You may remember my recent mention of the organic, grass-fed veal I got last weekend at Jersey Girls Dairy Farm in Vermont. This all went down during the awesome Sweet Escape food retreat, and even though at the time it was a pain to drag all that stuff, including raw milk and eggs home, it was totally worth it.
Dan and I used the veal to make homemade meatballs, which was all Dan's department, and they came out stupendously. You can definitely taste the difference, in the good quality meat and the farm fresh egg he used in the meatballs as its binder. A sprinkling of fresh herbs and some freshly chopped red onion didn't hurt either. We paired all this with my homemade Bolognese sauce, which I have on stash at home and some freshly grown basil too. It was total savory bliss. Here's how you make them:
Grass Fed Veal Meatballs a la Dan
Ingredients (serves 2)
1 lb of ground veal (try to use organic, grass-fed if possible)
1 small red onion, finely chopped
5-6 small garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce
Handful of fresh basil, chopped
1 farm fresh egg
1/3 cup of plain breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Bolognese sauce - see recipe
Fresh basil for garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a cookie sheet with a wire rack, placed inside of it.
Combine all ingredients into a medium bowl and incorporate well with your hands. Use your hands to form the meatballs, about 2 inches in width.
Place meatballs onto the cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes on one side. Flip the meatballs on to the other side and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve along with the Bolognese sauce and some fresh basil on top.
Enjoy with a big glass of red vino.
One of the most memorable parts of last week's Sweet Escape retreat, was the experience of visiting a local dairy farm called Jersey Girls Dairy. I've been to several farms in my life, but most of them were during a time that I was young and not as eager to learn about their wonders. This trip was totally different, as I was in a state of mind to learn and absorb everything - and I couldn't wait to try some delicious raw milk, eggs and other goodies.
About Jersey Girls Dairy:
When we arrived at Jersey Girls Dairy farm last week, we were welcomed by head farmer and proprietor, Lisa Kaiman. She was punchy, charismatic and obviously really passionate about her farm and her lovely Jersey cows. Listening to Lisa's stories, some of which were eccentric, no doubt, it was clear that she runs her farm in an honorable and sustainable way--producing happy cows and high quality dairy and meat products.
Lisa showed us around the entire dairy, except for the actual pasture, which we did see as we came in, but it was too wet out there as a result of a rainstorm just the night before. This was OK though, as we still got to meet plenty of lovely cows that looked happy, healthy and pleasantly plump. We got to see the milk room, as well as all the equipment that Lisa uses to get that delicious sweet milk out of her Jersey girls. A special highlight for me was to see a day old calf and her proud mom, enjoying the company of her new "human" friends. Overall, I loved seeing and understanding the whole dairy process from start to finish.
Farm Fresh Goodies:
And speaking of finish, I got my hands on some farm fresh milk, eggs and veal before we left the farm. Lisa sells these openly (and on the honor system too) where you grab what you like and leave some money in a little wooden box, the trust and transparency of her business seeping into each aspect of her farm.
As for the raw milk, I've been drinking it each day this week with my cereal and it's been life changing. Its beautiful eggshell color and silky taste makes me only too happy to wake up each day--and this is coming from someone who's not a morning person. Another pleasantly surprising aspect is that the milk is really easy to digest, unlike the ultra pasteurized milk we get from the supermarket. As a result, I experienced none of the issues that I do with the latter, when I get painful stomach cramps on occasion. In terms of the veal, Dan and I are making meatballs out of it tonight, so stay tuned for more yummy details.
If you ever have the chance to visit Jersey Girls Dairy in person, I highly suggest you do - it may just change your whole perspective on the dairy process.
Jersey Girls Dairy - 157 Thompson Road, Chester VT 05143
802.875.6576
www.jerseygirlsdairy.com
For those of you who've been following my Instagram feed have probably noticed I was out of town this weekend - and for a very good reason. It was my pleasure to attend my fellow food blogger, chef and expert, Alejandra Ramos' Sweet Escape retreat in Plymouth Vermont.
The weekend was catered (pun intended) to a food lovin audience, a large majority who also had blogs of their own. It was a really interesting and diverse crowd, ranging from local New Yawkers and New Jerseyans, to folks from Texas and even Australia if you can believe it. A beautiful, historic house called Good Commons was the home to this weekend's festivities and it's where the proverbial magic happened (all weekend long).
Not only did we get to take advantage of Vermont's local food culture by eating its local, delicious food, but we also got to see the town through the eyes of its many food artisans, including farmers, wine makers, fellow food bloggers and more. I'd love to get into more detail about the whole weekend, which I'll do throughout this week, revealing some exciting recipes and kitchen tricks, but first, I thought I'd whet your appetite with this rich photo post. Hope you enjoy and stay tuned for more Vermontian goodies.
Alejandra talks about cooking with maple syrup. Yum!
Wes, a Sweet Escape attendee and I massage some kale salad (and like it too!)
Our first day brunch spread is impressive!
A visit to Jersey Girls Dairy Farm
Farmer Lisa at Jersey Girls Dairy Farm
Nancy Warner's Potlicker Oatmeal Stout Jelly
It's cheese time, courtesy of Vermont Creamery
Insanely good s'mores bar - marshmallows courtesy of 240 Sweet
My bodacious marshmallow creation - roasted coconut marshmallow with dark toffee chocolate and blueberries.
Homemade nutella. Yep!
Having fun at the Plymouth Cheese Shop
Beautiful old fashioned Howe Scales at the Vermont General Store
Vermont really is picturesque
Delicious cocktail from Vermont Spirits
Hunky bartender was an added bonus!
Moscow Mule from Vermont Spirits
A delicious Latin-style dinner
Our entire Sweet Escape group
My new friend Yolanda and me
Alejandra and me
Hudson - the weekend's mascot (aka adorable troublemaker)
