الجمعة، 8 يونيو 2012

Lincoln Tribune

Lincoln Tribune

Link to The Lincoln Tribune

Lincoln County Farmers Markets Offer Freshest Produce and Friendly Service

Posted: 07 Jun 2012 01:55 PM PDT

By Seth Mabry

Lincoln County Farmers Market is now in full swing as the Lincolnton location is open from 7 A.M.-noon on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays while the Denver market is open on Saturdays 8 A.M.-noon and Wednesday 5 -8 P.M.

Fruit and veggie seekers can still find their favorite locally grown produce they have found in the past along with other unique items such as plants and other greenery offered by Joyce Gerlits of North Brook, who sells at the Lincolnton market.

"I even have some people bring their sick plants to me so I can take them home and nurse them back to health," said Gerlits.

Joyce Gerlits sets out geraniums for display,

The laid back atmosphere of the Lincoln County markets allows Gerlits to offer a more personal service to her customers.

"I just really like the slower pace," said Gerlits. "It helps me meet the people and get to know them."

Randy Hastings echoed the same feelings.

"I like dealing with local people," said Hasting. "I can make a little extra money while helping out the local economy."

Hastings, who has been selling his produce, jams and jellies, and hickory wood chips for smoking at the Lincolnton market for three years, understands the importance of offering fresh fruits and vegetables to his customers.

"I retired from a grocery store after 40 years as their produce manager," said Hastings. "The produce you get at the farmers market is a whole let fresher."

Hastings jokingly challenges anyone to find more crisp produce around the area.

 

Randy Hastings weighs some beets.

"The only way to find produce any fresher is to pick it out of the ground yourself," Hastings said.

The Lincoln County Farmers Markets can be found at 225 West Main Street in Lincolnton and Rock Springs Elementary School in Denver.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barbecue How-To’s and Recipe

Posted: 07 Jun 2012 12:49 PM PDT

Melinda Houser

As temperatures increase, so does our urge to cook outdoors.  Warm weather is the ideal time to cook out:  more people cook outdoors in summer than any other time of the year.  Warm temperatures are also ideal for bacteria and other pathogens to multiply and cause foodborne illness.  Use these guidelines for handling meat and poultry when grilling out.

 

Top 10 Grilling Food Safety Tips

 

Keep it Cold from the Store to Home

  • Pick up your cold food like meat and poultry last and right before checkout at      grocery store.
  • Separate raw meat and poultry from other food in      your shopping cart.
  • Put packages of raw meat and poultry into plastic      bags.
  • Consider taking a cooler with ice for      perishables.
  • Always refrigerate perishable food within two      hours. (Refrigerate within one hour when the temperature is above 90°F. Place meat and poultry in the refrigerator      immediately.
  • Freeze poultry and ground meat that won't be used      in one or two days.

 

Defrost Safely

  • Completely defrost meat and poultry before      grilling so it cooks more evenly.
  • Use the refrigerator for slow, safe thawing or      thaw sealed packages in cold water.

 

Marinating

  • Marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the      counter.
  • If you want to use some marinade as a sauce on      cooked food, reserve a portion of the marinade before putting raw meat and      poultry in it.

 

Bringing Food to Another Location

  • Use an insulated cooler with sufficient ice or      ice packs to keep the food at 40°F or      below.
  • Pack food right from the refrigerator into the      cooler immediately before leaving.

Keep Cold Food Cold

  • Keep meat and poultry refrigerated until ready to      use.
  • Only take out the meat and poultry that will      immediately be placed on the grill.
  • Pack beverages in one cooler and perishables in      another.

 

Keep Everything Clean

  • Be sure there are plenty of clean utensils and      platters.
  • Don't use the same platter and utensils for raw      and cooked food.

 

Cook Thoroughly

  • Cook food to a safe internal temperature to      destroy harmful bacteria.
  • Use a food thermometer to be sure the food has      reached a safe internal temperature.
  • Whole poultry should reach 180°F; breasts, 170°F.
  • Hamburgers made of ground beef should reach 160°F.
  • Ground poultry, 165°F.
  • Beef, veal, and lamb steaks, roasts and chops can be cooked to at least 145°F.
  • All cuts of pork should reach 160°F.
  • Never partially grill meat or poultry and finish cooking later. Harmful bacteria will grow between the time you start and finish cooking, even if you refrigerate the food in between.

 

Keep Hot Food Hot

  • After cooking meat and poultry on the grill, keep      it hot until served – at 140°F or      warmer.

 

Serving the Food

  • When taking food off the grill, use a clean      platter.
  • Don't put cooked food on the same platter that      held raw meat or poultry.
  • In hot weather (above 90°F), food should never sit out for more than one      hour.

 

Leftovers & Reheating

  • Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in shallow      containers.
  • When reheating fully cooked meats like hot dogs,      grill to 165°F or until      steaming hot.

 

Grilled Chicken with Lemon and Oregano

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 lemons)

¼ cup finely chopped fresh oregano (or 1 tablespoon dried)

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for grates

Coarse salt and ground pepper

4 chicken halves (1 ½ pounds each) or 2 whole chickens, split

4 lemons, halved crosswise

Oregano sprigs (optional)

Make marinade: in a small bowl, whisk together lemon zest and juice, oregano, oil, 2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Divide marinade between 2 large resealable plastic bags. Place 2 chicken halves in each bag; shake to coat. Let marinate at room temperature 30 minutes, turning bags occasionally.

Preheat grill to medium; lightly oil grates. Remove chicken from marinade, and pat dry with paper towels. Place chicken, skin side up, on grill. Cover and cook, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Turn chicken over; cover and cook until well browned, 10 to 15 minutes (an instant-read thermometer should register 175 degrees, when inserted into thickest part of meat, avoiding bone). If chicken is browning too quickly, move to cooler parts of grill or turn grill to low heat.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place lemon halves on grill, cut side down; cook until slightly charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Cut chicken pieces in half; serve with grilled lemon halves, and, if desired, garnish with oregano sprigs.

 

Piedmont—Lexington-Style Sauce

1 ½ cups distilled white or cider vinegar

10 tablespoons tomato catsup

Salt to taste, if desired

Freshly ground pepper to taste

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Pinch of crushed hot red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon sugar

½ cup water

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.  Remove from the heat and let stand until cool.  Use this on chicken breasts or your favorite cut of beef for grilling.  Yield:  3 cups.

 

Grill Packs in the Flavor of Vegetables and Fish

Keep your kitchen cool during the warm spring and summer season by grilling food outside. As you probably know, this is a great way to cook food for family and friends. Soon there will be an abundance of local vegetables available for your enjoyment. In addition to the many ways of preparing vegetables, foil-wrapped packs are easy to make, quick to cook and very little clean up time. The vegetables maintain their fresh flavor and texture, and have a caramelized, grilled taste. Use heavy-duty foil or aluminum grilling bags. Seal seams with a double fold and be careful not to puncture. Some of the vegetable packs to prepare may include:

Cauliflower florets – 1 ½ c. cauliflower florets, 1 ½ c. broccoli florets, carrots cut in 1 ½ inch pieces, 1 teaspoon of your favorite seasoning—garlic, Italian or lemon pepper, 1 tsp. olive oil, and 1 Tbls. water. Grill time 20 to 25 minutes.

Potato pack – 1 pound of potatoes (cut in 2 inch cubes or ½" slices), ¼ c. onion, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme and 1 clove of minced garlic. Grill time—20 to 30 minutes. (Optional: add ½" squash slices)

Green beans – other beans with green beans (if desired), add thinly sliced, small onion, 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Grill time – 15 to 20 minutes.

Other foods to grill include salmon, shrimp, beef, pork, chicken, cobblers in foil containers, and meatless burgers (black bean burgers and Portobello burgers). Keep your menu healthy and simple. Use herbs and spices to add flavor and variety to your foods.

 

Melinda Houser is a Family and Consumer Sciences agent with the NC Cooperative Extension. For more information, please call 704-736-8461.
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