Currently munching on some seasonal snacks: fresh figs. This is one of the many reasons I love the month of August - fresh Farmer's Market figs. Delicious! Plus, pairing them with sliced muenster cheese made for a nutritious (they're loaded with calcium and fiber!) and delectable mid-afternoon snack. Pick some up at your market - they'll only be around for a few weeks!!
Calling all summer-loving sweaty little boys: these have got to be the most rad ice pop molds ever!! Sailboat, Rocket, and Robot pop molds (set of 6), $10.00
Naturally it was my sister-in-law Rivky (I love your new-kosher-product radar!!) who introduced me to Trader Joe's Peach Pops; a freeze pop of natural proportions. Made simply of puréed peach + some fruit juice, this push-up-pop nixes the chemicals, dyes, and artificiality of iconic American summer chilling.
To be quite honest, while Freida seems to love these freezr-treats, I personally happen to think they taste like a tube of frozen canned peaches (good and refreshing, but not delicious and fresh!). Though, I did think of something these would be totally tubular for: Bellinis!! Seriously, who can pass up that sumptuously fizzy and refreshing cocktail?? The only complication in a Bellini is that the most important component is fresh peach purée - voilà! Girls night out just got a whole lot cooler. Simply combine 2 oz. peach purée and 4 oz. sparkling white wine (I love this most made with Prosecco!), and let the chilling begin. Summer happy hour simply can't get any sweeter!
P.S. If you have a young baby at home and have been making and storing your own baby food, or interested in trying it out, here's a way you can both benefit! Buy some fresh, ripe, organic peaches, score the base of the fruit, and blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, and then immediately plunge into ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. Remove the skin and get to puréeing (check out this neat little gadget for super-easy baby food production!!). Store and freeze for baby, and use reserve for these summer cocktails... take a deep breathe and inhale the sweet peachiness of parenting after hours! :)
During our first week here in Skokie, we took a morning trip to a little historical tribute to farming families in Glenview, IL: Wagner Farm. We've passed by this little farm-life restoration many times on previous visits during our treks to Glenview's Trader Joe's (Hello Skokie. Get on the TJ bandwagon!), but for some reason we never thought to stop, until now. We had a wonderful morning learning about dairy cows, fresh chicken coop eggs, and watching the sheep try to stay cool in this humid Midwest heat.
Wagner Farm is one of the very few still-standing farms of Cook County, and is surrounded by vibrant suburban life, homes, and major roadways. The Wagner family owned, lived, and farmed on this property from 1855 until the death of Rose Wagner in 1997!!! It now functions as a museum-like tribute to this farming families history. Aside from the farm animals and green gardens, there are indoor interactive exhibits where children (and adults!) can learn about whole food and it's origin, including their "shop through history" 1930's grocery store. Also on location and open for exploration is the original farmhouse - the home of the Wagner family - with furniture and all! So interesting!
Their tagline is "If your kids think that milk comes from a carton, corn comes from a can, and chicken from a cellophane wrapped package - it's time to visit Wagner Farm!". If you're in the Chicagoland area and looking for some fun and educational trips to do with young children in tow, I'd highly recommend stopping by for a visit. You can check out more about the farm and it's programs here.
Nothing like pausing the backyard play to pick some garden bounty and ring the snack bell! It's amazing how much more open children are to eating new things when they partake in the process. Picking the fruits and veggies from the earth, cutting, mashing, and tossing made it that much more plausible for curious, yet timid, little palettes. (Thank you again Estee Berkowitz - now start with your radical-homemakers mom blog already!!!) Chunks of avacado, cherry tomatos, and chopped leek was never consumed by children with such gusto! Plus, watching it go straight from earth to mouth... the nutrient viability must have been intense! :)
Freida pulled a leek from the ground and exclaimed "that was freaking awesome!" - to my delight and Estee's horror. :))
