Oxford’s monthly Arts Crawl has been moved up a week to coincide with Green Week as well as the opening of the new Sculpture Garden at the Powerhouse.
Head out to the Powerhouse between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. tonight for fresh-from-the-garden tastings from Party Waitin’ to Happen and Yocona Bottom Farms. Then continue on to Oxford’s galleries and museums for more food, beverage and art!
Photo: felderrushing.net
All of you gardeners out there are probably familiar with Felder Rushing. He’s published several books, including Slow Gardening and Gardening Southern Style. He also hosts a weekly radio show on Mississippi Public Radio called The Gestalt Gardener.
Rushing will be at The Garden Center (2500 University Ave.) Tuesday, April 17, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. to answer all of your gardening questions. For more on Rushing, you can find his website here.
Tim Woodard, owner and chef of the new Little Easy Express Lunches and Catering at 3 CR 215, HWY 30 E (inside Littlejohn’s Quickmart) tells EatingOxford.com that he was inspired to open his restaurant because he “wanted to provide reasonably priced, high-quality plate lunches for those who are too busy to cook or spend half of their lunch breaks waiting on mediocre food to be prepared.” He says that, oftentimes, as a working professional in higher education for the past 10 years at the University of Mississippi, he didn’t have time to cook his favorite comfort foods, and nowhere to buy a reasonably priced meal. “I’m a self taught cook, and before working at the University of Mississippi, I worked at Danvers, Cedars, and Panini The Oxford Catering Company; over the years I’ve catered many events for personal friends.”
Little Easy Express Lunches and Catering is open Monday through Saturday, serving freshly prepared plate lunches, soups, salads and desserts. Most items on the menu are made from scratch, and Tim says that he buys local whenever possible. In addition to the restaurant, Little Easy offers catering for business meetings, office parties, family reunions, tailgating and more.
The current menu can be found above, which will be available for the next couple of weeks. Future menu items will include grits and grillades; jalepeno cheese grits; gumbo; red beans and rice; and heat-and-serve meals.
credit: leeks 'n' bounds
I just finished watching a special on Food Network called The Big Waste. I watched because I’ve been trying to reduce the amount of food waste that occurs in my own home. I’ve been making an effort to buy only what I need so that food doesn’t get thrown out, but I have to admit that there’s still room for improvement.
After watching the show and seeing the unbelievable amount of food that has to be discarded every day by farmers, restaurants and grocery stores because we, as a nation, have become accustomed to expecting perfection in the food we buy, it inspired me to try even harder to monitor my food waste, and also to spread the word to those here in Oxford who may also have concerns about the amount of food they’re putting in the trash bin each week.
If you want to catch the show, it will run again on January 14 at 3:00 p.m. Central Time (click here for more details).
In the meantime, below is a summary of tips for reducing food waste, provided by CookingMatters.com (click the link for more info).
1. Buy what you need and eat what you buy.
2. Buy fresh produce one week at a time.
3. Cook with canned/frozen vegetables if you don’t think you can use the fresh in time.
4. Stock your pantry.
5. Adapt recipes to use up what’s in your fridge, including leftovers.
6. Freeze leftover bread, vegetables and fruit before they go bad.
7. Combine fruit in cereal or smoothies to use it up.
8. Add vegetables to soups, casseroles, pastas, etc. before they go bad.
9. Transform leftovers into something new, such as stirring mashed potatoes into soup to create a creamy texture.
10. Use ingredients more than once over multiple meals.
After three years on University Avenue, Ron Shapiro has lost the lease on the building housing Main Squeeze.
Shapiro is currently seeking any leads or ideas regarding alternate locations for Oxford’s only organic juice bar, and can be contacted through Facebook or via email at ronzo7@bellsouth.net.
This Saturday, November 12, Ravine is having a casual wine and food pairing. Instead of a structured event starting at 6:00 p.m., you can come and go at whichever time you choose (reservations required).
There will be five wines, each paired with food, such as crab and fried green tomatoes, braised short rib ravioli, and spicy potato leek soup—all for just $20.
Contact Ravine at 662-234-4555 for more information and reservations.
photo credit: Buffy Choinski
The Oxford Community Vegetarians group holds a potluck every month in Oxford. This month, however, they’ve planned something a bit unique. Instead of inviting everyone to gather at a member’s home, they’re throwing the potluck outdoors at the Oxford Community Garden.
On Thursday, September 22, vegetarians and nonvegetarians alike are invited to bring a meat-free dish and gather at the Oxford Community Garden on the corner of University and Bramlett (across from Walgreens) for the potluck scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. Afterward, at 7:30 p.m., an outdoor screening of the documentary The Greenhorns (www.thegreenhorns.net) will be shown.
The Oxford Park Commission will provide the tables, chairs and a tent (to be safe, consider bringing a blanket or a lawn chair in case they’re short).
Everyone is encouraged to come out and experience the event and check out the thriving community garden. Eat some great food, and watch an informative documentary about young organic farmers. If you can’t cook (i.e., you live in a dorm or don’t have time), bring some drinks!
credit: cookhereandnow.com
While you’re trying to cool yourself down in the 100-degree Oxford heat, think of all the wonderfully fresh fruits and vegetables summertime brings. Several restaurateurs in Oxford are relishing nature’s bounty—one going so far as to dedicate an entire evening to one beautiful fruit—the tomato.
Ravine’s 3rd Annual Tomato Dinner will be held Wednesday, August 17th starting at 6:00 p.m. The structure will be similar to past wine tastings at Ravine, with five wines each paired with food. This time, however, local tomatoes will be incorporated into each course—even dessert!
When asked what attendees can expect from the dinner, co-owner and chef Joel Miller told EatingOxford.com, “I tend to come up with the menus quite spontaneously, but expect a Ravine take on caprese, probably bolognese, and some tomato sorbet.”
The cost is $35 per person. Reservations are recommended at 662-234-4555.
The North Central chapter of the Gaining Ground Sustainability Institute of Mississippi will hold its second meeting on Friday, July 29th at 6:30 p.m. at Honey Bee Bakery.
Several new ideas and projects will be discussed, and input from members of the community will be encouraged. New projects the organization is hoping to start include a composting sytem for the Oxford/University community, a new farmer’s market near the community garden in Oxford, a green-the-square initiative and more.
For additional information, visit the Gaining Ground website here.
The Oxford Community Garden Association and the Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management at the School of Applied Sciences are holding a Hands-On Summer Canning Workshop Monday, July 25, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Kerry O’Donoghue of Poultry in Motion Farm in Water Valley (you probably know her from the Taylor Farmer’s Market) will lead a group of 24 workshop participants through the processes of making pickled cucumbers and pickled vegetables. You will walk in with fresh vegetables, and walk out with pickled vegetables! This is a fascinating and useful topic, and a great way to preserve the produce being grown on your plot!
Since space in the teaching kitchen is limited, reservations are requested. Sign up for this workshop here.
FEES
The workshop is free, but donations of $5.00 to cover supplies are apprecated. The workshop will be providing canning jars, vinegar, spices, sugar, salt, etc. They are hoping to cover their costs with your donations.
SCHEDULE
5:30 p.m. Review recipes and schedule with participants as jars sanitize
5:45 p.m. Cucumber Pickle Recipe
6:15 p.m. Pickled Vegetable Recipe
6:45 p.m. Clean-up; Additional Q&A — Ask for tips your particular vegetables
WHAT TO BRING
4-5 small, or 2 large cucumbers
0.5-1.0lbs of a pickle-able vegetable from your garden (for example, okra, broccoli or cauliflower flowerets, carrot in 1″ pieces, 1″ cubed, unpeeled cucumber or zucchini chunks, red or green bell pepper in 1″ squares, onions cut in wedges, green beans, radishes, green tomatoes or pre-roasted beets.) You need enough to fit a pint-size jar.
SAFETY
Because you’ll be handling hot liquids, wear closed-toe shoes, long pants or skirts, and hair ties for long hair.
LOCATION
Lenoir Hall
127 Sorority Row
Oxford, MS
http://map.olemiss.edu/index.jsp?id=11257366
QUESTIONS?
Contact Anne McCauley (ad_mccauley@mac.com) or Walter Flaschka (wflaschka@gmail.com) for more information.
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