Free Range Friday ~ Michigan

Food. What would we do without it? Obviously, I don't intend on making that experiment any time soon and that's a good thing, especially when I've landed in a place where, with a little detective work, food heaven is only a few GPS instructions away. Eastern Market is far more than a market, it is tradition, incorporating hard work with true results. I'm so glad we found it.

Quite a number of my friends are pretty spiritual beings (and then there's the rest of us). But that's why I want to show what the entrance to Nirvana looks like. You can't see the solid walls of graffiti on the buildings of the previous three blocks, or the sudden transition from fairly normal surroundings to 'oh crap, I think I've made a very bad turn'. Which just goes to show, don't judge heaven by its entrance or you'll definitely miss out.

This was a Saturday afternoon, much closer to closing time than opening, and it was still packed with people. From the parking area filled with all kinds of plants, even with winter edging closer - I know this because there are already homes sporting pumpkins and ghosties - to the rows and rows of every sort of late season vegetable and fruit, there was far more than we'd ever cover before the doors were shut. That's figuratively speaking, I didn't see any doors.

Chosen from a list of farmer's markets going on that day, I inadvertently hit the grandmother of all of them. Eastern Market reminded me of the market in New Orleans, 40 years ago, without the fish. But maybe/probably there is fish, I still have exploring to do.

There are lots of farmers there, showing off their wares in an abundance that is close to overwhelming. The prices are crazy low; if you go there, have a lot of singles because a whole lot of things are a dollar. And at the end of the day, even things that aren't a dollar are a dollar. How can one resist?

The answer to the above question? You don't. Well, of course there were plenty of things we left behind, but that was because we planned badly and didn't bring a wagon or cart with us and the circulation in our arms was being cut off by our shopping bags.

This is a public service announcement. For those that don't eat baby animals, you'd best stop here, because I do. Go get your shoes repaired and come back later.

Ok, eaters of things young and old, we're back.

We were on our way to the car when this screaming wall got our attention. Ftoni's isn't for the faint of heart, but if carnivore is part of your name? You've just hit the lottery jackpot once you're through the plastic strip doors. There is meat of every kind in every space, steel racks are laden with not prettily packaged individual cuts, but slabs, countertops have bags of ground beef - 10 or 20 pounds of it for a dollar a pound. It's cold in there, the whole store is basically a meat locker, and slightly intimidating at first; this is a butchery, and knowing what you want is the only way you're going to get it. 

 I want to go back to this place and take more inside photos, especially of the men running the place. The guy who I talked to first, was, before I talked to him, stretching his back by having a hand on each counter beside him with his feet pulled up as he swung back and forth, a look of pain and relief on his face. I didn't interrupt - been there, done that. A smile replaced a long day weary grimace and he couldn't have been more helpful getting us a leg of lamb. Though first he thought we wanted the whole lamb (134.00 if you are interested). Lorraine said she was thinking of how to fold it into the car while I corrected our intention to just take home a leg. Ftoni Meat is only one of close to 30 butchers around Eastern Market; I'd go back again any time.

All natural, free range, fresh and local! I wouldn't have minded if it was frozen but it wasn't and it wasn't from New Zealand either. That just made it better.

I'm of a very simple belief when it comes to roasting lamb. Slivers of garlic, lots of them, inserted in knife tip slits all over, a fair amount of rosemary (bruising some of the rosemary and rubbing the meat is a good thing), and, despite the fat already present, a drizzle of olive oil. An over preheated to 400 degrees, turned down to 325, at 25 minutes per pound (for rare, and I like rare), which made this a couple of hours, and wa la!

Done! Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa of cooking fame (versus the Barefoot Contessa of Culebra fame) suggests something I might try - grinding the rosemary and garlic and making a rub of it. I still have half of this beast to experiment with...

Corn, beans and tomatoes that were picked the day before, lamb, wine and good company. We forgot to get baby potatoes but truly, for the here and now of it, why gild the lily?

The next day it was time to do something with the oyster mushrooms. We'd been given explicit instructions by the guys who grew these, so I followed them as best I could with what we had and oh my!!

With scissors, snip off the 'petals' from the main stalk. The remaining stalk is tough and can be thrown away (into your compost!), the petals are the good stuff! Mince up a clove or two of garlic, depending on how many mushrooms you have - I love garlic but I didn't want to overwhelm the delicate flavor of the mushroom.

Heat some olive oil (how much is enough? I started with a few tablespoons worth) over a medium low heat, adding some parsley and a bit of thyme. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and about a tablespoon of butter (he was very insistent that it was first olive oil, then butter - different heat tolerances, maybe, just do what he says, it works!). When the garlic is soft and browned, a few more minutes worth of cooking, it's done.

I also wanted to use one of the leeks. Sliced and braised in some broth from a bit of leftover lamb, I should have then sauteed it with the mushrooms but I didn't. It was good way to cook a leek, but it easily could have been elevated up a few notches to excellent. A bed of mushrooms, some leftover lamb cut into bite sized pieces, topped with sliced leeks, some oh so good heirloom tomatoes and lunch was ready!

 Next time, I've got to try some ribs from this guy! 

 photo credit: Lorraine Nelson

Have a free range Friday! Do something fun with food.

Michigan Photo Potpourri

The street is quiet except for the sound of gas and water workers, doing something about something; rubbled sections of sidewalk feel like home. Having walnuts littering those sidewalks does not feel like home. Sidenote: when the outer covering of a walnut is split, the smell on my fingers was very citrusy/floral. Weird and really nice.

I looked up these doves, mourning doves or turtle doves - which plenty of you already know, but I wasn't sure. What I didn't know is that they are monogamous and that it is Dad who takes care of the fledglings for the last couple of weeks they are in the nest. The day after I took these photos, they were gone. This is the second hatching of this particular pair, apparently they can have up to six a season! So the condo stays put for now.

Hey bro, think it's time to hit the sky? No! Dad's coming back, let's wait.

While these birds are basically seed eaters, the babies are first fed, um, milk gak. Ok, that is not the technical name for it. "Males and females work together to feed their new babies something called “crop milk” or “pigeon milk” for the first few days of their life. Rich in protein and fat, it resembles cottage cheese, is secreted by the adults’ crop lining, and is regurgitated to the little ones." - source

Hey! Hey Pops! Check out this wing action!

Cool, huh?

We got to the Dossin Great Lakes museum on Belle Isle on Saturday. While not on the  mind boggling scale of the Detroit Institute of Arts and feeling more like a children's museum, there was still a lot I learned, via a short video and just wandering around looking at displays. For instance, I had no idea Chris Crafts were made in Michigan. Or that Henry Ford had so much to do with shipbuilding (let's not get into politics, no no, not now). Or that go fast boats have such a long history. Even while we were walking around, the roar of quite a few speedy boats assaulted our ears as they zoomed down the river, too fast to get over a hill and photograph.

This was a pretty interesting interactive model, with various buttons that lit up major areas of logging, steel work, etc. plus giving an idea of the depth of the various Great Lakes. Being a beach person, this is a whole world I know only superficially. Now I know more.

There was a display of Fresnel lens' from various defunct lighthouses. Beautiful and sad too.

One room was a complete model of a cargo ship bridge.

And of course there was a room dedicated to the Edmund Fitzgerald and the heroic efforts spent to find any survivors.

No sign saying how far to home. I was shocked!

This reminded me of a boat made on Culebra. Now I forget who made it and a sister boat, but those babies were fast! The engine on this one looks pristine. I wanted it. I still do.

Back when trophies were really heavy.

This exhibit was strange and wonderfully familiar all at the same time.

We could see Lorraine's car in the parking lot outside in the viewfinder!

Because I am forgetful sometimes (you, you in the back! stop laughing!), my camera battery wasn't on full charge, so I had to take this with my phone. It's such a wonderful lighthouse and has an interesting and to me, charming history, it was very disappointing to not get a few more shots close up. But if you want to, you can go here (with links to lots of interesting bits of local history) to see other photos and read about why, despite its appearance, this isn't really a lighthouse in any official capacity. But for here and now? Here's to William Livingstone, who, among many achievements,  made navigating the Great Lakes safer for all.

I was going to add more but figure this is plenty for now. There is a place here that deserves its own post - and more exploring. If farmer's markets have a wonder factor, this one is way up there on the scale of OH!!

photo credit: Lorraine Nelson

Surrounded by restaurants, amazing bulk food markets and warehouse food suppliers, this guy was doing some serious grilling, while a one man jazz show was happening on the other side of him. You can't see all the dollar bills he had pinned to his shirt, but if I hadn't been overwhelmed by the all of everything, I'd have added mine and taken home some ribs. Next time maybe.  

Have a make your mark Monday. Do something manageable.