The Whole Dish: Southern Oregon Food Blog

The month of May brings more farmers markets to the local mix, with a downtown site for Medford’s Saturday market as the latest wrinkle. This time of year, everyone hungers for fresh produce, even as market vendors sell lots of plant starts for the home garden.

When my own garden is going full-swing, I’m less likely to visit farmers markets. When I do, I look for things I don’t grow myself or are peerless products.

It’s also sometimes painfully obvious that I stand no chance of making a particular purchase if I don’t arrive early. Case in point, I’ve been skunked on Pennington Farms strawberry-rhubarb turnovers for weeks because I can’t manage to make it to the market before 11 a.m.

An alternate strategy is arriving late for last-minute deals on the items farmers want to move before heading home. This is less likely to be the case, however, if farmers have multiple points of sale throughout the week and can carry over sturdier fruits and vegetables.

Some, however, will designate bruised or otherwise imperfect produce as “seconds” and sell them for less. These are great for using in pies, sauces or jams. Shoppers can even reap savings on prepared foods — like candies and baked goods — that aren’t quite up to snuff.

Here are a few farmers-market tips from a recent article in the Chicago Tribune, which gleaned its information from “The Green Market Baking Book,” by Laura C. Martin, “Farmers Markets of the Heartland,” by Janine MacLachlan, and “Locally Grown: Portraits of Artisanal Farmers in America’s Heartland,” by Anna Blessing.

Make a plan and think realistically about how much time you will have to cook in the coming week.

Before leaving home for the market, put out all the bowls, colanders, cutting boards and salad spinners needed to wash and prep purchases for use. Once you return home, put on some good music and have a produce-prepping party, which sets the stage for the week’s cooking and eating.

Avoid waste (and sometimes fees) by bringing your own bags; don’t forget insulated bags for meat and dairy. If buying meat or dairy, ask the vendor to hold it until you are ready to leave, so it can stay cool as long as possible. Bringing along some reusable, plastic, takeout or yogurt containers can protect berries and other delicate produce in your bags. 

Bring small bills and correct change for easier transactions.

When you arrive at the market get a cup of coffee and take a leisurely trip around to survey the offerings before buying.

Be flexible. Instead of making a shopping list, buy what looks the best and freshest.

Some sources recommend bringing recipes or a cookbook to determine how to use produce, but I think farmers often have the best suggestions, and some even hand out recipes. They also know how best to store it and how long it will stay fresh.

Don’t overbuy. It’s easy to get carried away when surrounded by such wonderful produce but only buy what you’ll be able to use.

If a certain item is at the beginning or tail end of its season, it will be more expensive. Budget shoppers are best off buying when something is at its peak and prices come down.

Each week, sample a new type of produce to see which varieties/farms you like best. And if you can make it to more than one farmers market, consider checking out a few each season. Selection and prices can vary from town to town.

Here’s a recipe to consider with spring greens, including the roots-attached “produce packs” available from Rock Field Farms, profiled in this week’s A la Carte. The farm grows a variety of Asian greens that could be substituted for watercress.

Chopped Watercress Chicken Salad With Orange Dressing

1 1⁄2 cups orange juice

2 teaspoons honey

1 tablespoon sesame oil

4 teaspoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar

1 teaspoon peeled and grated, fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

1⁄2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

1 1⁄2 pounds chicken tenders

4 cups watercress, washed and chopped (arugula may be substituted)

2 cups washed and chopped romaine hearts

1 bunch green onions, sliced

1⁄4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped peanuts

In a small saucepan, bring the orange juice to boil over medium heat. Reduce liquid by half, for about 5 minutes.

In food processor or blender, combine juice reduction, the honey, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic and 2 tablespoons water. Process until smooth. Place half of mixture in a large, sealable plastic bag. Add the pepper flakes and chicken tenders. Marinate for 30 minutes.

In a large serving bowl, combine the watercress, romaine, onions and cilantro.

Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and marinade. Cook, stirring occasionally, until marinade evaporates and tenders are cooked through and caramelized, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Toss greens in reserved juice mixture. Top with grilled tenders and garnish with the peanuts. Makes 4 servings. 

The Mother’s Day ritual of breakfast in bed is a rite of passage for kids and moms alike.

I don’t remember where my 8-year-old brain picked up the notion because I’m pretty sure Dad wasn’t home. But I remember telling my younger sister that we were going to make scrambled eggs and toast and serve it to Mom before she got up. My sister, destined to become a savvy cook and entertainer, was appropriately skeptical.

But make the breakfast we did, and Mom happily ate it despite the eggs’ somewhat leathery texture and toast crumbling onto the bedspread. The more I think about it, Mom must have hinted at the exercise to gauge whether we could safely operate the stove and pull off a meal we’d seen her make dozens of times, only this time without step-by-step supervision.

Mom recognized the importance of teaching us to function in the kitchen, and so many Mother’s Days later, I’m so glad she did. Just as important, in my book, is honing skills for cleaning up a kitchen, so that special someone doesn’t feel more stressed by your good intentions.

That’s why a make-ahead meal that allows everyone to wake up — and get up — to a clean kitchen should be your Mother’s Day strategy. A dish like oven French toast is easy to assemble for kids and adults alike and only requires sliding into the oven the next morning.

While my mom made plenty of French toast throughout my childhood, I didn’t discover the merits of oven French toast until I was living on my own. I love it because it soaks up so much more egg than made-to-order French toast, yielding a supremely custardy texture. It also puffs up attractively like a souffle.

Use any good, thick-cut bread in this recipe from McClatchy News Service and serve with fresh fruit, compote or good-quality maple syrup infused with spices.

MCT photo

Oven French Toast

2 tablespoons butter

8 slices raisin bread from a 1-pound loaf, sliced 1-inch thick

4 eggs

4 egg whites

1 1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

Powdered sugar, for dusting

Butter a shallow baking pan and arrange the bread in a single layer. Beat together the eggs, egg whites, milk, sugar, cinnamon, syrup, vanilla and salt in a large bowl. Pour mixture over bread. Turn slices to coat. Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Bake French toast in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Turn bread and continue baking until golden, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer to a warm plate and sprinkle with the powdered sugar.

Makes 8 servings.

VARIATION: Try using eggnog for a richer French toast. Add 2 whole eggs, lightly beaten, to 2 cups eggnog. Pour over thick slices of bread. Turn bread to coat. Bake in the morning, as instructed above.

— Recipe from “Let’s Get Together,” by DeeDee Stovel and Pam Wakefield (Storey Publishing, $14.95).

Planning this week’s food section, I paused to consider if asparagus was old news.

Granted, it’s been in grocery stores since March, so it’s possible shoppers could be sick of it. But only if they’re the types to settle for produce shipped from Mexico and California long before the local crop is ready.

What’s the difference, you ask? Flavor, of course!

I’m buying some fruits — citrus, mangoes and avocados — that I simply can’t get from growers in Oregon. But when it comes to the crops we can grow, I wouldn’t miss them for the world.

If reports from Ashland Food Co-op are any indicator, plenty of people agree. The store expects to sell more locally grown asparagus in a single day than in a week of stocking California asparagus, says Mary Shaw, co-op culinary educator.

A few years ago, I profiled a major local grower, Cowhorn Vineyard & Garden, which produces the less-typical “purple passion” asparagus. Just as the name suggests, these spears are a lilac hue.

Because asparagus crowns will continue producing for more than a decade, those same specimens that we photographed in 2007 are going strong. And as their roots mature and become more robust, asparagus spears get fatter.

As any asparagus aficionado will tell you, fat is where it’s at. And Cowhorn’s — at least the ones delivered to Ashland Food Co-op — are all fat. Fat asparagus, as my latest Season to Taste column explained, needs to be peeled at the base. Don’t worry that it compromises the vegetable’s visual appeal. In the words of Los Angeles food writer Russ Parsons, “the contrast of dark-green tips and pale, glowing spears” is gorgeous, “as if it’s been roughly carved from jade.”

If you grow your own, you’ll likely be astounded at its growth rate — sometimes 5 inches overnight. Don’t let it get too tall, though, because that’s when the ends really get tough and fibrous. Keep it to about 8 inches. And, as I recently learned, you’ll dry out asparagus crowns if you snap off the stalks above the soil. Cut them below the surface of the dirt.

Here’s a recipe from the LA Times that treats asparagus with a chef’s sensibility, honoring it as one of the most beautiful and delicious foods of spring.

LA Times photo

Chilled Asparagus With Vinaigrette and Eggs Mimosa

2 pounds medium asparagus

Kosher salt, as needed

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra for drizzling

4 hard-cooked large eggs

2 large radishes

Scant 3 tablespoons vinaigrette

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced chives

Remove and discard tough ends of the asparagus. Line up spears, tips facing same direction, on a cutting board and trim ends so spears are of equal length, reserving trimmings. Cut trimmings into 1-inch lengths and reserve 2 cups of them for sauce; do not peel them, as peel will make sauce a vivid green. Set aside. Peel asparagus spears, beginning about 1 inch below base of tip.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and prepare an ice bath. Divide asparagus spears into 4 piles, again with tips facing the same way. Cut 4 pieces of kitchen twine about 2 feet long and tie spears into secure bundles.

When water is boiling, add asparagus and blanch until just tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to ice bath, but leave water boiling. Add asparagus trimmings to boiling water and blanch until tender enough to puree, 4 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, when asparagus bundles are cold, transfer to paper towels, remove twine and drain, then dry well. Cover and refrigerate asparagus for at least 15 minutes. (Asparagus can be prepared to this point up to a day ahead.)

When trimmings are tender, remove them and reserve about 1⁄2 cup cooking water. Drain asparagus pieces in a strainer and immediately plunge strainer into ice bath. Once asparagus are cool, remove them from strainer and drain on paper towels.

Add asparagus trimmings to a blender, along with just enough reserved cooking liquid to allow blade to turn, about 3 tablespoons. Pulse to break up asparagus, then blend to a puree. It may be necessary to stop and scrape down sides of blender several times; be patient. Add more cooking liquid only if necessary. When puree is smooth, blend in the 1 tablespoon oil. Season to taste with salt. Strain puree if there are any fibers in it. (You should have about 1⁄2 cup. Cover and refrigerate puree for at least 15 minutes, or up to a day.)

To assemble, remove yolks from the hard-cooked eggs. Reserve whites for another use. Push yolks through large holes of a grater, then finely chop. Wash the radishes and cut off and discard tops and bottoms. Thinly slice radishes, then cut slices into thin sticks.

Arrange asparagus on a work surface in 4 stacks, with tips facing same direction. Sprinkle each stack with a pinch of salt.

Spoon about 2 tablespoons asparagus puree into a pool in center of each serving plate. Top with asparagus spears. Spoon about 2 teaspoons vinaigrette over center of each mound of spears. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons chopped egg yolks over vinaigrette on each portion, then sprinkle yolks with a pinch each of kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

Toss radishes with the chives, 2 teaspoons olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Divide radish mixture between each serving, placing it on top of egg yolks, and drizzle lightly with additional oil. Serve cold.

Makes 4 servings.

VINAIGRETTE: Combine 1⁄4 cup Dijon mustard and 1⁄2 cup red-wine vinegar in a blender and blend at medium speed for about 15 seconds. With machine running, slowly drizzle in 1⁄2 cup canola oil. Transfer vinaigrette to a small bowl and, whisking constantly, slowly stream in 1 cup canola oil. (This makes about 2 cups vinaigrette, more than needed for recipe. Dressing can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks; should it separate, use a blender or immersion blender to re-emulsify it.)

— Recipe adapted by the Los Angeles Times from Thomas Keller’s “Bouchon.”

Since 2008, I’ve made a point of promoting the annual Empty Bowls Project, a hunger-relief benefit that relied for several years on Ashland restaurants to donate vouchers for bowls of soup.

In my mind, the story wasn’t only a way to highlight a local fundraising effort but also filled up the newspaper’s weekly food section with soup recipes. The idea being if you purchased a handmade, ceramic bowl at the benefit, you could make your own soup to put in it.

When Soroptimist International of Ashland decided late last year that it no longer could put on the hunger-relief benefit, I figured I’d scratch the story off my list. Then Peace House decided to take it up and put an even more food-centric spin on it: a soup supper served in its Uncle Food’s Diner.

Admittedly, it’s nothing fancy, organizers say. But from what I hear, the soup kitchen makes delicious food with its donated ingredients. Fresh-baked breads and desserts round out the repast.

Regardless of provenance — my own kitchen or someone else’s — I’m a huge fan of soup. Often superior to salads, nutritionally speaking, soups can cram a lot of vegetables into a single bowl. They’re almost infinitely versatile, having a place in just about every culture’s traditional cuisine. And, as most people don’t need to be told, they’re economical.

Next to composting, making soups and stocks does more to slash food waste in the home kitchen than almost any other strategy, according to a recent Chicago Tribune interview with conservation experts. Food waste makes up about 20 percent of the United States’ waste stream. Bagged and tossed into landfills, it leaks methane, a gas that is 21 times more destructive to the ozone than carbon dioxide, according to the EPA.

It’s sobering to hear, as groups like Peace House try to raise money to relieve hunger, that North Americans throw away a larger percentage — about 250 pounds per person — of their food than any other geographic group. The United States throws away a whopping 40 percent of its food, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation. And most of that is before it ever reaches consumers.

So if you can’t make it to the Empty Bowls Project next Friday, do your part and make soup for supper. Recipes with this week’s story are a good place to start. I tried to offer a variety.

Black bean is quintessentially thrifty with an optional touch of sophistication from creme fraiche. Fresh pea soup could just as easily be made with thriftier and more convenient frozen peas and, as the story explained, could be a vehicle for tired lettuce.

And in case anyone thinks oyster stew is at odds with frugal eating, rest assured that harvesting the shellfish is environmentally friendly, they’re good keepers (about two weeks) once they’ve been shucked and bottled for sale and — restaurant preparations aside — are pound for pound some of the least expensive seafood on the market.

If you’re hankering for a fresh, cool soup after a winter of so many steaming bowls, try this mango soup with ripe, fresh mangoes available now in stores. Consider using the lemon grass paste mentioned in a previous post in lieu of taking it from fresh stalks.

Mango Soup

2 large, ripe mangos, peeled and roughly chopped

1/2 teaspoon peeled and grated, fresh ginger

1/2 tablespoon chopped, fresh lemon grass

1/2 cup chicken stock or broth

1/2 cup plain yogurt

6 large cooked shrimp

2 tablespoons chopped, fresh cilantro

Place the mango, ginger, lemon grass and chicken stock in a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade; puree until smooth. Place in a large bowl. Add the yogurt and stir to combine. Chill. To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Place 1 of the shrimp in each bowl and garnish with the cilantro.

Makes 6 servings.

The weekend’s summerlike temperatures didn’t just boost my body temperature. So much sweat equity in my garden kicked off a craving for ripe, juicy fruit.

But if you try to confine your produce purchases to fruits of the Northern Hemisphere, you’ve noticed that springtime is slim pickings. A few types of California and Florida citrus fruits are about your best bet, along with some Mexican mangoes and a few other tropical species.

Fortunately, for the strictly seasonal eater (to which I aspire), rhubarb steps in to quench fruit cravings. Actually a vegetable, as explained in my April Season to Taste column in HomeLife magazine, rhubarb most often is prepared with plenty of sugar to temper its naturally sour disposition.

Perhaps that’s why rhubarb recipes can seem a bit repetitive: plenty of pies, puddings, crisps, crumbles, chutneys, sauces and syrups. I’ve always suspected that rhubarb deserves to retain its integrity, but I’ve always encountered it as some sort of mush inside of or top of a more recognizable food.

This recipe for pickling rhubarb remedies that issue. And it provides a savory twist for a something usually served sweet. And it rewards gardeners’ efforts to cultivate kale to sustain them this time of year.

If you want another fresh take on rhubarb, visit Ashland Food Co-op between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday for a taste of Beet-Rhubarb Jam, the subject of a previous post, which tickled the fancy of Co-op culinary educator Mary Shaw.

MCT photo

Confetti Salad of Kale and Rhubarb

1 cup rhubarb, cut into 1⁄4-inch pieces

1⁄3 cup sugar

1⁄2 cup white balsamic vinegar

1⁄2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1⁄2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 bunch (12 to 15 leaves) lacinato kale (also called dinosaur kale)

3 tablespoons walnut oil

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

4 ounces aged Gouda, cut into fat matchsticks (about 1 cup)

1 tablespoon butter

1⁄2 cup fresh breadcrumbs, preferably sourdough

1⁄2 cup candied walnuts (recipe follows), roughly chopped

Place the rhubarb in a shallow, heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, vinegar, the 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and mustard seeds; bring to a boil and cook until sugar dissolves. Pour mixture over rhubarb and let sit at room temperature for at least 3 hours before using. Pickles’ flavor improves if refrigerated overnight. Any leftover pickling liquid can be refrigerated for future use.

To make salad, remove center rib from the kale leaves, stack several pieces, then slice crosswise into a fine julienne. You should end up with about 5 cups. Rinse kale and pat dry between paper towels or use a salad spinner.

Drain rhubarb from pickling liquid, but reserve liquid for vinaigrette. Whisk together 3 tablespoons pickling liquid and the walnut oil. Season with a hefty pinch of salt and the pepper to taste. Toss kale with dressing, then gently fold in the cheese and drained rhubarb. Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so kale softens a bit; it can chill for up to 3 hours.

Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then add the breadcrumbs, stirring to coat. Cook, stirring, until crumbs are golden and crisp. Set aside.

Before serving, toss salad again, add breadcrumbs and the walnuts; toss once more.

CANDIED WALNUTS: Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet and set aside. Combine 1⁄4 cup water and 1⁄2 cup packed brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add 1 cup walnut halves and continue to stir for about 5 minutes, until mixture begins to thicken. Pour out onto parchment paper, separating walnuts with a fork. Sprinkle with 1⁄4 teaspoon salt. Cool completely. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to a month.

Makes 6 servings.

— Recipe from “Rhubarb Renaissance,” by Kim Ode (Minnesota Historical Society Press, 120 pages, $16.95).

Appropriately, I spent Earth Day moving mounds of earth to incorporate compost and plant the year’s potatoes in my garden.

Vegetable gardeners, even those who grow just pots of herbs, can feel good about perpetuating one of the activities cited for reducing one’s impact on the planet. And there is much more in this vein for cooks and eaters to consider, not just for Earth Day, of course, but year-round.

The following suggestions — based on a recent story by Karen Herzog in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel — are indeed numerous. But they provide lots of entry points to “greener” habits. Pick the one or two that seem doable for you. Start small and see how new ways of obtaining your food, cooking and cleaning up actually improves your life and outlook on the future.

If you don’t garden but do follow the local food scene, you should already know that purchasing locally produced fruits, veggies, meats, cheese, eggs, etc., is eco-friendly, particular direct from the farm, which cuts down on fuel usage. If you can’t get there, shop at farmers markets. Or U-pick some fruits and veggies as another alternative to the grocer.

If you have a garden, composting produce scraps, eggshells and coffee grounds should be de rigueur. If you lack a garden but want to reduce your garbage output, arrange a compost swap with a friend who does (I’ve been on the receiving end of this) or create a worm bin to turn kitchen scraps into nutrients for your houseplants.

Share the bounty. Invite friends over for a meal from your garden and other locally produced foods. Or make it a potluck.

While you’re planning meals, consider energy use when you choose cooking methods and recipes. Pan-sear fish or poach it on the stovetop. It’s more energy efficient than oven-baking unless you’re baking several things at once.

Keep your stove in good shape. When cooking on a gas burner, remember that a blue flame indicates efficiency. A yellowish flame indicates an adjustment is needed.

Preheat the oven only when necessary; keep preheating time to a minimum. Don’t cover oven racks with foil. It blocks the flow of hot air. Staggering pans on upper and lower racks also improves air flow so food cooks more quickly and efficiently. And clean a self-cleaning oven right after you use it, taking advantage of residual heat.

Don’t open the oven door frequently to check food. Each time you open the door, the oven temperature drops by 25 degrees, increasing the cooking time.

A microwave uses about a third of a regular oven’s energy. Use a combination of cooking methods to save energy and time, and still get good results. (Cook a potato until fork-tender in the microwave; make it crispy in a toaster oven.)

Refrigerators account for 10 percent to 15 percent of the average monthly home energy bill. New Energy Star-qualified models use 40 percent less energy than models sold as recently as 2001. Go to EnergyStar.gov to calculate your refrigerator’s energy consumption.

Save energy by cooling hot foods before putting them in the refrigerator. To maximize air flow, don’t crowd the refrigerator. Make sure the refrigerator, freezer and oven doors seal properly to avoid wasting energy.

Choose an eco-friendly dishwasher detergent (phosphate-free, bleach-free), and fill the dishwasher to the brim with scraped but unrinsed dishes. Turn off the heated dry feature and allow dishes to air-dry to save energy. (Disclaimer: I need to work on this one.)

Garbage disposals create water-and-energy-intensive work for pipes and wastewater treatment plants. If you’re composting, you’re automatically minimizing use.

Use hot, soapy water, or a mixture of water and vinegar, to tackle most kitchen cleanups. A gentler, safer hydrogen peroxide-based cleaner will kill bacteria. Most green brands label such products as “kitchen cleaner.” Plain, old baking soda also is about the best degreaser out there.

And use cloth towels in the kitchen instead of paper towels and cloth napkins instead of paper or choose a green brand. Greenpeace ranked these towel brands tops: Green Forest, 165 Whole Planet (from Whole Foods), Earth Friendly, Natural Value, Seventh Generation, Trader Joe’s, Marcal Small Steps, CVS Earth Essentials.

Remember that cloth napkins don’t necessarily have to be laundered after every meal. Give each family member a special napkin ring, pattern or color. I’ve done this in my house.

Finally, carry groceries home in reusable shopping bags. They’re not only eco-friendly but make packing up and transporting groceries easier. Trust me on this one.

Earth Day festivities are foremost this weekend. But foodies will want to consider a new event: the Rogue Valley Wine & Food Festival.

If you didn’t get enough specialities of local artisan food producers, winemakers and brewers at last week’s Pear A Fare or missed that event, hit up the Medford Armory today and Saturday for more. Tickets are $12 or $20 for a two-day pass. That buys all the ambiance that 60 local food, wine and art vendors can offer against a backdrop of live music each day.

Better yet, sign up early to participate in one of five classes, included in the price of admission. Jackie Buffaloe of Hands On Grains kicks off the educational opportunities at 4 p.m. with a family-friendly whole-grains baking demonstration. Loaves of whole-grain bread will go home with participants.

Then at 6 p.m. Ginger Johnson of Women Enjoying Beer will give a lecture on women’s history in brewing, followed by a 7 p.m. beer and chocolate pairing. Johnson plans Saturday sessions on beer in cooking and a pairing of beer with cheese at 2 and 4 p.m., respectively. Both of these educators have been featured in stories for the Mail Tribune’s weekly food section.

A kids area is part of the fun Saturday, along with guest chef demonstrations. Wine tasting is not included in admission, however, and fees vary by vendor. But the first 500 entrants each day will receive a free Harry & David wine glass.

The event benefits Sacred Heart Catholic School, and organizer Liz Wan is using a portion of proceeds to seed a scholarship program for local youth at Southern Oregon Wine Institute.

I didn’t exactly relish writing this week’s story on gluten-free cooking. That is until I realized the upcoming class at Oregon State University Extension wasn’t just another how-to guide for baking with alternative flours and starches.

Local gluten guru Joanie Kintscher and Family Food Education Volunteer Lisa North have planned their class around eating naturally gluten-free — read that as from-scratch cooking with whole, healthful ingredients.

Their class indeed seems something of a breakthrough amid the persistent focus on replacing standard, processed foods that contain gluten with even more processed versions that don’t. I’ve been writing about the gluten-free trend for A la Carte and Oregon Healthy Living since 2008 and, until this week, the stories almost exclusively focused on baking because that topic was foremost in the gluten-free movement.

And it’s only ramped up over the past few years. Finally, several stories moved on national news wires within the past few weeks acknowledging the food-processing industry’s twisting of the gluten-free trend with products that are just as unwholesome as their sugar- and fat-free foods.

Gluten is rapidly joining those two substances, in the words of Ashland nutrition consultant Rebecca Wood, as the most misunderstood topics in the American diet. Even this week’s story confused the issue.

While my article stated that oats are naturally gluten-free (they are), the sidebar produced by McClatchy News Service included oats in the same company with gluten-containing grains: wheat, rye, barley and some of the so-called “ancient,” wheatlike grains, including spelt and kamut. To clarify: Oats only contain gluten when they’ve been processed with grains that harbor the protein. They often are cross-contaminated, so if gluten’s your issue, it’s important to buy oats from a reputable source that can vouch for their gluten-free manufacture. And just because a box of something or a menu prominently proclaims “gluten-free” doesn’t mean the product was handled conscientiously enough to guarantee that it didn’t come into contact with something else containing gluten.

Confused yet? The simplest take-home message, which should be reinforced in the Extension’s class is this: Prepare foods that are naturally free from gluten in your own kitchen for better health and peace of mind.

If you still can’t conceive of a gluten-free diet without some baked goods, consider this class planned for May 31 at Ashland Food Co-op. Naturopathic physician Jean Layton, formerly of Ashland, is the author of “Gluten-Free Baking for Dummies.” From 6:30 to 9 p.m., she’ll teach methods of measuring that yield perfect results every time. Participants also will sample her hazelnut biscotti, maple-walnut tea scones, sweet-potato biscuits, cranberry-orange muffins, “perfect” pancakes and lemon-poppyseed cupcakes with sweet lemon glaze. The class costs $35 ($30 for co-op owners).

Experiment first with this recipe, courtesy of McClatchy, which lacks the refined starches of many store-bought, gluten-free breads.

Any Nut Bread

3 cups (12 ounces) almond flour (see note)

3⁄4 cup pecans or other nuts, raw or toasted, chopped in small and medium bits

1⁄4 to 1 cup Splenda for Baking or Stevia Extract in the Raw, depending on sweetness desired

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon xantham gum (available in most health-food stores and health-focused supermarkets)

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

1 cup unsweetened soy milk or other milk

1⁄4 cup salted butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line bottom of an 8-inch loaf plan with parchment paper, then mist with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine the almond flour, pecans, sweetener, baking powder, xantham gum and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk until well-blended.

Combine the eggs, milk and butter in a large mixing bowl or bowl of an electric mixer and beat or whisk at medium-low speed until thoroughly blended. Add flour mixture and stir vigorously with a large spoon or beat at medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down, turn stir again by hand or mix at medium-high speed for 1 to 2 minutes to make a thick, sticky batter.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven 35 minutes, then rotate pan and continue baking 35 minutes longer, until golden-brown and springy when pressed in center.

Cool in pan for at least 5 minutes before turning out loaf. Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Makes 1 loaf (10 to 12 slices).

NOTE: Almond flour is available at health-food stores, or you can make your own by grinding raw almonds with a coffee grinder or in a food processor. Grind until fine, but don’t overgrind or it turns into paste. Flour has more volume, so start with about 3⁄4 of the amount you need (for 1 cup flour, start with 3⁄4 cup nuts.)

 — Recipe from “The Joy of Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Baking,” by Peter Reinhart and Denene Wallace (Ten Speed Press, due in August).

When cheesemaking was suggested as a “bucket-list” story for this year’s Our Valley, I knew it was an indirect commentary on my own lack of experience in this realm.

Food editor aside, I’m by no means the only cook in the newsroom, and a couple of colleagues’ skills — or attempts, at least — put me to shame.

For all the ease in purchasing cheesemaking kits online or at a handful of local stores, however, some thrifty inner voice held me back. I wasn’t too keen on the thought of using a gallon of milk to get one, little ball of mozzarella or a few cups of ricotta.

Then I ran across a recent Los Angeles Times article on quark. Despite the strange name (actually German for “curds”), it was billed as the simplest entry into cheesemaking yet: basically one step beyond creme fraiche, which I’d already successfully made. In addition to requiring no specialized ingredients or equipment, the beginning ratio of dairy products to the end result — about 2 to 1 — seemed more reasonable.

This recipe from the Times promised rich, creamy, fresh cheese with a gentle tang and spreadability — kind of a cross between sour cream and soft ricotta cheese. Variations can be found throughout Scandinavia and Eastern Europe.

In just a few minutes, I brought the pan of milk to a simmer, let it cool at room temperature and whisked in the buttermilk. The relatively cold room temperature of my house probably slowed the process of curds forming, so I left it out about eight hours longer than the recipe called for.

But when I transferred it to a cheesecloth-lined strainer this morning to drain all day, the whey was clear just as the recipe indicated. With any luck, I should have cheese for dinner when I get home tonight. Try it yourself.

Suggestions for using quark include:

For breakfast or a snack, adding granola and fresh fruit as you would to yogurt.

Spread over toast or bagels or in between sandwich layers for a little extra tang and richness.

Dolloped over potatoes or rich pasta dishes, even ragus.

Lightened with a little whipped cream and grated, fresh lemon zest as a filling for crepes.

As a filling for omelets, frittatas or ravioli

As a dip mixed with a little fresh goat cheese, paprika and chopped chives.

Quark

2 cups whole milk

1⁄2 cup cultured buttermilk

In a stainless-steel, heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside until milk is cooled. Whisk in the buttermilk.

Transfer mixture to a glass, ceramic or plastic container and set aside at room temperature until mixture is thickened, with a consistency similar to yogurt or creme fraiche, about 1 day.

Transfer mixture to a cheesecloth-lined strainer set over a bowl. Refrigerate overnight to drain whey from cheese; whey should be clear, not cloudy, as it is drained.

Use as desired. To store, place cheese in a glass, ceramic or plastic container. Cover and refrigerate up to 4 days.

Makes 1 generous cup.

Los Angeles Times photo

Quark Tart With Asparagus

3⁄4 pound asparagus, trimmed of tough ends

1⁄4 pound double-smoked slab bacon, cut into 1⁄4-inch cubes (about 1 cup bacon cubes)

3 leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced

2⁄3 cup quark, or 1⁄2 cup ricotta blended with 2 tablespoons sour cream

3⁄4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1⁄2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 extra-large eggs

1 cup coarsely shredded Emmentaler cheese

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell with a high fluted edge

Heat oven to 400 F.

Blanch the asparagus in a large pot of salted boiling water just until spears turn bright green, about 1 minute. Strain and remove to an ice bath. Cut spears on bias into 1⁄4-inch-thick pieces. Set aside.

In a large skillet, saute the bacon over moderately low heat, stirring often, until it has rendered fat and is crisp, about 15 minutes. Transfer bacon bits to paper towels to drain. Add the leeks to drippings and saute until limp and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add sliced asparagus to skillet, toss lightly to mix, then transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl.

In bowl of a food processor, combine the quark, cream, Parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper for about 20 seconds until smooth. Pulse in the eggs, 1 at a time. (Alternatively, quark, cream, Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, pepper and eggs can be whisked in a bowl until creamy.) Pour quark mixture into bowl with vegetables, add the Emmentaler and reserved bacon, and toss well to mix.

Set the pie shell on a heavy-duty baking sheet and pour in quark mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 F and continue to bake until tart is lightly browned and set like custard, and a knife inserted toward center comes out mostly clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove tart from oven and cool on a rack 45 minutes before slicing. To serve, cut into slim wedges.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

— Recipe adapted by the Los Angeles Times from “The New German Cookbook” by Jean Anderson and Hedy Wurz.

This week, I was asked to suggest an itinerary of Rogue Valley food tourism. My list included farm stays at Pholia Farm in Evans Valley or Willow-Witt Ranch near Ashland, dining at New Sammy’s Cowboy Bistro in Talent and Summer Jo’s in Grants Pass and a Farm to Fork event, in addition all the usual suspects: farmers markets, wine tasting and artisan-food sampling.

And today, I get to experience one of Medford’s latest stabs at food tourism: the Smudge Pot Stroll. It’s part of Pear a Fare, a two-day event devised in 2009 to celebrate local and regional food vendors who present an array of artisan foods, confections, wines, spirits and brews in an enormous, climate-controlled tent.

Last year, organizers added the Smudge Pot Stroll, basically a food crawl around downtown that starts at 5 p.m. I’ll be attending as a judge.

For $30 per person, $50 per couple, participants sample appetizers paired with beverages at 16 eateries. The cost includes an illuminated souvenir glass and map of participating restaurants: Elements, Porters, 38 Central, Habaneros, Havana Republic, Gaetano Ristorante Italiano, Spoons, Downtown Market Co., Bricktowne Barrel House, Misoya Bistro, 4 Daughters, Sunrise Cafe, Howiee’s, Rosso’s, Wamba Juice and Old Farmhouse.

As of Thursday evening, approximately 50 tickets remained, so call 541-621-7160 to reserve for this evening.

If you can’t get in on the stroll, visit the Pear a Fare tent near the corner of Main and Bartlett streets. It’s open from 5 until 10 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Entrance is free, but to sample food, visitors must purchase an engraved souvenir glass and five taste tickets for $10. See www.pear-a-fare.com for a list of participating vendors.