The Roving Locavore

After kneading the dough, I’m having my first relaxed moment of the day.  (A glass of Lillet helps.)  This morning, Jack slept late, which meant we all did.  The day, then, started off with high adrenaline and an extra coffee.  (I really like the long espresso they pull at Allechante.)  I dropped Jack at the Montshire Museum of Science pre-school camp, where, today, they learned about animal tracks.

Then, I drove to the Dartmouth Organic Farm for an hour and a half of sustainability chit chat and book-title trading with Scott, the manager.  He has great visions for the place: a conference and meeting space in the old farmhouse, a teaching area and soil sciences lab in the big kitchen, an interdisciplinary course on the history of Chinese agriculture, so much more…. I told him about everything Auburn is doing, and about the Rome Sustainable Food Project, which I’ll be enjoying in one short month!

We had a fun morning.

Then, picnic with Papa, Storrs pool with the boys, Hanover Food Co-op for dinner supplies, back home, clean up, send emails, this, that, knead the dough…. (I know, it doesn’t sound very taxing.)

At last I can sit and watch the hummingbirds zip in for their sugary snack.  And contemplate the comfort food I’ll serve up later.

It will be a semi-local meal.  The lettuce for a salad will come from the garden, and the mozzarella comes from Maplebrook Farm in Bennington, Vermont, and the flour comes from the 200+-year-old local institution, King Arthur Flour. (I like the way they have a “Flour Philosophy” on their website.  And I like their unbleached flour.)

Calzones
serves 4, or more with small eaters

Dough:
1 c. warm water
1. tsp. yeast
1 tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
about 3 c. flour

Filling:
a few big handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 c. organic ricotta (fresh if you’ve got it!)
1 ball mozzarella, pulled into strands
1/2 c. grated parmagiano-reggiano
1 egg
12 thin slices Genoa salame

Make the dough, and let rise for 1 hour. Then shape it into 4 8-inch discs, and let them rise. Pre-heat oven to 425.

Mix the filling, and when the dough is ready, plop large spoonfuls of it onto one side of the discs. Top with slices of salame. Fold and close the dough, brush with olive oil, bake for 15-20 minutes.

Serve with warm marinara for dipping.