Piccolo Farrotto a la Anson Mills

This farro....I cannot describe it adequately. Mere words to wrap around a grain that is so robust and substantial on it's own that it can play center stage to any meal are lacking. I was vegetarian for 7 or 8 years and never experienced this lovely grain or I may never have come back to the dark side. It's like eating a cross between a brown rice made from nuts with decades of nutrients popping through and delighting the tastebuds. So much flavor, crunch and presence that it warms the soul. Anson Mills hails it a robust, muscular big wheaty presence. Pair that with a nice red wine, some warm broth and veges and you have yourself a gourmet vegetarian meal without realizing you are not eating meat. Substantial by anyone's standards. Tonight's fare was Piccolo Farrotto a la Anson Mills, my newest crush. The grains were bursting with flavor and all I had with it was roasted broccoli and warm bread with rich olive oil and herbs. Stuffed without overeating. Such a nice way to end a crazy week as we ease into fall. Basic recipe is to cook the farro, then simmer it with stock, white wine and bay leaf until all are tender. At the end simply garnish by incorporating fresh parsley and Parmesan Reggiano. Simply stunning. Thanks, Anson Mills, for opening my eyes yet again to your amazing antebellum grains. Bon appetit!

Recipe at AnsonMills.com

Succotash with Farro Piccolo a la Anson Mills

I have officially died and gone to heaven. Anson Mills Farro Piccolo grown with antebellum grain seeds is to die for. I cannot begin to describe the crunchy, nuttiness of this grain. As it was explained to me by the owner of Anson Mills, they plant not "heirloom" seeds which are over 100 years old, but "antebellum" seeds which are even older. AND, as if that were not enough, they plant them according to the way they use to be planted hundreds of years ago. Let's say, for instance, that you are growing some kind of grain in one acre of land contemporary farming methods would dictate that 300 plants could be planted in that amount of space. NO! Not Anson Mills! They will plant only 30 plants in an acre of land if that is how it use to be done. This allows the plants to get so many more nutrients from the soil as they are not competing with their neighbors and the taste is full of so much more flavor and phytonutrients. You skeptics cannot believe it until you try it. Pricy? Yes, but worth every penny.

Farro is a grain of the wheat family and is very high in all those good things we need and don't always get in our traditional overprocessed grains. I cannot explain how crunchy and nutty it is. Truly my new BFF! Anson's recipe for Succotash with Farro Piccolo is amazing....Farro, fresh corn, fresh Lima beans, thyme and cream. Wow! I cannot wait for my guests to taste this one. Mere words cannot describe the depth of flavor, texture and beauty in this dish. 

Paired tonight with butternut squash soup, chicken piccata and fresh roasted asparagus. Yum. A very fall dinner. Thanks, Anson Mills for making my day!  I cannot wait to make a million more Farro dishes!!!!!

And for those of you who don't know....succotash...it's a southern thing....

Succotash recipe at AnsonMills.com

Cookie and Kate's butternut squash soup

Fall....Beautiful fall is here and with it comes my tastebuds awakening to a new palate. While summer fare has been all about the orgasm of fresh, bright flavors from the garden, the emerging fall garden is full of warm, yummy treats...earthy, robust flavors that speak to me of a deep hibernation in which they gather the earthy goodness to remind us that God is with us in all seasons, constantly reminding us of His goodness.

One word....soup. SOUP Soup SouP souP SOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUP! What more do I need to say? First one of the season was butternut squash soup. Simple, comforting, warm, rich and so stinking good for you! What's not to love???????  I once read that soup is so good for you, in fact, because the body finds it so nice to digest since it is already broken down to a huge degree. I wouldn't care if it was terrible for me; I am in love!  Thanks to Cookie and Kate for this simple version. No big ingredients to overpower the simplicity of the squash. Bon appetit! Smooch!!!

cookieandkate.com/2015/roasted-butternut-squash-soup/