DeCastro Farms * Dunns Corners Market * East Side Prescription Center * Eastside Marketplace * Fertile Underground * Food for Thought * The Good Earth * Goose Pond Farm * The Green Grocer * Happy Acres Market *  Hope & Sundries * McQuade’s Marketplace * Milk & Honey Bazaar * Morris Farm * Munroe Dairy * Roch’s Market * Sandy’s Fine Food Emporium * Schartner Farms * Shaw’s * Shore’s Markets * South County Food Co-op * Sweet Berry Farm * Tom’s Markets * Venda Ravioli * Whaley Farm Market * Whole Foods Markets * Wishing Stone Farm * Young Family Farm *

Massachusetts:  Allandale Farms * American Provisions * Bacco’s Wine & Cheese * Bacon Street Farm * Bartlett’s Family Garden & Market * Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm * Bee’s Knees Supply Co. * Big Y * Blue Blinds Bakery * Boston Wine Exchange* Broadway Marketplace * Brothers Marketplace * Cape Abilities * Cape Cod Package Store * Cardullo’s * C’est Cheese  (NH)* Chatham Cheese Company * Chatham Village Market * City Feed & Supply * Coastal GreenGrocer * Common Crow Natural Market * Crusty Ventures * Dave’s Fresh Pasta * Deluca’s Market * Donelan’s * Fancy’s Market * Five Seventy Market * Foodies Urban Market * Formaggio Kitchen * Fruit Center Marketplace * Guaranteed Fresh * Harvest Co-op * Holmes Farm * How on Earth * Joppa Fine Foods * Lambert’s Farm Market * Last National Wine Co. * Lees Market * The Market at Pinehills * Milk & Honey Green Grocer * Morning Glory Farms * Natural Food Exchange * Nauset Farms * Needham Center Fine Wines * Prime * Quality Fruitland* Roche Bros. * Savenor’s * Savor Wine & Cheese * Siena Farms * Spring Brook Farm Country Store * The Spirited Gourmet *  Sudbury Farms * Tangerini Farm * Tastebuds Fresh Marketplace * Tendercrop Farm * Vidalias * Ward’s Berry Farm * Water Fresh Farm * Whittier Farms * Whole Foods Markets * Windfall Market * The Wine Cask * The Wine House * The Wine Vine * Woodberry Food Market

Connecticut:  Big Y * Caseus Fromagerie & Bistro * The Common Bond Market * Fairfield Cheese Company * Jonathan Edwards Winery * McQuade’s Marketplace * P & M Orange Street Market * Whole Foods Markets

New York:  Manhattan: Barnyard Cheese Shop * Battery Place Market * Beecher’s * Cheese on 62nd * Dean & Deluca Madison * Eataly * Eli’s * Forager’s Market * Formaggio Essex * Inwood Gourmet *  Lucy’sWhey * Malt & Mold * Market Basket * Milk & Hops * Saxelby Cheesemongers * The Wine Merchant * Westside Market Chelsea * Willoughby General * Whole Foods Market, Bowery * Zabar’s  Brooklyn:  Blue Apron * Brooklyn Larder * Brooklyn Victory Garden * Court Street Grocer * DePanneur * Eastern District * Forager’s Market * Green Grape Provisions * Lucy’sWhey * Marlow & Daughters * The Meat Hook * Park Slope Co-op * The Ploughman * Stinky Bklyn  * Valley Shepherd 

Long Island & beyond:  * Ahabs Corner Shop * Beacon Pantry * Cold Spring General Store * Deciccos * Loaves & Fishes * Plum Plums * Stuarts Seafood Market * Tarry Market * Village Cheese Shop * Whole Foods Lake Grove * Whole Foods Port Chester

Maine: Joppa Fine Foods *

New Hampshire: On the Vine Marketplace *

Glee for Glee Gum

Okay, so I'll admit it.  Whenever I hear about "local" coffee I always raise my eyebrows.  "But coffee doesn't grow in New England.  Just because you roast it here, doesn't make it local... or does it?"  The answer depends a lot on who you ask.  And their definitions of local.  Oh, why has no one yet formally defined local?!

So today I have my own example of an eyebrow-raising product that sounds nothing like a local product, and yet is processed entirely right here in New England.  And the best parts?  It's a product I LOVE and the company is an excellent example of social and environmental responsibility.  It's the kind of company you want in your neighborhood.

One of my favorite things when I was a kid was a small candy-like gum.  It had a rubbery feel a lot of other gums didn't seem to have.  Do a little research and you will find that this is because most gum is now manufactured with synthetic resin (sounds healthy, doesn't it?)  But back in the early days of gum, chicle was the main product used for extra bouncy chewing.  Because chicle's harvesting is sustainable (harvesting does not kill the tree, as chicle is replenished seasonally, like maple syrup), and benefits rainforest conservation, the product is a good one that is making a comeback once again.

Glee Gum, an awesome, local gum based in Providence, Rhode Island, features nothing but chicle as its main ingredient.  Making the world's first fairtrade chewing gum, Glee's producers, a company called Verve, ensure an alternative system of global trade in which farmers and workers are paid stable and fair prices for their produce. Once the chicle makes its way to this woman-owned business found in a retro-fitted, solar-powered Rhode Island building, it is processed into the tastiest, chewiest of gum products. From its packaging to its relationship with non-profits, Verve creates products with the intention of helping students and consumers think about where goods come from, how natural resources and raw materials can be used responsibly, and how communities must cultivate in innovative ways that consider local environments and laborers.

If I haven't convinced you that this is a worthy local gum to support, pick up a pack.  The taste will win you over for sure.

Check out their website for a fun way to learn about the process Verve likes to call:

"From Tree to Glee"