Allium Appetite and Molcajetes with the TenHarmsels

Ashley TenHarmsel, with some tidbits from Jake, of North Harvest CSA, shares their culinary journey, highlighting a fusion of cultural influences, experimentation, and how one's passion can inspire another to learn to cook.

When did you start cooking? 

I would say that was probably in college. I don't remember doing much cooking at home - I was very well taken care of. I really started getting more into cooking and excited about it because of Jake.

I remember making potato soup. We thought it was so gourmet with chopped potatoes, cream of mushroom, and then a cup of milk. We haven't made that probably since college.

Humble beginnings…

I remember I called my mom like “how do you make coffee?” That was something I had no idea how to do. I remember saying “You put the water in the back of the machine? There's no way it goes in there… with this coil? That doesn't seem right…” She’s said “Nope I swear that's what you do.”

My mom would always make Mexican beans but used dried beans not canned beans. Well, I didn't know dried beans took forever to cook so I made white chicken chili from a  friend's recipe. I put bags of dried beans in. The beans never cooked and the cheese burned. 

Who taught you how to cook?

I guess my folks to an extent because we didn't go out to eat often. I remember watching my Dad cook and being kind of involved. Especially, when he made stir fry - that was always a big production - and we were always waiting to sample those little pieces of meat. 

Meeting Jake and the fact that he really enjoyed cooking is what really grew my interest in learning how to cook. Also, watching the Food Network channel and cookbooks were big influences on both of us.

Are there any specific cookbooks you learned from?

One of our first cookbooks was The Vegetarian Epicure. It's not a cookbook we often use now, but it inspired a lot of our early cooking. 

What ingredient can you not live without?

Probably the allium family. I actually have a Buddhist cookbook and it says do not do the allium family. Those ingredients would be pretty tough to give up. My favorite of the alliums - the one I cook most with I guess - is probably garlic.

What inspires your cooking?

Jake. He is really why I started really enjoying cooking. As we've changed over the last 17 years together, cooking and food has not changed between us when so much else has.

Also wanting to feel good about what I'm eating. There isn’t much for choices up here when it comes to restaurants. They're not bad but there's just not a whole lot of diversity. [Jake interjects] They’re bad.

Once we started traveling more and trying different types of food, and especially with my Hispanic heritage, I wanted to be able to cook those foods because I can't go to a restaurant or store to find those kinds of food.

Did you inherit any cultural recipes?

So my dad has a German and Hungarian background - mostly white European. My mother has a very Hispanic background, but she didn’t enjoy cooking as much as my dad did. 

When I was very young, we lived with my great grandma who was from Germany. My Mom learned a lot about cooking from my great grandma, so she learned a lot of German and Hungarian recipes.

Zegadina and chicken paprikash were our two main recipes she made and also ribs and kraut.

What ingredient would you like to see fresh locally?

Papaya or citrus. Otherwise it's things we can't get here like higher quality balsamic, olive oils and cheese.

This just means you need to get a giant greenhouse and grow citrus?

I don't know if we'll ever grow year round out here. It's hard enough now that we have a year round structure attached to our garage that Jake built last year. Before that it was something we took down every fall so we didn’t have to worry about the snow load. This is the first year with that greenhouse in the winter and I’ve been roof raking. It’s a lot of work. I think about all the people who are actually snow blowing around their greenhouses. Crazy talk.

What could you eat a whole jar of?

Pickled okra is one of my favorites. I try to keep it to three to four pieces because of the salt.

What would you like to learn how to make?

I’d like someone who's older than me - someone who's had knowledge passed down - teaching me how masa feels for tamales. Someone to tell me “no that's a little too wet, or it's a little too thick.” Someone who has a really solid knowledge on that kind of stuff to help so I don’t have to just learn just by doing.

I feel like there's all these things that we're learning now, that were known by people in generations past. Things got lost and did not get taught down, so now we have to learn from the start.

More on that?

Honestly sourdough. I know I make it, but I still don't think I'm there. There's much more to learn, and it’s a skill that is self taught so it has taken years to get to where I am now.

I am still a little befuddled by the sourdough. Sometimes the starter triples, sometimes it just doubles. Sometimes it takes this much longer or that much longer. Why do I feel like I did the exact same thing as I did before and am getting a totally different result? I just wish it were a little easier.

Is there anything that you make that deviates from tradition?

I'm sure everything we do isn't quite on point. 

Do you have any heirloom tools in your kitchen?

My aunt Belinda, my mom's sister, says she's pretty sure this part [holding the grinding stone of a molcajete] has been in the family. She couldn't remember - it could be either hers or my grandma's. 

From my dad's side my grandpa had this kind of stuff - one holds sugar, vinegar, and oil ceramic containers. Some of our cast iron pans came from my cousin's camp.

What advice would you give to fellow cooks?

[Ashley] Don't be shy at trying new things. Especially if you can't find them and you want them. If it turns out well, start making it in bulk and freeze it. Enjoy the process and don’t worry about being perfect.

[Jake] You can always add more salt. Same with chili peppers and hot stuff. Once it’s overdone it’s inedible. Oh! And enjoy yourself.

Breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner?

[Ashley] Dinner. I do not like cooking breakfast. I love cooking dinner type foods. I like to cook meals that take some time.

What is the most adventurous thing you've eaten and would you eat it again?

Guinea pig and I would absolutely do that again. It was scrumptious. It's really not adventurous, it's just different from what people eat in the United States. This was in Peru.

More on that…

I suppose adventurous could also be some of the food I ate that was far expired. I like to play a lot of food roulette. A couple weeks ago I lost big time. It was blue cheese crumbles. 

What is your funniest kitchen failure?

I've had some massive ferment fails - whole crocks just mold or become too soft. 

Once a ferment catches that Kahm yeast it can be hard to keep a ferment from spoiling, but sometimes things are a loss.

When planning your garden, what are some goals you try to achieve?

We think about what to grow and how it could be the best for the people. People are always looking for beets. I don't like eating beets but I love growing beets – seeing these teeny little things turn into a beet with big leafy greens is very beautiful.

What are you most excited to grow and why?

Peppers are one of my favorite things to grow, but they’re so anxiety-inducing. You start them so early and anything can happen during all those months before you get them in the ground. Then anything can happen with them in the ground. You can’t control everything about the season.

What got you interested in sharing your foods with the community at the farmers market?

We just wanted to share what we were growing. Try to get people to try things like Asian eggplant or produce that is a different color than what your used to. 

Also the banter between customers telling us what they do with their food - there are a few good recipes from customers that we used to this day like wrapping trout in a chard. 

That's what you have in common in that moment - food. That's what's being passed between us. It keeps us sharp and keeps us interested and engaged and always learning.

What would you tell new vendors at the farmers market?

Stay consistent. Don't get discouraged. Don't measure your success against anyone else because we're all different and have unique booths.

You're there because you want to share what you're doing and you want to make your mark with what is meaningful on your table. It's not about anybody else. It's about you and your booth and everyone else is just hopefully there to encourage you.

Don't let the customer dictate the price. Unless they're telling you to charge more - sometimes customers say that.

Value your time. You can always lower your price, but once you set a price, it can be hard to raise the price.

What is some infrastructure you would like to invest in for the farm or like goals?

Our certified kitchen so we can get out from under the cottage food law. That's going to allow us to expand what we're offering, who we're offering it to, and to invite more people to the property. We would be able to grow our value-added side of the farm.

Also, property beautification and creating a pleasant farm atmosphere where people want to come out. Having that kitchen seems like a catalyst.

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