Yes, I'm lucky to live in California with all of the super incredible year round produce, but I can't seem to get truly organic, pasture fed, meats easily. So when I stopped at a farmers market I don't ususally shop at, in Saratoga, I was thrilled to run into Paul Hain, of Hain Ranch Organics (Tres Pinos, CA), he did not have to explain, or "sell me" on his chickens...I knew what he was offering! I will write a blogpost soon in more detail about the differences between what you might think "organic free range" means, and what it really means!
This week I'm doing a side by side taste test of one of Hain Ranches pastured chickens, with an organic chicken from Whole Foods (I think the brand is Rosie). I don't really care about the taste differences, and I wonder if my taste palate can even discern, but I'm curious anyway! More exciting to me than the whole chickens, are the chicken feet! I hope to stock up on enough pastured chicken parts in my freezer to last the winter for stock making.Well, Saturday I picked up 20lbs of heirloom tomatoes, and 20 pounds of San Marzano tomatoes....good Lord! I'll roast the heirlooms, because the different colors are so pretty and some of the large San Marzanos will be roasted and turned into pesto or spread, the others peeled, diced and into the freezer for the winter. The small ones will make the last batch of fresh tomato soup....
Next year, I'll take the time to learn to can, but I'm not going to stress about it this year. There's plenty of other seasonal veggies to eat, I'm not exactly starving, lol!
The big thing I noticed was how much leaner the local chickens were! I guess that any mass produced chicken is going to be more sedentary (and fattier) than a chicken that's run around in a big yard.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy! :-)
oh wow! I am so there!!! They dont have chicken at the sunnyvale FM either!
ReplyDeleteneca,
ReplyDeleteThe fat is not ever a concern of mine, I am a big fan of fatty meats! I have no fear....I'm more scared of carbs like corn and potatoes, lol!
It's the hormones and antibiotics that I want to avoid if possible.
Jo,
ReplyDeleteYou better leave a few chickens (and feet) for me! Tell Paul I sent you, and you heard about his chickens on my blog!
We still need to do some pressure cooking together....oh yes, and that advanced swing class!
It's not so much the fat (in and of itself) for me, I just don't like it when I go to make chicken stock and wind up with a huge layer of fat on the top!
ReplyDeleteI've noticed a lot of chicken now says "natural" and "no antibiotics" - seems like the message that more people want this is getting through.
Looks like some cherokee purple tomatoes in those heirlooms! I grew some of those this year and they are awesome!!! :)
ReplyDeletePasture fed chicken rules! We raise our own...so ours are spoiled rotten pasture fed, free range chickens. You can have all the chicken feet you want...I know where they have been. ;) LOL!!