Cranberry Sauce...SOOOOO Simple

This is an incredibly easy and tasty cranberry sauce for those of you who despise the canned crap or like it, but can't stand to look at the gelatinous cylinder.

Of course, nothing is set in stone and it's incredibly forgiving:

2 bags of cranberries (fresh or frozen)
About 1 bottle of Ginger Beer or good Ginger Ale

4 cinnamon sticks

1 orange- rind and juiced; I throw the 2 halves in to cook

About 1/3 cup brown sugar

About 1/4 cup maple syrup

few grinds of nutmeg
dash of salt & pepper

Add everything to a pot in no particular order; turn on heat to med-hi. Once cranberries have exploded (you'll hear them) turn it down and simmer away until its the consitency you like. I make this a couple of days ahead and just put it out in ramekins every couple of seats so it's room temperature for dinner time.

Thanksgiving Eve

It's the day before T-Day! The only holiday with food truly at the center; it is a day celebrating a feast with a feast. Although my life is currently saturated with familial dysfunction, one day Thanksgiving WILL be MY holiday. I love this day- this morning I even woke up at 5: 20 to get started on my rutabaga by cooking off some bacon and onions.

Anyway, my menu:

Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Rutabaga mashed with bacon, onion, maple syrup, rosemary and thyme

Stuffing- 1/2 cornbread; 1/2 white bread

Turkey- organic, free range, from PA (as local as I could find of course)

Mashed potatoes (unfortunately, surrendered to my Grandpa who insisted)

Cranberry Sauce (recipe follows)

Amazzzzzzzzing. I love it all.

Food Inc.

I know, I know, it came out a while ago, but I just got to it this past weekend. I knew most of what it had to say, being that I am a huge follower of Michael Pollan and I have seen Fast Food Nation. Seeing it and hearing it all, however, never fails to dishearten and anger me.

The movie explores several different aspects of the broken food system in this country. From the way we raise our meat, to the consolidation of most of our food into 5 multi-nationals, to the fact that most of our food comes from corn.

What I think resonates the most is that this current food model that we follow, has only been around for 50 years or so. The "industrial food chain" we have created is incredibly new and I believe that our health as a nation and many of its downfalls can be directly attributed to the crap we eat.

I encourage everyone to see it, but unfortunately it does not matter if you will not change your ways. The only reason this system remains is because people are too eager to comply with the absurdity that is our national diet.

The great atrocities against the farmers in the documentary were also unfortunate. Their cry for an extinct way of life only reinforces a need to RESORT BACK to how food once was before kids were obese, spinach got contaminated with ecoli, and you could read every word on the ingredient list.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQzzprbRb74

WATCH it, but more importantly: DO something about it...

Child Nutrition Act

As an AmeriCorps volunteer in Paterson, NJ I see the effects of our nation's food policies everyday. The poor kids that do not have money for a backpack are overweight...junk food is cheap.

The Child Nutrition Act, which comes up for vote every 5 years is being watched like never before. The obesity epedemic int his country among children especially has shed much light upon the subject, but I do not expect it to change. Although I admit I'm a synic, I realize that food companies have much more money then poor children and will, therefore, have more say in policy.

Article courtesy of the American Agriculturalist:
http://americanagriculturist.com/story.aspx?s=32573&c=8

Priorities of Child Nutrition Reauthorization Will be Improved Access, Quality and Performance
Administration is committed to adding $10 billion to child nutrition over next 10 years.
Jason Vance
Published: Oct 23, 2009
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack addressed the media Friday morning about the Administration's priorities in reauthorizing the Child Nutrition Act, which is updated every five years. He told the members that it is a priority of USDA to provide children with healthier meals.

"Our children are clearly struggling, for we have fallen behind the curve as a society on this very important issue," Vilsack said. "The statistics are cause for serious concern and concerted action and attention. Nearly one-third of our young people are overweight or obese, or at risk of being overweight or obese."

Vilsack cited a report from the Institute of Medicine that showed young people are eating too few dark green and orange vegetables, too few low-fat dairy products and too many discretionary calories. This trend puts children at increased risk of several obesity related conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer and high blood pressure.

"It's important for us to focus on the upcoming Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act," Vilsack said. "It is this opportunity where we have the chance to substantially improve the quality of meals we are serving to 31 million school children across the United States."

The Obama Administration has proposed an investment of an additional $1 billion annually over the next 10 years to improve child nutrition programs. In the recent Agriculture Appropriations bill, Congress began to make a down payment on this new approach with a commitment of $150 million toward improving programs.

"We've made a first positive step," Vilsack said. "This next year will an important year for us to continue to educate Americans about the importance of this, in terms of the future health needs of their children, the future capacities of these youngsters for them to be the very best students they possibly can be. So the focus will be on improved access, improved quality and improved performance."

Not the nectar of the gods too?

I picked this up at The Daily Beast and although I was all too familiar with the food industry bastardizing all things positive about food to make a profit, I guess I remained ignorant about my beloved wine.

The article describes how the American's romantic idea of small wineries we envision from the picture on the bottle is dead wrong. Indeed, many of the biggest producers do not even grow their own grapes, instead buying fermented grape juice and slapping a label on it.

My favorite part is a statement from an executive from Total Wine, a huge wine seller ont eh East Coast:

Steve Faith, Vice President of Wine Operations for Total Wine & More says, “I think people are looking for a good bottle of wine that they can take home every night, the quality will be there, and the taste profile they want, and they don’t care if it’s from a homey winery.”
HOW THE HELL IS HE GOING TO TELL ME WHAT I DON'T CARE ABOUT??!!!

Also, another useful piece from the article:

The trick is to read the fine print. In wines made in America, look for the term “produced and bottled by” on the label. It may not sound like much, but it’s all you need to know. Terms like “cellared and bottled by” or “vinted and bottled by” do not mean the same thing. In fact, they imply that the wine was not actually made at the winery at all.
In wines from other countries, look for similar terms. For instance, French wines will sport the term Mis en Bouteille au Domaine or Mis en Bouteille au Château. On Italian wine labels, look for Azienda Agricola or Imbottigliato all'origine.



The moral of the story- Don't drink out of ignorance either.

Trick or Treat on Grand Street!

For an AmeriCorps event in Paterson we hosted Trick or Treat on Grand Street, a Halloween festival for local children. it went well and of course I was in charge of food which rocked(except for the fact that our event ran from 12-4 and we ran out of food at 2-totally a budgeting problem because I spent all the money).

I made a punch from scratch which contained:

Hawaiin Punch
Ginger Ale/Sprite
Orange or Raspberry Sherbet

I mixed them in varying degrees in my cauldron and NO matter what it tasted awesome and looked like foamy blood. How can dyed sugary drink taste bad???

We also had tons of candy, 2 cakes, pretzels/chips, gummy eye balls, fingers, and reptiles, cookies, and cupcakes. And my personal favorite-APPLES!!

Swiss Chard

It's known as Swiss Chard and it's incredibly unknown. I grew it this season and it produced brilliantly despite the generally sour weather. A leafy green that I would place (for culinary purposes) somewhere between spinach and collard greens, swiss chard is an awesome addition to any meal.

I grew rainbow swiss chard and enjoyed the look of dismay on peoples' face when I cooked it. Very simple preparation- little olive oil/butter, minced garlic, and the leaves roughly chopped go in a big pan. Add a little water (to barely cover the bottom of the pan) and cover for just a few minutes. Once it is wilted, take the lid off to preserve color and braiste ( a combination of braise and saute) until it reaches the texture of your choice.

You can also add cream, let it reduce some, and vwa-la : creamed swiss chard.

It's in the headlines

I love to see the current food policies come under scrutiny in the media. I must admit it gets me excited like PETA seeing Michael Vick in jail. Read it people...

Cheap is not always a good thing, right Compaq computer owners???

In full disclosure, the Compaq reference was given to me by an employee of Apple, but I have faith in him.

In America, we eat too much...not a global problem

Courtesy of http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-09/27/content_12115738.htm

William M. Reilly


Tossing ideas and airing agendas on food production and distribution for about 90 minutes, they were led by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She was tasked by U.S. President Barack Obama to lead his nation's campaign against food insecurity in the world. Clinton in turn appointed her chief of staff and councillor, Cheryl Mills, to take the point for her.
Clinton figures high on the topic because the United States pledged 3.5 billion of the 20 billion plus U.S. dollars promised to the cause by developed nations and her personal interest in bettering the lives of women and children, particularly since women make up the bulk of small farmers.
"I didn't really fully appreciate food security in its construct; indeed, I always like to say that the first time someone mentioned it to me, I thought, is the food running away, does it need to be armed? It's such an unusual term, and in a way, it's a distancing term," Mills told reporters Friday over at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel where Clinton was holding meetings on the sidelines of the UN debate with her counterparts from dozens of countries.
Food security didn't say "people are hungry and that people don't have access to food. It says food security. And while in a lot of ways, it does get at the concept of what you're trying to ensure, is that people have consistent access to food, it doesn't make you feel that emotional moment until someone says people are hungry -- people are hungry and people are dying from that hunger," Mills went on to say.
But that is the crux of the food security problem.
He said several speakers "stressed that we need strong monitoring systems to evaluate progress, identify challenges and ensure transparency and accountability. Some of you have also highlighted the need for better coordination."
Ban promised to deliver ideas expressed and suggestions to the high-level panel.
Even before the meeting began, Nabarro had forecasts on the future of food security.
"We are going to see a revolution in agriculture during the next five years," he said. "We are going to see an approach to agriculture that sees poor people, particularly smallholder farms -- and there are around 500 million of them around the world, and very especially women farmers at the canter of the agriculture development agenda and we will see much more focus on how countries themselves implement food security strategies and programs."
"We are going to see a transformation of markets and trading systems in agriculture and food so that they work more in the interest of poor people and their countries," he said. "This would take time and it requires a lot of work."
"We are going to see the greater incorporation of social protection and safety nets in development programs so that where there are poor people who are suffering as a result of shocks like climate change or economic contraction they are able to access the support they need," he added.


Take this with you to McDonald's as you stuff your face with a "hamburger" for 99 cents.

Oh, Mother

As I have written, I spent endless hours this winter/spring growing many different heirloom vegetables from seeds. With the artificial lights, potting soil, dealing with mold (this setup was in the basement), and fly infestations...it was truly the only proof needed if unsure of my dedication to food.

In the end, I have mixed feelings about all of my work being that the weather in the northeast this growing season has been absolutely abysmal. The heirloom tomatoes produced vast amounts in the early half of July, but little else. The yellow grape tomatoes were endless in the beginning, then abruptly ceased int eh cool, drenched climate of most of the summer. Similarly, the "green zebras," "red brandywine" beamed with potential, but the fruits became hanging sacks of moldy water before harvest was even an option.

I must qualify, however, that I currently have about 10 lbs on vines, more than sure that they will be edible in a couple of days. At the same time, my neighbor (who I am not fond of anyway) has cleared his whole garden of all tomato plants...victimized by Mother Nature's atypical fury this season. I will be eating grilled cheese with tomato, salads sprinkled with red, and awesome pasta sauces.

Be jealous Mr. Neighbor.

Oh, nostalgia, you do it again

Green beans have a special place in my heart. Not only because they are nutritious and delicious and grown vastly in this area, but they epitomize the flavors of summer for me.

In my first months @ culinary school, I had a plate- I actually cannot remember what the entree was- and on it were blanched green beans with butter and a hint of lemon. While sitting in my chair in the Hudson Valley in the dead of winter I was instantaneously on the porch of 29th street looking over the bay. This was not just a side, it was a summer memory...like the favorite song that brings us back to the very same place. Steamed lobster, baked potato, and green beans slathered in the remnants of lemon and butter from the sweet shellfish are a staple at the Jersey Shore, a place I called home for many summers.

It is moments like this that propel me to love what I love, do what I do, and be who I am. And now, as green beans are in abundant supply I stop at the farm stand on my way home from work to make this moment happen all over again.

Who's the Smart One now?

Now that I work in a professional setting and lunch has not only become a meal, but a much desired break during the day, it is interesting to see what others eat. Funny thing is, that to make conversation people will even ask what's for lunch today...I get a kick out of it. I was worried when I saw the amount of "healthful" meals in the fridge though. I know that there is no way a roast beef and mashed potato meal could possibly be 260 calories- unless it's mostly chemicals as opposed to food. Sure enough, upon doing more research I found a dedicated individual that deciphers the meals @ http://www.foodfacts.com/

Sure enough, there's about 130 ingredients in said meal. What could possibly make up something so simple? Excellent question...ask it more often.

P.S. Just eat a salad.

Imitation Quiche

I had to post this because it truly exemplifies my cooking style- use whatever you got. The garden is surrendering great kale (a leafy green vegetable) and we had a bunch of eggs and a Costco-sized bag of shredded mozzarella. So, of course you make quiche! BUT, we had no pie crusts laying around and I sure as hell did not feel like making one, so I used the pizza doughs mom picks up from the local bakery.

I just combined 2 doughs and filled a deep dish pizza pan and threw in sauteed kale,cheese, and the quiche mixture(eggs, little cream, tons of fresh herbs, salt n pepper) placed a few slices of tomatoes (NJ greenhouse tomatoes courtesy of Whole Foods Princeton) and topped it with some grated cheese and baked. It took a while - I would give it an hour -1.5hrs at about 350.

FYI- Went incredibly well with a Sauvignon Blanc (specifically Cupcake from Marlboro) ...mmmmmmmm

Not-so-beautiful strawberries? NO problem

My mom is nice, but she's pretty slow. When the strawberries come in and we go away for the weekend she insists on picking a bunch of them and just letting them sit in a container on the counter for a few days. So, of course we get home and they're not looking too good so nobody eats them and boom they are wasted. But, are they? Instead of just throwing those sad strawberries in the compost pile, bake with them! Obviously, the "end of life fruit" is certainly the sweetest and after it's baked nobody can tell they were the nasty looking ones on the counter.

I made an amazing strawberry bread pudding- perhaps the easiest dessert out there.

Ingredients-

1. Enough diced bread to fill the dish you want

.......I literally used a few kaiser rolls, an end of a sesame seeded sub roll, and the end of one of those round loaves---use whatever you got and it's better if it's stale!!

2. About 8 eggs
......Depends on the size of your dish; you can always add more liquid if it's not enough

3. About 1 cup half&half

4. About 1/2 cup milk

5. About 1 cup sugar

6. About 1.5 tsps vanilla extract

7. Pinch of salt
8. I probably used about 12 oz of strawberries

Cut up the bread and throw in a buttered, square baking dish. You can make it however big/small you want your bread to be. Mix everything else except strawberries in a bowl with a whisk. When the bread is stale (feels dry) mix in the sliced strawberries with your hands. Then pour in the wet stuff and press bread down to absorb all the liquid and to moisten EVERY piece of bread. If you don't have enough of the wet stuff (it should really come 3/4 of the way up the sides of the dish) just crack a couple more eggs and add a little more milk, whisk it up, and pour it in. Bake @ 350F until browned...IT IS THAT EASY.

When life gives you ugly fruit- throw it in bread pudding!

Tofu Parmigiana...yeah, I said it

I have been doing the sustainable meat only thing for the past couple of years. The price of it, however, keeps me from really eating a lot of meat so I have been enjoying a primarily vegetarian diet. This led to the use of tofu instead of chicken in this awesome Italian-American staple.

It was [surprisingly] very good. I marinated the tofu (one block sliced in 3 pieces width wise) in red wine, olive oil, salt n pepper, and tons of fresh herbs until it took on the light purple color...maybe an hour or 2. Then, I let it dry on a cookie rack and patted them dry before breading. For the breading I used the "standard breading procedure" (the technical culinary school term)- includes one dish of seasoned flour, one of whisked eggs, and one of seasoned panko bread crumbs. Take each slice and cover in flour, then eggwash, then panko and throw them into a hot pan with about 1/4 inch of oil. Let them brown and flip...real quick and tofu doesn't have to be cooked through, so it saves a lot of trouble! Take out and put them on the cookie rack (so they can drain excess oil and stay crispy).

Later on, (I did the browning ahead of time) throw them in the oven with some grated cheese- I use pecorino roman- on top until warmed. Then , I took them out and smothered them in marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella, and some more pecorino romano. Then bake/broil until browned.

Trust me, I know it sounds weird, but I totally recommend this recipe. I'm really not a big fan of turning tofu into something resembling meat (ie. tofu dogs- sick). I'm guessing that the tofu is a great carrier of flavors because the dish gets most of the flavor from the fresh herbs, crispy breading, sharp grated cheese, sweet marinara, and fresh mozz.

FYI: Served with buttery garlic bread, and sauteed kale, and red wine of course!! Bon Appetito!

Please go local!

People don't realize how important local commerce as we love the prices of bog-box stores and the convenience of one-stop shopping, but the truth is it's best for your community. If you go to Shop Rite and buy bananas where does the money go???? Chiquita headquartered in Lord knows where (probably a country with no corporate taxes). If you go to a farmers' market, on the other hand, that money is staying in the area.

You might brush this advice off as hippy nonsense, but a professor on NPR yesterday, was talking about such a study; he went around to different towns all around the country and studied the affects of big-box stores as opposed to mom & pop shops. The conclusion: local is crucial for economic success of a community. Keeping money flowing in the immediate area is better for everyone and most importantly, you. My mom always said it was best to keep money in the family....so let's think of our community as one big family. By the way, the expert on NPR recommended everyone spend 10% [of what they would spend] locally to have a huge impact.

Here is a website to find local food near you:

http://www.nj.gov/jerseyfresh/searches/urban.htm

On deck

The strawberries are slowly turning red. Unfortunately, the 169 days of rain in a row have slowed the reddening process as it's encouraged by the sun. On deck though, is the raspberries which have incredible amounts of flowers already....I am expecting the best harvest yet. KNOCK ON WOOD! CROSS MY FINGERS!

They should be coming around in 1.5-3 weeks I would say, being the botanist I am. (yea right, I'm just hungry)

Slugs...they party?

As the strawberries come in I wage a never ending battle with baby slugs for the incredibly sweet fruit. Actually, the reason they call them strawberries is that because they grow on the ground and contain no hard rind, (like a watermelon) farmers would cover the ground with straw. This would ideally give the fruit a dry bed to mature on as opposed to the dirt which could cause them to rot prematurely.

But, anyway, those damn slugs- to keep them distracted(yes, I mean dead) I put out some beer for them. Yes, those slimy little things go crazy for the stuff as much as I do. As seen in the pics, I just throw out some containers of a fresh beer (open and put out right before dark) and retrieve them in the morning to see what reminds me of Saturday mornings @ college...drown slugs. Also, citrus rinds, or in my case a rotten orange piece, can be put out at dark and then scraped of slugs in the morning and composted-of course.

So, go buy local strawberries!!!!!! Jersey Fresh !!!!!!! Better yet plant a patch for next June!!!!

Well, it doesn't look like a strawberry

Strawberries have started to make their debut at farmers' markets around New Jersey.  Despite the fact that stores have been shipping them in from the west coast for months now, it is time to fill up.  I would imagine that many people do not actually know what a strawberry plant looks like, though (yes, they come from a plant, not a plastic container). These are the ones I've got at home...they are very easy to grow.  They come back year after year and do their own thing; I just throw on some compost or shredded leaves in the fall.  

You can always count on them

We all know the economy sucks, and except for porn and Wal Mart a lot of companies and people are hurting. In an article in the NYT, Stuart Elliot wrote about how food companies are competing to stretch your dollar. After discussing the new ads for French's mustard and how Pepsi Co is stuffing more Frito's in your bag for the same price, he mentioned the new campaign by Del Monte which features elongated corn cobs and pea pods (stretching your $) :

"The campaign — the biggest for Del Monte canned goods in a decade — is prompted partly by “an increase in private-label sales as consumers react to the economy,” Mr. Pearce said.
But the validity of the message is meant “to resonate more than just in a tough economic climate,” he added.
The reason, said Miles Smith, partner and business development director at Smith Brothers, can be found in the story about a neighborhood barber whose livelihood is threatened by the arrival of a chain offering $5 haircuts.
The barber “hires a marketing consultant,” he added, “who hangs a banner above the shop, ‘We fix $5 haircuts.’ ”
The moral is “don’t go down that road of discounting yourself into being considered a commodity,” Mr. Smith said. “It’s damaging to your brand to train consumers to expect a sale every day.”

Yeah, yeah, yeah; great moral, but isn't this exactly what the Health care Industry does- drug companies, vitamins, nutritionists, pediatricians???? We eat the crap ( Doritos, Kraft mac n cheese, and canned fruit cocktail floating in lord knows what) and then boom we pay for more drugs, vitamins, and diets to fix what we have done. If we all just ate healthier to begin with perhaps we wouldn't have such a health crisis- cancers, childhood obesity, diabetes, etc.

That is not to say only tofu and beans, but don't buy anything that has an ingredient you cannot pronounce; or if it has more ingredients than you could make it with skip it; if your grandma would not recognize the ingredients/food item put it back! If you see something and cannot explain what it could possibly be made of don't buy it; and if it's something that you would never store at room temperature because it has dairy or meat, but sure enough it's in the pantry isle - don't get it. It's not hard, but it does take self responsibility, something Americans surely lack.

watch the garden grow

I'm salivating....thanks to the 68 or so days of rain everything really took off. See arugula, green leaf, spinach, flame lettuce, romaine, red swiss chard, kale, and sugar snap peas(climbing).

And opal basil & parsley...

I feel like Tom Hanks

It's finally May and its finally warm and not raining. It's that time of year that I look forward to most of all as a college student. On a Saturday or in between classes I go down to the local green house/ garden center and just walk around. Yes, beginning in late March I just walk around the greenhouses wishing it was warmer and looking at all the tiny plants wishing I had the "infrastructure" they do (they beat my 4 shop lights in the basement). I must say, however, that as I walk around now and see all these people buying flats of salad greens that are pretty much full grown and various other herbs and vegetables for $1.79 a pack I feel like Tom Hanks in Cast Away. You know, when he gets found and is walking around the celebration room and he finds a lighter which he flicks with his finger and boom there's fire. This means nothing to you or I, but we quickly remember the incredible work and time he put into building fire on the island- an amazing accomplishment- one that not many people I know could ever do.

For me I got the seeds and started them in a place that was warm and went and got more lights; one I bought, one 2 I borrowed (thanks, Grandma). Then I had to monitor the lights and the water- in the morning the plants are drenched, when I come home they are wilted and bone dry. I started putting them outside during those hot April days to have them fall over in the wind or jumped on by Rhone. I would rush to bring in the full sheet trays of baby plants when they warned of frost because I knew the heirloom tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, herbs, and greens would be worth it. All I ask is that you do not forget the work that goes into that 4 pack of vegetables you picked up- it's a shit load.

No Cream Here

I love heavy cream and in my culinary ventures I have found that it can NEVER negatively affect a dish.  From pasta to pastry cream to coffee...cream is always good.  Now, the bad side- it's like 40% fat.  I love it in all sauces, especially on pasta so I was enticed to see that Gourmet had a recipe for a pasta dish that was covered in a thick white sauce absent the cream.   For the base, they call for blanched almonds, garlic, and water pureed together into a paste.  yes, it sounds very unusual, but the recipe did not disappoint; it was great and there was no pungent almond flavor that could be odd.  I must say, that we did not have all of the fresh herbs it called for so I added some red pepper flakes and garlic pepper spice blend to kick it up, but when herbs are plentiful I'm loading it up.  

PASTA IN GARLIC-ALMOND SAUCE

SERVES6 (MAIN COURSE) OR 8 (SIDE DISH)

• ACTIVE TIME:20 MIN
 
• START TO FINISH:20 MIN

• 3/4 cup whole blanched almonds (4 oz)
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 lb cavatappi or other small tubular pasta
• 2 tablespoons extra-virigin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 (10-oz) package frozen peas
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano plus additional for serving
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup basil leaves (torn if large), divided
• 1/3 cup mint leaves (torn if large), divided
• 1/3 cup chopped roasted almonds (2 oz)

• Purée blanched almonds and garlic with water and 1/4 tsp salt in a blender until smooth.
• Cook cavatappi in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 Tbsp salt for 6 qt water) until almost al dente. Reserve 3 cups pasta-cooking water and drain pasta.
• Meanwhile, heat oil and 1 Tbsp butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet (preferably straight-sided) over medium heat until foam subsides. Add almond purée and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups reserved cooking water, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper and simmer, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in remaining 2 Tbsp butter until melted. Add pasta and peas and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente (sauce will be thin), 2 to 3 minutes. Add cheese and lemon juice and stir until combined well. Remove from heat and stir in half of basil and mint and salt and pepper to taste. Serve pasta in bowls topped with chopped almonds, remaining herbs, and additional cheese.

This sad, sad food system

Food recalls have become an everyday occurrence as they slide across the bottom of CNN. In a study conducted by Rutgers University, only 60% of people search their home for recalled items though.

"Getting consumers to pay attention to news about recalls isn't the hard part. It's getting them to take the step of actually looking for recalled food products in their homes," said William Hallman, a professor of human ecology who led the study.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 76 million people become ill from food each year with 325,000 of them going to the hospital and 5,000 dying. These numbers are truly ridiculous and absolutely preventable. This country's food policy has got to be overhauled.



Know how I keep myself safe? I grow my own:

-spinach that is not poisoned by an exploited immigrant worker who did not wash their hands after taking a dump

-tomatoes that don't grow in dirt that is lathered with sewage sludge(yes, what you flush), which industrial farms call compost

-strawberries next to my house, not next to a CAFO(concentrated animal feeding operation) where huge vats of feces poison the water.

Come on America, let's do something about people dying from eating! It's just too damn enjoyable to be deadly...

Ohhhhhh honey, honey...

I love to make oatmeal for breakfast, specifically on Saturdays for some reason. Oatmeal, is of course a blank canvas for whatever I want it to be. Keeping seasonality and prices in mind, I do an apples and cinnamon, blueberries and vanilla, peaches and lemon mint. These ingredients as well as a sweetener.


Although I always just used plain table sugar, I have since transitioned to more nutritious alternatives. Honey, made by our disappearing friends, the honey bees, is an excellent option and my favorite. Although I put it in everything from PB & Js to cookie dough, it goes very well with the simplicity of oatmeal. Not to mention the different options- wildflower to clover to lavender, all of which cannot be written in stone (you try following a bee around and making sure it only goes to lavender flowers). Even more appealing, though is the fact that honey contains micro nutrients and minerals that aren't present in processed table sugar. As does turbinado sugar, which I learned about in bio; it too is not processed totally, giving it a brown color and all those awesome nutrients.

FYI: The Obamas even included some hives in their organic garden- the white house carpenter has to take care of them

Mutiny echoing in the halls of the "World's Premiere Culinary School"

I don't like to get political, but when people politicize the food world, I jump in ready to fight.

At the JBH I met a lady who graduated CIA with Sara Moulton back in the 70's. She was talking about a rumor she heard that the CIA is really pissed about their President, Tim Ryan. Sure enough, it's true:
See the full story @ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/07/dining/07culinary.html

Last spring (2008) the faculty at the CIA voted "no confidence" in Tim Ryan as president and stated that he has mismanaged the school and cultivated "a prevailing climate of oppression at the Culinary Institute of America." Faculty were quoted as saying that they "live in fear of retaliation," if they disagree with Tim Ryan or his cabinet.
For months, some teachers have been expressing their frustrations to students, who had their own complaints about crowded housing, the quality of classes and food. Tuition, supplies and fees total about $25,840 a year, and some say they are not getting their money’s worth.

Faculty members said they wanted different performance evaluations and a greater degree of self-governance. They also said that students are being accepted who don’t have a reasonable chance to succeed in the culinary program. The minimum grade-point average for a student to move from sophomore to junior year has been lowered to a 2.0 from a 3.0.

Many of the students have also been speaking out starting Facebook groups and hanging "Fire Tim Ryan" signs in the dorms. And when the student paper tried to write about the complaints, the President would not allow it. He said the censorship was to keep the students safe from the conflict. The editor resigned in protest and the articles were later allowed to be published.

A lot of students had criticisms of the events. Patrick Dunlea(student gov't president), though, a kid I started with, but who graduated a block (3 weeks) behind me copped out just like how he was voted off the first episode of Top Chef on Bravo last season. Making it obvious he was not taking sides, he said, "It comes down to the fact that everyone is here for a passion, and the kitchen is a very intimate environment." PLEASE- Kids can get in the BA program (which he is in) with a 2.0???!!! Dude, that only makes your degree as reputable as a piece of toilet tissue.

I am on the side of Chef Turgeon (head of teacher's union and great chef) here. Something must be done, and it should start with President Ryan stepping down.

How 'bout them apples?

The other night I was talking to a lot of other students about what I want to do- explaining everything involved with this blog, sustainable agriculture, the slow food movement, organic, etc. One of the girls says (paraphrase), "my roommate is all into organic; everything has to be organic for her. She was so excited when I got organic apples." So of course I ask, oh you bought them recently? Yes, she says. WHAT! That defeats the whole purpose; apples aren't in season for more than 6 months! Does it matter if they're organic if the apples are from friggin' Chile????

I truly do not understand people like this. I guess organic does lack the chemicals though (even though regulations in other countries are as trustworthy as Bernie Madoff). But, I really don't see the point of being all organic without being all local and all seasonal. This trifecta is a puzzle- without one piece there is no meaningful picture. It's spring people--still time to scope out local apple orchards near you!!!!

I do love apples. At the moment, I have my eye on berries and stone fruits, but apple season is always worth looking forward to. Up at school we would go apple picking in Rhinebeck and it was awesome. They would give you one of those tools even and it was all up to you. Definitely some great and delicious times. We would have apples in our dorms for weeks.

Apples originated in Asia Minor, but spread to Europe during prehistoric times where they grew wild. There are an estimated 15,000 varieties (half American) and are generally divided into 3 categories- cider apples (cider), crab apples (gelling), and dessert apples (dessert). They grow pretty much everywhere and they are the most widely cultivated fruit trees in the world.

With such demand, comes an incredible sacrifice as discussed in Pollan's In Defense of Food: Because industrial agriculture has bred plants to produce Quantity, not Quality, apples have suffered greatly. Today, the average apple contains a third of the nutrients of an apple from the 1940's. In other words, you have what can certainly be considered nutritional inflation; so, now, thanks to savvy science we have to eat 3 apples to get the same nutritional intake as some 65 years ago.

So I guess, 3 apples a day keeps the doctor away?

See, I told you it was a real course of study.

At that pivotal moment in life when you have to decide what do facing the pressures of finances, relationships, and personal happiness, I just eat. But seriously, I have been googling every job title I would like to do or I wish existed. Wanting to eventually go back to school, I stumbled upon this silver lining amidst a bunch of dark grey clouds. The Washington Post, a major publication mind you, ran a story last August about the new rise of food within academia. That's right, I told you all gastronomy was a real thing to major in.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/19/AR2008081900599_pf.html

Some of the schools starting programs- UNH, Yale, UC Davis, and UC Santa Cruz. While NYU and Boston University have had programs for years.
A lot of other schools are offering classes incorporating food, an even brighter sign. Food - we all do it and most of us enjoy it, and we actually need it to survive- so shouldn't we learn about it?

um, that's MY bread

I went on a cruise a few weeks ago; quite the gastronomic experience. Anyway, on the boat, you have to go to dinner with other guests and it's set up to be formal. The food was surprisingly good, but I have to clear some etiquette up.

Everyone loves to get overwhelmed at the 8-12 pieces of silverware at their setting and usually it's a great ice breaker-"Oh my, I guess you just work your way in right?" or " I hope they have a dishwasher." Seriously though, you do work your way in. Generally speaking your appetizer/soup/salad utensils will also be smaller than the entree ones. And remember, after each course you let them go...this isn't Applebee's, you have plenty more. If you do not use the utensil (ie. you got a salad, so no soup spoon use) you do not have to put it on the plate at conclusion, but the server will take it away. The dessert and coffee/tea stuff should be on top of your plate-keep it there, they'll move it down when it's time.

Because the settings are overloaded with all kinds of glasses, utensils, and plates it can also be confusing determining what's yours. My mom being the biggest perpetrator, thankfully I was on her right so she only took my bread plate. It's difficult to remember which bread plate is whose and which glass is yours, so:

First of all, put your two hands out in front of you, or under table, and with hands open & palms facing each other, touch each index finger to the thumb of the same hand. The left hand forms a b and the right a d-fittingly because the bread plate is on the left and your drink on the right. Boom, now you are set for executive luncheons, weddings, and impressing that pompous member of your group of friends.

Now, class, time for definitions

this posting is dedicated to a request-

1. Gastronomy- the study of the relationship between culture and food. It is often thought erroneously that the term gastronomy refers exclusively to the art of cooking (see Culinary Arts), but this is only a small part of this discipline; it cannot always be said that a cook is also a gourmet. Gastronomy studies various cultural components with food as its central axis. Thus it is related to the Fine Arts and Social Sciences, and even to the Natural Sciences in terms of the digestive system of the human body.

2. Foodie- is an informal term for a particular class of aficionado of food and drink. The word was coined in 1981 by Paul Levy and Ann Barr, who used it in the title of their 1984 book The Official Foodie Handbook. Typical foodie interests and activities include the food industry, wineries and wine tasting, food science, following restaurant openings and closings, food distribution, food fads, health and nutrition, and restaurant management.

3. Heirloom [plant] - a cultivar that was commonly grown during earlier periods in human history, but which is not used in modern large-scale agriculture. Many heirloom vegetables have kept their traits through open pollination, while fruit varieties such as apples have been propagated over the centuries through grafts and cuttings. The trend of growing heirloom plants in gardens has been growing in popularity in the United States and Europe over the last decade.

red, red wine you make me feel so fine

I took a wine course at CIA and haven't looked back. A lot of people my age think it's nasty and wonder why I can take it so seriously. I thoroughly enjoy wine though, and anyone who even took the least bit of interest in understanding the wine and food dynamic agrees.

A heavy red is my general preference. But, in the warm months I tend to stick to whites and lighter bodied reds if I'm doing up some grilled meat. I resent the simpletons that consider anyone who asks about wine a wine snob; if you're one of those people that discusses McShit the same way, are you a fast food snob??

I'm a huge fan of the Wine Spectator as a guide. Their daily picks under $15 has helped in finding some great wines on a stricter than usual college budget, hence the dog named Rhone as in- CHÂTEAU ST.-ROCH Côtes du Rhône 2005 (87 points, $12) Juicy, with a nice tangy streak of raspberry and spice flavors backed by a briary edge on the tasty finish. Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault. Drink now. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 12,000 cases made. (Nov 10th)

And although I am pretty much skeptical about diet fads and nutrition discoveries researched by institutions funded by the same benefiting party, I believe red wine is a friggin' healthy elixir. In the words of the National Cancer Institute:

-Research on the antioxidants found in red wine has shown that they may help inhibit the development of certain cancers.
-Resveratrol has been shown to reduce tumor incidence in animals by affecting one or more stages of cancer development. It has been shown to inhibit growth of many types of cancer cells in culture.
-Recent evidence from animal studies suggests this anti-inflammatory compound may be an effective chemo preventive agent in three stages of the cancer process: initiation, promotion and progression.

I mean, the French paradox alone tells us we should drink more of the red, red wine.

Well, thank you Mr. Kapon.

One of the reasons for the dinner at the JBH was the generous donation by Professor Kapon(right) to FDU. He donated his wine library consisting of more than 2,000 wine books and magazines.

A SINCERE THANKS

Professor Kapon started the wine program at Fairleigh Dickinson's International School of Hospitality Management in 1997 and teaches the 15 week credit course at the Teaneck, New Jersey campus. In 2005 he became the instructor for the wine program at the new Hudson County Community College Culinary Arts center in downtown Jersey City which is affiliated with FDU.

There was prosecco, a sauvignon blanc from Cali, an italian merlot, and a couple other whites. I, of course, didn't stray far from the prosecco and red.

Funny Story--

It's obviously a brownstone, so not ideal for entertaining with large amounts of people, but the bathroom is right in the main room just in the middle of the wall. So, after my usual 18 or so glasses of wine I went to use the bathroom. It's real small and when you walk in there is just mirrors in front of you and immediately to the right. Being in what I will call a necessary buzz, I thought I walked into a closet and did not even see the actual bathroom space to the left. I guess the angle of the light and the mirrors made the all white bathroom look like another mirror. I actually laughed at myself for 20 minutes. Me, at the James Beard House stuck in the mirrored closet, ha! If you don't laugh, that's ok bc when I told my sister she actually pissed herself.