Chew on this.

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"Before throwing anything away, consider whether it might have a use. For example, save vegetable remains to make soup stock or use them as compost to feed your garden."

- the fourth lesson of Mindful Cooking, from 3 Bowls Cookbook, by Seppo Ed Farrey

(I'll also add to be mindful of using every last bit of food off your cutting board, and to be intentional about scraping everything out of your mixing bowl and cooking pot. Leaving food behind, or rinsing it down the drain, can throw off the measurements of a recipe, but also all those wasted small spoonfuls add up to a considerable amount of valuable food eventually.)

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Pretty packaging that protects the planet.

Two winters ago I was feeding our sheep one afternoon. As I tore off a big section of a hay bale, I found a long piece of plastic curling ribbon tangled in the stems of the hay with which I was just about to feed my wooly children. I assumed it had been attached to something like a helium balloon, set free to float up to the sky, popped over our hay farmer's field, and then got swept up and included during haying season. I realized that this probably happens all the time, that ribbon was never going to breakdown, and I got a little sick thinking about the pounds and pounds of plastic generated each year for bows that are admired for five seconds and then tossed in the trash.

Despite the fact that I am definitely a sucker for a gorgeously wrapped present, I haven't bought any non-biodegradable gift packaging since.

So for times when I needed wrap just slightly classier than the funny pages, I did a lengthy search, and found this great packaging company, Nashville Wraps, who carry a huge amount of eco-friendly, recycled material, reasonably priced gift packaging. They also have a big section of Food Packaging for all of your edible homemade gifts, including these great 100% recycled cardboard cupcake holder inserts for their bakery boxes. I love this company, and everything I have used from them has been plentiful and gorgeous.

Check them out. The sheep thank you.

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Homemade Fresh Ricotta

Lately we have been getting the most wonderful fresh milk from Dirie's Farm, a small family-owned dairy farm near us. The milk has a whole melody of flavor, that clearly illustrates what people are talking about when they refer to the terroir in wine. You can taste this area. You can taste the differences in the seasons, and the grassy fields and hay on which these cows are feeding.

A few months ago I had an impromptu lunch out by myself (I mean, with my date, New York Magazine) at Veloce Pizzeria in the East Village of NYC. They have a divine ricotta crostini "spuntini" (Italian snacks). Superb rich ricotta slathered on crusty toasted bread with fresh black pepper. Heaven.

So craving that, this week's farm milk became glorious ricotta. It's easy, easy, easy. There are many recipes out there, using several different acidifying agents (vinegar, lemon juice, buttermilk, and citric acid). I learned this from my culinary school, and Ricki the Cheese Queen, both using the exact same method with citric acid, so I'll stick with that. Citric Acid is pretty widely available. It is often called for in canning tomatoes. I have seen it in my grocery store near canning supplies or products like Fruit Fresh. But you can also easily get it here, from the wonderful New England Cheesemaking Supply Company.


	HOMEMADE FRESH RICOTTA Makes about 2 cups 2 Liters whole milk 1/2 tsp citric acid 1/2 tsp salt (if you can get it, use cheese salt) Combine milk, citric acid, and salt in a non-reactive pot (heavy bottomed if available), over medium-high heat. Stirring gently, making sure nothing is sticking or burning on the bottom, heat to just under a boil, to 195° F. At that point turn off the heat and let the milk sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. Line a colander, over a large bowl (the whey that drains off can be used in place of buttermilk), with several layers of cheesecloth or a clean dish towel or floursack. After the 10 minutes, gently ladle the ricotta milk into the colander. Let drain for a few minutes, then carefully tie opposite corners of the cloth to made a bundle. Let ricotta continue to drain in colander, over the bowl, in the refrigerator for a 1/2 hour to overnight. If too thick for desired use, can be thinned with a little cream. Season with more salt to taste. Will keep for several days in refrigerator.

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Catie Baumer Schwalb is a chef, food writer and photographer, who splits her life between the city and the country. Not too long ago Catie was a New York City based actress and playwright for more than a decade. She has her Master of Fine Arts from the National Theater Conservatory, and her Grand Diplôme in classic culinary arts from the French Culinary Institute in New York City. ... Read More ≫

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