Janelle Maiocco

Hi.

Welcome to my blog. I live in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle on an Urban Farm (w/ five laying hens and a huge garden). I am a trained chef (w/ a certificate in food preservation), taught at a cooking school & like to share 'kitchen hacks' - culinary tips that save time, money & maximize flavor. If that isn't enough, I also run a food+tech startup called Barn2Door.com - a platform to help everyone easily find & buy food directly from farmers, fishers & ranchers (from CSA's to urban farm eggs to 1/2 a grass-fed cow).

truffle popcorn.

truffle popcorn.

popcorn kernels |talkoftomatoes.com
popcorn kernels |talkoftomatoes.com

We make jokes about our chickens eating fennel; we jokingly call it 'chicken crack'. It isn't a pleasant term, perhaps, but it aptly captures the chicken's crazy frenzy when fennel comes knocking. We will put in a nub of fennel into a pile of old lettuce and bread, watermelon peels and corn husks. And they find the fennel: quickly. And then they run around like... oh boy: a chicken with its head cut off. Like over-caffeinated cheerleaders or fennel groupies or ravenous sharks.

truffle oil | talkoftomatoes.com
truffle oil | talkoftomatoes.com

Equally funny? How my family inhales scoops of truffle popcorn like they are in a race against time. Shove it in! Take no prisoners! Eat it faster than your neighbor! Manners be damned.

Here is how to make your own popcorn crack truffle popcorn:

Place 1/3 cup kernels in brown paper bag. Fold top edge over 3 times, about 1/2 inch each fold. Staple shut. Yes: staple. Then put in microwave for 1 minute, 45 seconds. (honestly: I power mine down to a 'power 9' and do it for 2:17---adjust as needed). When finished, toss popcorn in bowl with vegetable oil (approximately 2-3 T), lots of just-ground salt and black pepper, then 2-3 tsp [black or white] Truffle oil. Or simply: add all the oils, salt and pepper 'to taste.' Drizzle and toss, drizzle and toss. Then run to nearest closet, lock yourself in and inhale all the popcorn. Best to use a lock: everyone is now smelling your popcorn.

Full on Oregon Day 1.

Full on Oregon Day 1.

preserving: yellow tomato jam... because I can!

preserving: yellow tomato jam... because I can!