Good bye old chaps!

I am a few hours from flying away to the UK. I am so excited, even though the weather report says rain rain rain and some temps in the 50s. I will use that opportunity to purchase some authentic wellies and perhaps some warm tartan. Yup.

Anywho, not much time as I must review my check list. I just wanted to say adios and let you know that I will twit and use the facebook machine to keep you apprised. I may even lay eyes on our cows distant relatives.

Dry Cows

Tandy is awesome. She found out about the cows' accents and all sorts of weird stuff. Even though I laughed out loud, then shuddered at her gimp dungeon, I love how her mind works. Funny how she wrote about cows this week. Cows are on our minds as of late. I am sure it is inevitable with the approach of spring. We are all gearing up for the onslaught of work and itching for the new stuff to come in. We are planning our schedules and Dan mentions that we have a problem. Our awesome dairy herd is having problems. What!?!?! Well, it seems that when you are as picky as we are and our standards are as high as they are, you tend to limit your options. We love this milk. We love those cows. We love that farmer. It seems that he has a lot of dry cows. Dry cows? What are those you ask. Well, they are dairy cows who are not producing milk. It's normal for him and the girls, but scary for us. He only has around 50 bovines. This is a problem. He is on it! He promised. Mark is not only a dairy farmer, but a vet. These cows are loved. Look at him and the love!

Just as Dan and I were discussing this, Ian, our farmer's son, and an outstanding farmer in his own right, just stopped by. We talked about getting old and shared some old pics. We talked about how this winter will never end and how much we are looking forward to spring. He needs the ground to thaw and I need the warmth in order to save my sanity. Just ask my husband. I know I am nuts, it is part of my charm. Ian and his lovely girl Barbie just want to get the leeks out of the ground and start the work. This led to "Steph, what do you want me to grow for you? I have some really interesting green cardamom leaves that I want you to try." Oh man, are you in trouble!! I will take those leaves and get to work! They look waxy and tough. Ian assures me that the flavor is easy to extract. Okay! It looks purdy. see?

What about wild fennel??? The purple kind? Absolutely!! Ian just needs the seeds. I have got connections. I got yer back. I told him that it is great for sausage and Marc Vetri will take some. He does not know it yet. I will let him know. What about Camomille? Hmmmm? Oh, so many ideas. Ian wants to know if want lemongrass. Yes, please.

People, spring is HERE! I know it. It has to be. Let's all join hands and will it to happen. We need the warmth, we need the grass to grow, we need the cows to begin producing, we need onion grass for the cows (the love it!), we need the happiness. WE NEED GELATO! I love the winter flavors, but I want something new. I want some wild fennel with...with...with....chocolate? Ricotta? Is that too savory? I am going to make my own Ricotta. Yup. Close your eyes, can you taste it?

CAPO RECIPES RISES FROM THE ASHES!!

Behold, the Capo Recipe link is back and I am off my tuckus (Yiddish spelling help!?) and back on the case. I decided that my chaotic life is no excuse for my shameless lack of care. Would I abandon a baby like the Ancient Romans? NO! OF COURSE I WOULD NOT! So why did I abandon that baby? Nothing but excuses that read like whines. Let's not bring it up, just fix it.

Click on the lovely cow head on your right. That cow's name is Cleopatra, I kid you not. Check out the occasional recipe, serving suggestion, newest food thang we feel like sharing.

If you would like to write one, let us know!!

FOOD, Real Food....Healthy Gelato

NO, No, no. Please don't make me eat processed food. It makes me fart. There. I have said it. Just one bite of Kraft mac and cheese and I am done and so are the poor slobs that happen to be in my presence. So sorry. I find it bizarre that my body rebels like this, but it can only help me, really. I have more energy, I feel good, and I am healthy.

Lately I have heard mumblings that gelato is not healthy for you. WHaT?!? Pu-lease people. Do you know what you are eating? Let me enlighten;

MILK, SUGARS, CHOCOLATE, NUTS, THE FRESHEST FRUIT, SOMETIMES THERE'S AN EGG YOLK INVOLVED (hand gathered from free free roaming chickens), LITTLE BIT OF CREAM.


What could be unhealthy in that? No high fructose corn syrup, no red dye number whatever, no diglycerideblahblah, polymobilde..., nothing like that!

We need to get our priorities straight, people. With the exception of fruit that is simply not grown around here (ie, lemons, oranges, pineapples, mangoes, lychee, etc.) all of our fruit is grown locally, within a one hours drive. It is grown without chemicals, without pesticides and it is allowed to VINE RIPEN!! Imagine that. All those natural sugars are allowed to develop and the fruit is picked when it is ready (not prematurely so it can travel 1000s of miles).

Our milk is from a single herd of Scottish Ayreshire Cows that ONLY EAT GRASS and are named Cleopatra and Moxie!!! They are never treated with growth hormones and no antibiotics! These cows live 40 minutes outside of Philly. That's them. Look at em!

Yes, there is sugar in our gelato. All "sweets" have them. One large gelato contains as much sugar as an "all natural smoothie" or a cup of yogurt with fruit. Yes, it is equal to ice cream and froyo as far as sugar is concerned. But where did the fruit and milk used for those items come from? Was the milk from a local Menonnite farmer, the cream from the Amish, and the mint from some high school kids in West Philly? Or did it just come from a box or a truck from...I don't know, do you?

The big difference is that the ingredients that we use are local and delicious and ALL NATURAL, in the truest sense. We hand craft our gelato every day. Nothing is just poured into the top of a machine and pooped out. It is crafted. We are not just blending in fruit out of plastic container or scooping it out of an "imported" can. Real fruit grown by real farmers here in our backyard. Our carbon footprint is small. We care about who we purchase from. Just this second, Dan came in with the first of Glenn's blackberries. Big, luscious, almost ready to burst! I placed the first one in my mouth. They are from Green Meadow Farm.



Me: Holy cow.

Dan: I know.

Me: This is crazy.

Dan: I know.

Me: They cannot taste this perfect.

Dan: I know.

Me: Oh my Gawd..

Dan: Blackberries are my favorites.



In Europe, gelato is considered a health food. Italians go every day for a WALK to their local gelateria where the gelato is made fresh each morning. Europeans are far healthier than us exercise obsessed Americans. Why is that? They eat gelato EVERYDAY!!

Think about it.