Hot Chicks, Cool Celery

With temperatures in Brooklyn hitting record highs, Cindy, one of my chickens, gave me a look of both sorrow and disdain. "May as well toss me in the oven, I bet it would be cooler than this heat-locker of a coop... at least the kitchen is air conditioned!"

Of course she didn't actually say that, but she just about implied it with those kvetching eyes of hers. I do love a good roasted chicken, so I was tempted to take Cindy up on her offer however, it seemed pure madness to even consider turning the oven on during such a heat wave.

If only Cindy could cool down with the refreshing celery elixir Ben made with our Red Hook CSA celery greens. She would be a mighty cool chick kickn' back with a icy glass of this aromatic brew. Instead she'd just another hot chick rollin' around in the dirt wishing she understood the meaning of air-conditioning.

Red Hook Celery Brew

• 2 cups of celery leaves
• 1 gallon water
• ½ tablespoon celery seed
• 6-10 oz. agave syrup or twice as much sugar syrup
• Juice of 1-2 limes

1. Coarsely chop celery leaves
2. Add leaves and seeds to water in stock pot and boil for 10-15 minutes
3. Let cool and strain into gallon jar
4. Add sweetener and lime juice
5. Server over ice in a collins glass

The Ugly Pancake

My Mother never told me that not every pancake, is a good looking pancake. So it only stands to reason that I was more than a little thrown when I made these tasty, yet incredibly homely pancakes for the first time

It all began with a game of Something-Out-Of-Nothing - a game where I try and come up with a tasty meal out of what happens to be in the house. On this day in particular, all I had was some cold leftover oatmeal, 2 bananas, flour, and some eggs. Apparently, that's all I needed!

These pancakes were delicious, they were healthy, charming (yes, charming), great out of the fridge, they fit perfectly in the toaster, they had everything going for them... well, almost everything. These tasty cakes were only missing one thing, and there was no sugar coating what it was, these pancakes were not easy on the eyes, if you know what I mean.

I tried covering them up, drowning them in whipped cream and berries. I tried garnishes of all kinds, but nothing could hide their grayish brown complexion and peculiar shape. Unable to cope with the great disparity between taste and looks, I eventually stopped making them, and forgot all about their unappealing looks... until today. It was while I was eating cold leftover oatmeal that an image flashed into my mind. I was horrified. Not by the thought of these 'homely' pancakes, but of what an immature foodie I was to kick these delicious breakfast fritters to the curb for not being perfect. These pancakes weren't ugly, they were just different! How superficial can you get!

After whipping up a batch, this time using buckwheat flour, I am happy to say that they were even more delicious then I remembered, and I must say, kinda cute (yes cute!)

So, please, tell all your children, tell your friends, tell the guy sitting next to you on the bus: there is no such thing as an ugly pancake!

Blueberry Peach Oatmeal Fritters

ingredients

• 2 cups of rolled oats
• 2 1/2 cups of water
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup Buckwheat flour (or whatever flour you desire)
• 2 very ripe mashed bananas (optional)
• 4 eggs (whisked)
• 1 peach diced
• 2 handfulls of blueberries
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4tsp ground clove

1. Cook the oats, water, syrup, and spices over medium heat for about 3 mins
2. Add berries and peaches and cook an additional 2 mins (add more water if dry)
3. Remove from heat, add vanilla and let mixture cool
4. Once oatmeal is room temperature, add eggs, flour, and bananas and stir until mixed well
5. Ladle the batter out into a lightly oiled, non stick pan in sand dollar sized disks
6. Cook over a medium-high heat for about 3-4 minutes on each side

*these guys are great for freezing and reheat great in the toaster.

** Also good finger food for babies who are able to use their pinchers to feed themselves. I break these up into bite sized pieces for my 9 month old daughter. She just loves feeding herself these for breakfast.