The Founding Farmers Cookbook: 100 Recipes for True Food & Drink from the Restaurant Owned by American Family Farmers

360 Pages·2013·27.98 MB·English

by  Founding Farmers

CONTENTS
Foreword
Introduction
Through the Eyes of the Farmer
The Toolshed
Cupboard & Icebox

Pickles, Seasonings & Sauces
Starters & Snacks
Garden Fresh Salads
Sandwiches & Burgers
Signatures
Fresh Catches
Handmade Pasta
From the Ranch
Holidays on the Farm
Crop List Sides
Desserts & Baked Goods
Breakfast & Brunch
Meat-Free
Sodas & Sippers

Acknowledgments
Metric Conversions & Equivalents
Recipe Index

FOREWORD
I am a third-generation farmer. My family has been working the
same plot of land since the 1930s. Situated about forty miles
southwest of Bismarck, North Dakota, our farm devotes 1,000 acres
of pasture to cows and calves, and 600 acres of fields to raising
corn. Despite my core connection to the root of America’s food
supply, I never imagined that I would be on the other end of the
farm-to-table movement. But as a member of North Dakota Farmers
Union, I have a stake in the Founding Farmers restaurants in the
Washington, D.C., area.
North Dakota Farmers Union is made up of more than 40,000
farmers and ranchers in the state. Since 1927, we have been working
together to develop economic and social policies, provide services
to start and sustain cooperatives and related initiatives, and offer
educational programs to benefit farmers, ranchers, and rural
communities. Guided by the principles of cooperation, legislation,
and education, North Dakota Farmers Union is committed to
ensuring the prosperity of family farms, ranches, and rural
communities.
The idea for Founding Farmers can be traced back to 2004, when
Farmers Union began exploring getting into the restaurant business.
We did so to increase our profits by putting farmers at the top of
the food chain, to educate consumers by reconnecting them to the
source of their food, and to promote the value and importance of
American agriculture. What better place to do that than in the heart
of the nation’s capital? After all, each state is represented in
Washington, D.C., and it also serves as a hub for business and
leaders from around the world.
Our first enterprise was Agraria Restaurant, which opened in June of
2006 on the Georgetown Waterfront. It showcased American
farmers by using products and ingredients from sustainable and
humane sources across the country. We knew our farmers, so we
knew our food.
Agraria affirmed our belief that a true farm-to-table concept could
be a rewarding project for North Dakota Farmers Union. After
retooling and refocusing the idea of the restaurant with business
partners Dan Simons and Michael Vucurevich, we opened the
flagship location of Founding Farmers in September of 2008, just
three blocks from the White House. With this restaurant, we sought
to bring even more focus to our mission, and to make it a true
example of how a sustainable business could operate.
The Founding Farmers Cookbook is the next chapter in our story.
It’s a mix of traditional favorites and updated classics that come
from everywhere—our families, our culinary team, our travels. The
easy-to-use recipes and the images in this book should make you
feel like you’ve dined at one of our restaurants.
We hope that this cookbook becomes a staple in your kitchen. We
want the pages to get splattered and the corners to be turned
down to mark your favorites. Consider it a starting point. A number
of the recipes come with suggested variations, but you should put
your own distinctive stamp on what you make—experiment, have
fun, try the unexpected.
When you go shopping, remember to support your local family
farm, ranch, or farmers’ market, and if you’re a bit more ambitious,
plant a garden of your own. And, please, always consider that your
choices help preserve our land and the great culture and history of
American family farming.
There’s an old saying that work never ends on the farm. The same
is true of our restaurants. From the fields to the table, we are
tirelessly toiling to bring our guests true food and drink, for
breakfast, lunch, and dinner, every day, 365 days a year. All of our
efforts have paid off—Founding Farmers has been the #1 booked
restaurant in the country for more than two years (2011 to 2013)