All of us here at Boonville Barn were able to take a few weeks off at the end of the year to spend time with family and friends and just relax. It was so needed. We also got a lot of rain. Luckily during the 16 inches of rain and high winds, our irrigation pond filled completely and there wasn’t any damage at the farm. We spent the time cooking big meals and even escaped to warmer weather for a week.
While I’m not big on resolutions, I do find it helpful (at least for the farm) to have a goal for the year or to state aloud what we’re working toward or have decided to do. This year, we’re leaning into doing what we do well and taking care of ourselves along the way.
As a business, that means more of the same of what we did this year, recognizing that our plans worked, and not trying to go too big on anything new. For our year-round team, that means providing health insurance for the first time and paying the full premium. For Gideon and I, that means trying to find a new hobby that we can do together (we might try a linocut printmaking class if we can find one nearby).
For me personally, it means trying at least 1 new recipe a week and working through what we have in our pantry, fridge, and freezer before going out and buying more food. And also finding a satisfying breakfast that I look forward to eating everyday. It sounds easy, but man is it hard.
And now it’s time to get started.
Spotlight on: Boonville Boil Spice Blend
Our friend Sam at Curio Spice in Massachusetts developed the Boonville Boil spice blend for us a few years ago and we're still in love with it. When creating this blend, we wanted Sam to make something that had no salt added (we prefer to salt to our own liking!) and that also had a coarse texture so it didn’t just look like a big jar of Piment d’Ville!
With the parameters that it had to use Smoky Piment d'Ville, Sam came up with Boonville Boil - a west coast version of Old Bay that's nice and herby. I think the flavor of the blend really shines with seafood, but don’t let that limit the way you think of this herby chile blend.
I’ve enjoyed it on roasted vegetables, chicken thighs, in soup, and keep finding ways to use it. It's so easy to take a simple piece of fish, coat both sides in Boonville Boil, and pop it in the oven to cook for 10 minutes. Remember there is no salt added to the blend, allowing for you to add salt as you want it and be able to add more spice without over salting. It's also a great addition to popcorn.
One of the most flavorful ways I used this was in a Smoky Trout Chowder. I am a huge fan of Julia Turshen’s cookbook Simply Julia. It really hits the spot with simple recipes that are budget friendly, don’t have too many hard to find ingredients, and work great with our chiles. I followed her Smoked Trout chowder recipe (onion, celery, potatoes, clam juice, water, half and half, and smoked trout) and used Boonville Boil instead of Old Bay. SO GOOD! Look up any chowder recipe for ratios or check out her book from the library.
Head over to our site if you want to check out the other recipes we have that use Boonville Boil.
What We're Cooking
Boonville Boil Baked Artichoke Dip: A solid reminder when writing this email that this recipe exists and is a perfect winter treat. It's a hearty app to bring to a friends house for movie night or game night!
Roasted Koginut Squash with Chiles: I have 3 koginut squash hanging out on my counter that I need to eat. I plan to rustically peel one, deseed it, and toss it with olive oil, salt, dried garden sage, and Piment d'Ville. It will get roasted in the oven at 375 until it is nice and tender. I'm not sure what I'll eat it with yet, but it will be nice to have it in the fridge.
Rosso di Lucca Beans in various things: I cooked a pot of our Rosso di Lucca beans on Sunday to have for the week. So far we've eaten them in a stewed beans and collard greens dish with an oven roasted pork tenderloin. If I'm lucky, Gideon will make me a bean, cheese, and egg burrito with them tomorrow morning! Depending on what veggies are in the fridge by the end of the week, I wouldn't be surprised if these made their way into a pot of soup.
Popcorn made on the stovetop: Gideon and I go through phases of eating lots of popcorn. This is one of those times. For Gideon, it's always made in a wok. For me, It's generally a big pot. We always cook it in olive oil. I've been enjoying batches of popcorn tossed with salt, Piment d'Ville, and onion powder. The allium flavor is key.
