It’s January. It’s a fabulous time of year to play in the kitchen! My kitchen was having a field day yesterday.

I didn’t dress it up for you. I wanted to share it just like it was. Scrapple was thawing,  amish butter lying about with a lone scrap of homemade bread, a roast strewn with bacon was in the oven and carrot cupcakes waiting to be iced.  It was a glorious moment for my kitchen. The bacon, scrapple and beef roast were from animals we butchered. The butter was local, and the bread and cupcakes were whipped up earlier. There is glory in cooking with local, fresh foods. It is immensely satisfying and it doesn’t have to be hard.

There is even more grandeur in doing it simply.  Although, I absolutely love reading everything written by Chris Kimball of America’s Test Kitchen, I am in no way shape or form scientific about cooking. To me, cooking is about simplicity and instinct (and of course, don’t be shy with butter & bacon).

*there is usually a chair up against the counter cuz that’s where the kids stand to help me cook!

Enough with the chatter. How about whipping up a great batch of carrot cupcakes?  Mix these things together, and there you have it….

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

1.5 cups vegetable oil

3 cups carrots

Mix above ingredients together and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.*

*This recipe was adapted from the deliciously simple carrot cake at epicurious

Easy as 1. 2. 3. Enjoy!

Here’s how it came to me, Kate of Kitchen at Camont passed along a message from The School of Artisan Food – which I had never heard of.  It sounds absolutely fascinating. You should have a look – maybe we should go someday?

As the warmth of spring reaches deep into the ground and air; grasses grow and insects emerge. There is food everywhere; for a pig, that is.  A little time spent watching a pig [or an animal for that matter] gives one a feel for their instincts. Pigs have snouts and they want to use them.

They put them down and sniff, root and dig with them. Most remarkable is the rooting and digging, the turning over of the soil. They will create large, crater like depressions in the soil- large expansive areas of dug up dirt. They are looking for tasty treats to eat- bugs, acorns and other tree fruits.

This pig is a Duroc cross- we typically raise all Berkshire pigs.  This one slipped into our last batch- a lovely looking pig but an anomaly up here on Gatski Mt. We established our home and shop on woodlot adjacent to the family farm. It had been recently logged. It is ideal for our pigs.

There is something utterly captivating about watching animals do what they’re instinctively meant to do. Probably because we all know that instincts lead to the richest things in life. For these pigs- its scarfing down nuts from the trees, absorbing the sunshine on their backs, and letting the warm rain wash over them.

This is terroir. As you know I’m looking forward to exploring terroir here on my blog. This morning, I realized how important the role of instincts are in making something rich, flavorful and beautiful. How do you let your instincts guide you?

Welcome to the first installment of Friends In Boots! You must be up to something when you’re wearing barn boots, right? Farming, fishing, making cheese or maybe just standing around talking. Whatever the case, there’s a story to tell.  First boots,  friends and neighbors… Steve and Jenn Kurian of Wild For Salmon.

This past weekend we got together with Steve and Jenn and did some butchering [it's a bit of a hobby]. We share a love for food from somewhere we’ve been or can easily imagine.  Steve and Jenn travel to Alaska every year to harvest wild salmon for customers all across the mid-Atlantic states. They endure all kinds of crazy conditions on the Alaskan waters, ship the salmon east and then peddle it at small farmers markets.

They are pioneers in almost every way. They are incredibly hearty people with enough skills to survive the wilderness of well, Alaska. We have alot of admiration for their work bringing fresh, wild and delicious salmon back to the plates of Pennsylvania.

Or not. Fear not my dear reader [and cheesemaker]. Cheesemaking can be simple – and utterly rewarding. Have a sneak peak at our latest offering on The Steel Fork! It is a “Make your own fresh Mozzarella and Ricotta Cheese Kit.” Fabulous!

Just add a gallon of milk and in one hour you will be eating and sharing your very own fresh mozzarella or ricotta!  Each kit makes 10 batches of cheese (a batch is about 1 1/2 lb.)

No need to rush out and buy an organic dairy farm! You can use regular pasteurized milk from the grocery store as long as it is not ultra pasteurized or ultra-heat pasteurized.

Look for these cheese kits and other fabulous new goods on The Steel Fork January 27th.  They are only $23! Email me to reserve yours now!

If you need a little encouragement, have a look at this hip & snappy “How to Make Fresh Mozarella” video [it's inspirational, not instructional]. I loved it.