Danielle Perkowitz: Fine Dining to Fabulous Goat Keeping
Once a young single working mom blossoming into a community-making, goat-loving, queer advocate married to the love of her life, Danielle is a force to be reckoned with. You’ll find her pouring her passion for the Keweenaw Community into her work as Community and Business Development Manager for the City of Houghton all the while attentively caring for a herd of around fifteen of the happiest goats. One of the few queer farmers in our area, she dedicates herself to cultivating a queer-positive community through Whimsiqueers: an event-planning group of friends bringing whimsical and magical queer-centered events. Be sure to check out their markets: Flower Moon, Pride, and Harvest Moon.
Danielle, thank you for participating in The Dish — our community is fortunate to have you championing it and I’m honored to call you a dear friend.
Who taught you how to cook?
I didn't really start cooking until my late 20s if you can believe it. I did not grow up in a household where they really cooked. My stepdad taught me to make basics like eggs and how to cook a chicken breast in a frying pan – those sorts of things. Generally we were dining out. I was getting all dolled up and velvet dresses and bows and eating filets. I loved profiteroles - that was my favorite dessert when I was like 5 years old. It's hard to remember where because I was little. My stepdad was really into dining out and always looking into what's the hot new restaurant opening. He looked for places with all the great reviews. My food experience comes from dining out heavily growing up and working in a fine dining environment when I was older.
Do you have any special early memories being in the kitchen?
I do remember around holidays – especially Thanksgiving – going over my grandparent's house and everyone participating. Someone would get the food out and we would take turns every year doing the dishes and things like that.
I remember one of my mom’s dishes – we call it South-Side dip. It’s just cream cheese, corned beef, and green onion. She’d bring it to every party
What are your favorite dishes to cook?
I put garlic into pretty much everything. I discovered a love of squash blossoms since I moved up here – that was courtesy of Ransom Farm at the Farmers Market. I would get there right when it opened to completely clean them out of all their squash blossom.
Ever since I got sage starts from you, that's something I chop up and put it in a whole bunch of stuff.
I am obsessed with any vegetable with peanut sauce. I have not found a vegetable that cannot be roasted in peanut sauce.
Where do you get your peanut sauce from, or do you make it?
I do get it from Trader Joe's. When we have people come up to visit, I ask “will you grab me 10 peanut sauces from Trader Joe's?” I live off it.
What is an underrated ingredient you're often reaching for?
I don't know if I use anything necessarily underrated, but I do feel like I like to throw my whole pantry in there. I use multiple seasonings – I'm always chopping up peppers, onions, and garlic.
I recently got this Spiceology Hatchet Jack seasoning – I put it on everything it is so good. I'm a big fan of garlic scapes. I'm all about flavor – as much flavor as possible.
How has being a parent changed to your cooking over the years?
I really didn't cook a lot until my late 20s. Since I was always working in restaurants, I would bring home a lot of food – kind like my parents who would dine out a lot.
For Tristan's fifth Birthday, we went out to a restaurant, and he ate lobster tails. He had kind of a bougie upbringing.
What is your favorite cuisine?
Okay so the fun fact about me – I'm terrible at favorites.
When I was a kid my aunt was really good friends with this psychic and she said to me “you think life is a buffet – you want to try it all.” That’s my mindset. My love of food just makes it impossible to choose.
What is your most used kitchen gadget or tool?
A butcher knife because I chop all the time. The way I cook is pretty simple… it's generally me chopping things up and throwing them in the oven or a pan. If I'm making soup, I do love an immersion blender.
What does food mean to you?
Food means so much to me – of course it's sustenance and how you get your energy – but it's also an expression of love and experience and making memories with people. I love the social aspect of food.
Do you have any heirloom tools in your kitchen?
I have a few things – a lot of them are from Grace's mom. We have this butter dish that's been passed down and these hot plates.
My aunt was the first woman in the tile setting union in Chicago. She passed a few years ago, but I have this pewter cup of hers. I put my meat thermometer in it, and it lives next to the oven.
This is the first year that we really enjoyed our apple trees. I got a basket at the big Annie thrift store – it's somebody's heirloom basket. It’s my favorite apple picking basket! I really discovered a love of apple picking. It's such a stress free activity to walk around our land and fill this baby up. It holds about twenty pounds of apples. I walk around here like I am woman of the wild apple trees.
What is an ingredient you would love to see fresh locally?
I love ube and I don't see it anywhere here. It's a purple yam used a lot in Filipino cooking. I really love it for so many things, but specifically sweet things.
I’ll make a smoothie, ice cream, or a cheesecake.
What is your favorite holiday to cook for and do you have any specialty dishes?
Thanksgiving is big – we've hosted for the five years since Grace and I got together.
We love to host a big Thanksgiving and it's an open-door policy because we make so much food. I would say our specialty is spinach balls – it was, I believe, my great grandmother's recipe. It's something that we do for all family gatherings and my go-to for any party.
I personally have enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner on your entire place setting – can you speak more to how you obtained or chose those items?
My china comes from my mother-in-law and was handed down in her family. I'm really big into the dining experience since I come from a fine dining background. I really love setting a whole table scape and having somebody feel like they are having a luxurious eating experience.
What is the most adventurous thing you've eaten and would you eat it again?
I've eaten a lot of interesting things. I’d say the most exotic thing I’ve eaten is probably ostrich. I would eat it again – it was tasty.
Growing up, my stepdad would always tell me that I was not allowed to say I didn't like something until I tried it and he had one rule when we were going out to eat: if there's a chance for you to try something new, you have to order it. He created an adventurous eating spirit in me.
As a farmer who raises and breeds milk goats, how has almost always having goats milk at the ready affected your cooking?
It’s a lot more than just having access to milk and being able to make your own cheese and all sorts of things – I have a lot more patience with myself. I’m kind of a perfectionist. Producing milk and wanting to open a dairy has forced me to try and sometimes fail. Some experiments go wrong and some go right. How can I be kinder to myself as I learn? Making goat cheese is not following a recipe step by step – it’s a lot of feeling and instinct.
What got you interested in sharing delicious goat milk with your community?
My background in dining and service – it's part of my personality. I'm a very generous person. I love for somebody to have an experience – we want to provide that for the community.
How has your little foray into gardening affected your cooking?
I like the way you phrased that question: I really do go right out the back door, bring a little basket, and visit my little garden.
Wanting a fresh thing and going right out there to snip it and then cook it up with dinner – that's been so exciting!
I’m someone who gets intimidated by learning new skills so it feels good to know that I can grow things. I'm so proud of myself.
Who does dishes in your family and why?
Me – it's because I'm an independent person. I mean, I raised a child as a single mom. I definitely have that part of me that’s like “nobody else can do it – only I know how.” I'm surprisingly very controlling about those things. The funny joke in my house is: if you come over for dinner, do not help me clean up. You need to sit there and relax. If you come to stay at my house, don't think that you're making your bed or picking up after yourself.
What are some words of culinary advice to your younger self?
Be patient with myself. Try things. I'm going to fail and succeed.
What is one of the loveliest compliments you've received on your cooking?
When somebody says “this is the best that I've ever had.” It feels so good and I can't help but swell with pride.
Grace's favorite food is tacos, and I got one of those North Harvest Taco kits. I bought local steak and put all of my heart and soul into these tacos. She said “these are the best tacos I've ever had.” And she's had a lot of tacos. Also, during the farm tour, the amount of people who were eating my goat cheese samples and saying it was the best goat cheese that they've had! That’s pretty awesome.
What makes you excited to cook?
It's exciting to go with my instinct. I like to throw things together because my spirit tells me. It’s carefree, not following any guidelines, and I love when people enjoy my food!
