She stood looking at the tree, eyes squinting against the blazing sun; hand over them, shielding the glare so she could see the luscious purplish black, sack like orbs, stem bent just at a perfect angle for twisting off the tree. Late summer heat waves radiating off the ground as well as from an impossibly blue sky and every other angle were quickly coaxing the figs to perfect ripeness. White milk gushes from the stem as it is separated from the tree, sticky nectar on her willing fingers. Gently splitting open the fig with her thumbs always steals her breath momentarily at the sight of the shades of deep magenta, illegal reds and soft green, a flower unfurling in her hands. With quickening heart and racing pulse she moves the fig closer to her mouth, imperceptibly, shaking with anticipation of the smooth, slippery texture that will move through her lips and onto her tongue, willing the assault of sugar, chocolate and berry onto her taste buds. Trembling slightly she closes her eyes and with a will of their own her hands bring the fig into her warm, waiting mouth and once again she is shocked, dazed as bliss over takes her and she slowly releases a held, exotically perfumed breath, her first taste of Burt’s amazing, ripe, Brown Turkey fig, of a long Brown turkey fig season filled with every concoction she can imagine in her fig wild head.
Honey thickened and rosemary scented balsamic syrup drizzled over a fig half, gently, lovingly stuffed with a pinch of fresh goat cheese. Placed on a fig wood fired grill just long enough to let the cheese believe it is melting. Pushed into a thin, soft layer of hard wheat dough, showered with prosciutto, Manchego and caramelized onions, breathing in intoxicating smells as the pizza bakes only to be dusted with fresh picked thyme and sea salt out of the raging oven.
Another one out of hand, she is still profoundly, physically affected by the texture, smell and taste of that Brown Turkey.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
aahhh......butternut squash
Butternut squash has always been a pivotal vegetable for me. The presence of this squash in the garden and at the market indicates a rising level of excitement in the air. My heart starts to race and I always get a little dizzy and out of body when I think about the risottos and lentils to be concocted out of this smooth amber, elongated treasure. It is hard to imagine that it was almost a year ago that I made butternut squash and orange soup and the pristinely cubed and roasted squash that my son refers to as butternut candy. Just cut the ends off and peel the squash with a vegetable peeler. Slice lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Cut into small cubes and toss with good olive oil and kosher salt and roast at 400* for about 20 minutes. The sugars all get released and start to caramelize and it is a fine little addition to any salad, sauté or just eaten by itself it will give you goose bumps.
It never ceases to amaze me that as soon as my eyes come in contact with the butternut squash, the weather starts to become a ruling factor in my life. All of the sudden we go from the take it for granted hot, to a daily weather event. I find myself saying over and over again how much I adore this time of year around here. The shadows at any given time of day are amazingly different than they were last week. The garden is perking up and losing the washed out look of late summer heat. The air is crisper and I find myself sighing with a smile when the slightest breeze touches my skin. It makes me feel celebratory and I usually throw a party this time of year.
The cooler season vegetables are saying the same thing. The lettuces are sweeter and perkier. The colors and hues are brighter and more pronounced. One can start to imagine the salads that can be created with the baby arugala and frisee, the red leaf Lola Rosa and romaines. The thought of current crop olive oil and new cheeses make me want to sing out loud. Add some fresh walnuts or almonds and pears or apples and well let’s just say it is something that is to be shared with a special one or twenty.
When I am hiking in Briones or the Laffayette hills the colors that come out at you are astounding. On the top of a high ridge I sat down to have a luscious snack of some Alhambra Valley Bartlett pears and blue cheese and after I had taken a few bites and I was able to focus, I looked around and I was sitting in the middle of the orb weaver spider’s commune. There were literally hundreds of these tiger eye colored, huge spiders, one to each web just hanging out probably wondering which one had invited me to their party. The sight of it and the realization of their numbers actually stopped me from eating for a minute.
Pomegranates are in the markets and the fuyu persimmons are already here. I always love to see the scarlet orbs of the pomegranates hanging in a tree next to a persimmon tree. Such contrasts are special to me and never fail to keep me looking in people’s back yards when I am out walking in the neighborhood. What....you don't look in peoples back yards...liar!
Starting to be a nice time of year....my favorite!
It never ceases to amaze me that as soon as my eyes come in contact with the butternut squash, the weather starts to become a ruling factor in my life. All of the sudden we go from the take it for granted hot, to a daily weather event. I find myself saying over and over again how much I adore this time of year around here. The shadows at any given time of day are amazingly different than they were last week. The garden is perking up and losing the washed out look of late summer heat. The air is crisper and I find myself sighing with a smile when the slightest breeze touches my skin. It makes me feel celebratory and I usually throw a party this time of year.
The cooler season vegetables are saying the same thing. The lettuces are sweeter and perkier. The colors and hues are brighter and more pronounced. One can start to imagine the salads that can be created with the baby arugala and frisee, the red leaf Lola Rosa and romaines. The thought of current crop olive oil and new cheeses make me want to sing out loud. Add some fresh walnuts or almonds and pears or apples and well let’s just say it is something that is to be shared with a special one or twenty.
When I am hiking in Briones or the Laffayette hills the colors that come out at you are astounding. On the top of a high ridge I sat down to have a luscious snack of some Alhambra Valley Bartlett pears and blue cheese and after I had taken a few bites and I was able to focus, I looked around and I was sitting in the middle of the orb weaver spider’s commune. There were literally hundreds of these tiger eye colored, huge spiders, one to each web just hanging out probably wondering which one had invited me to their party. The sight of it and the realization of their numbers actually stopped me from eating for a minute.
Pomegranates are in the markets and the fuyu persimmons are already here. I always love to see the scarlet orbs of the pomegranates hanging in a tree next to a persimmon tree. Such contrasts are special to me and never fail to keep me looking in people’s back yards when I am out walking in the neighborhood. What....you don't look in peoples back yards...liar!
Starting to be a nice time of year....my favorite!
the eat in and other school food related stuff
The Slow Food Eat In, Delta Diablo Chapter style was a success by our standards meaning that there were not hundreds of people but the ones that did show signed up to join our Slow Food chapter and become involved in some action! Yay! We had a nice crowd and some delectable offerings and the big shade trees at Las Lomas provided awesome lazing about on a hot day atmosphere. I will say that I am disappointed that Las Lomas felt that they had to charge us a rental fee to use such a small area of a public school for a school related cause. Andy at C and M party Rentals gave us the use of tables and chairs for our event FREE! Whole Foods and Frog Hollow Farms donated some amazing Frog Hollow peaches and Kristie Knoll from Knoll Organic Farm donated the biggest treasure of all, her incredibly sought after figs. So why the school felt the need to force us to dip into our meager funds and pay them almost 400 bucks that would have otherwise been spent on our Diablo Community Day School Garden. This is the school in the area where the students attend that have been expelled from all other schools. Sort of a last ditch effort and we have built, with the students help as well as funding from Kaiser, Slow Food and Orchard Nursery, an amazing garden! That money should be there instead of in the coffers of the school district. After all we had our own insurance....http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/time_for_lunch-detail/slow_food_delta_diablo_eat_in/
Anyway we got a whole of signatures for the Child Nutrition Act petition http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/time_for_lunch/
Gail Wadsworth is the muscle behind our chapter and maintains the blog and without her and her husband Peter as well as head tabler Lucy, this event would not have been possible. Thank you!!!
Anyway we got a whole of signatures for the Child Nutrition Act petition http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/campaign/time_for_lunch/
Gail Wadsworth is the muscle behind our chapter and maintains the blog and without her and her husband Peter as well as head tabler Lucy, this event would not have been possible. Thank you!!!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Slow Food helps with school lunches
Join us for a community pot-luck picnic at Las Lomas High School in Walnut Creek.This event is free!We are gathering in support of healthy school lunches. This is one of over 200 eat-ins being staged across the US on September 7 this year to send a message to Congress. As a national day of action, Slow Food is hoping to persuade our members of Congress to increase funding to school lunches and make a commitment to improving the quality of food served to our children every day.Bring your friends and family! For the month of September only,new donations to Slow Food at any level will provide a one-year membership in Slow Food USA. This is a wonderful time to join Slow Food and support good, clean and fair food.So gather with neighbors and others who share your views on feeding our children and have fun at Las Lomas on September 7.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Sex in the kitchen and other summer treats
Peach and Lavender Jam
5 cups of ripe peaches, peeled and crushed up
2 tablespoons lavender blossoms, crushed
Finely grated peel from 1 large lemon
Juice from said lemon
4 cups sugar
1 3 ounce package of low sugar pectin
1 tablespoon of butter
Mix together the peaches, lemon juice and lavender blossoms. Measure out 5 cups and place in a large, non reactive heavy bottom pot.
Mix ¼ cup sugar with the pectin and stir into fruit. Throw in the butter. Bring to a hard rolling boil and add the rest of the sugar. Bring to a hard rolling boil and boil 1 minute more. Place in sterilized jars with new lids and process in water bath for 10 minutes. Whenit is particularly hot, which is most of jamming season, I like to close all the curtains, turn on all the fans and don my apron and nthing else to make my jam in a comfortable, non binding atmosphere.....yum.
Fresh Corn and Tomato Risotto
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, chopped fine
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cups Aborio rice
1 cup white wine
7 to eight cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups fresh corn cut off the cob
1 cup chopped fresh heirloom tomatoes, your choice
½ bunch chopped fresh basil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Manchego cheese for grating on top
In a medium saucepan, heat the stock. Heat olive oil in a wide heavy pan. Add the onion and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes and add the rice. Sauté the rice until opaque in color. Add the wine and let simmer for a minute. Add the stock a ½ cup at a time allowing it to absorb after each addition stirring constantly. The rice will become creamy. Taste occasionally to check for tenderness. Add tomatoes and basil and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with cheese. Serve at once.
Serves 4 to 6.
Eggplant, Summer Squash and Heirloom Tomato Tian
4 Japanese eggplants, peeled and sliced lengthwise and grilled
4 yellow squash, sliced lengthwise and grilled
4 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced crosswise
1 pound chevre, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
kosher salt
On 4 separate plates, arrange a slice of tomato. Follow with a slice of squash and then a slice of eggplant. Sprinkle with a bit of rosemary and add a slice of chevre. Repeat w/ remaining slices of vegetables and cheese. Sprinkle w/ olive oil and vinegar and season w/ salt. Serves 4.
Grapes w/ Fresh Pecorino and Basil
2 pounds assorted grapes, washed and cut in half
1 pound fresh Pecorino cheese, cut into small cubes
1 bunch of basil, chiffonade
3 tablespoons good olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Toss all together in a bowl and season w/ salt and pepper. Serves 4 to 6.
5 cups of ripe peaches, peeled and crushed up
2 tablespoons lavender blossoms, crushed
Finely grated peel from 1 large lemon
Juice from said lemon
4 cups sugar
1 3 ounce package of low sugar pectin
1 tablespoon of butter
Mix together the peaches, lemon juice and lavender blossoms. Measure out 5 cups and place in a large, non reactive heavy bottom pot.
Mix ¼ cup sugar with the pectin and stir into fruit. Throw in the butter. Bring to a hard rolling boil and add the rest of the sugar. Bring to a hard rolling boil and boil 1 minute more. Place in sterilized jars with new lids and process in water bath for 10 minutes. Whenit is particularly hot, which is most of jamming season, I like to close all the curtains, turn on all the fans and don my apron and nthing else to make my jam in a comfortable, non binding atmosphere.....yum.
Fresh Corn and Tomato Risotto
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, chopped fine
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cups Aborio rice
1 cup white wine
7 to eight cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups fresh corn cut off the cob
1 cup chopped fresh heirloom tomatoes, your choice
½ bunch chopped fresh basil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Manchego cheese for grating on top
In a medium saucepan, heat the stock. Heat olive oil in a wide heavy pan. Add the onion and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes and add the rice. Sauté the rice until opaque in color. Add the wine and let simmer for a minute. Add the stock a ½ cup at a time allowing it to absorb after each addition stirring constantly. The rice will become creamy. Taste occasionally to check for tenderness. Add tomatoes and basil and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with cheese. Serve at once.
Serves 4 to 6.
Eggplant, Summer Squash and Heirloom Tomato Tian
4 Japanese eggplants, peeled and sliced lengthwise and grilled
4 yellow squash, sliced lengthwise and grilled
4 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced crosswise
1 pound chevre, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
kosher salt
On 4 separate plates, arrange a slice of tomato. Follow with a slice of squash and then a slice of eggplant. Sprinkle with a bit of rosemary and add a slice of chevre. Repeat w/ remaining slices of vegetables and cheese. Sprinkle w/ olive oil and vinegar and season w/ salt. Serves 4.
Grapes w/ Fresh Pecorino and Basil
2 pounds assorted grapes, washed and cut in half
1 pound fresh Pecorino cheese, cut into small cubes
1 bunch of basil, chiffonade
3 tablespoons good olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Toss all together in a bowl and season w/ salt and pepper. Serves 4 to 6.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Sun Gold cherry tomatoes promote world peace
Bright orange with a tiny radiating green tinge at the stem, tasting of summer memories while running a length of wet, slippery plastic on crabgrass, Sun Gold cherry tomatoes are the closest taste to a real tomato I have had the pleasure of savoring in recent years. Hands down first choice in the ground in spring and always the first variety to pop up volunteer style in my garden. Initial little yellow babies harvested never make it past the outside branches of the plant. Savored in the garden, hot, with long, guttural sighs, they will not make it into the house for a couple of weeks.
Once inside they grace everything we eat for as long as they produce well into fall. Lucky recipients of my food always wonder at the origin of the luscious little yellow tomato. Uninitiated ignorantly wonder at the ripeness or readiness of the yellow tomato. I laugh in private. Not to be confused with the yellow pear tomato, oh no. Sorry for you if you make that mistake at the nursery. It is like having your baby switched. Pears are mealy and watery, resembling a store bought Mexican tomato in winter no matter how ripe they get on the vine. I also planted a green grape cherry tomato along with a host of others this year. Green Grape runs a close second to the Sun Gold. Visions of big, fat heirloom tomatoes come to mind while devouring the succulent cherry Green Grape.
After you have had enough little cherry tomatoes sucked directly off the vine, it is time to tote in having some fun in the kitchen toying with your tasty little muse. Halve tomatoes and toss with cilantro, chopped jalapeño, tiny bit of garlic, some finely chopped red onion and lube up with some really good olive oil and rice vinegar, crack the salt and use this for grilled fish or chicken or silky marinated grilled tofu.
Tossed with some nice sheep’s milk feta, chiffonade basil, and a very good olive oil with a few cracks of sea salt, this base can used to flavor hot or cold pasta or quinoa, spread on croutons or lusty hunks of great bread or just spread on your body to be licked off by a willing partner. Add Greek olives, lettuce, pita chips and cucumbers tossing with mint, cilantro, lemon, cumin and olive oil for an astounding salad. Awesome by itself or with a sizzling spiced chicken breast, pulled off the grill with all the juices soaking into your salad creating this hot/cold yin/yang breathtaking, demanding a moment of silence, physically stimulating entrée. Be sure to share with a very close friend as the sun sinks and the crickets commence with the concert.
Just my thoughts on the dazzling little Sun Gold cherry type tomato.
Once inside they grace everything we eat for as long as they produce well into fall. Lucky recipients of my food always wonder at the origin of the luscious little yellow tomato. Uninitiated ignorantly wonder at the ripeness or readiness of the yellow tomato. I laugh in private. Not to be confused with the yellow pear tomato, oh no. Sorry for you if you make that mistake at the nursery. It is like having your baby switched. Pears are mealy and watery, resembling a store bought Mexican tomato in winter no matter how ripe they get on the vine. I also planted a green grape cherry tomato along with a host of others this year. Green Grape runs a close second to the Sun Gold. Visions of big, fat heirloom tomatoes come to mind while devouring the succulent cherry Green Grape.
After you have had enough little cherry tomatoes sucked directly off the vine, it is time to tote in having some fun in the kitchen toying with your tasty little muse. Halve tomatoes and toss with cilantro, chopped jalapeño, tiny bit of garlic, some finely chopped red onion and lube up with some really good olive oil and rice vinegar, crack the salt and use this for grilled fish or chicken or silky marinated grilled tofu.
Tossed with some nice sheep’s milk feta, chiffonade basil, and a very good olive oil with a few cracks of sea salt, this base can used to flavor hot or cold pasta or quinoa, spread on croutons or lusty hunks of great bread or just spread on your body to be licked off by a willing partner. Add Greek olives, lettuce, pita chips and cucumbers tossing with mint, cilantro, lemon, cumin and olive oil for an astounding salad. Awesome by itself or with a sizzling spiced chicken breast, pulled off the grill with all the juices soaking into your salad creating this hot/cold yin/yang breathtaking, demanding a moment of silence, physically stimulating entrée. Be sure to share with a very close friend as the sun sinks and the crickets commence with the concert.
Just my thoughts on the dazzling little Sun Gold cherry type tomato.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Food Inc., the sad truth about the food machine in America
After viewing Food Inc. recently I was struck to devastating sadness. I cried much to the embarrasment of my son. Of course the horrendous treatment to the animals or the even worse treatment to undocumented workers in the slaughter houses or even the way the chicken farmers are indebted to the Big 5 is sickening. More than anything in the film though, was towards the end, flashed on the movie screen were the business cards of some top officials in the United States government. Almost all, either cabinet officials, senators, congressmen, people making the rules for us. People that we elect, year after year in trust that they are of our party, our beliefs and looking out for our best interests. As suddenly as the cards appeared on the screen, they flipped over and showed the same name with the job title each of these top officials, top law makers, each held with one of the Big 5. It struck me how stupid I must be, how trusting. Then it struck me that I am indeed an intelligent person researching issues, listening to public radio, trying to get somewhat unskewed news versions of current events. What about the people that don’t even read a newspaper but get all their knowledge off some conservative news station? We are all being duped in a very big way and it made me sad. These people don’t give a shit about what is best for anyone but themselves and their re-election campaigns. That made me sad.
I worship at the alter of food and social justice. I buy local and organic, support farms, try to recycle everything and compost even more. I teach kids how to grow their own food and take responsibility for their lives. I teach kids as well as adults how to cook and make healthier food choices. I like to think that I know a bit about the deplorable circumstances surrounding most conventionally grown and produced food and animals. I have read all of Michael Pollan’s books and seen him speak several times. I attended Slow Food Nation Conferences for a week. That is why with a very small income, I place more emphasis on my food dollars than on my new sheet and shoe dollars. But those folks on Capitol Hill making these decisions that perpetuate the unjust and horrible food system in the United States as well as other parts of the world make me feel as if my efforts could never be enough in the face of the money and deals that go down in our Nations capitol and that makes me sad.
The Big 5, the five companies that control our food system in America and other parts of the world have a whole lot of aliases. For example Cargill can be Colgate and Tyson can be Natures Bounty and Monsanto can be Nestle and well, you get the picture here. They own everything. If a person wants to be a large chicken farmer in America they need to start somewhere right? So they call the Tyson people and they start to cast the magic spell on these unsuspecting and possibly quite down and out individuals that have a piece of land. First they will need chicken houses and Tyson can help them with a seemingly low interest loan for a few hundred thousand dollars to build a state of the art Tyson chicken house. That is probably where the contracts comes in, when everyone is still on a honeymoon high and aren’t really reading all that fine print. Then they get the chickens. Tyson’s choice of course, contractually. The food? Yep, Tyson’s choice. The way the chicks are raised? Yes again. Everything thing that has anything to do with those chickens is what Tyson says. What if you don’t like the practice, it turns your stomach and goes against your morals? Tough shit, you signed a water tight contract for 7 years and you are stuck because you will lose EVERYTHING if you walk away. It is a sad truth about conventionally grown chickens. But it is the same with seeds. In that film there is this little old guy that does seed cleaning. He goes around Iowa or Nebraska with a little machine on the back of his truck that gets all the chaff and rocks out of seeds so that you can use them again for next years crop. Monsanto sued him for encouraging the reuse of THEIR round up ready patented seeds. He says he has nothing to do with where the seeds come from or if the farmer he is working for chooses to reuse seeds that he purchased from Monsanto. He does not know where the seeds were purchased and most of his clients are not customers of Monsanto anyway. They shut him down. Ran his legal funds out, ran his life savings out. The man is broke and without a business that his grandfather started a hundred years ago because Monsanto had to stop him. They were threatened by him I guess. What is that mentality? That makes me sad.
I will keep voting and researching issues and teaching kids and buying local and growing my own food and raising my own chickens but jeez….it is a sad truth about the food system in America today and only reinforces the happy truth that we need to, can and will, slowly, but surely through voting with our dollars, buying local and keeping up on the issues, change the food system in America.
I worship at the alter of food and social justice. I buy local and organic, support farms, try to recycle everything and compost even more. I teach kids how to grow their own food and take responsibility for their lives. I teach kids as well as adults how to cook and make healthier food choices. I like to think that I know a bit about the deplorable circumstances surrounding most conventionally grown and produced food and animals. I have read all of Michael Pollan’s books and seen him speak several times. I attended Slow Food Nation Conferences for a week. That is why with a very small income, I place more emphasis on my food dollars than on my new sheet and shoe dollars. But those folks on Capitol Hill making these decisions that perpetuate the unjust and horrible food system in the United States as well as other parts of the world make me feel as if my efforts could never be enough in the face of the money and deals that go down in our Nations capitol and that makes me sad.
The Big 5, the five companies that control our food system in America and other parts of the world have a whole lot of aliases. For example Cargill can be Colgate and Tyson can be Natures Bounty and Monsanto can be Nestle and well, you get the picture here. They own everything. If a person wants to be a large chicken farmer in America they need to start somewhere right? So they call the Tyson people and they start to cast the magic spell on these unsuspecting and possibly quite down and out individuals that have a piece of land. First they will need chicken houses and Tyson can help them with a seemingly low interest loan for a few hundred thousand dollars to build a state of the art Tyson chicken house. That is probably where the contracts comes in, when everyone is still on a honeymoon high and aren’t really reading all that fine print. Then they get the chickens. Tyson’s choice of course, contractually. The food? Yep, Tyson’s choice. The way the chicks are raised? Yes again. Everything thing that has anything to do with those chickens is what Tyson says. What if you don’t like the practice, it turns your stomach and goes against your morals? Tough shit, you signed a water tight contract for 7 years and you are stuck because you will lose EVERYTHING if you walk away. It is a sad truth about conventionally grown chickens. But it is the same with seeds. In that film there is this little old guy that does seed cleaning. He goes around Iowa or Nebraska with a little machine on the back of his truck that gets all the chaff and rocks out of seeds so that you can use them again for next years crop. Monsanto sued him for encouraging the reuse of THEIR round up ready patented seeds. He says he has nothing to do with where the seeds come from or if the farmer he is working for chooses to reuse seeds that he purchased from Monsanto. He does not know where the seeds were purchased and most of his clients are not customers of Monsanto anyway. They shut him down. Ran his legal funds out, ran his life savings out. The man is broke and without a business that his grandfather started a hundred years ago because Monsanto had to stop him. They were threatened by him I guess. What is that mentality? That makes me sad.
I will keep voting and researching issues and teaching kids and buying local and growing my own food and raising my own chickens but jeez….it is a sad truth about the food system in America today and only reinforces the happy truth that we need to, can and will, slowly, but surely through voting with our dollars, buying local and keeping up on the issues, change the food system in America.
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