Market Ragu
A day or two before I visit the market, pickings can be pretty slim in my fridge. But if you start with good stuff, it doesn't take much to whip up a delicious meal. Here's a quick fix that will tie you over until market day.

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand, or 4 large fresh, diced
• An assortment of fresh vegetables (such as cauliflower, radishes, baby carrots, tomatoes, spinach, chard or other greens)
• 1 can white beans or 2 cups cooked dried beans
• 8 slices rustic fresh bread
• 8 farm fresh eggs

Fish with Rhubarb Sauce
I love recipes that take fruits out of their typical sweet role and into the savory frontier. Here is a sauce I use to nap fish. It goes well with any sustainably caught, white fleshed swimmer or Gulf shrimp, even roasted lobster.

• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2-4 stalks fresh rhubarb, chopped into one inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup orange juice

Women in Food and Farming
Women are one of the fastest growing demographics in sustainable farming. For the month of July, Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture is running this terrific series. I'll be participating on July 8th and July 22nd. Visit their website for the full schedule and to buy tickets.

Slow Food Fieldtrip
Slow Food NYC hosts this second visit to Washington County. It's a weekend full of farm tours, hands on activities such as cheesemaking and bread baking, and a wonderful al fresco dinner. Best sleep-away camp for grown-ups! Visit http://slowfoodnyc.org/washco for more information.

Coming up!!! A canning series in Westport, stay tuned.

Dear SS -
Interesting to read this months Q&A about artificial insemination and cloning for meat products. Can you tell me more about irradiated meats and how to be sure I am avoiding them. When I can, I do buy meat from a local farm but that is sporadic and we get tired of the same thing for months at a time... just finishing up last years lamb for instance. I shop at Whole Foods for meats when I can't get them locally and am left wondering what the deal is with their regular meats and poultry that is vegitarian fed versus the organic produce and meats they are now carrying. Any idea? I guess I could just ask the man-child who works behind the counter but it feels funny to be asking a teenager about this stuff.
Thanks, you're the best.
- Confused at the meat counter

Dear Confused,
Food labels can be confusing, particularly labels in the meat department. Here's the skinny:

100% Grass-Fed: Animals were fed a pasture-based diet, the natural diet for ruminants such as cows, for their entire lives. My top choice.

Grass Finished: Animals were raised on pasture for a period before slaughter, but may have been fed grain feed before then.

Organic: Fed an organic diet, but not necessarily pasture raised. No hormones, antibiotics administered. Cannot be irradiated.

No hormones/antibiotics: No hormones or antibiotics in the meat at the time of slaughter, but may have been administered earlier in life. Some packers pledge No hormones/antibiotics ever to clarify.

Vegetarian Fed: Animals were fed a diet free of animal products. A good sign if you are concerned about Mad Cow.

Natural: Not significantly altered after slaughter, but no guarantee of a specific feed or lifestyle protocol.

Irradiated: Meat that has been sterilized with radiation. Must be labeled. Organic meat cannot be irradiated.

There are some good books that go into greater detail. My favorite is Pasture Perfect by Jo Robinson. And, forgive the shameless plug, but I talk about it in The Real Food Revival, too.