MFMA’s Gus Schumacher Award - November Farmers' Market Drink of the Month: Pumpkin Pie Cocktail

Blog - November, 2022 - By: Maeve Mallozzi-Kelly

At MFMA, we are honest! When things are worth trying, we’ll tell you. And when things are…well…less than amazing, we’ll tell you that too. So as we write this blog for our November Drink of the Month, a Pumpkin Pie Cocktail, you can't say we didn't warn you that this blog (and the drink) turned out, ah, a little different.

This cocktail promised to be a cozy and sweet drink you can enjoy in front of the fireplace all winter long. I had such high hopes for this one, because who doesn’t love pumpkin pie?

           

But, names can be deceiving, and I am sorry to say that, this drink was not very good.

Let's continue anyway. This recipe calls for a baking pumpkin, ¼ cup of maple syrup, 2 Tbsp of olive oil, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg, 4 sage leaves, ¼ cup sugar, 3 cups vodka, and juice of 1 lemon.

Now the pumpkin that we bought from the Winona Farmers' Market was delicious, but maybe just save it for the real holiday pies!

 

If you are thinking, “I like pumpkin, I like vodka, and maybe I am better at making cocktails then Maeve,” you might be be right. So below are the steps to make it. If you do, email me at maeve@mfma.org and let me know how it is!

First, preheat your oven to 350F. Chop your pumpkin into 3 inch cubes and combine with the maple syrup, oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sage in a roasting pan lined with baking paper. Roast for 45 min or until caramelized and very tender. Remove and set aside to cool while discarding the sage leaves. Transfer the caramelized pumpkin into a food processor or blender and whiz to a creamy puree. Combine the pumpkin puree and vodka and let it chill for at least 2 hours to infuse. In the meantime make your simple syrup by adding the sugar and ½ cup of water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Once the pumpkin and vodka have had enough time to infuse, strain the concoction through a sieve lined with muslin or clean Chux cloth. Squeeze to drain the excess liquid being careful not to push the puree through the muslin. Discard the solids. Pour half the vodka mixture over ice, add half the lemon juice, and the simple syrup to your liking. You can either stir this together in a glass or shake in a cocktail shaker. Repeat with remaining vodka mixture, strain, and serve. Or don’t. You can sprinkle it with extra cinnamon and garnish with sage leaves if you need the extra encouragement to try it.

           

Now when I first took a sip, I didn’t like it, so I added a few more pumpkin spices. I still didn’t like it. I put whipped cream on top, thinking that might help. Unfortunately, I still didn't like. I tried heating it and drinking it hot. Didn't like it. Not good. 

    

If you think of any ways to improve this cocktail please let us know! I would love to love this drink. Good luck and stay warm!

--MAEVE MALLOZZI-KELLY, MFMA VISTA (and pumpkin pie cocktail non-enthusiast) 

MFMA’s Gus Schumacher Award

October Cocktail of the Month: Hot Spiced Apple Cocktail

September is apple season in Minnesota so we thought we would honor this beloved fruit by turning it into a Hot Spiced Apple Cocktail! Now I do have to warn you, this drink is so tasty you will want to have it all winter long, so make sure to get your apples from your local farmers’ market while you can to enjoy it for months and months!

The history of our "drink of the month" began when MFMA Executive Director, Kathy Zeman, won the national 2021 Farmers Market Coalition Gus Schumacher Award for leadership during COVID, and with it, a super cool hand-blown gigantic cocktail glass. See full article on award. And so began our drink-of-the-month (to fill that gigantic hand-blown glass)! 

Our MFMA October drink, the Hot Spiced Apple Cocktail looks and tastes great! The apples we used came from M&R Valley Farm LLC and are sold at the Wabasha Farmers’ Market. Michael and Richard grow two varieties of apples and practice organic growing methods, which made them perfect for turning into juice for our cocktail! 

Our alcohol of choice this month is Anna’s Garden Hibiscus Infused Gin from Far North Spirits distillery in Northern Minnesota. They are an authentic estate distillery operated by fourth generation farmer and head distiller Michael Swanson. He and his wife Cheri Reese make spirits on their 100-year-old family farm using only the finest, sustainably-sourced ingredients. Their seasonal Solveig Gin, Anna's Garden - named for the matriarch of the family, Great Grandma Anna - celebrates spring in the Red River Valley. Its light pink hue comes from an infusion of hibiscus flowers. If you would like to use their Solveig Gin as well for your Hot Spiced Apple Cocktail you can find all Far North Spirits available in stores throughout Minnesota, online, and in select locations in 11 other states.

Now for the recipe! This is a simple one, but can take some time if you are making your own apple juice like I did. Google had many suggestions on how to make apple juice from scratch but I went with what seemed to be the simplest option and it turned out great!

RECIPE:

1. Take two pounds of apples, core and cut them into blendable chucks. There is no need to remove the skin but make sure you wash your apples first. 
2. Then simply put them in your blender (or food processor) with a little bit of water at the bottom and blend away! You’ll be left with an applesauce consistency. Take the blended apple and strain out the juice into the pot you’ll use to heat your concoction. I used a metal strainer and pressed out the juice, but you can also use a cheesecloth to separate the juice from the fibers. I saved my blended apple fibers to use in a cinnamon apple bread recipe but you can simply compost them. Processing two pounds of apples this way produced six cups of juice.  
3. Place your pot on the stove and add your spices. I used 2 cloves, 1 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, and 3 whole allspice. You can also add crushed cardamom, crushed juniper berries, and orange peels. Use whatever strikes your fancy! 
4. Add your gin and simmer for 10-15 minutes. This recipe says to add 1 ¼ parts gin to 5 parts juice. 
5. When done, simply ladle into your favorite cold weather cup, garnish with apples and powdered nutmeg, and enjoy! 

This is a great alternative to mulled wine for those holiday parties, and I am telling you, it will be a hit!

Cheers!

Blog August 1, 2022, By: Maeve Mallozzi-Kelly

                       

but inspired our August, 2022 cocktail as well - THE FARMERS' MARKET BLOODY MARY!!  Grandpa Roy’s Pickles was one of the vendors at our fundraising event at Lake and Legends Brewery and sold pickled asparagus. I hadn’t tried pickled asparagus before but I was not disappointed!  Later in my apartment, while I was snacking on my pickled asparagus straight from the container, I wondered how else I could eat it? And then it hit me. A bloody mary! I instantly started daydreaming about what other farmers’ market goodies I could find to add to it.

During a few farmers’ market visits in the weeks after, I realized there is no limit to the bloody mary fixings you can find this time of year. I found celery, cherry tomatoes, and jalapenos at the Rochester Farmers’ Market. At the Dennison Farmers’ Market I was lucky enough to even stumble on a vendor selling homemade bloody mary mix! Ruth sells an assortment of pickled, jams, and baked goods. Her bloody mary mix includes tomatoes, jalapenos, sugar, vinegar, and worcester. It is great if you like a little extra kick!

MFMA's Gus Schumacher Award Farmers' Market Drink of the Month - June's Mr. Summer Boozy

By: Kim Guenther and Maeve Mallozzi-Kelly (June 2021)

Back in March, MFMA Executive Director, Kathy Zeman, was one of two nationwide recipients of the 2021 Farmers Market Coalition Gus Schumacher Award for leadership during COVID. See full article on award. In honor of this distinguished award, Kathy received this specialty glassware with a radish on the stem. At least we think it's a radish. It could be a beet or a carrot...? Definitely a root vegetable. We love this hand-made glass blown piece of art made by Rocket Glass Works.

To keep the fun going, we have decided that each month during market season we will feature an MFMA Gus Schumacher Award Farmers' Market Drink of the Month. We will be choosing drinks where a majority of the ingredients can be purchased locally at Minnesota Farmers' Markets or through businesses who source local products. We will have a combination of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. We are excited to be featuring both this amazing drink, which is DANGEROUSLY DELICIOUS, and the vendors and businesses we used to make it. Since June is National Dairy Month, and July is National Ice Cream Month, our June/July drink of the month is a Mr. Summer Boozy.

Our fabulous MFMA/SMIF VISTAS, Maeve Mallozi-Kelly and James Harren, were the tag-team duo who attended the market, met the vendors, purchased the products, and spent an afternoon mixing, concocting, and testing. Tough job, but someone had to do it. Nice job team!  

Step one: Choose the Market. We knew the Downtown St. Paul Farmers Market had an ice cream vendor, so check! The St. Paul Market is operated by the St. Paul Growers Association and managed by Director of Operations David Kotsonas. This market has a long tradition in St. Paul dating back over 165 years. It was also site of our first MFMA National Farmers' Market Week Celebration in 2019 with Governor Tim Walz and Commissioner of Agriculture Thom Petersen. The St. Paul Farmers Market is fantastic and definitely worth a stop if you are downtown St. Paul on either a Saturday or Sunday morning. 

Step two: Purchase Ingredients. This particular recipe only has two ingredients: vanilla ice cream, and coffee liqueur. We purchased vanilla ice cream from St. Paul Farmers Market Vendor Kappers Big Red Barn. They are a family-owned micro dairy and have been in operation since 2004. They have 100 cows and process all of their products on their farm using a low-temperature pasteurization technique which eliminates all of the potential bacteria as high temperature pasteurization but preserves all the essential enzymes in the milk making it more nutritional. They also bottle all of their milk in reusable glass bottles which they sterilize and reuse making it a sustainable business from grazing to distribution. They sell whole milk, 2%, 1%, skim milk and chocolate milk as well as cheese curds, heavy cream half & half, and ice cream! You can find their products online, the Saint Paul Downtown Farmers Market, the Rochester Farmers Market, and through their CSA. If you’ve shopped at Five Watt, Yellowbird, or True Stone Coffee, you’ve also had their products!

We couldn't buy the liquor at an actual farmers' market, so we did the next best thing. We researched locally sourced products in our state and made a trip to Loon Liquor in Northfield, Minnesota. They are a craft distillery that makes 100% of their spirits from scratch using locally-sourced organic ingredients. We purchased the Loon Liquor Coffee Liqueur, made with certified organic barley from Faribault farmers Bryan and Tammy Lips.  

Recipe: Take one big scoop of your Kappers Big Red Barn or other Vanilla Ice Cream and place it in your favorite glassware. Pour 4 oz of Loon Liquor or other Coffee Liquer over the ice cream. Enjoy with a spoon or sip slowly as ice cream melts. Additional garnishings could include graham crackers, edible flowers, or chocoalte straws. 

Support your local farmers and enjoy an adult Mr. Summer Boozy this month!  

Supporting Farmers’ Markets Through Collaboration 

From the desk of Maeve Mallozzi-Kelly, Farmers’ Market Economic Opportunity VISTA 

Article posted June 6, 2021

Farmers’ markets are unique businesses. They have a variety of operational structures, existing as volunteer organizations, large-scale commercial businesses, and even city sponsored events. Regardless of their size or operational structure, farmers’ markets promote healthy, local communities by providing essential goods and services. Their direct to consumer model also supports local economies and the overall wellness of the communities they serve.

One of the goals of the Local Food Sustainability Project is to quantify and amplify what makes farmers’ markets so successful. The LFSP survey, which will be sent out in July, will help us gather the information needed to develop more resources, training, and general support for market managers, vendors, and even customers. To do this, we have enlisted the expertise of five agricultural leaders in the SMIF 20 county region to form the Farmers’ Market Advisory Committee (the sister committee to the Local Food Producers Advisory Committee, led by James Harren) to increase our impact through collaboration. 

The Farmers’ Market Advisory Committee members have diverse backgrounds and expertise, but they all have a passion for supporting the health of our local food system.

We are pleased to announce the members of the Farmers’ Market Advisory Committee.

• Claire LaCanne: Local Agriculture Extension Educator with UMN Extension (Rice and Steele)

• Kyle Huneke: Farm Business Management Instructor with the Riverland Community College Farm Business Management Program (Austin, Owatonna, Albert Lea) 

• Nathon Hulinsky: Agriculture Business Management Extension Educator with UMN Extension

• Lori Cox: Owner/operator of Roots Return Heritage Farm LLC, Advisory board member of the County Water Management Org, Minnesota Agriculture Water Quality Certification program, and Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom

• Leah Mahoney: SHIP Grant Coordinator (Brown, Nicollet, Waseca, La Sueur)

The committee met for the first time in April and reviewed the goals and survey material for the LFSP. We were able to Identify resources and funding for the project and look forward to meeting again to discuss uptates and next steps this month.

See the full bios of our incredible advisory committee team below!

Claire LaCanne works with UMN Extension in Rice and Steele counties. She is a local Agriculture Extension Educator connecting farmers with university resources to address community needs. She works with produce and livestock farmers both big and small. While her technical specializations are in regenerative agriculture, soil health, and integrated pest management (IPM), she also helps farmers develop business plans, expand their production or sales, and navigate land rental agreements and pricing. Right now she is primarily helping goat and sheep producers navigate grass fed meat certifications. She is passionate about the positive impacts applied science can have in helping farmers address their needs and obstacles to success. Her technical knowledge and support through community outreach is a priceless asset to the LFSP. 

Kyle Huneke works for the Riverland Community College Farm Business Management Program primarily in Austin, Owatana, and Albert Lea. He works with a total of 60 farmers, 25 who are beginning farmers, 20 dairy farmers, and 10 who classify as niche growers and sell at farmers’ markets. He received his degree in business from Oxford University and has years of experience as a livestock farmer selling meat at the Rochester Farmers’ Market. Now he uses his expertise to help farmers with their record keeping, business management, marketing, and expansion. His favorite part about his job is building deep relationships with farmers, especially those who work in direct marketing, helping them problem solve to support their vision.

Nathan Hulinsky is an Agriculture Business Management Extension Educator with the UMN Extension team. His main priority is to reduce farmers’ economic risks while helping them become more financially stable and profitable. As part of this work, he conducts financial benefits comparisons between farmers’ markets, wholesale, and other direct to consumer markets to tailor his trainings to the economic needs of each individual farmer. He primarily works with traditional crop farmers and dairy farmers, leading trainings on land rentals, how to write a lease, farm bills, and labor management. He is passionate about his work and the continuation of family farms as he helps them sustain their livelihoods. He and his wife just bought a house and are planning on starting their first garden this spring!

Lori Cox is the founder and owner of Roots Return Heritage Farm LLC in Carver county. This year she is renting her land to four new, emerging farmers while she serves on four advisory boards including the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, the Carver County Water Management Organization, Minnesota Agriculture Water Quality Certification Program, and Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom. She is also an active advocate for native pollinators, working with both the Minnesota University Bee Lab and Protecting Pollinators Partnership. Her passion for agriculture comes from her concern for the future of small-scale agriculture in the state. She believes through collaboration and pooling resources, our vision for a more sustainable and thriving agriculture system in Minnesota will come to fruition faster.

LeahMahoney is a SHIP Grant Coordinator for Brown, Nicolete, Waseca, and La Sueur counties. SHIP’s four areas of focus are on healthy eating, physical activity, reducing tobacco use, and wellness. Leah is passionate about supporting community policy that can eliminate barriers to access to healthy food. Her passion started when she was a Community Capacity Building Peace Corps Volunteer in Batswana. After returning from the Peace Corps she received her masters in Public Health from the University of Minnesota, however, her love for healthy eating stems back to her childhood. Both of her grandfathers were commercial farmers and growing up in a rural area, she remembers having a home garden, canning, foraging, and hunting every year. She loves the feeling of joy and wellness growing your own food can bring and she is passionate about creating the same opportunities for others through policy.