All posts in Rose Park Neighborhood
Business As Usual, Missoula Style
So, this weekend my husband cut all the suckers and dead limbs from the various trees in our yard. As thrilled as I was about this, the pile of branches quickly turning to kindling in the heat was causing me some anxiety, but I was too busy to take care of it.
Then, right outside my back door appeared this truck:
They were limbing a tree next door and chipping the limbs. “Hey!!” I yelled. (I had to yell; it was really loud) “On your way out of the alley could you throw that pile of branches into your chipper for me?”
Darren (the owner) went over to take a look and came back and said, “Sure…I’ll just throw them in…I’m not going to charge you for that.”
I love this town!
So, while you’re here, I promised you a recipe using fresh basil. And the hot deal at Orange Street Food Farm today is two 16 ounce boxes of strawberries for $3.00, so here is a recipe using both.
Strawberry gelato with basil, honey, and pepper:
In a heavy saucepan, bring 3 C heavy cream, 1 C whole milk, 3 T dark honey, 1 C torn basil leaves, , 1 t freshly ground pepper to a simmer over medium heat, stirring till honey and sugar is dissolved.
Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for an hour. Strain, discarding basil and pepper, then stir in 3 C gently crushed ripe strawberries and 2 t balsamic vinegar.
Cover and chill, then freeze and churn in an ice cream maker. Eat directly from the ice cream maker. Roll eyes in ecstasy.
A Love Letter to Orange Street Food Farm
If the Rose Park Memorial Garden is the soul of the Rose Park/Slant Street neighborhood, then its heart is surely Orange Street Food Farm. A true neighborhood grocery store, it is small enough that you can get in and out in a matter of minutes if you need to, but at the same time it has a surprisingly comprehensive selection. And they donate a percentage of their sales to the area schools!
Next time: A fresh basil recipe to die for
The produce department is lovely, with a nice section of tofu, fresh Asian noodles, fresh herbs, and lots of organic choices. The hot deal today is 99 cent artichokes, and they are beautiful…heavy and green, with tightly furled leaves. One of my favorite things in the produce department is the living basil. As fresh as it gets, with the added bonus of a kitchen filled with its fragrance.
Food Farm’s meat department is like visiting the butcher of my childhood…don’t see what you want? Want those steaks a little thicker? Just say so…personal, friendly service is what they do at OSFF.
Mini Trader Joe's back by the crackers
My favorite part of the whole grocery store is the section at the end of the freezer aisle, at the back, by the crackers. It is like a tiny Trader Joe’s…exotic delicacies at bargain prices, with an ever-changing inventory. I have seen a gorgeous little bottle of Porcini-truffle oil for $1.99, Australian cold pressed virgin olive oil for $3.49, a bottle of apple-infused olive oil that I am dying to try, English biscuits, Russian soup mix (printed in Russian), well, I could go on and on. You just have to see it for yourself.
So, once you have those gorgeous artichokes, snip the ends of the leaves off with scissors, and cut the end off of the stem, as well. Steam stem up, adding a dash of balsamic vinegar to the water. When the leaves nearest the stem pull off easily, it is done.
Artichokes are delicious dipped in lemon butter or mayonnaise, but for a real treat, dip them in a cheese sauce based on Welsh rarebit:
Melt a half of a stick of butter and add enough flour to make a nice thick roue, but not enough to make it clumpy. If it clumps on you, add more butter. Whisk over medium heat until it is just a little lighter than a paper bag. Slowly whisk in 1/2 of a can or bottle of beer (use a good beer-you’re going to drink the other half…did I mention that OSFF has been voted Missoula’s Best Beer Selection multiple times?). Once that is just beginning to bubble, whisk in a 1 and 1/2 cups of grated, very sharp cheddar cheese until the sauce is smooth. Season with brown spicy mustard and freshly grated black pepper to taste.
The Jewel of the Rose Park Neighborhood
The Rose Park Memorial Garden is the jewel of the Rose Park Neighborhood. As a city park it is maintained by the Missoula Parks and Recreation Department, but it is such a part of the heart and soul of Missoulians that it is also tended by the Missoula Rose Society who lavish their passion and expertise on the lush and varied beds of roses of all kinds. And, from time to time, you will notice an individual who has come for the memorial aspect of the garden quietly pulling a weed or two as they pay their respects to those honored here.
First rosebud of the year
Aside from the glorious beds of every rose you can think of (it has evolved into a test site for the Rose Society), the garden is home to memorials to those Missoulians who have lost their lives in service to the community and the country. Veterans of every war fought by Americans as well as fire fighters and policemen are remembered and honored.
This park has a special feel…there is a swingset, and you hear children playing and laughing. There are dogs chasing sticks, and people having picnics as in any park. But there is also a humbling sense of awe, both for the beauty of the surroundings and the realization of all that has been lost and all that has been saved by the people memorialized here in the jewel of Missoula.
Lilacs, Tulips, Dairy Queen, Snow…Must Be Spring in Missoula
I am gazing, okay, glaring out my window at the falling snow, yet I know it is springtime in Missoula…I have been to my first market, the tulips are blooming, the kids are fooling with the giant M on Mount Sentinel, and the Higgins Avenue Dairy Queen is open. Life is good. Dilly Bars just taste better out in the parking lot under the gorgeous black locust tree than they do anywhere else.
One of the best things about the Rose Park/Slant Street neighborhood is the central location. You can walk anywhere you want to be…the university, downtown, the market, Dairy Queen (!) Rose Park, the river, and even the grocery store.
Yes, the heart of the Rose Park neighborhood is Orange Street Food Farm, a true neighborhood grocery store where you know all the employees and you know where everything is. The produce is excellent with a great organic section, the meat department is like visiting the old time butcher…he makes his own corned beef…and the selection is surprisingly good, considering its size.
Mother’s day was especially heartwarming this year with a giant “Mom” beaming down upon us as we shopped at the first Caras Park market on Sunday afternoon. I understand the ‘o’ and the ‘m’ were fashioned from forty sheets to honor 40 moms who have survived breast cancer. You see why I love Missoula! Even with May snowstorms!