Gastronomical Sovereignty

CSA Week #7

2012-03-07T08:30:00.000-08:00

Good morning to you my lovelies!

Did you know Spring is coming?? There are always tell-tale signs.

There is daylight for a full 12 hours a day - thank the rotation of the Earth!....

The Daffodils are peeking their little yellow heads out all over gardens in Victoria...

Those tiny white flowers are showing up in back alleys and under shrubs....

The cherry blossom trees are blooming...

When the sun does show up, it has enough warmth in it that I feel an incessant need to go sit on a water front patio and order a beer...

Spring is coming.

Of course, if you looked at our CSA delivery this week, you'd have no idea.

This week's box is almost the quintessential West coast Winter veggie box. All it needs is a few rutabagas (no thank you) and it'd be complete!

This week we got:

1 Massive head of celeriac.
1 Tiny head of kohlrabi.
1 Bag of Braising Greens.
3 Fat Carrots.
2 Winter Radishes (kind of excited about those - they're black!).
Some Cilantro.
1 Bag of Sun-Trio Pea Shoots.
1 Ziplock Baggie of Frozen Blueberries.

Anything in this week's catch that excites you? Ideas for cooking?

Roast Veggie Breakfast (or supper) Omelet

2012-03-04T21:57:00.002-08:00

Exhaustion is setting in.

I'm in the final stretch - one month - of my undergrad career, the weather is lousy, I'm still looking for a job (who'da known Victoria is such a bitch for finding decent work?), and I found out the other day I have a serious Vitamin D deficiency. Not life or death or anything but it's drastically low. I wonder if the D-Def might be why I'm lacking in energy and feeling sleepy and having trouble getting motivated to do the things I love...? I feel like I'm trapped in a black hole of shit. Crappy, stupid, annoying, frustrating, festering, pissed off shit. Mrawh.

Speaking of things I love, I've noticed so many of you have started planting your Spring seedlings. Jealous. I need to get my potatoes chitting and start the salad greens. But again: tired, sleepy, unmotivated, and broke. I'm starting to feel a little jaded kinda like this fine lady.

One month. One. More. Month.

In the meantime, I'm plowing through my school readings with as much attention as I can muster, trying to get my body moving at least every other day in some fashion or another, still sending out resumes, and I've started taking a multivitamin again.

I'm also making sure that I'm eating better breakfasts. Recently I've barely been scarfing down a bowl of cereal. I used to take special care in making sure I got a more than adequate meal in the A.M. Lots of fruit, a whole grain or two, some protein. After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day! I've slacked off. So, one of the better ideas I've had in the early morning hours? Roasted veggie breakfast (or supper) omelet.

This recipe works best if you have left over roasted veggies. Who wants to prep and roast vegetables first thing in the morning?? Oh wait, I do. That being said, I don't think that's most of you. So roast some vegetables the night before for dinner and just make enough to save some for the A.M. I've included the roasting method in the recipe below.

Roasted Veggie Breakfast (or supper) Omelet

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

4 Free-Range Organic Eggs.

1/4 C Milk or Water.

Seasonal Roasting Vegetables (brussel sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, pearl onions, garlic cloves) cleaned & well dried.

1 Batch Kale Chips, crumbled.

1/3 - 1/2 C Gruyere or Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

To roast the vegetables: Once they're prepared, simply throw into a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, arrange as a single layer in the pan and roast uncovered in an oven at 475 degrees F for about 20-30 minutes or until just fork tender. Remove from the heat.

To make the omelet: Heat a non-stick medium sized pan over medium heat.

In a generous bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk or water until frothy. Once the pan is hot, spray with non-stick spray and gently pour the eggy mixture into the pan. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the underside is cooked - but not brown - and the top is cooked through enough to flip over without splattering all over the place. Carefully flip over and continue cooking a further 30-60 seconds or until there is no raw egg left.

Sprinkle the omelet with half the cheese, add a generous helping of veggies to one half, finishing off with the other half of the cheese.

Carefully fold over the veggie-free half. If it doesn't close entirely that's okay - it just means you've got lots of veggie goodness in there!

Allow the cheese to gently melt - you may want to turn down the heat slightly so it doesn't brown. Remove from the heat and serve with more veggies tossed on top. Season to taste.

Eat!

Do you ever feel stuck? What do you do about it? Suggestions would be useful.
Also, how do you spell "omelet"?

This post is linked up with The Hearth & Soul Bloghop via The 21st Century Housewife; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show; Tasty Tuesdays; Cast Party Wednesday; This Chick Cooks;

Film Friday: Paul Willis

2012-03-02T09:21:00.001-08:00

Have you heard of Paul Willis?

Have you heard of Chipotle?

How about pigs? Have you heard of pigs? I love pigs! I. Want. Pigs. I just wanna cuddle their cute little pig monkey faces!

If you watched this years Superbowl commercials (I didn't) or follow Film Friday (I do) or are paying attention to much food politics (heck yeah!), you've no doubt seen this video.

If you don't know what in heaven's sake I'm talking about - click the link above, watch it, then come back. I'll be here waiting......................

..............Oh, hello! Cute, right? Pertinent, right? Thought provoking, right? Who doesn't love Willie Nelson??

Well, I'm not one much for brand promotion. And I really hope that Chipotle isn't setting us all up for one giant corporate failure, but I have to say: I dig the way they raise pigs. Well, I dig the way their farmers raise pigs.

This week's Film Friday is taking another look at the Chipotle franchise and one of their farmers, Paul Willis. The guy is a pig farming genius. There's no reason all our pork can't be raised the way he breeds his.

Next time you're at the grocery store, or the farmer's market, or the butcher, ask them how their pork was produced. Where they confined to cages or were they allowed to run free? What did their diet consist of? Were their tales and ears inhumanely snipped or was their pig bodily integrity kept? In essence, were they free to be the pigs they have evolved to be?

Did you know pigs are highly social and intelligent animals? As far as intelligence tests go, it's said that pigs are smarter than a three year old human and at least as intelligent as primates. I'm not saying don't eat 'em - we're higher up on the evolutionary food chain and I will eat pork. It's delicious. Especially bacon. But Willis makes a good point when he says if we penned up dogs in our culture the way we do pigs, people would have a bloody fucking fit. What if we did it to all the three year old children? Why is it okay to do it to pigs?

Let's all have happy hungry intelligent pigs!

This post is linked up with Simple Lives Thursday; Fresh Bites Friday; Fresh Bites Friday;

Vanilla Bean Pot de Creme

2012-02-28T20:53:00.000-08:00

I'm alone tonight.

John is in Vancouver for work and I'm chillin' like a villain with my bottle of wine and a movie.

I don't talk too much about my relationship here. It isn't food and this is a food blog. That being said, my relationship does nourish me. And in the theme of "nourishment", I feel the need to share something:

I've been reading a lot of stuff lately about people and their relationships. And while I think it's great that so many people are finding worthwhile companionship, I think it's important to remember your self before you met said person or persons, if that be the case.

I'll be honest, sometimes I miss having an occasional evening to myself. I like lazing about in my onesie - yes, I have a onesie. With feet. - a bottle of wine in hand, half on the couch, half off, and just eating way too many of these.

That's right, dear readers. I. Am. Sexy. Crumb city, population right here!

Aside from sexy though, I am also highly independent and while I heart my John with everything that I am, he also knows that this chick likes her alone time.

It gives me time to feel like me without being anyone else for anyone else, as well as time to miss him. And just because I'm head over heels in love with someone doesn't mean I want to spend my every waking moment with them. He knows that. And he respects it. Just as I am sure he'd be driven god awful bat shit crazy if I was in his face all the time.

It's all about balance. And love. And making sure you give each other the opportunity to miss one another. Just because you're part of a couple doesn't mean you stop being you. That person should make your life better. And supplement your authentic self. Not dissolve who you are.

So - a toast. To deep fulfilling loves (romantic, friendly, self, or otherwise) and the people who fill our lives with so much goodness.... and of course, to half eaten cookies, almost empty bottles of vino, Ryan Gosling, sofas you can really sink into (and off of) and full bodied jammies. And of course, to John. Who loves me and accepts me better than anyone else ever could.

Now, with that being said, something else you should room for in your life? Vanilla Bean Pot de Creme. Pot de creme is a thick custard with eggs, cream, and flavourings. It's good shit. Think of it as fancy pudding. Sort of.

I was inspired to make this as a dipping apparatus for this month's SRC assignment, homemade churros. Good lord! Creamy, sweet, uber vanilla flavor. Give. Me. More.

....who ever said balance was everything anyway?

Vanilla Bean Pot de Creme
Modified from Food.com

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1 Cup Heavy Cream.
1 Vanilla Bean.
4 Egg Yolks (save the whites for breakfast the next morning!).
2 Tbsp White Sugar.
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract.
1/2 C Whipping (Heavy) Cream, very cold.
2 Tbsp Confectioner's Sugar.

What to do:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F & bring a kettle of water to a boil.

Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the sticky seeds inside with a small sharp knife or the curve of a teaspoon. Add the seeds and the shell to the cream. Heat until small bubbles form around the edge of the saucepan.

Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks and sugar with an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed until pale and light, approximately 2 minutes.

Add 1 Tsp vanilla extract to the hot cream. Remove and discard the shell of the vanilla bean. Whisking the yolk/sugar mixture constantly, drizzle the hot cream into the bowl.

Divide the custard among 4 ramekins. Place ramekins into a square baking dish. Pull out the rack of the oven and set the baking dish on it. Pour boiling water into baking dish until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully slide the rack back into the oven and close the door; bake 30 minutes, until the center of each ramekin is barely set and wiggles slightly when shaken.

Carefully move the baking dish to a rack and allow custards to cool to room temperature in the water bath. Cover each ramekin with plastic rap and refrigerate at least 2-3 hours or over night.

In a medium-large bowl, beat the whipping cream at medium-high speed until it achieves soft peaks. Add the other tsp of vanilla extract and the confectioner's sugar. Beat a further minute or so, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Serve pot de creme with a dollop of whipping cream, and if desired, a little orange zest and a cinnamon stick for looks.

Eat.

This post is linked up with Tuesday Talent Show; Tasty Tuesdays; The Hearth & Soul Blog Hop via the 21st Century Housewife; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; This Chick Cooks; Cast Party Wednesday; Full Plate Thursday; Tasteastic Thursday; Seasonal Inspiration Saturday; Seasonal Celebration Sunday

SRC: Loving Life (& you must be smarter than the pastry bag)

2012-02-27T08:59:00.000-08:00

Happy SRC reveal day Group D!

You've read right. It's time for another interlude of Secret Recipe Club (SRC). We took a bit of a break over the month of January and I'm going to be completely honest... I felt a little bit like Christmas slapped me in the face and poo-poo'd all over my month. Not that it has anything to do with the actual holiday of Christmas but SRC feels like Christmas. Turns out, I love my Secret Recipe Club!

There's not a whole lot more exciting than finding out who's blog you'll be secretly assigned, eagerly scavenging their content, and trying to choose just one recipe to re-create; except maybe reveal day. The day when everyone posts their chef-d'oeuvre and mouths start aching for tasty deliciousness. Seeing your recipe translated and posted on someone else's site is a bit of treat in and of itself, but seeing what everyone else made isn't so bad either.

Did I mention I love SRC?

This month I was paired up with a fellow Pacific Northwesterner, Kirstin @ Loving Life. Her blog is packed full to the brim with great story-telling photographs and functions as a journal for her every day life. I really felt like I was getting a sneak peak into her family and her kitchen. And judging by the prevalence of reality t.v., that's what we all want, right? Sneak peaks!

My most excitable sneak peak? Her recipe for churros. Those who know me know that I am an avid lover of Spanish culture and cuisine. Especially crunchy outside, cozy inside, cinnamon & sugar sweet rolled Spanish fried cuisine. So when I saw a churros recipe, I got all giddy in my heart-soul and totally swept aside the list of healthier recipes I had tallied from her blog thus far:

Oh yeah. Who needs dinner when you can go straight to dessert? And not only desert, but with the amount of batter that it calls for, snacks for about the next 4 days as well.

FYI: You must be smarter than the pastry bag. I went out and bought a pastry bag set from Cook Culture for this project. As I assembled the bag and squeezy tip, I couldn't figure out for the life of me how to get the pieces to fit. I fumbled with the bloody thing for ages until I finally called John in for reinforcements. Luckily, his PhD in theoretical physics served my pastry bag (and me) well. How embarrassed would I have been to return the set to the store claiming it didn't work only to have them unscrew the little plastic bit at the end? Aye.

Churros

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1 C Water.
1/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
1/2 Tsp Sea Salt.
1 1/4 C White All-Purpose Flour.
2 Free-Range Organic Eggs, room temperature & lightly beaten.

1 Tbsp Butter, unsalted & at room temperature.
Peanut or Canola oil for frying.
1 C Sugar.
1/4 C Ground Cinnamon.

What to Do:

Pour the frying oil into a large wok, no more than 2/3rds full and in a shallow bowl combine the sugar and ground cinnamon.

In a heavy saucepan bring water, oil and salt to just a rolling boil over medium-high heat.

Remove from heat and add flour, stirring until combined.

If there is excess moisture, return to the heat for 30 seconds to dry out, stirring continually then remove from the heat.

Mix the beaten eggs in with the "dough". Mix well.

Meanwhile, turn on the frying oil and heat over medium heat.

Stir the butter into the eggy/flour mixture & combine thoroughly.

Place your dough to a piping bag fitted with the largest star shaped tip you have. Mine was actually a bit small but it just ended up being that we had mini-churros. And everyone likes things in mini!

Test the oil. It will be ready when a piece of white bread or bit of batter is carefully dropped into the oil and browns in 30 seconds. If it browns too quickly, turn down your heat. If not quickly enough, wait longer. BE VERY CAREFUL when deep frying! DO NOT BURN YOURSELF or START THE HOUSE ON FIRE! A good site that tells you how to deep fry safely can be found here.

Pipe dough into hot oil, cutting off pieces at about the length of your thumb and pointer finger at it's longest extension with a small knife, and cook until golden brown. Be very careful it doesn't splatter because you will burn yourself! I actually used John to pipe the dough and I cut it to make things easier.

Remove from oil, drain on a paper towel briefly, and then roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. Serve with some melted chocolate, or coffee, or my fabulous vanilla bean pot de creme!

Eat.

This post is linked up with The Hearth and Soul Blog Hop via The 21st Century Housewife; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show; Tasty Tuesdays; This Chick Cooks; Cast Party Wednesday; Tastetastic Thursday; Full Plate Thursday; Seasonal Inspiration Saturday;

Film Friday - Flow: For the Love of Water

2012-02-24T08:23:00.001-08:00

We sure talk about food a lot on this blog... But what about the natural inputs that get the food to grow nice and big and ripe so we can eat them? What about water? Where does your water come from? What is the quality of your water? Do you drink tap or bottled? Is it pure water or is it contaminated by thousands and thousands of human produced chemicals? Do you get most of your water from soda?

What. About. Water?

Irene Salina created a film called Flow in 2008. Have you seen it? In it, she addresses the world water crisis. Did you know we are even in a water crisis? It might be difficult to tell in wealthy countries. The only sign you may see are the mandated water restrictions come high summer as your poor grass turns an evil, Winter shade of brown.... have I mentioned before how much I hate grass? But that's another post.

In Flow, Salina develops an interesting and valuable argument against "the growing privatization of the world's dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights, and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel" (from official website).

Some things to keep in mind:

Of the 6 billion people on earth, 1.1 billion do not have access to safe, clean drinking water.

While the average American uses 150 gallons of water per day, those in developing countries cannot find five.

Californiaʼs water supply is running out – it has about 20 years of water left in the state.

The cost per person per year for having 10 liters of safe drinking water every day is just $6 USD. Think about what funding a war costs. Hm...

To see where these "facts" came from and to see more statistics and interesting water trivia, click here. And to do something about the issue, here.

In essence, the film is really asking, can anyone really own water?

What are your thoughts on Water? Is this something worth talking about? Where does your water come from? How much do you love Vandana Shiva? Okay, that last one is leading... But I love her!

This post is linked up with Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show; This Chick Cooks; Cast Party Wednesday; Simple Lives Thursday; Full Plate Thursday;Tastetastic Thursday; Fresh Bites Friday; Fight Back Friday; The Gallery of Favorites via the 21st Century Houswife

Vegetable Invasion Quiche

2012-02-22T15:53:00.002-08:00

It never fails to make me giggle when I say I haven't made something before and people have a bloody hernia.

This has happened twice to me in as many weeks. This most recent one was about how I had never made quiche. What? Has everybody in the world made quiche at some point before me? How could I possibly be so out of the loop? I jest with love, of course.

In fact, I had one dear friend actually exclaim (tweet) "really? I assumed you've made everything, ever".... Um, no. But I do love you for the vote of confidence.

So apparently there's a rule that quiche is something that just has to be made. And as it turns out, it's true.

The ease and simplicity of quiche is undeniable. So is the fat content when you add up the pastry, the cream and the cheese. That being said, I love being fat! Okay, that's not true. But I do adore my curves... To a point. And I love to eat fat. For those of you who want to minimize the fat content, I've read that you can substitute milk for the cream and venture sans crust. Personally, I'm gonna fat it up, my friends!

Additionally, the flavor and lightness of this dish make it the perfect weeknight supper.

And on that note - ah ha! Not all my meals take 2 hours to prepare! See?! Again, something I hear from friends on a regular basis is that my food takes too long to prepare. My response to that? I make slow food from whole ingredients. It's rare that a labelled food product makes it into my kitchen and when it does, it's used minimally. We need to take the time to make and savour our food. Period.

Man, I sound a touch defensive in this post, don't I? On with the quiche!

Vegetable Invasion Quiche

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1 Crust.
4 Large Free-Range Organic Eggs.
3/4 C Cream (or Milk).
3/4 - 1 C Swiss Gruyere Cheese, grated.
1 Medium Onion, sliced.
2 Leeks, cleaned, cut in half, and then sliced.
1 Head Bok Choy, cleaned & chopped.
1/2 Head Radicchio, chopped.
Small Handful of Italian Flat-Leaf Parsley, roughly chopped.
1 Tbsp Fresh Thyme, chopped.
Pinch of Nutmeg.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Pepper.

What to Do:

Lay crust in a 9" dish & heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat with a good glug of olive oil. Once hot, add the onions. Allow to begin to caramelize quite a bit, stirring often, and then add the leeks. Stir well. You may want to add a little bit more oil at this point or a tad of butter - your call. Make sure they don't burn though!

Once both leeks and onions have a good deal of color on them, remove from heat and place in a bowl. Return the pan to the burner and carefully pour in 1/2 C of water and then toss in the bok choy, covering with a lid. Allow to steam for about 3-5 minutes or until wilted. Drain well. Set with the leeky onion mixture.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream or milk, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well to combine.

Pour into the prepared crust. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden and delicious looking.

Remove from the oven and let set for about 5 to 10 minutes.

Eat.

This post is linked up with The Hearth & Soul Blog Hop via the 21st Century Housewife; Tasty Tuesdays; Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays; Tuesday Talent Show; This Chick Cooks; Cast Party Wednesday; Full Plate Thursday; Tastetastic Thursday; Simple Lives Thursday; Fight Back Friday; Fresh Bites Friday; Seasonal Inspiration Saturday; Seasonal Celebration Sunday.

Winter Panzanella + a Giveaway Winner

2012-02-20T08:35:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it? My 100th Follower Giveaway Extravaganza is over! And not only is it over, but I got a whopping 77 more followers as a result! It's difficult to say whether all these new followers were always around or if they'll continue to be so now that the giveaway is up. But I sure hope so. I've made contact with so many incredible readers and joiners and lovely people, I just want to keep you all!

This was a magnificently fun giveaway. On top of meeting all you lovely people, I got to meander around Silk Road and buy more tea than I have ever allowed myself previously. Heck! I'm temped to just keep this prize! What I wouldn't give for my own little set of these teas, a wicked cool Scandinavian steeper mug, some home baked chocolate chip cookies, and a copy of my first "published" cookbook ever. And apparently all of you felt the same way!

That's right. Momma takes care of her readers.

Ew. Did I just call myself "momma"?

Let's just get on with this reveal business, shall we? Apparently I need to stop talking...

So, thank you very, very much to everyone who participated. I do hope you'll stick around and I'll hear from you from time to time. There will be more giveaways in the future...as soon as I can think of one. If you have any ideas for giveaways or would like to sponsor one, feel free to drop me a comment (with a way to contact you back) or email me at onewomansadventures [at] gmail [dot] com. It's much easier to do a giveaway from a craft or art blog than it is a food one. It's pretty tricky to ship something like Winter Panzanella Salad across the country! Keep reading for that recipe....

I'm still talking... The winner is:

Amanda

Once Upon a Recipe!

Congratulations Amanda! I'll be contacting you shortly to get your mailing information!

Again, to everyone thank you for taking the time to stop by my little blog and taking the time to enter & comment. We all know how much I love my comments!

Now, how about some Winter Panzanella salad? Honestly, if you didn't win the giveaway, you're gonna want some of this to make up for it!

I was reviewing some of my old recipes the other day and came across Ensalada de Panzanella. I thought, man, I love me some panzanella salad! But it's Winter time and a severe lack of fresh tomatoes, basil, and bell peppers haunts me. So I thought, how do I enjoy the deliciousness of Summer in the middle of Winter? I want bread salad! This... is what I came up with.

Winter Panzanella Salad

(printable recipe)

Ingredients for the Salad:

1 Loaf Sourdough Bread, roughly torn into 1 bite pieces.

Large Handful of Pearl Onions, peeled.

I Head Garlic, peeled.

1 Winter Squash, peeled & chopped into 1" segments.

1-2 Roasted Red Peppers, julienned.

Approx 20 Brussel Sprouts, cleaned, well dried, & halved.

4 Medium Sized Golden Beets, cleaned & well dried.

2 Large Carrots, cleaned & sliced.

Couple Handfuls of Winter Salad Greens.

Grana Padano or Parmesan Cheese, shaved.

Some Fresh Goat's Cheese.

Handful of Fresh Sage, roughly torn.

Handful Toasted Pecans.

1 Tbsp Capers, rinsed.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

Orange Slices for Garnish.

3-4 Red Snapper Fillets + 3/4 C Flour + 1 Tbsp Butter (optional).

Ingredients for Dressing:

1 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

1/3 C Red Wine or Balsamic Vinegar.

1 Garlic Clove, minced.

Juice of Half an Orange.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a roasting pan, throw in the onions, squash, garlic, brussel sprouts, carrots, and sage. Toss well with salt and pepper and a good glug of olive oil. Arrange as a single layer - try to make sure brussels are cut side down) and roast uncovered for 20 - 30 minutes or until just tender. Remove from heat.

At the same time, toss the beets in a separate roasting dish with a bit of oil and salt & pepper, cover, and roast for approximately 30-40 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from the heat, allow to cool enough to touch and then peel. Chop into quarters and set aside with the rest of the veg.

To add extra flavour to the bread, you can grill it on your BBQ over medium-high heat to give it a smoky essence. If not, turn your broiler to high, arrange as a single layer on a baking sheet and toast slightly. Watch though - they'll burn quickly. Remove from heat & set aside.

If using fish, heat a non-stick pan over medium heat with a good glug of olive oil and the butter. Pat dry with paper towels, season well with salt and pepper, and dredge in the flour. Place in hot pan and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side or until fish flakes. Remove from heat.

Assemble!

Throw all the ingredients for the salad into a bowl save for the fish and orange slices.

Throw all the ingredients for the dressing into a mason jar. Put the lid on and shake baby shake!

Pour 1/3 of the dressing over the salad, toss well, and add more if necessary.

Serve on a giant platter or on individual plates, top with the fish and orange slices & serve.

Eat.

This post is linked up with The Hearth & Soul Blog Hop via The 21st Century Housewife; Tasty Tuesdays; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show; This Chick Cooks; Cast Party Wednesday; Full Plate Thursday; Tastetastic Thursday; Fight Back Friday; Fresh Bites Friday; Seasonal Inspiration Saturday; Seasonal Celebration Sunday

Film Fiday: Save The Rich

2012-02-17T08:26:00.000-08:00

Here at Gastronomical Sovereignty, we strive to bring you hard hitting, thought provoking, critical videos referential to the important food issues of our time. This week's Film Friday is no different.

Okay, maybe it's a little different. And perhaps the film I'm featuring doesn't speak directly to food. But it is a wicked video and I think with a little common sense, you my dear intelligent readers can put the pieces together.

I give you two of my most favourite lady singers/writers/actors in the world.... Garfunkel & Oates, Save the Rich.

Guest Post - Sam & Cooking My Way Through My CSA: Brooklyn Locavore Cheesy Greens & Mac

2012-02-15T07:41:00.000-08:00

Good morning sugar muffins! We are graced by Sam @ Cooking My Way Through My CSA today! Enjoy her post and also check out my guest post at her blog by clicking here. Horray for Mac & Cheese swaps!

Hello Gastronomical Sovereignty readers!

I’m Sam. I live on the complete opposite coast from Kristy and blog about my adventures trying to eat locally in Brooklyn, NY (and get my partner to eat something other than white bread, cookies, and dry raman) over at Cooking My Way Through My CSA. I started blogging, as you might be able to guess from the blog’s title, to document my adventures eating locally after joining a CSA. I am particularly lucky that my CSA extends into the winter, which is not always the norm in the Northeast. Kristy and I “met” through blogging and seem to be on the same page about almost everything food and ecology related. We’re definitely “blog-friends” now. If we lived on the same coast (or country), I’m sure we’d hang out. But since we don’t, we’ll just do guest posts.

So, like most ideas now days, the idea for this swap materialized on Facebook. Kristy asked what she should have for dinner. I commented that I was thinking about making mac and cheese with butternut squash and collards. Long story short, we both had mac and cheese for dinner. And thus the idea for a mac and cheese blog swap was born. We would both make a mac and cheese that highlighted what was in season (or, in my case, local and preserved) near us. It had to include at least one veggie. Easy.

The mac and cheese I made that night was the thick, gooey, bechemel-based cheese sauce topped with bread crumbs and baked in the oven kind my mom used to make. Well, the American cheese slices were swapped for cheddar and Parmesan and half of the macaroni was swapped out for vegetables. It was absolutely delicious, but there’s only so many times you can eat that in a two week period. Or maybe it’s more that there’s only so many times you should eat that in a two week period. Then inspiration struck, as it often does, nestled at the bottom of my CSA box and in the bulk section in the back of Choice Greene Market.

A bag of frozen Lacinato kale.

An 8 oz container of cheese curds.

Another (sigh) giant bag of onions, but with two tiny surprise heads of garlic inside (woot!).

and...(at the market)

Flour City Pasta Radiatore!

Ladies and gentlemen, we have dinner. A simple cheesy pasta-bake--heavy on the greens, light on the pasta. Toss in a couple of chopped up oven-dried tomatoes I made in a mishap-riddled tomato preservation attempt. Amazing.

The thing about cooking locally in the northeast during the winter months is that you do rely a great deal on either locally preserved foods or foods you’ve preserved yourself. There actually are a lot of farms that do grow greens all winter. Dark leafy greens tend to do quite well in cold weather. My farm just happens to preserve them. There are plenty of other veggies available locally during the winter months; however, the nature of the CSA is that (just like in a classroom) “you get what you get and you don’t get upset”. So I worked with what I had.

Brooklyn Locavore Cheesy Greens & Mac

½ lb of Flour City Pasta Tomato-Basil Radiatore (or other short pasta)

olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large onion, cut into quarters, then into thin slices

2 cloves of garlic, minced

12 oz kale, chopped

1 T dry white wine (I had some from Long Island in my fridge, though apparently someone has a rooftop vineyard and makes wine in Greenpoint)

3-4 oven dried tomato halves, chopped (or sundried tomatoes)

8 oz cheese curds (or torn fresh mozzarella--it may have been less, I ate a few curds while cooking)

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a large oven-proof skillet, heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions. Season with a bit of salt. Cook, stirring, until the onions are softened and beginning to take on a bit of color (about 5 minutes).

Add the garlic, tomatoes, kale, and wine. If you’re using frozen kale like me, it will take about 10 minutes for it to thaw and cook through, covered. If you’re using fresh kale it will take between 3 and five minutes to collapse and cook through, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Add the pasta to the pan with a bit more olive oil. Toss. Add the cheese. Season with salt and LOTS of freshly ground black pepper. Toss again.

Put the pan in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown a bit.

Serves 4.

This post is linked up with The Hearth and Soul Blog Hop via The 21st Century Housewife; Tasty Tuesday; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Tueday Talent Show; This Chick Cooks; Cast Party Wednesday; Simple Lives Thursday; Full Plate Thursday; Tastetastic Thursday; Fight Back Friday; Fresh Bites Friday; Seasonal Inspiration Saturday; Seasonal Celebration Sunday.

CSA Week #6

2012-02-13T08:38:00.000-08:00

My boyfriend's back and you're gonna be in trouble, hay-la-day-la, my boyfriend's back! ...and by boyfriend, I mean CSA program, of course.

Yes! You've heard right! It's back! Imagine my excitement when I came home from the grocery store only to find a brand new box of fresh veggies begging to be let in from the rain. Vegetables! Local, fresh, just picked, organic, seasonal vegetables!

Be still my beating heart!

But how did I know they were a new box and not the old one? The delivery dude that drops off our CSA box always places the new one two racks down on our utility shelf from where I store the old box. And when I took the recycling out I noticed the box had been moved.

Oooooooh.... Either the CSA delivery man had been here or the crazy homeless people that occasionally inhabit our back yard are getting ballsy.

So! What did the first box of the new year have in store for us? Let's look, shall we?

1 great big bag of beautiful Braising Greens.
2 massively phallic Carrots.
2 leeks.
1 big head(?) of Pac Choi.
Winter Salad Greens (Hells yeah!).
1 Bunch of White - maybe Milan? - Turnips.
2 Smallish Winter Squash.
1 Bag of Frozen Strawberries.

What gets you rip-roarin' excited? Is it vegetables? Or something a little more flashy? What gets your heart pumpin?

This post is linked up with the Hearth and Soul Blog Hop via the 21st Century Housewife; Tasty Tuesday; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show;

Film Friday: Eat Real. Eat Local.

2012-02-10T10:51:00.000-08:00

Do you know where your food comes from?

Are you able to take a quick drive (or better yet, bus ride or cycle) to the farm where your vegetables and beef are raised? Do you know what the plants and animals are being fed? Is it genetically modified material, dead animal parts, synthetic chemicals or is their feed more in line with their natural and evolutionary habitats? How are they being treated? Do they have lots of room to move around and peck or graze? Or are they penned up against their natural instincts? Are the people who are picking your produce or slaughtering your meat being treated in ways that don't violate their innate human rights? How many pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and/or fungacides are they inhaling? What is that doing to their lungs? Where do they sleep at night? And what about the environmental cost of getting your food to your home? What's happening to indigenous land in the wake of industrial farming? How much fuel does it cost to get your food from farm to table? What about refrigeration and the emissions put out by large transport trucks? Who and what is being affected both positively and/or negatively by the food you eat?

I ask again: do you know where your food comes from?

Local does not necessarily mean good. There are plenty of labour, environmental, and animal abuse horrors right in our own back yards. What local can do however, is give you the opportunity to go to the farms, check out what's up, ask questions, and make choices that do the least amount of damage.

Small scale. Organic. Local. Free-Range. Seasonal. Happy. Happy. Happy.

What is this interrogation all about, you ask? Why it's the theme of this week's Film Friday, of course!

Eat Real. Eat Local. is actually a television commercial by (GASP) Hellmann's Mayonnaise. I don't like mayonnaise and I certainly don't want to promote a massive brand like Hellmann's on my blog. So let's just ignore that part because it is a great commercial with some very interesting statistical information on Canada's current food economy. It'd be interesting to find out the sources of their information. Either way, it's food for thought...

So, how do you find out where your food comes from? How can you make more informed choices in our consumer culture?

First, I believe we need to disengage from the chain grocery stores. It just isn't possible to provide consistency across geographical locations like the chain stores require - different regions produce different food. Therefore, we need to shop regionally: CSAs (community supported agriculture programs), direct from the farms, farmer's markets, local "happy" butchers, eat at restaurants that support local, seasonal, organic food. Or better yet, grow some herbs or a few beets or carrots yourself!

Second, we need to ask questions. If you are interested in becoming a more informed consumer - a smart consumer - simply google "farmer's market 'city name'" or "CSA 'city name'". And if you don't find what you're looking for on those sites, email or phone them and ask where you might find what you need. It's been my experience that most people in the small-scale, local happy food industry are more than stoked to talk about this stuff.

You don't have to be all balls-in. I don't think that's realistic without changing both our individual as well as collective lifestyles. I'll be honest - I still buy bananas, citrus and avocados from the grocer down the street. That being said, there's no reason not to get the bulk of your food in a way that makes you, those you love, the people producing your food, the animals giving their lives, and the planet healthier and happier. If you're going to be a consumer, consume responsibly. Yes?

So, one more time - and all together now:

Do you know where your food comes from?

This post is linked up with Fight Back Friday; Simple Lives Thursday; The Gallery of Favorites via the 21st Century Housewife; Seasonal Celebration Sunday.

100th Follower Giveaway Extravaganza!

2012-02-09T09:12:00.000-08:00

Okay, so maybe "extravaganza" is a bit of an over-statement. It's really just one giveaway. That being said, it's fuckin cool, yo bitches! (do you think it's possible I'm watching too much of this lately?)....

I hit 100 followers yesterday thanks to Tanya @ Lovely Greens and I can't even begin to contain my excitement1 Seriously Tanya, you want some cookies? I'll bake em for you! Followers aren't everything - I know that - but it sure makes you feel good when someone likes you (or at least your blog) enough to click and publicly display their virtual affection. It's the second best thing next to comments.

So to celebrate.... I have a giveaway. And lemme tell you, this is one sweet deal of a giveaway; not to mention cost some serious cheddar. Aye!

So here's the deal. School is coming to an end for me. My immediate reaction to that is, "bring on the wine!"... However, I can't ship wine internationally. And so what's the next best thing after vino for sipping in the middle of the afternoon? Well... at the end of every term John gets me a "Floating Cloud" package from this incredible local spa called Silk Road - essentially, it's a one hour full body massage followed by a one hour facial followed by as much fresh brewed tea as I can possibly consume. This place is the shit. So I'm giving away: tea.... but not just any tea.

I'm giving away 9 incredibly diverse and flavourful different varieties (3 green; 3 black; 3 herbal) of their spectacular tea, each one supplying 7-10 cups per package:

A Scandanavian styled, Finnish made steeper/mug that is super fucking cool:

Some home baked chocolate chip cookies:

And of course... a little reading material. John has put together 10 copies of what could be called my very limited edition, very first cookbook ever. Happy Valentines Day to me, yo! And to you! I'll send you a copy along with the package.

So let's review: 9 types (63-90 cups!) of incredible tea, one amazing tea pot/mug, home baked mother ef'n chocolate chip cookies, and something to pass the time with - my first cookbook. Hellz yeah I did yo!

....yup, too much Breaking Bad. Must. Stop, Watching.

To Enter:

* Contest open to Canadian & American residents only.

** If you already like or follow me, you can still enter - just comment here telling me exactly that.

*** For non-bloggers (or people unfamiliar with commenting), you can comment by clicking the button at the bottom of this post marked "comments".

MANDATORY:

1. Click the "follow/join this site" button to the right of my page under the "my friends" heading and simply select login or join, follow publicly and you're done - now leave me a comment here, telling me you've done so.

Extra (optional) Entries (one for each task):

2. Like Gastronomical Sovereignty on Facebook, leave a comment here telling me you've done so.

3. Follow gsonblogger on Twitter, leave a comment here telling me you've done so.

4. Tweet this giveaway with a link to this page on Twitter and include @gsonblogger in the tweet so I can see it, leave a comment here telling me you've done so.

5. Follow Gastronomical Sovereignty on Bloglovin, leave a comment here telling me you've done so.

6. Follow me on Pinterest, leave a comment here telling me you've done so.

And to support the new blog...

7. Follow Tastebuds the same way you did with this blog, leave a comment here telling me you've done so.

8. Like Taste Buds on Facebook, leave a comment here telling me you've done so.

9. Follow Taste Buds on Twitter, leave a comment here telling me you've done so.

Bonus 3 entries:

10. Blog this giveaway on your own blog and leave me a comment here with the link.

via magisso

This giveaway closes February 19th - so get your entries in! The winner will be announced on February 20th.

This post is linked up with Etsy Giveaways ;Contest Girl; Jingle Linkup; My Secret Home; Freebie Friday; Hens Clutch; In It to Win It;Fabulous Friday; Sarah's Blog of Fun; Round 'Em Up Friday; Table for Five; giveaways for prizes; busy working mama; giveaway gab; mom saves money; weekend win it; Just Another New Blog; Spend Less & Save More; Simply Stacie; Sweeptight; Contest Canada; Can Contests; Canadian Giveaways; Canadian Free Stuff; Blog Giveaway Directory;
Contest Canada; Canadian Free Stuff.

Guest Post - Stacy @ Seattle Seedling: Rosemary Apple Pie

2012-02-08T08:49:00.000-08:00

Hi friends! It's Stacy here, from Seattle Seedling. As I write this, my urban farm is covered with a blanket of snow – the first snow of the season. The weight of the fluffy powder on the plastic cloche that protects my winter greens is starting to bow. Yes, this is truly the most perfect time for a winter post.

While it snows outside, I'm sitting at my desk near the window, all cozy-like, thinking about pie. If you asked me what I was going to do today, I'd tell you I was going to bake a pie. That's my agenda. You may remember me talking pie in the fall. I've come a long way since then. Since my skills trade, I have made some of the most delicious homemade crusts I have ever made. And I'm not messing around. I don't wait until late afternoon to start making a pie, if that's what I'm planning on serving for dessert. No, I clear my schedule and make a day out of it. I get the big mixing bowl on the counter and go all Like Water for Chocolate on it - putting my love and good vibes into every handful of crumbly dough. I ditch the measuring spoons and instead pour the water on, going by feel, trusting myself to do the job. I turn the light on in the oven and feel a little nervous to look in, fearing I'll see a sagging crust. I peer into the oven wondering if the crust I made by feel, really felt the way it was supposed to. And to my delight, it does.

Truth be told, the last crust I made was beautiful, but a little flat in flavor, making me think I need to up my pinches of salt in the future. But let's be real, even when your pie crust turns out a little this or a little too that, it's usually almost always edible and more times than not, delicious. Of course that's not the ultimate goal, especially as a food blogger, to make something that is merely "edible." But I think it's worth keeping in mind when deciding to put so much time and effort into a project like pie. Chances are, in the end, you'll be the over-critical one like me, while everyone else cleans their plates. Trust me when I say that this apple pie is worth taking on the project.

This is a winter apple pie. It goes well with tweed. It's a man's apple pie. I don't know if I think that because the addition of rosemary brings a little earthy edge to the filling, because I tossed the cut apples in Brandy, or simply because I adapted the filling recipe from a cookbook written by two farmer dudes. Something about it just felt masculine. Had I rolled out the crust in nothing but lingerie it could have easily been something right out of Maxim. Putting a little pie bird in the middle though will soften that masculine edge right up, making this pie the perfect winter indulgence for you both.

Rosemary Apple Pie

Adapted from The Beekman Heirloom Cookbook

I went to the farmers' market and asked an apple vendor for a good combination of apples for a pie, but I think any combination of sweet and tart apples will do. You could even get crazy and add a pear or two. Oh, and cheddar in the crust? Yes, please!

My Favorite Pie Crust (for a top and bottom crust), prepared and ready to be filled (9in pie)

About 8 apples, a mixture of sweet and tart

About 1/4 cup brandy, bourbon, applejack, or dark rum

About 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp tapioca flour

Pinch of salt

About 2 Tbsp cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces for dotting

Put the brandy (or whatever other alcohol you choose) in a large bowl. Peel, core, and cut the apples into thin wedges and put them in the bowl with the brandy. As you add more apples, toss them around the bowl to coat.

In another small bowl, mix together the sugar, salt, rosemary, and tapioca flour.

Once all of your apples have been prepared, sprinkle the sugar/flour mixture over the apples and toss to coat.

Pile the apples into the bottom crust, slightly higher in the center. (Unless of course you have an adorable pie bird that will help vent steam, which will then take center stage in the middle of your pie.) Dot the apples with the small pieces of butter.

Place your top crust over the apples, crimp the edges together, and add vents in the crust. Brush the top with butter and sprinkle with raw sugar.

Place in an oven preheated to 450 and bake for 10 minutes. Then, turn down the heat to 350 and continue to make until the crust is golden and the juices begin bubbling through the vents you created in your top crust, about 45 minutes.

Let your pie cool on a wire rack and resist the temptation to cut into it for a few hours. It will be hard, but I know you can do it. Enjoy!

Until next time, friends, when I can finally say it's spring!

-Stacy, Seattle Seedling

P.S. Want to know more about the happenings of my urban farm? Get the latest updates from my blog and other random food and farm musings by becoming a fan on Facebook: www.facebook.com/seattleseedling.

This post is linked up with The Hearth and Soul Blog Hop via The 21st Century Housewife; Tasty Tuesdays; Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays; Tuesday Talent Show; This Chick Cooks; Cast Party Wednesday; Full Plate Thursday; Tastetastic Thursday; Simple Lives Thursday; Fight Back Friday; Seasonal Inspiration Saturday; Seasonal Celebration Sunday.

Pumpkin Enchiladas with Mole Sauce

2012-02-06T08:08:00.000-08:00

Today's post is a long time coming. About a million years ago ago I asked what to do with all the amazing pumpkins we were getting in our CSA box. John loves his pumpkin pie, but there's only so many pies a girl can make before she wants to kill herself. Sam of Cooking My Way Through My CSA saved me. If you haven't met Sam, take a jump over to her blog (after you finish reading mine, obviously) and say hello. She's amazingly clever in the simple but elegant yet comforting dishes she comes up with, cooking locally, in season and all on the East coast! Talk about Winter!

Sam suggested Mark Bittman's Pumpkin Enchiladas with Mole Sauce. First of all, I didn't have a clue what mole sauce was. Thank YOU Wikipedia. Second of all, pumpkin enchiladas???

But I was up for something different and so I started googling the recipe. I found it. Saved it. Printed it. Deleted it. Lost it. And googled it a second time... It never appeared on my computer screen again. Eventually, I gave up. But I did find something that I think was similar via My Daily Pumpkin Recipe. I modified a couple things and added a bit of cheese - what's an enchilada without cheese?? As it turns out, dark chocolate and cheese = good. The sauce was rich, while the pumpkin was delicate and fabulous. There's nothing like fresh from the garden (or CSA box) pumpkin. Next time I may add a bit of cinnamon or all spice when roasting the pumpkin - something to keep in mind if you make this dish.

Well done Sam. Well done.

Pumpkin Enchiladas with Mole Sauce
(printable recipe)

Ingedients for Enchiladas:

1 Medium Pie Pumpkin, cut in half and seeds/innards removed.

400g Can of Black Beans.
1 Medium Zucchini, chopped.
1 Onion, finely diced.
2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped.

1 Bird's Eye Chili, finely chopped.
Handful Fresh Cilantro, roughly chopped.
1 Tsp Ground All-Spice.
12 Soft Corn Tortillas.
1 C Mozzarella Cheese, fresh or otherwise, roughly torn or shredded (I also had some asiago on hand so I tossed some of that into the mixture too).
Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

Ingredients for Sauce:

1 Bird's Eye Chili, finely chopped.

2 Tsp Coriander Seeds.
1 Tsp Sesame Seeds.
Small Handful Flaked Almonds, toasted.
3 Cloves.
5 Black Peppercorns.
1 Red Onion, sliced.
3 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped.
1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder.
400g Can of Chopped Tomatoes.
Pinch of Cinnamon.
2 Tsp Sugar.
150ml Chicken Stock.
100g 70% (or darker) chocolate, grated or very finely chopped.

What to Do:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a roasting dish/pan, toss the pumpkin with a bit of olive oil, some salt and pepper, and place cut side down. Add a cup of water to the pan and roast in the oven until tender, approximately 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of your pumpkin. Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, and then peel off the skin - discard. Save the pumpkin pulp in a bowl.

Using a large frying pan, heat a bit of olive oil over medium-low heat. Toss in the onion, garlic and zucchini, stir. Allow to cook until just starting to brown (about 5 minutes or so) and then remove from the heat. Add to the pumpkin flesh.

Next, make the sauce. Put the chillies, coriander seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, peppercorns and
cloves in a mortar and pestle and crush. Tip into a frying pan and dry fry for a minute or so until toasted and aromatic. Set aside.

In the same pan you sauteed the onions and garlic in, saute the rest of the onion, garlic and the cocoa in a little oil for about two minutes.

Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil.

Toss in all the dry-fried spices, the cinnamon, sugar and stock and simmer for 25 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.

Turn out and fold in the chocolate while hot.

As your sauce simmers, add the beans, cilantro and red chilli to the pumpkin onion mixture, stir to combine.

Divide the mixture between the tortillas, roll up, trying to keep the tortilla relatively tight around the stuffing. Place them in a lightly greased baking dish as you go.

Top with the shredded/torn mozzarella.

Cover with a lid (tin foil also works), and cook in the oven for about fifteen minutes minutes until warmed through and the cheese is gooey and melty.

Spoon some sauce over the tortillas and serve with bowls of soured cream, lime wedges and fresh coriander alongside.

Eat.

Film Friday: Revisiting FRESH

2012-02-03T09:18:00.000-08:00

As most of you know - because you are all loyal and attentive readers -last Friday we screened the film FRESH by film maker, Ana Joanes. There was such a massive response from the screening both in traffic as well as emails and comments I thought we could rehash some of the details that are so instrumental in the film and our food system.

Now, the film has a butt-load of great quotations but one of the ones that really struck me (and I think works as a good segue to our discussion) was by George Naylor, an industrial grain farmer who said, "When i was in college my roommate was from Pakistan and he says George, he says 'ya know Americans fear only one thing... Inconvenience”.

It is this thought process that exemplifies the entire industrial food system. The truth is, we found a way to grow food things bigger, better, faster cheaper (to steal a phrase from Joel Salatin). Professor John Ikerd, an expert in this field & an Agricultural Economist, concurs:

"We find something that works well, and we continue to use it because it works so well and then..we begin to apply that same kind of paradigm of industrialization [to the food system]: Specialization, standardization, economies of scale. We begin to apply it to everything and it doesn't work on everything".

Living organisms such as our selves, our loved ones, the animals we eat and the various ecosystems of the planet cannot be standardized! No matter how hard trans-national companies and global agribusiness try. Yet in this culture of consumerism that we have been so indoctrinated into, most of us haven't stopped to ask should we grow food this way? What is it doing to the land? To those who produce our food? To each other?

As Will Allen, an urban farmer & activist in the film said, "We just want want want. We want all this food but we don't want to think about who's growing it, what the farmers have to go through, whether they're making money, we don't worry about chemical residue on food that's lining your plate".

What is this type of eating and consuming actually doing to the planet and each other?

The truth is, there is no cheap food. If what we're paying at the supermarket seems like a "great deal", it just means the true cost of the food is being externalized somewhere else. To the planet. To the heritage and heirloom varieties of plants that are being wiped out by GMO (genetically modified organism) crops. To the traditional knowledges of working with and for the land. To the farmer. To the agriculture workers. To the animals. To our health and by extension, to health care and the public dollar.

I know, there are those of you out there who think we need to "feed the world". My response to that is usually, we can't feed the world. Even with all the technological advances of every industry on the planet, the Earth can't sustain that kind of transportation of goods and environmental degradation - never mind the social affects of such production. It is that drive to feed the world that spawned the atrocities of the Green Revolution. When big industry talks about feeding the world, they're really talking about feeding the cattle and other livestock that are at the unsustainable center of our food system. That's not an argument not to eat meat, but it eat it in smaller amounts, less often, and when we do, from sustainable, "ethical" sources - local, small scale, grass fed, and organic.

In truth, we need to feed ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities in ways that foster traditional, cultural, and local learning of specific eco-systems that vary even from neighborhood to neighborhood. Community is the way forward, my friends - especially in urban centers.

I'll close with this: The globalized corporate food system is unsustainable. Period. But as Michael Pollan (whom I love!) says, "When people say the industrial system is unsustainable...we throw around that word without thinking 'what does that really mean?'' It really means it can't go on this way. Monocultures are very dangerous things. A Monoculture is lot of the same species grown together without variation. Nature doesn't have monocultures. When you grow too many of the same thing, you end up with too many of the pests of that thing. The only reason you can grow vast amount of the exact same species of animal in close confinement is you use antibiotics to keep them alive. Monocultures of corn, soy, rice, cotton - same issue. It takes an immense amount of fertilizer and pesticides to keep that crop healthy. Because nature doesn't like monocultures - sooner or later, she will destroy them".

We need to start being more inconvenienced. We need to live smaller. We need to slow down. And we need to start asking more questions if we want to leave anything for generations to come - which I believe we have a responsibility, as stewards of the Earth, to do. We're all implicated in this and we can't not be. And we can't be perfect all the time - we have to balance our "wants". I don't know a single person who is so extremist they can live in a way that doesn't do any harm at all. And I don't think that kind of extremism is a sustainable way of living for most people. What we can do is what we can do, in small bits, until each one of us is doing it right. Join a CSA (community supported agriculture) program. Shop at supermarkets. Grow some herbs - heck! Grow a tomato plant or two! Get a plot in a community garden and meet other people who are interested in the same cause. Demand restaurants in your area only buy seasonally & locally from organic growers in your area. Start a community kitchen in your neighborhood. Host a potluck based on local, seasonal food where you live & organize to talk about feeding and nourishing each other. Write letters. Just, do something.

What can we do in our own backyards, front yards, and communities to make a dent in the global food system?

What are you doing now, in this moment, to make your/our food system more "sustainable"?

What do you wish you could do?

What would make this project more "do-able" for you?

What did you think about FRESH if you watched it?

If you didn't, what do you think about my thoughts here?

What are your thoughts?

Can I ask anymore questions? ...aye!... let's talk!

This post is linked up with Tasty Tuesdays; Tuesday Talent Show; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; This Chick Cooks; Simple Lives Thursday; Fight Back Friday; The Gallery of Favorites via The 21st Century Housewife; Friday Food Flicks; The Living Well Bloghop; Freaky Friday; Fresh Bites Friday; Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways; Seasonal Celebration Sunday.

Veggie Black Bean Dip

2012-02-01T07:54:00.000-08:00

Okay, I'm giving it up. Actually, I gave it up when I was 16 (too much information?).. But I am giving up "my" secret recipe for black bean veggie dip. This recipe comes out of Jennifer Joyce's Small Bites cookbook and it has been a staple of mine for potlucks and parties. People go ga-ga over this dip despite it's brown sludge-like appearance, and I haven't given up my source as of yet (except to Mom) simply because it is such a hit. I want the credit. Mwah ah ah ah ah!

It's sweet yet spicy, holds a brilliant acidity, has an excellent mouth-feel texture, and is easy to transport - hence the potlucks. It's also a cinch to make, veggie friendly, pretty darn healthy (if served with toasted pita wedges, not the corn tortilla chips as depicted below) and completely scrumptious. I'm not gloating, I'm payin some love to Ms. Joyce.

Let's just call it what it is, shall we? It's a damn good dip! And you'd be a sad little chicken not to give this a shot. If you don't like heat, omit the chili - though I think it's the sweet/spicy combination that really makes it.

Black Bean Veggie Dip

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

500g Can Black Beans, drained & rinsed.

1 Onion, chopped.

3 Cloves Garlic, chopped.

1 Red Pepper, chopped.

1 Bird's Eye Chili, chopped.

1/2 C Apple Cider Vinegar.

4 Tbsp Local Honey.

1 Tsp Chili Powder.

1 Tsp Ground Cumin.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.
1 Bag Organic Corn Tortilla Chips (to serve).

What to Do:

In a large skillet, heat a couple glugs of olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, peppers, and garlic. Saute for 4 minutes.

Add the beans, vinegar, honey, chili powder, and cumin, season well with salt and pepper. Massage well to combine and simmer over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat and carefully dump all the contents into a food processor. Puree. Taste and add more honey, vinegar or salt if necessary (I never have to).

Allow to cool to at least room temperature (if not fridge temperature) - it will thicken substantially as it cools.

Serve with corn tortilla chips.

Eat.

This post is linked up with The Hearth & Soul Blog Hop via The 21st Century Housewife;Tasty Tuesdays; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show; Chef in Training; This Chick Cooks; Cast Party Wednesdays; Tastetastic Thursday; Full Plate Thursday; Simple Lives Thursday; Fight Back Friday; Fresh Bites Friday ; Seasonal Inspiration Saturday; Seasonal Celebration Sunday.

Excuse me ladies, which way to the beach?

2012-01-30T10:37:00.000-08:00

I wanna talk about mussels!

via link

No! Not those muscles... Food mussels! I have to be honest though - young Arnie on the beach with a little booze? Talk about dream boat! You know, except for that whole Republican thing...

It seems a lot of the food I'm making recently stems from inspiration that I'm getting from other bloggers. I know some people have an issue with food bloggers, and rightfully so. Most of us have no formal training in food, nor do we always realize the ramifications that may occur from giving a bad restaurant review. We (can) have a lot of power and maybe that scares some people. That being said, food should be accessible. And the more people we have talking about and connecting through food, the closer we come to a more transparent food system - right from the producers, to the restaurants, to the home chefs, to our loved ones. So food bloggers, blog on! And I'll keep being inspired.

Right! Speaking of inspiration, this recipe began at Lavender and Lovage. I've been dreaming about making mussels for ages and I'm not afeared to admit it - I was a little afeared. I didn't really know what to do with them, nor did I want to touch a living creature. And the barnacles that get stuck to em? Ew! Creepy! They're alive too btw. But as part of our New Years Eve feast, I tackled the little monsters. And as it turns out, they aren't so monstrous. Quite benign actually. And positively sensational! I really wish I'd gotten to it sooner. If you like shellfish, all aboard people!

Before you start you'll have to clean them. This means dumping them into a bowl and one by one rinsing them very briefly under cold water to remove any sand, snap off barnacles, etc... and if you can help it - get the ones with the "beards". Don't worry, they aren't really beards - they're just seaweed. I think. They should snap shut as you pick them up if they aren't closed already (I tapped mine with a spoon before I picked em up), and as you rinse them, if there are beards, pull them off with a firm tug.

Do NOT soak your mussels before cooking - these are salt water animals. If you soak them in fresh water = less happy, more dead fish. And if they're dead, you can't eat em. After they're cleaned, place in a separate bowl and set aside. Cook. Once they're done, discard any mussels that didn't open during cooking. This means they were dead to begin with and if they're dead, and you eat em, you can get very ill. Just chuck em in the garbage. The rest are fine. No, wait. They're more than fine. They're handsome, plump, gorgeous little morsels that I'm gonna devour. Absolutely devour.

Steamed Cortez Island Mussels with White Wine, Herb Saffron Broth

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

24 Mussels, rinsed & cleaned.

1 Spanish Onion, peeled & thinly sliced.

3 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped.

Small Handful Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half.

1 Bird's Eye Chili, finely sliced.

1 C Dry White Wine.

2 to 3 Tbsp Butter, unsalted.

Handful of Fresh Herbs roughly chopped (parsley, thyme).

1 Bay Leaf.

Pinch of Saffron Threads.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

In a large stock pot, heat 1 Tbsp of butter and olive oil over medium heat until the butter is melted and starts to sizzle. Add the onion and saute about 7 minutes or until starting to caramelize, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and continue to cook for about 2 minutes or until fragrant. Careful not to burn your garlic though!

Add the white wine, tomatoes, saffron, bay leaf, salt and pepper; stir. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add the mussels, stir well to combine, and then cover the pot. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until the mussels are open and cooked through. Shake the pot once in a while to make sure nothing burns on the bottom. At the last minute stir in the chili, herbs and the rest of the butter.

Discard any mussels that didn't open during cooking and serve in a big 'ole bowl with a generous side of fantastically delicious bread.

Eat.

This post is linked up with The Hearth & Soul Blog Hop via The 21st Century Housewife; Tasty Tuesdays; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show;This Chick Cooks; Cast Party Wednesday; Full Plate Thursday; Tasteastic Thursday; Fight Back Friday.

Film Friday: FRESH - for 1 WEEK ONLY!

2012-01-27T08:49:00.000-08:00

Holy treat time darlings!

The makers of FRESH have opened up a week's worth of space to view the movie for free! But what is FRESH you ask? In the words of film maker ana Sofia joanes & the Fresh team, it's a "grassroots effort for a grassroots movement". More specifically:

"FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Each has witnessed the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model, and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and morbid obesity. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet...Among several main characters, features urban farmer and activist, Will Allen, the recipient of MacArthur’s 2008 Genius Award; sustainable farmer and entrepreneur, Joel Salatin, made famous by Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma; and supermarket owner, David Ball, challenging our Wal-Mart dominated economy".

Okay. How excited are you right now? I'm pretty pumped. I can't embed it due to restrictions placed on it by the film maker (it's only available 1 week, after all!)... But you can view it by clicking here.

For a preview watch the following little diddy. Then run over and see the film while you can, share it with those you love, let's talk about it. And of course, enjoy!

What are your thoughts about the film? What did you agree with or disagree with? Where there any specific ideas, phrases, etc.. that really stood out for you?

This post is linked up with Fight Back Friday.

Things You'll Want

2012-01-26T15:58:00.000-08:00

...We now interrupt your regularly scheduled blog reading to bring you this special announcement...

2 Things:

First: Matt Armendariz of Matt Bites is awesome. Who else would think to put everything from potato chips to antipasti to Spam and pineapple to sangria on a stick?!

Back in December I won a giveaway he was hosting by answering the question, "Quick! Which foods do you find difficult to photograph?". The answer that got me the win...

"i went through this today… i am making a recipe as a secret assignment from another blog and rather than post 3 cute little slider sandwiches I made one, dolled it up all cute in ribbon with floral place mat – pretty much the cutest, most disgustingly feminine little burger ever (kinda taking the piss out of the whole slider fad but still making it pretty)…and the little bastard did not want to cooperate! It was all ribbon and/or all bun – very little place mat or stuffing – and trust me, I stuffed that bad boy. Ack!

…i just ended up scarfing the stupid little thing."

Whoever said cursing and rambling incessantly won't get you anywhere?? Was it good news? Sure - I was pumped...

...10 minutes ago I went to check the mail and sticking out of the mailbox was a giant white envelope post-marked from California. Good news? Oh heck yes! Pumped doesn't even begin to describe how excited I was. Meet On A Stick!

Well done, Matt Armendariz. Well done.

Second: I have a new project I'm working on. I'm a little nervous to give you the link. But here we go... I've started a second blog along side my good friend Haydn. You've heard about him here before and for some reason beyond my ability to fathom, we've decided to combine forces and bring you a whole other dimension of happy eating... It's called Taste Buds.

In this new blog Haydn and I will duke it out one dish, one beverage, and likely one argument at a time. Come by and say hello, give us a little how's-your-father by joining our site, and try not to be too offended by Haydn's jestful ridiculousness. Don't worry though, you're not alone; I fight with this every day. Every. Day.

...We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog reading...

Panettone French Toast

2012-01-25T08:59:00.000-08:00

Oh good morning to you my little organic cane sugar muffins!

I have a real treat for you this morning. But before we get to that, let's talk about how lame it is that there doesn't seem to be much going on in town right now with respect to access to good, whole, local food. I know there's the Winter Farmer's Market put on by the Victoria Downtown Public Market Society twice a month, but that just doesn't seem to be enough. And yes, I realize it's the middle of January (and less than a week ago there was actually snow on the ground. Snow!).

But in a place so wound up about local food issues, you'd think we'd have more available. It's both infuriating and sad that in order to eat fresh vegetables through out the months of December, January, (and part of) February I have to go to a chain grocery store. Sure, there's lots of food there. But most of it has been shipped hundreds - if not thousands - of miles to even get to the store. By then it's lost most of its flavor, most of its nutrients, and has put so many bloody chemicals into the Earth and atmosphere via both growing operations and transportation, all I can taste is oil.

Maybe I should have gone ahead with my plans to grow my own Winter veggies rather than letting my front yard beds lay fallow. There's plenty to be grown on the West coast at this time of year: chard, kale, brussel sprouts, cabbage, and who knows what else in the greenhouse. Maybe we need more resources allocated to growing local food year round. Maybe we need to pay a little extra to have our CSA boxes out-source some of the space in them to other farmers in the region to encourage their production (ie eggs, meats, honey, etc...). Or maybe I need to just suck it up? Kinda like the cloud below looks like it's going to do to me! Must get inside...

I'm just sayin - I love me some good, fresh picked local vegetables. And seeing that people on the East coast still have access to a CSA program in January makes me a little sad. Well, happy for them, sad for me. What can we do differently to make local, organic, small-scale food available the full 12 months of the year?

Speaking of local food, treat time! So you wake up to the crisp morning air and the sun is winking at you from behind an ash colored cloud. The neighborhood is humming with silence and the smell of coffee is wafting gently through the house, arousing your senses. You smile. There on the counter is a loaf of bread so fine and delicate it yearns to be eaten. It's panettone. You think to yourself, "breakfast". Honestly - there's french toast... And then there's panettone french toast.

Panettone is a sweet bread loaf from Italy that's cylindrical in shape and is usually eaten during the holidays. Ours came from Fol Epi Organic Bakery in James Bay. How did I not know about this place?? It was lusciously moist, tender, and the aromas of vanilla and orange were absolutely intoxicating. I'll definitely be making a stop by there in the near future. In the meantime, I'll relive the experience right here...

Panettone French Toast

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1 Loaf of Panettone Bread (or if unavailable, any "fruity" bread would do - i.e. raisin bread).

1 C Milk.

3 to 4 Free-Range Organic Eggs.

2 Tsp Cinnamon.
Dash of Nutmeg.

2 Pears (or fruit of your choice) (optional).

What to Do:

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and grease lightly; pre-heat your oven to 250 degrees F.

While that heats, whisk together the milk, eggs, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.

If your bread isn't sliced, slice it about 1" thick.

Your pan should be hot by now. One piece at a time, dip it into the milk/egg mixture on both sides (no need to soak it - just dip), and place as a single layer in the skillet. Only dip the pieces as they are about to go into the skillet. If you dip them all and they sit waiting for their turn to cook, they'll just sog up and fall apart on the cutting board. Allow to brown thoroughly on one side, flip, and allow to brown on the other.

Once cooked, place in a baking dish and keep warm in pre-heated oven. When all your toast is cooked, serve with syrup, whipped cream, butter, fruit, jams, nut-spreads or anything else you like on your french toast.

Eat.

What is your "local" food system like? Do you have much access to happy food where you live? What do you wish you had more access to? Are there some things you just refuse to give up regardless of location and/or time of year?

This post is linked up with the Hearth & Soul BlogHop via the 21st Century Housewife; Tasty Tuesdays; Tuesday Talent Show; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; This Chick Cooks; Cast Party Wednesday; Full Plate Thursday; Tasteastic Thursday; and Fight Back Friday.

Oven "Fried" Onion Rings

2012-01-23T08:16:00.000-08:00

Beautiful and highly intelligent readers, I have something great to share with you! Mostly great for me, but still worth sharing!

The other day I received an e-mail from a dear and most precious friend. Actually, I received 3 of them. They weren't big e-mails. But what they contained delighted my little heart so much I jumped up and down and ran to show John what she had sent me - and let me tell ya, running on hard wood flooring in crochet slippers is not a safe activity!

She had indicated to me earlier in the week that she planned on making Chorizo in Red Wine Sauce with Herbs. Whenever anyone tells me they plan on making a dish I post I always ask them to let me know how it goes. And I mean it!

Well, she did. And she not only commented that she did but her actual e-mail contained the photos she took during the process of cooking and the final result! Either way, it was highly gratifying - apparently for her with respect to eating the food and for me to see someone else create a dish that I came up with - yes, it's a bit of an ego boost...

kaitlyn's chorizo, sub red peppers for tomatoes, plus roasted potatoes.

...But through her email she showed me that we have in fact actually connected over food via the content of this blog. It makes me feel like what I'm doing is worthwhile at the very least in the sense that my recipe (and her efforts) made her little mouth sing.

I couldn't be more flattered or honored or just plain fuckin stoked. Thank you for making my day, lady. Heart you. And in case any of you wanna show her a little love, you can check out her blog here. Seriously, she's rad.

Speaking of rad, how about some oven "fried" onion rings? I lifted this recipe from Dishing the Divine - a past SRC assignee.

As part of our New Years Eve feast, I thought John would go crazy for these semi-healthy but not really at all onion rings - turns out, I did too. I'm ordinarily not much of an onion ring fan. I generally find them too heavy and greasy. These on the other hand were light, super crunchy, and pretty awesome. I did half the amount of onion than what was originally called for and still ended up with a mountain of onion rings. We ate them for 3 days. Holla!

Oven "Fried" Onion Rings

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1 Large Yellow Onion, peeled & sliced into 1/2" thick rings (a mandoline is useful).

2 C Salted Kettle-Cooked Potato Chips.

15 Saltine Crackers.

1/2 C All-Purpose Flour.

1 Large Free-Range Organic Egg, room temperature.

1 C Buttermilk, at room temperature.

1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil.
Ketchup (to serve).

What to Do:

Preheat your oven to 450F.

First, set up your dredging station! In a food processor, finely grind the crackers and potato chips; Place in a shallow bowl. Place ¼ cup of the flour in another bowl. Beat the egg and buttermilk together in a third bowl. Then, whisk the remaining flour, cayenne, salt and pepper into the buttermilk mixture.

Working one at a time, dredge each onion ring in flour then the buttermilk mixture, and then in the crumb coating, turning to coat evenly. Make sure to allow the excess to shake/drip off between each bowl or you'll end up with just a gloopy mess of bowls and no coating for rings. Transfer the coated rings to a large plate.

Pour 3 tablespoons of the oil onto 2 rimmed baking sheets. Place the baking sheets in the oven and heat just until smoking, about 4 minutes. Tilt the heated sheets to coat evenly with the oil. Be careful - it's hot!

Lay the onion rings out in a single layer on the oiled baking sheets. Bake for about 5 to 7 minutes or until crispy on the bottom side, flip, and continue cooking a further 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove from the heat and allow to drain on paper towels before serving. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

Eat.

Film Friday: Just Label It

2012-01-20T09:19:00.000-08:00

Happy Film Friday my darling little pumpkins!

Do you have big plans for the weekend? I accidentally got a little excited at the video store the other day (do I age myself by calling it a "video" store?) and rented way, way too many movies. So, I'm gonna be parked in front of the television trying to watch the copious amount of films I apparently just needed to rent that moment. Stupid girl.

And speaking of films, how about a new one by Robert Kenner, the director of Food Inc.? Anyone who knows me, knows how much I loved both the film and the book. Genius! There's a new one coming out now that I first read about on Civil Eats, called Just Label It: We Have the Right To Know - you can read about it by clicking here.

Below, I've included the trailer. Quick synopsis: There's a lot of shit in our food. Literally. Among other things that never used to be there. Particularly pertinent to this film is the advent of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). Our food is being cut, sliced, and transplanted into other "foods" - we have no idea what the effects of such "advances" are. Until we know just what that will look like, we have a right to know if something is GMO and that's the premise of the film. Labels. Just let us know. What are the large corporate food producers afraid of? Smoking companies tried to ban the warning labels on their packages for years. How is this any different? It's industry trying to hide the fact that their product is either highly dangerous or possibly highly dangerous. We just don't know. Why not label it so as consumers we can at least have the opportunity to make a choice as to what we feed ourselves, those we love, and the planet?

My only issue with the trailer is it constructs women as the "protectors" of the family. There is very little (if any) attention paid to the possible environmental or other social costs of GMO production. I think we need to remember that just because we're women (well, some of us are), it doesn't mean we are responsible or have any interest in being responsible for the health of a nation. That being said, women are typically still the main purchasers and producers of food world wide, so maybe that's what Kenner is getting at.

Either way, take a peek. Lemme know what you think... Hey, that rhymed. If you're American, you can learn more and get involved by just a few clicks of the mouse starting here!

What do you think about GMOs? Do they concern you? If not, do you think they're a positive technology? Should they be labeled either way?

Leeky Pear Mushroom Toasts

2012-01-18T08:35:00.000-08:00

What time does your body naturally wake up in the morning? Are you an early riser or a late dozer? Do you nap? When do you do your best thinking? Are you usually holding a cup of coffee while you're getting shit done? Tea? Wine? Not that wine in the morning is a bad thing. Wine is never a bad thing. Wine is always a good thing. Always.

The reason I ask is that on Saturday morning I slept until 11:30am. I'm not bragging. I'm a pretty get-up-and-get-em kinda girl and I rarely sleep later than 8am. For some reason though, I felt so tired and unmotivated that I actually slept until 11:30am this weekend. By the time I got up the day was half gone and I hadn't done a thing.

For some people this makes for a great day off. For an obsessively-compulsive, productive A-type personality like me, it was torture. I spent the rest of the day trying to make up for the 3 hours I missed earlier. Blogging. Blog commenting. Job hunting. Eating. Carmen Electra-ing. Cleaning. Showering. Organizing. Grocery shopping. And then... I needed another nap. Aye. Apparently my body is telling me I need my beauty sleep. Fair enough, body. Fair. Enough.

One dish that I made for our second annual New Years Eve feast that will not make you want a nap - that is unless you want to chow it and then go to sleep and re-live the savory experience in your most lusciously delicious dreams - is leeky pear & mushroom toasts. These little babies were inspired by Happy Yolks, the recipe slightly adjusted to include ingredients that I had access to. They were hearty, warm, not too heavy, and really a joy to eat.

Leeky Pear & Mushroom Toasts

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1 Baguette, cut into 1" slices at an angle.

4 C Sliced Leeks (whites and just a touch of green).
1 Lb. Fresh Wild Mushrooms, roughly chopped.

1 D'Anjou Pear, diced with skins on.

1 Small Cipollini Onion, minced.

1 Bird's Eye Chili, thinly sliced.

2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and smashed.

A Couple Sprigs of Fresh Thyme, stemmed & chopped.
Small Handful of Fresh Flat-Leaf Italian Parsley, roughly chopped.

1/4 C Dry White Wine.

Goat Cheese, to spread.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Good Quality Balsamic Vinegar.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your broiler.

Heat a few glugs of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks, stirring to coat, and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the pears, the white wine, and salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer about 5 minutes then reduce the heat to low.

In a second pan, heat another glug of olive oil. Add the mushrooms, onion, thyme, and chili, seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Allow to cook down for about 8 minutes. Toss in a glug or two of balsamic vinegar, stir, and continue cooking a further 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the parsley.

As your mushrooms cook, throw the sliced bread onto a baking sheet and under the broiler. Watch it - it'll burn quickly! Toast so the edges get nice and crispy - now you have crostinis! Remove from the heat and rub with the smashed garlic. Hello flavour!

Smear the goat cheese on the crostinis, and pile with the leek mixture, followed by that of the mushrooms. Season lightly with a little salt.

Eat.

This post is linked up withTasty Tuesdays, Tuesday Talent Show, Cast Party Wednesdays, Tastetastic Thursday, Full Plate Thursday.

Guest Post @ Seattle Seedling: Winter Post - Kohlrabi Slaw

2012-01-16T08:50:00.000-08:00

Hello lovelies!

It's Winter and you know what that means - it's that time again for me to make the long virtual trek over to Stacy's blog Seattle Seedling for my seasonal guest post... It's actually not very long.The trek I mean, the post is medium in length as per usual. I'll stop talking now...

Come say hello to Stacy - she's a gem and a totally rad food expert and I heart her ever so much. And don't forget to check out my recipe, Kohlrabi Slaw. It's especially delicious if you wanna put something on those Slow Cooker Southern Pulled Pork Sliders...

...And if you don't plan on eating those, come say hi anyway. Stacy is worth the extra effort of the little mouse click.

Film Friday: How to Start a Movement

2012-01-13T07:57:00.000-08:00

How often are we told to be leaders in our communities? Our cities? Our countries? Or our society? How often are we asked to be original. Or an individual? If you ask me, leading is over-rated. If everyone's a leader, how will we ever get anywhere? We're constantly going to be pulling in different directions, trying to make our way the way. In my opinion, we need more followers. More bridge jumpers. More people who are willing to take the risk of not buying (literally) into a culture that demands our impersonal, over-consuming, capitalist participation.

We need more people to work together to form new ways of being, living, consuming, and growing.

It's in this vein that I bring you this week's Film Friday. I saw this short clip a couple months ago and while certainly entertaining - hey! who doesn't laugh at the guy rockin out in his undies? - it also exemplifies the importance of team work and cohesion when it comes to starting a movement. And let's face it, individuals aren't going to change the food system. We do our part by growing a few vegetables in our back (or front) yard gardens, we buy our meat from small scale local, organic, free-range producers, and we compost our organic trash - but unless we hop on board some sort of organized save-our-food-sovereignty-train, we aren't gonna get very far. Therefore, I ask you: be a follower. Jump off that bridge. Find an organization in your area - and let's be honest, with the advent of Google, it's not too difficult to do - and get involved.

Do something.

But before you do, watch this video. It's short and sweet and you really do get to see some dude rock out in his under pants. Here's Derek Sivers, talking about How to Start a Movement:

Chorizo in Red Wine Sauce with Herbs

2012-01-10T22:06:00.000-08:00

Have you ever lost someone so close to you that you actually felt like a piece of you was missing? Have they suddenly vanished from your day to day life that you're left with a void and insane sense of melancholy? Like everything else just stops. And there's nothing you can do about it.

I felt that way this past week... When my mac stopped working. Actually, the track-pad stopped working. Good-bye lap top, hello everything else that doesn't get done because I'm ordinarily on my lap top. Actually, it worked out kind of good for me. I finally finished my mail art challenge, organized my spare-junk drawer (how many elastic bands does one girl really need anyway??), started jogging (ew.), stream-lined my food writing stuff, swept the hardwood, raged about the dude living upstairs (c'mon, that's bound to happen regardless), and finally watched Watchmen (for the 5th time). Not having a computer - and thus not having access to my blogging biznas - is actually really productive for me...

...But oh how I missed thee. I think "thee" needs a name... From this point on, I shall refer to my mac as not "she" but "Sheila"... No, that's a terrible name. No offense to any Sheila's out there... Her name is Daisy. She's friendly, happy, accessible, and generally brings joy to my life.. Except for her offensive "weed" like smell. Not that my computer smells. But circumstances such as the track-pad incidence sometimes leaves an "ick" feeling in my heart.

You really don't know how much time you (I) spend with someone (YOU) or something (Daisy) until they're gone.

Daisy, I forgive you... (god, how much of a loser am I???)...

Something that doesn't need any forgiveness what so ever? Chorizo in red wine sauce. For New Year's Eve we feasted on a variety of tapas style dishes that made our little mouths sing and our little tummies ache - we might have had a wee bit too much food by the end of it all. That being said, it was worth every bite. Especially now that I'm starving myself to lose the extra holiday poundage - JK everybody... JK. I'm still eating. Probably more than I should.

Seriously though, make this. It's spicy, it's savory, it's a touch sweet, and with a little rustic bread, it's H-E-A-V-E-N.

Chorizo in Red Wine Sauce with Herbs

Ingredients:

2 Links of Spicy Chorizo, sliced into 1" pieces.

1 Small Onion, thinly sliced.

6-8 Cherry Tomatoes, halved.

2 Garlic Cloves, peeled & Crushed.

3/4 C Dry Spanish Red Wine.

Fresh Herbs (Thyme, Parsley), roughly chopped.

1 Bay Leaf.

1 Tbsp Butter, unsalted.

What to Do:

In a large frying pan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until it's melted and just sizzling. Add the onions, stir well, and cover - allow to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and remove the lid, allowing the onions to caramelize just slightly.

Throw the chorizo into the pan and brown on all sides. This should take about 5 more minutes.

Pour in the wine, tomatoes and bay leaf, stirring well to combine.

Reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes or so until the sauce has thickened. Add the herbs, remove & discard the bay leaf, and stir.

Serve with toasted crostinis.

Eat.

This post is linked up with The Hearth & Soul Blog Hop via the 21st Century Housewife.

Mac 911: Trackpad, you suck!

2012-01-10T15:23:00.000-08:00

Holy moly! Hello my little sugar muffins! So after not posting last Wednesday (because it was the first day of school and I'm a terrible blogger so I didn't think to write a post ahead of time and then Wednesday was over), my mac died. Well, technically the track-pad and mouse cursor thing died. And my little beaut has been in the shop ever since. But she's back now. Which means I'm back now....

New post comin at ya tomorrow A.M. lovelies. Oh how I missed ~~my mac~~ you!

XO,

(Late) New Year Wrap Up: Off to a Great Start!

2012-01-02T09:11:00.000-08:00

It didn't even occur to me to do a very special post for New Years till I was reading EVERY other blog in blog-land and saw that EVERYONE was doing one. Top 10 lists. Top 11 lists. Most influential lists. Most scary lists. Most sexy lists. And even a most-unhappy-people-you-meet-in-the-comments-section-of-year-end-lists list. Seriously. So, while I contemplated not doing a list simply because everyone else was doing one, in the end, my need for social assent - and thus acceptance and validation - won out. Yeah, yeah. If everyone else was jumping off a bridge, would I?

The following are my top month-by-month posts for 2011. I've included the posts that seemed to get the most reaction from you, the posts that I loved the most, and of course, those poor little posts that I think deserve more attention than they received.

So, prepare yourselves. I now present for your viewing pleasure... Gastronomical Sovereignty: A Year in Review!

P.S. I do apologize for the often blurry and awful photographs. I've learned a lot this year with respect to photography, most of which has been in the last couple months or so - apparently holding the camera still, using lots of natural light, and eventually ending up with a great camera (i.e. January) = better pictures. Who'd a known?

January

my favorite: Jamon Croquettes - Two words. Fuck yeah.

your favorite: Truffled Wild Mushroom Risotto - Oozy rice with fresh vegetables? Apparently, people like this kind of thing.

show some love: Habas Con Jamon (Bbroad beans with jamon) - It's not the dish's fault I didn't know how to take pictures last January. I know we eat with our eyes, but don't hold it responsible for the visual lack of culinary lusciousness - make it! Your mouth will thank you... side note: will be remaking and re-photographing once the little guys come back into season next Spring/Summer.

February

my favorite: Portobello Piccata - Crunchy, almondy, and generally healthy. Sort of. This is my go-to when I don't know what else to make. And it works as an incredibly impressive and filling veggie friendly main.

your favorite: Garlicky Oven Fries - Quick, tasty, with loads of garlic. Comfort food at it's finest. Again, photography was not my strong suit in the early part of this past year...

show some love: Reasons to Grow Food - A witty, accessible, and inspiring commentary on the reasons why some of us grow our own food by Susan Gregory Thomas, aka Broke Ass Grouch.

March

my favorite: Truck Farm - A guy. A truck. Some seeds. And a fucking brilliant idea.

your favorite: Home-Made Yummy Cabbage Rolls - Affordable, delicious, and who doesn't need a cabbage roll recipe to deal with all the cabbage that comes in the CSA week after mid-Winter-season week?

show some love: An "Ethical" Eater's Address - To meat? Or not to meat? That is the question.

April

my favorite: Panko Herb Crusted Halibut with Leek & Onion Ragout - Fresh fish, citrus, and the ooziness of the ragout just makes my little mouth sing! Topped aboard a couple pieces of home made polenta - pretty much my favorite meal. Ever. Well, it comes in at a close second anyhow.

your favorite: A trio of restaurant reviews! I couldn't figure out the stats for each one individually but they were all uber high. So: Pure Spirits Oyster House; Enoteca Sociale; and Luma. All in Toronto, Ontario - all fabulously fantastic.

show some love: Rosemary, Grilled Peach & Endive Salad - If you like BBQ, fruit, and fresh buffalo mozzarella, dig the crap in!

May

my favorite: Home Baked Mac & Cheese - the only meal to beat out fish and polenta. For reals.

your favorite: It Sure Aint No Picnic... Yet - Not much of a post... But it spawned comment after comment and hit after hit. Apparently everyone loves a ~~clown~~ picnic! ...I don't love clowns. They scare the shit out of me.

show some love: Incredibly Fresh Fish/Seafood Tacos - Holy heaven! After the pure torture of having to touch live spot prawns, these little doozies were more than worth the trauma. Flavourful, refreshing and oh so Summer.

June

my favorite: Progress Thus Far... - A video. Showcasing three beds of growing edibles. From my front yard to you.

your favorite: Galette Disaster 101 - It's funny when people fall down. Even if that clumsy stumble is an absolute disaster of a dessert... cruel bitches. JK everyone, JK.

show some love: Pommes Frites with Balsamic Reduction & Lemon Salt - A great big punch in the face... of flavor...which is what you deserve after Galette disaster. These take a bit of time to prepare but are so, very, tasty.

July

my favorite: Fried Squash Blossoms with Goat Cheese & Basil - A summer treat! Golden and crispy while the inside gets all warm and mushy and fabulous. We chowed down on these fried little gems for weeks while they were available!

your favorite: Wine Wednesday: For Starters - The first in the Wine Wednesday series; a vocabulary collection to help us talk about vino. I'm so happy we can talk about vino.

show some love: Seared Duck with Cherry Wine Reduction - Cherries, red wine, duck breast & fresh herbs. Do I really need to try to convince you that this was an excellent dish??

August:

my favorite: Golden Plum & Blueberry Snack Cake - I ate it all in one sitting. Enough said.

your favorite: Change is a Good Thing... Right? - We all suffer from the devil we call "change" from time to time... And we're really fucking good at supporting each other too.

show some love: Oven Baked Panko Zucchini Sticks - Fresh from the farmer's market squash = good. Especially if you crunch it up and dip it into a homemade marinara sauce. Holla!

September:

my favorite: Leek & Cabbage Scallop - Does cabbage get any better than this? Tender, slightly sweet, totally savory and a great main for a veggie-friendly dinner.

your favorite: CSA Week #1 - The yellow box! I don't know why I didn't think of sharing our CSA goodies with you sooner. But now that I have, it seems people really dig seeing what's not only in season, but also what you can get (and do!) with entirely organic, local, seasonal, happy produce!

show some love: Stolen Fruit Crumble - That's right. I stole that fruit! And it was so sinfully delicious, I'd do it again! Use what you've got handy and in season and you've got a fruity, light dessert that begs to be topped with full vanilla fat ice-cream. Oh yeah.

October:

my favorite: October was a good month for the blog. I started figuring a lot of shit out and got the opportunity to create some pretty fabulous dishes. So, a trio of favorites that I just couldn't decide between: Mission Dinner Party: Success! - thanks to all the lovelies that made it so!; Grilled Fennel Salad with Stage Bacon, Apple & Blue Cheese Slaw - obviously.; Use-What-Ya-Got Vegetable Bake - a low cost, high flavor & nutritious veggie friendly main or side for a meat plate.

your favorite: SRC Reveal (Shhh, it's a secret!): Baking with Avril - my first Secret Recipe Club challenge! What did I make? Follow the link to find out!

show some love: Film Friday: A New Perspective - A 17 minute video with Michael Pollan. If you don't know who Michael Pollan is, click here. Because you should. Or, just watch the video. This guy knows his shit.

November:

my favorite: Balsamicy Winter Braising Greens with Raisins and Almonds - A dish that got just about everything but the kitchen sink thrown in it...and that was only because it is glued down. Are sinks glued down? Balsamic is a fabulous way to brighten up any dish, in my opinion. And it adds a touch of sweetness to what are often otherwise, very bitter greens.

your favorite: SRC Reveal: A Taste of Home Cooking - I was worried at first that this dish was a little on the heavy side but you guys loved it! Cheesy with tomatoes and pasta - what's not to love?

show some love: In a Pickle? Then Pickle! - I really believe that on the path to food sovereignty and self-sufficiency, we have to start taking back control over our "processed" foods as well as our fresh. Hence, canning and pickling! Besides, pickled beets are a close second to Summer strawberries in salads and come Winter time, when strawberries are few and far between, beets = good!

December:

my favorite: Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Coriander, & Almonds - I may love this dish because it's a flavor punch and pure texture joy to eat... Or I may love it because it comes courtesy of Jamie Oliver... What?
your favorite: The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap Reveal: Chocolate (Andes) Mint Cookies - Who doesn't love a cookie? They're our favorite foods evidently. They do have their own food group, don't they? And at Christmas time, chocolate mint is where it's at.

show some love: Celeriac Pomme Puree - for two reasons. First, I made quite a server's rant about how to behave in a restaurant. It's helpful to you and to the wonderful (or not so wonderful) people who bring you your food and drinks. Second, although it's been done more than a few times before, this puree is sweet, salty, and just the right amount of savory to pair with pretty much any meat dish you can think of. Why wouldn't you want such a versatile side in your culinary arsenal kit?

Happy New Year my darlings! It's been a great one - I can't wait to see what 2012 has in store for us. I hope you enjoyed this little year in review - even if it is 2 days late. Oops! Whatever, I'm making a fashionable entrance! And THAT'S how it's done!

Pledges & Film Friday: Home is Where the Food Is

2011-12-30T09:03:00.000-08:00

Well this is it my little monkey bottoms! Our final conversation of 2011! I know recently I've been a little grumpy in my posts and I really do want to thank you all from the most sincere places of me for all your kind words and support. Who'd 'a known what a great readership I have! ...wait, I knew! I knew!

So I mentioned in this post that I don't do New Years resolutions. And usually, I don't. Actually, this year I'm not either. However I do want to make some pledges to both myself and to you for the coming months simply because we need a little more positivity around here. Hang on, you say? What's the difference between a resolution and a pledge? Well! Let me tell you...

A resolution is meant to be broken. By it's very definition, it's intention. I do not intend to do anything different in the new year; a pledge however solemn agreement to do something. New years resolutions seem to fall by the wayside while pledges are fixed baby. And I need some fixin'!

So, my solemn promises for action this coming year are as follows:

love better.
live smaller.
to craft more.
find joy.
be in the moments.

I'm still working on how to accomplish these things and I'm sure I'll stumble along the way, but I really want to be calm, balanced, healthy, and full of love. So, here goes!....

....Now onto Film Friday! In the same theme as above, I've selected a video this week that really emphasizes how I want to live and be and breathe. This short film titled Home is Where the Food Is, was made by The Juki Museum for the 100 Mile Diet Society in Vancouver, BC. The film follows every ingredient of a delicious and simple meal to its source - the Earth. It's very "local" for me since everything actually comes from Vancouver Island. It's amazing to see what can be grown/raised on Vancouver Island - my most favorite part is the stall with the eggs. We have dozens of these little stalls on the island just brimming with various fruits, veggies, flowers, herbs, and sometimes even baked or canned goods. I hope you enjoy this little short film. It is very near and dear to my heart.

How do you feel about New Years Resolutions? Pledges? Do you have any? If so, do share!

P.S. Happy New Year to you my lovelies. I wish you happiness and wholeness and all the wonderful things in the world for you and those whom you love most in the coming year. Thanks again for everything. XO.

P.P.S. The photos above were the result of a very crafty weekend originally inspired by very clever Gentri Lee in this post. FYI: the golden one has a turkey standing on a drum - may be difficult to tell in the photos but she sure looks rad in person!

Roasted Moroccan Rack of Lamb - hell yes!

2011-12-28T08:53:00.000-08:00

I'm home now. Four days in the interior of B.C. was enough for me. I'm always sad to leave my parents but at the same time, I'm also stoked to get back to the island. There's just something so holistic about being here. Part of that feeling is probably simply because it's home. And we all know the phrase: Home is where the ~~oven~~ heart is. But it's also more than that. The refreshing salty sea air, the slow paced, laid back, outdoor-activity friendly lifestyle that defines the West coast, and the incredible relationsjips that I've cultivated here.

This return though, was more difficult than usual. Just before I left, I lost my job through no fault of my own (which is what I was raging about in this post). Usually the days after Christmas are filled with surprises and energy and fun - but this year I'm stressing. Big time. Who is hiring at the end of December?! What am I going to do?? I have $300.00 in my bank account and rent to pay and I'm in trouble. Ack! To top it all off, I still have 2 classes to take before I graduate and therefore have 2 hours of school, 3 days in the middle of the week - I can't very well get a "real" job. I guess I'll have to keep serving. But who needs servers at this time of year?? I keep trying to remember that opportunities have in fact presented themselves at just the right moment over the past year. It's been snowballing good news until now. So maybe this is another one of those opportunities. Maybe it's time to make the shift to something new. Maybe it's time to start my catering business.... Anyone need a personal chef or a party planner/chef???

So, while I don't believe in new years resolutions, I'm making one today. In preparation for January when bitches be hiring:

Get. A. Job. Preferably, one that I'll love. One that nourishes me AND pays my ever-growing visa bill. Aye.

Now, here's a recipe that you don't need a New Year's resolution for... Unless you resolve to make it. This was succulent, juicy, and so flavorful. As most of you know, I love lamb. I know it isn't for everybody but heck! This blog is for me (your viewership and comments really do validate my posts and therefore make it worth doing of course) and my tummy wanted some happy little lambs in it! Baaaaah!

Roasted Moroccan Rack of Lamb

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1 Lb (approx 8 small bones) Free-Range, Organic Rack of Lamb.

1 Garlic Clove, peeled & cut in half.

2 Tbsp Fresh Rosemary, de-stemmed & finely chopped.

1 Tbsp Fresh Thyme, de-stemmed & finely chopped.

1 Tsp Cumin Seeds.

1 Tsp Coriander Seeds.

1 Tsp Ground Ginger.

1/2 Tsp Ground Cardamom.

1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon.

1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper.

Pinch of Nutmeg.

Pinch of Ground Cloves.

1 C White All-Purpose Flour.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

What to Do:

First things first - remove the lamb from the fridge about 45 to 60 minutes before you plan on cooking it. This will allow the meat to come to a decent temperature so it cooks evenly.

Now, pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees F.

As that heats, bash the cumin and coriander seeds in a mortar and pestle with a good helping of salt until fragrant and broken (the seeds, not the mortar and/or pestle). Toss in a bowl along with all the other herbs, spices, and pepper. Spread over a clean dry surface (i.e. cutting board). In a separate bowl, place the flour.

Pat dry the lamb, rub all over with the halved garlic, and season with salt and pepper; roll through the spice mixture being careful to coat the sides, top and bottom. Next, dredge lightly with the flour.

In a frying pan (cast iron is excellent!), heat about a Tbsp of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the lamb, fat side down (bones facing up) and sear to brown but not cook. When it's got a good bit of brown on it, flip and brown the meat on the other side.

Flip back to fat side down and place in the oven uncovered. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 130 to 135 degrees F for medium-rare meat - the best way to eat these little guys!

Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack, cover with tin foil, and let rest about 10 minutes.

Cut into the meat between each bone and serve 2 or 3 lamb pieces to each person, served alongside Winter Balsamicy Braising Greens with Raisins and Almonds and a good ladle-ful of Celeriac Pomme Puree.

Eat.

SRC Reveal: Dishing the Divine

2011-12-26T04:56:00.000-08:00

Good morning sugar plums!

I hope your Christmas was lovely! Did Santa bring you all the love (and treats) you could ask for? I cleaned up - that's for sure! And I don't just mean for Christmas either... I'm talking about the Secret Recipe Club.

The Secret Recipe Club is a project I participate in, in which you are assigned another participant's blog (it's a secret though - the person doesn't know you have their blog) and you have to create something that they've listed in their recipe index. Not only does this push you to look at blogs and get to "know" someone you might not have before, but it also stretches your cooking creativity. How much fun is that??

This month I was assigned Dishing the Divine and let me tell you - this was by far, my most favorite SRC assignment yet. Paula's openness regarding her recipes and the communication she encourages on her blog is refreshing as well as generous. Too often we bloggers talk at people - we need more dialogue both about food and the relationships it creates. In this, a lot of the food on her blog is made from real ingredients with time and love and are based on what's available locally and in season. This philosophy really reflects how I like to eat so I can't tell you how stoked I was to find dishes made from scratch. In fact, I had a very difficult time narrowing down what I wanted to replicate. Some of the dishes I didn't make (but will certainly do so in the future are:

Ultimately, I made my decision based on a recipe I have been meaning to make for ages but haven't had a recipe from which to start from. Sure, I had to get up at 7am to get things going for the day and my bread maker bit the dust, but in the end, the flavor was all worth it.

Side note: Bread maker dying was not such a bad thing. Not only was it a relief to free up the space on my utility shelf that was getting awfully crowded, but I actually find making bread by hand inherently satisfying and holistically therapeutic. Kneading the dough actually makes me feel connected to a legacy of real, slow food that has nourished us for centuries. And will continue to do so as long as corporate food doesn't obliterate us. So go ahead, knead some dough. It's a good work out for your arms and the texture and flavor of homemade bread kills store bought every time.

For this month's SRC assignment, I made Slow Cooker Southern Pulled Pork and Golden Pull-Apart Butter Buns. Both were delicious and I made minimal changes to the recipes. Actually, the buns were left as is, while I added just a couple extra hints of seasoning to the pork. I hope you'll make these recipes and enjoy them as much as I did. And go check out Dishing the Divine - she is divine.

Slow Cooker Southern Pulled Pork
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

2.5 Lb Happy Pork Shoulder.

1 Spanish Onion, peeled & chopped.

3 Cloves Garlic, peeled.

1 1/2 Cups Apple Cider Vinegar.
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar.
1 Tbsp Hot Pepper Sauce.
1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper.
1 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes.

1 Tsp Dried Mustard.

1 Tsp Smoked Paprika.

Few Dashes Worcestershire Sauce.

1/2 C Bold BBQ Sauce.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Pat the meat dry with paper towels and season well on all sides with a good dose of salt and pepper. Place into a slow cooker. Pour the vinegar around the pork. Cover and cook on low for 11 to 12 hours, basting with the juice every 3 or 4 hours.

Remove the pork from the slow cooker and if yours has any bones, discard them. Strain out the liquid and save about a cup or so. Shred the pork using tongs or two forks and return to the slow cooker. Stir the remaining ingredients into the reserved liquid.

Mix into the shredded meat in the slow cooker. Cover and keep on warm until serving.

Serve on a bun with some pretty fantastic coleslaw (stay tuned for recipe!).

Golden Pull-Apart Butter Buns
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

3 1/2 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour.
2 Tsp Instant Yeast.
2 Tbsp Potato Flour/Starch.
3 Tbsp Dried Milk Powder.
2 Tbsp White Sugar.
1 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt.
4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, room temperature + 2 Tbsp melted.
2/3 C Water, lukewarm.
1/2 C Milk, lukewarm.

What to Do:

Combine all of the dough ingredients in a large bowl and mix and knead – using your hands, a stand mixer, or a bread machine on the dough cycle – to make a soft, smooth dough.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and allow the dough to rise for 60-90 minutes, until it’s just about doubled in bulk.

Gently deflate the dough and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. Round each piece into a smooth ball.

Lightly grease two 8″ cake pans. Space eight buns in each pan.

Cover the pans and allow the buns to rise until they’re crowded against one another and quite puffy, about 60-90 minutes. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Uncover the buns and bake them for 22-24 minutes, until they’re golden brown on top and the edges of the center bun spring back lightly when you touch it.

Remove the buns from the oven, brush with melted butter, and turn onto a cooling rack.

Serve with pulled pork or just chow warm with some extra butter.

Eat.

P.S. That's right. I dolled up those little sandwiches - they're pretty much the cutest pulled pork sliders in the world.

P.P.S. If you wanna check out the lovely lady that made one of my recipes this month, click here.

This post is linked up with The Hearth and Soul Blog Hop via the 21st Century Housewife.

Film Friday: My Gift(s) to You

2011-12-23T09:40:00.000-08:00

It seems everyone is doing a giveaway right now. I suppose tis the season for giving - but instead of giving you some thing, I present you with these 3 very merry videos. They're not food related at all... and I contemplated not putting them on Film Friday...

...but the Christmas in me won out...

...I'm sure you'll have enough to feast your eyes and tummies on over the next day or so anyhow...

...I'm going to sign off now for the next couple of days and go eat tons of fudge and sit in a Christmas tree lit room with my family and indulge on Turkey and laugh. A lot...

...May Santa bring you sleighfuls of joy and goodies and enough wine to withstand family get togethers - merry Christmas everybody - I wish you all the best in the next couple days...

...and now, here is my gift to you:

The first is by two very talented and clever ladies - Garfunkel and Oates. I hope you enjoy them...

The second is gonna make you just die..from love:

And the third, well.... it's the exact opposite of the previous one. Click here... If you can last the entire 16 minutes then I'm so, so sorry.

Happy Ho Ho everyone!! See you in a couple days...

Veggie Friendly Christmas Rice Paper Spring Rolls

2011-12-21T09:24:00.000-08:00

Only 4 more sleeps people!! Do you hear the sleigh bells yet??

Now that school's done for the Christmas season I officially have no reason not to do all the things I have been talking about doing for the past four months. In the last couple days or so I cleaned out my school assignment bin, put the veggie beds to bed for the Winter - that was way past due, so many dead little plants - organized the office/art room a bit and the kitchen utility shelf (which involved tossing my broken bread maker which sucked at first, but as I'm learning how to bake bread and knead by hand, has evolved into kind of a relief), started playing with the new DSLR camera (hello pretty photos!), started reading the Cormac McCarthy novels John has been buying me since September, and have been so crafty making beautiful gifts for beautiful friends I giggle with pleasure.

It's been busy but I feel a little more at ease in my home now. Things were piling up and I was starting to feel dis-organized and anxious. But serenity now, my friends! All I have to do at this point for the next 2 weeks is pack for our trip to Mom and Dad's (we leave tomorrow) and complete this. How sweet it is to be out of school and (mostly) un-employed...more on that later..

Speaking of going to Mom and Dad's, can you believe it's December 21st already?? The following recipe is hardly Christmasy unless you count the pretty red and green and white colors involved. Hang on! That is Christmasy so unless you object in some fashion, I'm deeming the following veggie friendly Christmas rice paper spring rolls! There's hardly any cooking in this recipe and most of the work is just prep. And in light of all the heavy foods we're eating this season - which for me consists of mostly cookies and ice cream and cookies - these spring rolls are a breath of fresh air. If you aren't a fan of tofu you can leave it out or substitute meat. If you haven't tried tofu, give it a shot. Get the organic stuff though and make sure it's firm or extra firm - you don't want gooey soy material in your wraps.

Veggie Friendly Christmas Rice Paper Spring Rolls

(printable recipe)

Ingredients for the Rolls:

1 Package Rice Paper.

1 Large Bowl Hot Water.

1 Small To Medium Sized Package of Vermicelli (rice noodles).

Couple Handfuls of Bean Sprouts.

1 Red/Orange/Yellow Pepper, julienned.

1 Handful of Scallions, finely chopped.

Fresh Basil, roughly torn.

Fresh Cilantro, roughly chopped.

1 Package Firm or Extra-Firm Organic Tofu, julienned.
1 C Roasted Peanuts.

2 or 3 Tbsp of Canola Oil (or other neutral veggie oil).

2 Limes for Juice.

Ingredients for Dipping Sauce:

4 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar.

1/2 C Tamari Soy Sauce.

2 Tsp Black Sesame Oil.

4 1/4" Slices Ginger, peeled.

1 Garlic Clove, minced.

2 Tbsp of Scallions, finely chopped.

1 Tbsp Chili Flakes.
The Juice of 1 Lime.

What to Do:

First, incorporate all the ingredients for the dipping sauce in a jar or medium sized bowl and shake/stir to combine well. Set aside.

Next, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat in a non-stick frying pan. Add the tofu. Brown on all sides until a little crispy and then add the juice of one lime all over the tofu. Set aside.

As the tofu cooks, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the vermicelli. Stir to break up, and allow to return to a boil then immediately remove from the heat. Drain and rinse well with cold water. Set aside.

Now: assemble! Rice paper may be tricky the first couple rolls but it gets easier. Immerse one sheet (and ONLY one sheet) in the large bowl of hot water. Let the paper soften. After about 15-20 seconds or so pull from the water and lay on a flat, clean surface. Pile your shit in there and squeeze a little lime wedge over it. Don't make em too full or the paper will tear, but make sure you give each one enough substance to fill it. Again, it may take a try or two.

Now, roll the edge closest to you over and around the mixture. Try to keep it relatively tight. Roll once or twice, tuck the ends in to the body of the roll and finish rolling to the end of the paper. Keep it taught but not so much that it tears.

Ta-da! Veggie friendly rice paper spring rolls! Serve with the dipping sauce and some extra limes if desired, either at room temperature or cold.

Eat!

P.S. if it all goes to shit and they do tear, just discard the rice paper, add some chop sticks and serve as a fantastic salad!

Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Coriander and Almonds

2011-12-19T07:44:00.000-08:00

First, I just want to say thank you so much, from every ounce of my being, to all the kind comments I've received from you lovely people with respect to my previous post. I know I haven't been all that forthcoming about the details here but even so, I've received comments and emails and all the support a girl could possibly ask for. So, thank you. So much. It means more to me than you could ever imagine.

Second, was it just me, or did you forget it was Friday on Friday too? I didn't realize that I didn't realize it was until John asked me, "are you not doing Film Friday anymore?"... Oops!

Other things I don't always realize until it's too late:

The right thing to say in the right moment - sometimes it's shyness, sometimes it's lack of wit, sometimes I don't even realize what I want to say or even feel until the moment has passed.
Birthday cards - I'm terrible, at remembering to pick up birthday cards.
Taking photos of the food I'm making for the blog. Especially stuff that I'm updating (i.e. all the old entries with the super poor photographs). I make these recipes all the time and since they're so ordinary for me, I sometimes forget to capture the process.
To return DVDs to the video rental store. Seriously. It's like an illness.
How to spell. I like to think I have pretty good spelling habits, but sometimes very regular words allude me.
That I'm cutting down on my wine consumption.
Dates and appointments. I have to write everything down - and I do mean everything - in my agenda, which I check every morning when I get up, or I won't remember where to be or when.
To look both ways before crossing quiet residential streets.
My birth control pills. Luckily, it's not actually too late.
To pick up the groceries for the week. Generally I buy by the day in the farmer's market & CSA off-season (i.e. now) - things just go bad and un-cooked if I end up being busier than I thought I would be. That said, there are staples: yogurt, fruit, muffins. And I forget those.

Something I never forget to do? Make roasted cauliflower with cumin, coriander, and almonds. This is something that is so simple once you make it a couple times, it's easy to whip together as a side dish for lunch or dinner or even just to snack on. Don't get me wrong - it's great when it's hot. But I kinda like it cold too - picking at it with my fingers while I've parked myself in front of the Food Network. It's fantastically flavorful and probably one of my most favorite sides in the world. I'd like to claim the recipe as my own but unfortunately, it's not. It belongs to ~~dream boat~~ chef and food activist Jamie Oliver. So thank you to Jamie as well for ~~looking so good~~ such a spectacular recipe.

Note: If you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can carefully wrap the spices in a tea towel, place in a stable/sturdy space (i.e. pavement), and bash the crap outta 'em with a heavy pot/pan... don't break the handle off though! .... not that I did that or anything...

Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Coriander and Almonds

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1 Head of Cauliflower, outer green leaves removed & broken into florets.

A Handful of Blanched, Toasted Almonds, roughly chopped.

2 Tsp Cumin Seeds.

2 Tsp Coriander Seeds.

2 Tsp Dried Chili Flakes.

Juice & Zest of 1 Lemon.

1 Tbsp of Butter, unsalted.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Kosher Salt.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking pan with aluminum foil.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the cauliflower for a minute or two. Drain well. Return to the pot and toss in a glug or two of olive oil and the butter. Toss to coat.

As the water heats up, bash together the spices and salt in a pestle and mortar. Dump them and the almonds into a large non-stick pan and dry toast them briefly.

After a minute or two add the lubed up cauliflower. Mix well.

When the cauliflower starts getting some color on it add the lemon juice and zest and again, mix well.

Fry about a minute longer and then dump the contents into the prepared baking pan. Chuck in the oven and roast about 15 to 20 minutes to allow the mixture to crisp up.

Eat.

What do you tend to forget?
Are you an elephant? Or do you tie strings to your fingers?

This post is linked up with the Hearth and Soul Blog Hop via the 21st Century Housewife, and This Chick Cooks.

Winter Veg Wonton Soup

2011-12-16T08:27:00.000-08:00

Okay so yesterday I kind of had the rug violently ripped out from underneath my feet. And while I don't want to get into it just yet, I just want to say how much that sucks. Everything is peachy keen and happy and wonderful and then all of a sudden, shit happens. And then you're fucked. Absolutely fucked. Yesterday I felt sadness and loss... but apparently sadness begets anger in the grieving process... Lesson #1, evidently. So, I apologize for not having much of an introduction (haha, I just typed introfuktion by mistake - Freudian slip?) but I have to go figure out what to do now.

This soup is lovely. I had some issues keeping the wontons together though - some just blew apart in the water - any suggestions? How do you keep your wontons together? And your shit for that matter, when something horrendous happens in your life at the worst possible moment?

Have a great weekend lovelies - I hope your weekend goes better than mine.

Winter Veg Wonton Soup

(printable recipe)

Ingredients for Wontons:

1 Package Wonton Wrappers, thawed if frozen.

1 Lb Ground "Happy" Pork.

1 Lb Mushrooms, cleaned & finely chopped.

Small Handful of Scallions, finely chopped.

1 Tbsp Ginger, peeled & finely grated.

4 Cloves of Garlic, minced.

3 Free-Range Organic Eggs.

Ingredients for Broth:

2 1/2 C Chicken or Veggie Stock.

1 C Water.

1 Asian Winter Green (I used Tatsoi), though baby bok choy or similar would also work, roughly chopped into approx. 1" pieces.

1 Small Bulb Kohlrabi, peeled & julienned.

3 Small to Medium Sized Carrots, thinly sliced.

A Thumb of Ginger, peeled & thinly sliced.

Small Handful of Scallions, finely chopped.
A Couple Glugs of Tamari Soy Sauce.

1 Tsp Dark Sesame Oil.

2 Tsp Chili Flakes (to garnish).

What to Do:

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the wontons save for the wrappers, scallions and 1 egg. Mix well and set aside.

In a large saucepan incorporate all the ingredients for the broth except for the chili flakes and scallions. Bring to a boil to lightly cook the veggies until just tender. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Now, take the other two eggs and beat them lightly in a smallish bowl with a Tbsp or two of water. Take one wonton wrapper and spoon a Tbsp or so of the wonton mixture onto the center of it, keeping the rest of the wrappers under a damp towel to avoid drying them out. Brush a bit of the egg wash along the outer edges of the wrapper beyond the mixture and firmly bring kitty-corner to kitty corner, creating a little parcel of wonton. If need be, gently brush a little more egg-wash on the edges to seal. Set on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with a towel while you make the rest of the wrappers.

In a large pot bring some water to a gentle semi-rolling boil. Gently toss in a few of the wontons, being careful not to crowd them. Let them cook about 5 minutes or so, until they float to the top and the meat cooks through. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Bring your broth back to a boil and add the wontons and scallions. Heat through for a few minutes, remove from the element, and portion into bowls. Top with the chili flakes.

Eat.

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap: 2 More Arrivals!

2011-12-14T09:52:00.000-08:00

We have cookie swap success! In case you missed my original post, click here. Otherwise, continue reading...

I was a touch sad and quite worried when 2 out of my 3 boxes didn't show up. I thought those two boxes had gotten lost in the mail, or perhaps the bloggers who were assigned my name sent their packages out too late, or maybe Santa intercepted them en route... I was still hoping with fingers crossed however that they would turn up... and. they. did.

Boy! Were they worth the wait! The first one I opened was from Meg Robins @ Sweet Twist of Fate. She sent me TWO kinds of florentines - A: Dried cherries, cranberries & almonds, B: Apricots, cranberries & almonds - how generous is that?? And hello! Fruit, nuts & caramel? Heck yes! Click here to get the recipe.

Meg seems super sweet (she should be! wait till you see all the sugar on her site!), and she is an incredible baker. The catering business she runs looks absolutely scrumptious!

The second box was from Char & Ali @ Living the Sweet Life - and man! Judging by the recipes over there it certainly is a sweet life! I don't know how these baker bloggers don't get to weigh 400 lbs!

As I opened the box I was greeted by these brilliant redish/pink & white little gems wrapped in a material that looked like snow - you'd never seen such a cookie Christmas display! Four words: Caribbean Sorrel Spice Cookies. Oh yeah. For the recipe click here.

Thank you both so much! These cookies were all amazing as was the cookie swap. Cookie swap success!

P.S. don't forget to check out my first box of cookies as mentioned in my previous post from Megan @ The Bold Baker - Pistachio & Cranberry biscotti!

Happy Ho Ho everybody!

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap Reveal: Chocolate (Andes) Mint Chip Cookies

2011-12-12T08:23:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it?? It's finally here!

After so many shiny things and sleepless nights and hard work and hoarding and wrapping and making things pretty and packaging and mailing and anticipation - it's here! It's finally here!

No! Not Christmas.... I'm talking about The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap!

Hosted by Lindsay @ Love & Olive Oil and Julie @ The Little Kitchen, over 22,000... Wait. Think about this a second... Just think about this: Over 22, 000 cookies were mailed around the world for this swap. Holy moly that's a lot of fucking cookies!!! Those poor postal workers... The idea was, you signed up, got assigned 3 other names and addresses, baked a dozen cookies for each assignee (from the same recipe), and then mail them out - in return, you receive 3 dozen cookies from 3 other bloggers. How fun is that? Not to mention how expensive?? Maybe I did things wrong and got a little too excited about packaging.... but it sure took a pretty penny out of my bank account! Never matter - I'm still going to do it again next year! And you can too, just click here.

It didn't all go according to plan, unfortunately however. I only got one box of cookies. Maybe my other two boxes have gotten lost in the mail, or perhaps the bloggers who were assigned my name sent their packages out too late, or maybe Santa intercepted them en route... I'm still hoping with fingers crossed that they'll show up. God - the trauma!

But to be honest, I had such a fun and amazing time sending out my own cookies I don't really care too much. See? Christmas really is about giving! And the lack of the other two boxes really just makes the one box I did receive, extra special...

envelopes & stationary c/o isavirtue

...thank YOU Megan @ The Bold Baker for my incredibly delicious pistachio & cranberry biscotti! They arrived crunchy, sweet, nutty, and actually a little savory. I've had one. I'm waiting till Monday (when I host my annual Christmas Party Potluck) to share the rest with my besties.

Readers: If you want her spectacular recipe - don't try to copy it from the photo below (stupid camera phone) - go to her site.

Now: what I sent...

I obtained my cookie recipe from Bakeaholic Mama: Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies. Call me foolish, but I had no friggin idea that peppermint was so popular at Christmas time. Yes, do it. I'm foolish. I'll give you a moment to ridicule...............

............Okay, stop it. Be nice. It is Christmas after all. And it was joyous to bake and mail these cookies. I was paired with Anna in Abbotsford @ Hidden Ponies, Kim in Ottawa @ Strawberry Ginger & Callie in Toronto @ Callieflower Kitchen. All 3 ladies are absolutely fantastic bloggers and I feel a small but important connection with each of them. Anna is in the process of doing her B.A. right now (just like me!), and outside of the kitchen loves painting and reading, Kim and I are kind of the same person (enough said), and Callie and I don't have formal training in the kitchen but both have a deep love of ~~cookies~~, cooking. And we all have vaginas! (presumably)...See? Connections!

Chocolate (Andes) Mint Chip Cookies

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

2 C White All-Purpose Flour.
2/3 C Cocoa Powder.
3/4 Tsp Baking Soda.
1/4 Tsp Salt.
1 C Butter, room temperature & unsalted.

1 C White Sugar.
1/2 C Packed Brown Sugar.

2 Free-Range, Organic Eggs, room temperature.
2 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract.
3 X 132g Packages of Andes Mint Chocolates.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

While that heats, unwrap and roughly/finely chop your Andes Mints.

Sift together in a medium bowl, flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa. Set aside.

In your electric mixer (or hand mixer) cream butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add in eggs 1 at a time then your vanilla.

Slowly add in your flour mixture by thirds.

When everything is incorporated, fold in your Andes mint pieces.

Place in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Remove from fridge and form 1 - 1 1/2" diameter balls and place on parchment lined baking sheets.

Bake for about 10 minutes. As cookies bake, replace dough to the fridge to keep from getting too goopy.

Remove from the oven and let cool for about a minute and then carefully transfer cookies to cooling racks. They'll be very soft (you may think they aren't done yet - they are), but they'll harden as they cool.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes or so (they'll set and become much firmer) and then serve with a glass of cold milk.

Eat.

This recipe is linked up with The Secret Recipe Swap - Christmas Cookie Party.

FIlm Friday: SCRATCHbread ( & server loves)

2011-12-09T09:21:00.000-08:00

Good morning darlings! Happy Film Friday!

The other day I posted this - an enormously angry rant about the life of a server. Yes - guests can be infuriating and I stand by my decision to verbally spout off about that. At the same time however, customers really can make a server's day. And it's those guests (and the experiences with them) that has allowed me to continue serving for 10 years. With joy (95% of the time). It's no 5 acre farm with a trailer but it's decent... More on that later...

So, without too much further ado, here are my restaurant "Do's"... Obviously don't do any of the don'ts - though I feel like some of the don'ts need particular attention in the Do's:

Click here and take heed!
When you show up, be polite. Say hello back to me when I say hello to you. If I ask you how you're doing I am actually asking how you're doing. Please respond. I don't need to hear about your dying Grandmother, but generally, how you are. If you aren't great, say so. And I'll do my damnedest to help make your day better while you're in my restaurant.
Engage with me. Ask me how I'm doing and maybe even a question about my day or what I do outside the restaurant, etc... Not only will you shock the crap out of me (people are very self-involved when they go out to eat), but it will open up a space for continued engagement and therefore a much more holistic and enjoyable experience.
Make eye contact with me! (but don't stare)... I'm a person too :)
Ask questions! If you aren't sure what something is, or need to know where something comes from (though be careful not to become this. seriously.), or need assistance selecting a drink - I'm here to help. Give me some direction as to your needs and I'll do everything I can to get you what your little heart desires.
Two words: Please and Thank you.
Acknowledge that extras cost money. Unless bread is presented at your table without request, shit adds to the expenses of the restaurant. Unless you've seen the business plan, please be patient and polite about this.
Read the menu. Even if it's just a cursory glance. I'm more than pleased to help you select dishes or drinks - especially if you are unfamiliar with things. But I can't go through the list, top to bottom, because you're just too lazy to read what's on the page.
When you're finished with something (i.e. glassware, plates, etc...), keep it within my reaching distance so I can clear it away for you. I know you want it out of your way but that'll happen much faster if I can reach it.
Again, tipping.
Acknowledge the restaurant is busy and that either the front of house (servers, bartenders, bussers, etc...) and/or the back of house (chefs, cooks, expediters, etc...) may be short staffed. This isn't an excuse for consistently slow food and bad service each time you come into a place, but it could explain why I can't make it to your table to top your water glass up every three minutes.
If you liked my service, tell me! Or even better yet, tell my manager.
Again, time restraint? Food allergy? Tell me. Moreover, I can't possibly know all the diets in the world and all their limitations - therefore, be specific in what you can't eat. Don't just say "I'm a celiac" or "I'm on a cleanse" or "I'm off carbs" and expect me to know what that entails - be specific.
And lastly, enjoy yourself. It's food. Not... well, I don't think anything needs to be too grave in it's seriousness. Except maybe genocide. You know what I mean? Have fun with it! Really good food and drinks require a laugh and kindness and generosity - there's no need to be hoity-toity or rude or pretentious. It may look fancy but it's all an act. In the end, it all came from the same dirt pile planet and grown in the same shit-based fertilizer. It's food. Love it and relish.

Now, in alignment with the last point (and still in the same general theme as the rest of the post) I bring you this week's absolutely breathtaking Film Friday. This is a video by Liza de Guia, titled SCRATCHbread....

"...His day begins as yours ends, working on the counters of a dimly lit, closed-for-the-night pizzeria where he unwraps sourdoughs and shapes breads that he knows, in time, everyone will know about. But come to know, not just for their taste or uniqueness in technique, more so for the ideals they represent.

For SCRATCHbread is much more than just bread, it's about bringing together people with a shared belief about food, to start a food movement in New York City to change the way we see and perceive the food we eat..."

A. Do you enjoy your job? What do you love most about your job? What makes one day better than the next?

B. Do you enjoy Film Friday or would your rather something else be going on? If something else, what would you like to see instead?

Celeriac Pomme Puree (& server loathes)

2011-12-07T09:09:00.000-08:00

Can I just take a minute here please? Completely unrelated to the following (and pretty flavorful) recipe (hint: it's made from the vegetable featured below)....

...I need to get a little somethin' somethin' off my chest. And you know what? Because it's my fucking blog I'm gonna do it! Grrrrr!!!! Anger!!!

As most of you know - I'm a server. In a pretty fantastic restaurant and I would not give that up for anything. I love it! Never before have I worked in a place where I felt so confident and excited (along with the rest of the staff) about the food and wine and everything else on offer. It is amazing. And most of the time, I love serving itself. I get paid to socialize and taste incredible food and beverage. Of course, it isn't always easy. Serving is a constant juggling act of prioritizing, multi-tasking, and honing my P.R. skills to interact with guests and make them feel welcome and pampered - which I'm pretty damn good at if I do say so myself. And the customers at the restaurant I work at now are 99% fantastic. But sometimes...

...sometimes I want to wring necks. Hard. Let me (if you don't mind) give you a quick short list of the things NOT to do in a restaurant...

P.S. I realize that as my fabulous followers you probably abide by my restaurant rules of etiquette - so none of this anger is directed at you...

Upon entering a restaurant, if it's seat yourself, don't sit at the only dirty table when there are multiple clean tables available. There's a reason I haven't gotten to cleaning that yet - I'm too busy helping present (and new) customers. Take a clean one. Please.
If you come in with children, please keep them under control. Kids are pretty cute and a bit of a pleasure to have as long as they're well behaved. But if they're yelling or running around the tables (or in one case, blowing out the candles on the tables), reign those bitches in! I'm sure they're lovely small people but right now I'm trying to work. And I'm not a babysitter. I'm a server. How would you feel if I let my cousins come into your work place and tear shit up while you were trying to do your job?
Don't ever store your belongings on a neighboring table. This isn't your living room. It may seem to you that it's not a big deal but if we need to use that table it not only inconveniences you and I, but it also makes the new guests feel awkward. If you want to sprawl out, go home.
Chances are, I've seen you come in. I'll come over. A good server, if busy, will alert you to the fact that they've seen you sit down and will be with you as soon as possible. I do that. There's no need to wave. Waving is rude. Also: Never EVER whistle, snap, or grab me as I walk by - unless you want to wear the pitcher of water I'm holding. I'm somebody's sister, lover, friend - in essence a human being, just like the other people who provide you services. Would you grab or snap at your dentist? I don't think so.
Two words: Please. Thank-you.
If you aren't sure what you want to order, tell me you need a few minutes. Don't ask me to wait at your table while you take 10 minutes deciding what to get or meet me with blank stares (or worse yet - completely ignore me as you stare at your menu). Just say we need a few minutes. Use your words. And it's not a big deal - I have other stuff to do and then I'll come back. I promise.
If someone at your table orders a drink, or asks for a glass of water, try to anticipate your own needs (I can't do it all) and ask for what you need at the same time. If I'm busy, and 5 different people say they're fine but as soon as I return with one person's request the next one in line asks for something, chances are you'll either be waiting a long time, or fishing a bug out of your coke.
If you have a food allergy or a time restraint please for the love of god, tell me ahead of time!
Don't ask me how much you should tip me. Awkward much? Google that shit before you leave the house! While I recognize tipping isn't mandatory and if I give you crappy service I understand you'll be less inclined to tip well. But before you jump to the "she was never around" bullshit, take a look around the restaurant. Am I the only server? Am I running around like a chicken with my head cut off? Or am I leaning against the bar for 10 minutes chatting with the bartender? Deduce! And for the record - 15% of the total bill (TAXES INCLUDED) is the minimum. 20% will get you my love and affection (and really great service next time you're in). Anything in between is appreciated. Anything above 20% is obviously appreciated and not necessary (though that doesn't stop John from tipping around 35% when we go out - who knows whose bills he's paying? It's very good of him). It's not 1952 - 10% doesn't cut it anymore.

FYI: You may not be aware of this, but in a restaurant/bar we don't keep all the tips we get. A particular percentage of the sales we make (regardless if someone tips on their meal or not or by how much) goes to the bartender, the kitchen, food runners, expediters, hosts, bussers, etc... and sometimes even management. Thus, you may leave a 10% tip but I'll only see 5% (or depending on the establishment, less) of it.

And while we're on the subject of money - don't leave nickles, dimes, and pennies as tips. They're hardly money to begin with - that's why you've left them in the first place, right?
Lastly, a good restaurant experience requires two people. You and me. Interaction. If you walk into a place and expect an amazing experience with an engaging funny server who really does care about the goods about to be placed in front of you, you need to engage as well. The quality of an experience is only as good as those participating. I'm gonna do my very best to bring my shit to the table (metaphorically speaking), maybe you should too.

Okay, rant over. Sorry about that. Wait, no I'm not! Those things needed to be said and since I can't say 'em to the customers directly, I'm hoping someone out there will take heed and next time they're out at a restaurant and behave appropriately.

See? I told you I'm changing the world with this blog! ....okay, maybe not. But if you can't rant on your own personal blog, where else can you rant? Thanks for listening sugars - I needed to say that. Stay tuned on Friday for my list of server loves (gotta balance the hostility out, ya know?)...

Now, speaking of changing the world - how about some celeriac pomme puree?? This dish is flavorful, juicy, elegant, and generally kind of great. Eat on it's own or use it as a base for something else - I used it as garnish for the rack of lamb comin' at ya next week.

Celeriac Pomme Puree

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

2 Medium Sized Celery Roots, ends cut off and skin cut away to white insides, & chopped into 1" dice.

3 to 4 Small Semi-Sweet Apples, peeled & cored, & chopped into 1" dice.

5 Slices Stage Bacon (or good quality thick cut), chopped into 1/2" pieces & fried till crispy.

3 Tbsp Butter, unsalted.

2 Garlic Cloves, peeled.

1/3 to 1/2 C Heavy Cream (depending on the consistency you want).

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Pepper.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling (or if you're feeling fancy, truffle oil!).

What to Do:

In a saucepan, melt 2 Tbsp of the butter over medium heat. As it starts to sizzle, throw in the celery root, apple, and garlic. Stir well and cover. Give it a couple minutes. Check the moisture level. If necessary, add a little splash or two of water into the pot - it'll cook away but keep things from burning. Recover and allow to soften for about 7 to 8 minutes.

Once it's getting quite mushy pull from the heat, toss in the food processor, season with salt and pepper, and puree until smooth.

Return to the pot and add the other Tbsp of butter and 1/3 a cup of cream. Stir well. If you want it softer and more "liquidy", add more cream. Taste. Bring the heat back up over a medium temperature and then reduce the heat to low to keep warm until ready to serve.

At the last minute, add the bacon and drizzle with a little oil.

Eat.

What do you think about my restaurant rant? Have you been caught doing any of the above? Are you currently or have you ever worked in a restaurant?
What do you do for work? Do you have particular work pet peeves?

Home Baked Apple Chips (or crisps, if you will)

2011-12-05T09:12:00.000-08:00

Good morning lovely blog readers! I trust your weekend went well. Mine was filled with Christmas Truck Parades (well, one parade), dinners out (one dinner out) and a lot of serving hungry eaters and wine drinkers.

I also finally scored some of the olive oil I mentioned in this post. It came in the mail - all four bottles of the stuff! Review to come... Do you order stuff online? Is so, what stuff? And if not, how come? Getting things in the mail is super fun! Especially if it's things you eat! Speaking of which, watch on the 12th for the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap reveal! I'm still waiting for my cookies to arrive but I've sent mine out and managed to hoard/inhale a good 12 or so all by myself. So much fun (and so much stretchy pants)...

Speaking of fun and stretchy pants, I have a recipe for you today that is big on fun, and low on stretchy pants. Sort of. Home baked apple chips! We're still getting bundles of apples in our CSA box and I'm trying to come up with new and interesting ways for us to eat them. These chips, were both. Did I mention they were also highly addictive? I think you'll like them. Plus they make your entire house smell absolutely fantastically like Christmas!

Two things: First, be careful with your apple corer if you haven't used one before. I almost took a chunk out of my hand with the first try. Get to know your corer and ease it into the apple before slamming down to remove the core. Second, enjoy!

Home Baked Apple Chips

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

4 Small to Medium Sized Apples.

1 C Sugar.

1 C Ground Cinnamon.

Dash or Two of Ground Nutmeg.

Pinch of Salt.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to 250 degrees F and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.

As that heats, fill a bowl with a cup of water and the lemon juice. Then, cut the bum off the apple so it sits flat and core with a fruit corer - great invention!

Then slice very thinly (a mandolin is useful!) to 1/8".

In another bowl, combine the sugar, spices & salt. Mix well. Very lightly dredge the apples, a couple at a time, in the mixture. Place in one layer on the baking sheets.

*Don't coat too heavily or the sugar will result in what is essentially apple syrup and the chips won't crisp up. Just plop, flip, and place.

Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes. Flip the apples. And continue baking for a further 40 to 45 minutes. They will continue to crisp up as they cool and you don't wanna make em so hard/crisp they break your teeth!

Once cool, serve with some fantastic ice cream, like Udder Guy's Old Fashioned Vanilla Bean, or all by themselves.

Eat.

This recipe has linked up to The Hearth & Soul Blog Hop via April of 21st Century Housewife, This Chick Cooks, and love cookery blogs.

Left-Over Lunch Crostinis

2011-12-02T10:07:00.000-08:00

It's officially December lovelies! Which means I'm completely justified in having this:

And This:

And this...

the most amazing gift! kaitlyn @ isavirtue sent me a mix CD that just makes my little heart sing! I almost about jumped out of my skin I was so excited - though that wouldn't be conducive to enjoying the music. Not only does she still send mail but she still listens to CDs... you remember those, don't you? Little compact discs that hold musical information? Just unplug your Ipods for a second and pop a CD in the player. Old school, yo! The only thing better than getting letters in the mail is getting presents! And musical CD presents at that!

Speaking of surprises, sometimes the very best recipes happen by accident. Do you ever find yourself rummaging come noon-o'clock in the cupboards and refridgerator and freezer for lunch stuffs - even though you know there's no way anything on the planet will ever de-frost in the next 10 minutes for you to chow down on? Meanwhile your tummy is ~~growling~~ roaring "feed me!"....

Well, I've got the answer for you my friends! Left-over Lunch Crostinis! We had no actual left-over items to make an entire meal out of - yes, I eat lunches that rival dinner in both size and consistency - so I started randomly picking stuff out of their hiding places.

Some sourdough bread. An onion. A piece of garlic. A wedge of cheese. A bowl of blackened brussel sprouts. A very sad looking tomato.... And all of a sudden - voila! I had myself a relatively nutritious and absolutely delicious little lunch! Use whatever left-overs you have on hand - I'd even venture to say that a little mashed potato and gravy on oozy cheesy bread might be a bit fantastic.

This may be especially helpful for those of you who just celebrated American Thanksgiving and are about to slit your wrists at the thought of another hot turkey sandwich.... C'mon... who'd slit their wrists over that? Hot turkey sandwiches are awesome. Especially this one from Spoon Fork Bacon.

Now go! Hunt & gather those left overs and be creative! Ain't nothin wrong with a little spontaneous creativity!

Left-Over Lunch Crostinis

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

A Couple Slices of Sourdough Bread.

Some Cheese (I used Gruyere) sliced or grated to top.

1/2 Onion, sliced.

1 Garlic Clove, peeled & halved.

4 Left-Over Blackened Brussel Sprouts, cut in half.

1 Sad Looking Tomato, sliced.

Little Butter, unsalted.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Turn your broiler to high.

As that heats, melt the butter in a medium sized pan over medium heat. Once the butter starts to sizzle, toss in the onion and sprinkle lightly with salt. Cook until onion starts to brown, stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn't burn.

Place the sliced bread on a baking sheet and toast the one side until golden brown. Pull from the heat, rub with the sliced garlic, and top with cheese. Replace under the broiler until cheese just starts to melt.

Top with the brussel sprouts and/or tomatoes (or whatever topping you're using) and the caramelized onion. Replace under the broiler again until heated through and/or the cheese is super melty.

Eat.

This post is linked up with The Hearth and Soul Blog Hop via The 21st Century Housewife, This Chick Cooks, and Love Cookery Blogs.

CSA Week #5

2011-11-30T08:20:00.000-08:00

Happy first day of Christmas vacation everybody!! Wait, maybe that's me not you. Well, happy first day of Christmas vacation me!!

School is done until January (not entirely true - still have to finish one term paper) and it sure feels good to be able to get up and have some time for myself. Being in school is great it's just that your time off work is never your own. It belongs to whatever school assignments need to be done. And after four long years of not having much of my own time I'm about ready for a break. Only one more term to go and come the end of April, I'll be graduated. We can make it!

Speaking of things ending, I think we only have one or two more boxes before our CSA takes their Christmas break until February.

It's this time of year - sans CSA and fresh local market, etc... - that I'm forced to buy my fresh groceries from the supermarket. It's a sad couple months but I guess it'll have to do. This week we pretty much got what I expected - some sort of winter leafy greens, apples, carrots, etc...

But then we also got a beautiful head of green butter lettuce (or a similar variety of such)! Who would have thought that after so much frosty mornings we'd end up with a beautifully fragile head of such amazing greenery?

It just goes to show, life is like a box of CSA produce.... you never know what you're gonna get.

Our total collection this week was:

A butt load of beautiful Fall apples (where did the phrase "butt load" ever come from? gross).
1 bunch of Carrots.
A helping of Green Swiss Chard.
A frighteningly large bulb of kohlrabi.
Some Mei Qing Choi.
2 turnips.
1 head of green butter lettuce (or similar variety).
1 bunch of cilantro.

What's ending or changing in your life right now? What's just beginning? Are you pumped for that change or just a little bit sad?