We're coming back!

Starting next Wednesday, October 7th, McClendon's Select will be returning to the Town & Country Farmers' Market for the season. We will be there every Wednesday through June 23rd, 2010 from 8:30am to 2:00pm. We look forward to seeing everyone again.

We have a nice selection of certified organic fruit and vegetables currently in season. Here is a list of some of what you will find next week:

Basil, Italian Parsley and cilantro

Butternut, Acorn and Spaghetti Squash

Baby lettuce mix, baby spinach, and baby arugula

Apples and pears

Broccoli and cauliflower

Multicolored carrots

Dates and honey

Romaine lettuce

Gold, chioggia, and red beets

Fresh-pressed organic apple cider from Wilcox, Arizona.

We will also be returning to the Old Town Scottsdale Farmers' Market starting on Saturday, November 7th.

And, as a special welcome back, check out the blog next Wednesday for the best blog post ever. I promise!

Town & Country Shopping Center

October 7th 2009 - June 23rd, 2010

Wednesdays from 8:30am to 2:00pm

4881 North 20th Street

Phoenix, AZ 85016

Old Town Scottsdale Farmers' Market

November 7th, 2009 - May 22nd, 2010

Saturdays from 8:30am to 1:00pm

Located on the Southwest corner of 1st Street and Brown in

Scottsdale. Brown is one block East of Scottsdale Road. 1st Street is

two blocks South of Indian School Road.

Cool dining on a warm night...

If it wasn't clear before, let it not go unsaid, I love to eat out. Well, I just love to eat. Period.

Eating out in a beautiful place with a menu of fun choices to contemplate and decide over is nirvana for me. This week we got to enjoy a wonderful new addition to Phoenix dining. St. Francis opened on Camelback just a stone’s throw from Central and offers a menu with nicely priced American fare.

Chef Aaron Chamberlin came from the La Grande Orange group, where he clearly learned the art of creating great accessible food and welcoming space. The restaurant takes its name from the history of its Central Phoenix location, although it is also a fitting moniker given that the actual Saint Francis is, among other things, the patron saint of the environment. With its focus on seasonal ingredients, St. Francis definitely honors its namesake’s legacy.

The restaurant itself has so much character. There is a nod to the building’s former life as a bank, evident by the safe door that is now part of the ladies room. But any banking stuffiness is gone. The building was beautifully redone to create a hip hangout that is not at all pretentious. It was like eating at the cool kids’ table. I loved the open air bar with its beautiful views, made all the sweeter by the breeze that blew through.

Sean and I shared the crispy fingerling potatoes with rosemary, sage and a wonderful aioli to dip them in. He ordered the Seafood Soup after hearing a glowing recommendation. He must have liked it because he barely spoke and sent back a clean bowl. I had the flatbread with mission figs, argula and goat cheese, which was made in the beautiful wood burning oven. I will be going there again for the flatbread. Probably again and again knowing me. We both loved the warm sticky toffee pudding and a sweet cream gelato, which was the perfect conclusion to a wonderful meal.

I could have hung out all night at St. Francis. It is the perfect example of why I love to eat out.

St. Francis

111 East Camelback Road

Phoenix, AZ 85021

602.200.8111

California eating...

Once a week Aidan spends the evening at Bob and Marsha’s under the guise that Sean and I get to go out and have a “date night”. In actuality, the three of them have conspired to have their own time without us. Aidan can’t wait for those evenings. He usually jumps out of the car before I can bring it to a stop and takes off at a dead run to see what Bob is doing in the field or what Marsha’s cooking or to do one of the hundreds of other things a seven-year-old boy can do on a farm. Sean and I look forward to it too, although we have long since learned that it isn’t really about us anymore. Doesn’t every parent figure that out?

Last week we drove to North Scottsdale to have dinner at Calistro, a new restaurant off of the 101 and Pima that specializes in “green” dining. Devin Walsh the owner and chef at Calistro has created an amazing menu that focuses on locally grown, organic foods and delivers them with an equally fresh preparation and presentation. They aim to create dishes without heavy creams and sauces, and the magic is that you don’t even miss them.

We shared a roast beet salad to start that was as appetizing as it was beautiful. Sean went on to have the pork tenderloin, which he enjoyed immensely and I had the organic vegetarian plate, which had a beautiful array of fresh veggies and greens. Devin also sent out a plate of squash blossoms, which is truly a rare and seasonal treat. I love squash blossoms and I am on a constant search to find the different creative ways chefs work with these beautiful flowers. Devin’s squash blossoms had an Asian flair that I had never seen before. They were stuffed with a halibut mousse and flash fried in a tempura batter. Squash blossoms are only available a few weeks a year, but trust me, they are worth the wait.

The whole vibe at Calistro is California cool with a touch of French sophistication, and we were lucky enough to enjoy a spectacular Arizona sunset that made the evening perfect . In short, it is the neighborhood place I wish was in my hood.

Calistro

18221 North Pima Road

Scottsdale, AZ 85255

480.502.0325

All hail Kale...

My stepmother Lisa and I have an ongoing obsession with the Tuscan Kale salad at True Food. It is very simple, but so incredibly good. You just feel healthier ordering it. High in beta carotene, potassium, vitamins A, C and K, and rich in calcium, there is no downside to this hearty cabbage. I couldn’t get to True Food the other night, so I prepared my own Kale salad.

Kale is best served when steamed for about five minutes. A few minutes is enough time to soften Kale while maintaining all of the nutrients. Cooking Kale until it is al dente, tender on the outside and slightly firm on the inside, also helps brings out the best flavor.

In the True Food style, I kept it simple, my version had just a sprinkling of parmesan, some pistachios and a little of my favorite Queen Creek Mexican Lime Olive Oil. Really… what’s not to love about Kale?

You say Macaron, I say Macaroon...

I have told you about the incredible Parisian Macarons that Eugenia Theodosopoulos makes at the Essence Bakery Cafe in Tempe. I probably will again and again, they are THAT good! Recently she was kind enough to invite all of the McClendons over for dinner at her house. We had a wonderful evening with her and her charming husband Gilles hearing about their life in France and their experiences owning the restaurant and their former life in catering. She served an incredible dinner and introduced foie gras and rabbit to Aidan. We may now be in trouble, because he loved both.

I wanted to bring something to dinner, so I made my own macaroons. They are the coconut version, and while they pale in comparison to the old world elegance of her Macarons, they are still rich and decadent in their own way.

Chocolate-dipped Macaroons

3 egg whites (medium eggs or 2 large eggs)

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups finely shredded coconut

Bittersweet dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Mix egg whites and salt with electric mixer until stiff. Fold in sugar and vanilla, then stir in coconut. Scoop on to a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes. Melt chocolate over low heat. Drizzle tops with melted chocolate. Let cool for another 30 minutes.

This recipe is pretty easy, but then again, so is ordering Eugenia's Macarons online. Visit www.essencemacaron.com to order some for yourself or for a friend. (Or for a favorite blogger... should you know one who likes them!)

Look at these babies...

We got our first peek at a little Romanesco Cauliflower and an orange Cheddar Cheese Cauliflower. Aren't they cute?

These are both loved in our house. There are so many great things about cauliflower. On top of being one of the best foods for promoting heart health, cauliflower is low in calories, while high in folate, fiber, omaga-3s, potassium and Vitamins C and K. The orange variety even offers 25 times the amount of Vitamin A over its pale cousin.

Romanesco is an Italian variety and I think it is one of the most interesting looking vegetables in the garden. Each Romanesco is a fractal, meaning it is an object that presents itself over and over in perfect self-similarity. The florets grow in spirals, one identical to the other, in a pattern that correlates with the Fibonacci numbers. Fibonacci numbers were used by Renaissance painters as part of the golden ratio to create perfect proportions in their art, as it is the most aesthetically pleasing. Leave it to the Italians to create a breed of cauliflower that is both beautiful and mathematically perfect.

I would try explaining this to Aidan, but he doesn't care. He loves Romanesco and calls them Christmas Trees. And if I don't hurry to the table, he will eat a plate of them before I can sit down.

I prefer to roast the florets with a little olive oil and sea salt. Be careful when roasting to not overcook the cauliflower, because it can lose its nutrients if cooked too long. Sauteing for five minutes is also a good way to bring out its flavor while keeping all of its wonderful nutritional value.

That said, this is sadly just a teaser, since these particular varieties don't mature enough for picking until the early spring. We have seedlings in the green house right now that are about to be transferred to the fields soon. By next February they will be about the size of cantaloupes.

You didn't think someone could get this excited for cauliflower, did you?

Farmers and Chefs Connecting...

McClendon's Select is pleased to be a sustaining sponsor for the 2nd Annual Arizona Farmer Chef Connection conference. Hosted by Edible Phoenix and Slow Food Phoenix this conference brings together over 150 local chefs, farmers and speciality food producers interested in strengthening the local food community. There will be panel discussions, networking opportunities and a reception to foster collaboration and expand marketing opportunities for the local and seasonal food network.

This year's conference will be held on Monday, Sept. 21st from 2:00-5:00pm at the Intercontinental Montelucia Resort and Spa. Tickets are $20/person. For more information about the event go to www.fcc.eventbrite.com.

Avocado Soup

I recently had a rather unpleasant dental surgery. I will spare you the details other than to say that it has severely impacted what I am able (and wanting) to eat. The one thing that has made this ordeal a little more pleasant is that Marsha made me her wonderful Avocado Soup. It is served cold, which I need, and so good that it made me almost not mind that I get to go through this whole thing again in November.

Almost.

I do love it though, even when I am feeling up to eating hearty fare. It is a great recipe for entertaining with friends. Plus it is always nice to have something chilled to serve as we wait out the remaining summer heat. Enjoy in good health!

Avocado Soup

3 ripe avocados

1 can of fat-free chicken broth

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

1/2 cup milk

Juice from 1/2 a lemon

Couple sprinkles of hot sauce

Garlic salt and pepper to taste

Blend ingredients smooth and refrigerate for two hours before serving. It will have a thick consistency, use more milk if you would like it a little thinner. Serve chilled with some fresh chopped cilantro or crumbled feta cheese on top.