Minnesota Homegrown

Recently while at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, my aunt Caroline was gracious enough to buy me the Minnesota Homegrown Cookbook. Part of my inspiration for writing this blog came from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and part came from this cookbook. The cookbook features restaurants and they farmers they partner with to bring fabulous local food to the table in communities throughout the state.
I love it because it's recipes feature foods unique or popular in our region, such as wild rice, bison and walleye. I also enjoy trying new recipes for foods that we get in abundance during certain seasons - rhubarb and zucchini specifically. There are also heritage or nostalgic recipes, those celebrating the various nationalities that populated our state. Linzer Tart, Norwegian Rommegrot Cream Pudding, and Corn Posole Bison Stew.
So far I've made Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins - they were light and moist, and a Beet Salad that was delicious. Tomorrow I plan to make the Wild Rice Zucchini Pancakes.
Additionally, there is a resources section at the back of the book to find some of the products available making it easy to find local products. I'll be featuring some of those resources in the coming weeks.
Bon Appetit!

Let's get started!

I don't even know where to begin! There are so many great things being offered in our area. Since my goal is to be able to not only share information on what's available, but to also offer firsthand experience with products and services, I'm going to begin with soap.
I am a really picky soap user. Frankly, most soaps (even many natural soaps) bother my skin. I used to really like Avalon Organics lemon verbena soap, and so of course, they stopped making it. I also found a lemon soap I like at Trader Joe's. We only have 2 of those in Minnesota (St. Louis Park and Maple Grove), neither of which is terribly convenient for me in Shakopee. What we do have is Blue Heron Soap.
Made right here in Shakopee, they make soap out of all natural, non-animal ingredients using a "time-intensive cold pour method". I'm not sure what that is, but I like it. I'm also quite fond of things that smell great in a subtle, natural way. Not the overwhelming, choking way of most commercial hygiene products. I'm usually partial to lemon soap (it helps me wake up in the morning) but I really love their oatmeal-almond soap. It cleans and exfoliates! I know you can buy off their website and if you happen to go to the Minnesota Renaissance Festival they are usually there handing out samples.
Another soap company I've recently noticed is All Things Herbal, located a little further north, near Brainerd, in Pequot Lakes. While I haven't used the soap yet, I just saw (and smelled) it at the store at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen. They also use only plant based oils and is crafted and cut by hand.