Now there’s another way to read Tennessee Connections online! Using ActiveMagazine technology, you can flip through the actual pages of the magazine on your computer screen.
Picture an early morning walk through the wet grass with a dear grandparent. The destination is an old hen house that squats close to an abundant vegetable garden. The grandparent gathers the eggs and hustles the young one back to the kitchen with the promise of a buttery scramble.
One of the long, strong recollections of childhood involves the egg. I suspect that for all of us, the glorious orb represents a quick and nutritious meal – the original fast food. No doubt, our first task in the kitchen may have been the awkward crack of an egg.
Several years ago while on a road trip, a neatly painted sign that read “Fresh Eggs For Sale” enlivened my desire for that small-farm egg of the past, and I started a search in my community. Today, local sources of eggs are much more plentiful.
“Eggs are a staple, and today there is a lot of interest in small production – consumers want to support local farmers with egg purchases,” says Jon Frady, organic marketing specialist at the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.
As a quality ingredient collector, I’ve assembled a winsome group of farmer friends who have enhanced my life with their friendship and luscious meal components. My egg farmers take particular pride in the husbandry aspect of their chickens.
“My birds wouldn’t eat anything that I wouldn’t eat. Their feed is nourishing – ground flax and barley seed, kelp meal, wheat bran, wheat berries, millet, cornmeal, oats and vegetable scraps,” assures Allison Neal, who runs the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program at Arugula’s Star of Neal Family Farms in Maury County. Their portable hen house, designed by Matthew Neal, is moved every four to five days for foraging.
“The grass is always greener,” he says.
It turns out that eggs produced in small flocks with pasture to feast upon are superior in flavor. They are a source for a thrifty and premium repast – and a bonus for newfound farmer friends.
“The farmer is allowed to capture more of the money that consumers actually spend on their food in this type of exchange,” explains Rob Holland of the University of Tennessee Center for Profitable Agriculture.
During the winter months, I cherish a simple frittata made with Tennessee fresh eggs, potatoes and goat cheese. A frittata is versatile, suitably served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The hearty main dish, also known as the Italian omelet, can be served hot from the oven or at room temperature. I’ve especially enjoyed thinly sliced frittata and assorted veggies on artisan bread in uniquely delicious leftover form. But, while the dish can also be made a day ahead, possibly the joy of knowing who cares for the hen house is full circle, quality living at its best.
Tennessee Frittata
Ingredients
6 eggs, beaten
1 cup diced roasted potatoes (roast potatoes at 375º for 20 minutes)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces goat cheese
6 slices fried bacon, crumbled
Fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Procedure:
Add roasted potatoes and olive oil to a 12-inch nonstick skillet, then add eggs and top with goat cheese, bacon, thyme, salt and pepper. Bake frittata at 375º for about 20 minutes until the top is lightly browned and puffy.
Recipe Resources
Eggs and Potatoes: Local CSA or www.tnfarmfresh.com
Goat Cheese: Bonnie Blue Farm, www.bonniebluefarm.com
Bacon: Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams, www.bentonshams.com
Thyme: in the winter, grown indoors or outside in a sheltered location
Story by Roben Mounger
