Stick a Fork In It...

A Summer Potluck

  

Summer is all about dirt. Oh, and sweat, lots of sweat. Those are two of the most important components of summertime, and the potent combination that produces delicious, fresh fruits and vegetables. Just ask any farmer: none of the bounty you see at a farmer's market can be produced without plenty of both! On a recent trip back to Nashville, I had the opportunity to witness this firsthand at a local farm, Sulphur Creek Farm with a long, lost childhood friend, Tallu.

However, before I tell you about Sulphur Creek Farm I'd like to share another food-related effort. Through Facebook (see, it's good for something!), I had been following Tallu's work as Program Director of the local chapter of a non-profit organization called Mobile Loaves and Fishes (MLF). After many status updates and photo uploads of beautiful farm-fresh produce, I knew that I wanted to know about whatever it was she seemed to be doing. So we set up an opportunity to chat during my visit home. Lucky for me, this opportunity meant an invitation to a summer potluck at the aforementioned Sulphur Creek Farm, of which Tallu is a CSA member. But before we trekked out to the farm, we took a quick peek at the MLF Nashville headquarters, at Woodmont Christian Church. MLF is delivers food and supplies to homeless and others in need via special catering trucks. The Nashville chapter now has two trucks that visit 20 different locations each week, delivering freshly prepared meals to those who need it most. Additionally, the program has begun it's own version of Alice Waters' Edible Schoolyard! Behind their headquarters (which is an old house, complete with kitchen) is a small garden, worked by underprivileged kids. The youths work in the garden, learn about nutrition and work together to prepare meals together. It's a beautiful lesson in how important food is to all of us- it is the hub for healthy family interactions and healthy kids, inside and out. MLF is doing great work in Nashville, and I wish I were able to participate in the amazing things they're growing there!

So, on to the farm. Sulphur Creek Farm is amazingly close to the heart of a growing urban landscape. Only 15 minutes or so out of town, and you're driving down rural roads in lush, hilly Tennessee farmland. Before I knew it, we were turning into Sulphur Creek Farm, part of the Bells Bend Neighborhood Farms community. This community of four (I think) farms began as an answer to the need for sustainable development to support the community economically and culturally. The area has been repeatedly threatened with urban development. This growing community hopes to preserve the environmental, historical, and cultural significance of the area. I am woefully uneducated on this issue, but having visited the farm I can see that it is worth fighting for...

Upon arriving we deposited our dish (Summer Tomato Pudding from Judy Rodger's Zuni Cafe Cookbook) and took a stroll around the farm. On this particular evening, industrious farm staff were planting sweet potato plants while farm dogs roamed about and the cicadas began their twilight roar.The farm is biodynamic, loosely meaning that they rotate their crops to nourish and maintain the land... it's subject I'd like to learn more about. There are also free range cows that graze on the land. Awww, happy cows!

 

The building in the above photo is where the summer interns live, and where the potluck takes place. They live on the farm all summer, learning the inner workings and coming up with solutions for better practices. Below, you can see their living quarters, complete with bedrolls and acoustic instruments. There was a banjo in there somewhere, too. Garlic hangs everywhere, drying.

These pickles (below) were sour pickles, onions and fennel. But they were really just sour cucumbers, as they were not truly pickled, but brined in salt and water with a few spices, making them raw, living food. Next to that beautiful bowl are some chickpea fritters and cucumber raita.

 
 

Dinner began with the joining of hands, the reading of a poem and a prayer for rain, a much needed respite from the scorching heat.

 

Being here felt like remembering the lyrics to a song I'd heard many years ago, but couldn't quite remember.It reminded me of running barefoot through the rows of corn in my grandfather's garden, eating big plates of fresh tomatoes and bowls of crowder peas at my grandmother's kitchen table, and watching sourdough rise by the hearth. It reminded me of the magnetic pull of the hills of Tennessee (ain't no place I'd rather be, than scratching in the dirt of Tennessee). It showed me a direction in which to point myself, as I begin my journey into the world of food (fodder for another post, at another time).

Eventually night fell, and dinner was over. The dishes were washed and dried and the kitchen became a beacon of light in the dark. We piled back in the car, full and happy, and headed back home, leaving the farm to the farmers.

What the World Eats, Part I

What the World Eats, Part I.

Wow. Interesting that the families with less to spend seem to end up with more fruits and vegetables... obviously you're not going to be buying frozen pizza in Peru (right?!) but somehow fresh food seems more prevalent. Am I making gross generalizations here?

What do y'all think, readers? Any insights after looking through this slideshow? How much do you spend on groceries per week?

Weight Watchers Recipe Cards Circa 1974- Read at Your own Risk

via www.candyboots.com

I shared these on facebook or twitter a while ago, but this is too amazing not to post here. They are a bunch of Weight Watchers recipe cards from 1974, apparently a truly stellar time for food in America.

What on EARTH were people thinking?!? Anyone who might have eaten on of these things, can you tell us a little bit more about WHY? I just love the styling in each one... especially the mushroom family... see what happens to bad little mushrooms?!

Make sure you read every description- and pay attention to the page titles at the very top of the browser windows! They're hilarious!

It's Thyme to Party!

"O the green things growing, the green things growing,
The faint sweet smell of the green things growing!
I should like to live, whether I smile or grieve,
Just to watch the happy life of my green things growing."
-   Dinah Maria Mulock Craik

SPRING IS HERE!!! Well, it officially arrives tomorrow, but according to the herbs on my balcony, Mother Nature is ready to PARTY. This morning, suspicious that the weather was fantastic, I opened the door to the balcony and peered out. Not only was the sun shining and the weather balmy(ish), but the herbs I had left for dead over the winter had somehow revived themselves! Small, green leaves are sprouting in the midst of the dead branches of my rosemary, thyme, sage,oregano, and lavender.... and the CHIVES! These chives have never looked so healthy! All summer long they flopped lankily next to the oregano, sad and wilty no matter how much water they slurped up.

Look at the picture below- those crazy chives are even blooming! Unfortunately, the aloe plant in the background did not fare as well.  It now resembles a dead octopus, and is probably no longer very effective as a homeopathic burn remedy. God knows I need one of those on hand.

Seriously though, these plants lived through Snowmaggedon 2010. When the snow first hit, I threw a trashbag over them to keep them out of direct contact and just crossed my fingers. Who knew they would be so resilient? I can't wait for them to grow a bit stronger and more abundant so that I may feast on them once more! They seem to be thriving, and it makes me wonder if perhaps the constant sun they experienced last summer was keeping them from their full potential? They've reached this stage of growth sitting in mostly shade, so I'm starting to wonder... Anyone have any thoughts on this?

The sage, lavender and oregano did great last summer, but the chives, thyme and rosemary seemed a bit stunted. If anyone has any great tips on growing herbs, let me know! In the meantime, I will just enjoy the reemergence of greenery on my balcony.

Happy Friday!

 

Above: Thyme tentatively sprouting leaves in the corner

 

Above: delicate little bits of green appearing on the lavender.

 

From TheKitchn.com: How To Make Cream Biscuits In Less Than 15 Minutes

via www.thekitchn.com

On a whim, I made these for breakfast today! They stand up to all that this article promises...tasty, fluffy and fast! Slathered them with butter and blueberry preserves and enjoyed them with some Stumptown Holler Mtn. coffee... happy Saturday!

¡Bienvenido a Miami!

So you guys might have heard about a little snow action that's been going on up in the DC area... you know, about three or so feet of it?! Anyway, we're all tired of talking/hearing/thinking about it. Lucky for me, I missed just about the whole thing!

How you ask? Fate. A pre-planned visit to Boca Raton to visit the parents of S. took us out of the path of the Abominable Snowstorm, or as many called it, Snowmaggedon. Our weekend visit turned into a week as we watched DC get pounded by snow over and over again- but who's complaining? I should send US Airways a thank you letter for postponing our flight so many times. We basked in the sun, visited with the family and were fed many delicious meals. So as we rescheduled our flight once again, the airlines gave us the option to stay through the weekend, rather than cram ourselves onto their desperately overbooked flights. Our answer? We're going to Miami, bitches.

(ps this is not where we stayed, but isn't it a gorgeous picture? That is an amazing mint condition 50's Porsche...fabulous!)

So we made our way down to Miami for some more feasting and a little more sun (although it was cold by Miami standards- 65 degrees!). I LOVED Miami! Even though I don't quite fit into the status quo down there (think luxury cars, models, christian louboutin, tiny designer dogs) I loved the vibe. Art, music, good food, passionate people and let's not forget THE BEACH. I'm DYING to go back for another little vacay, and perhaps do some more cultural exploration, like visit the Vizcaya House. For this little spontaneous trip we mostly just walked around, ate and chilled out. Here I will give you a brief synopsis of a few things we ate and did. Unfortunately, the only camera I had was an iPhone!! Shame, Shame!

Maiko Sushi

Rolled up in here for some super tasty sushi and sake bombs...we also happened to catch the opening ceremony of the winter olympics. This sashimi included tuna, white fish and salmon nestled into a ceramic conch shell. We also had a plethora of other rolls that were quite tasty. 

Van Dyke Cafe

We stopped into this cute café for some mid-afternoon, mid-windowshopping snacks. Looking at things you can't have makes you hungry! To satisfy our hunger, we ordered this interesting looking calamari and a caprese salad. Somehow the tomatoes in Miami were great! Or at least way, way better than anything we're eating up in the frigid North... The calamari was grilled, and came with two really tasty, spicy sauces. Again, bonus points for cartoon squid presentation. I also had a fresh daquiri here- to my chagrin it showed up as a frozen drink (I had been anticipating the original style, shaken) but quickly redeemed itself by being super minty and fabulous tasting. It was gone too quickly to photograph, alas. 

Michael's Genuine Food and Drink

Um. This place is the happiest place on earth, get outta here Disney World! Seriously, the food here was exquisite. I might have cried a little after the first few bites. We ate there for brunch and had the following:

• Kimchi Mary (spicy bloody mary with kimchi and rock shrimp garnish)
• wild salmon-fennel hash with fresh tumeric and an organic fried egg
• wood oven roasted moulard duck egg in local heirloom tomato and chickpea stew, ricotta and rosemary flat bread
• slow roasted fudge farms pork shoulder on cheese grits with a poached egg, parsely sauce and pickled onion
• lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberry compote
• almond french toast stuffed with caramelized pears

Needless to say, everything was a "small plate" so S. and I shared everything. The service was fabulous, the space was entirely gorgeous and it was located in the Design District of Miami, across from the most wondeful Christian Louboutin store you've EVER SEEN. I LOVED IT SO SO SOSOSOSOSOSOSOSOMUCH. Next time (and there WILL be a next time), it's dinnertime.

Tapas y Tintos

Oh, this place was just perfect. Cute little restaurant on Espanola Way that served us so many of the favorites I enjoyed during my time in Spain. Chorizos a la sidra, patatas bravas, manchego, croquetas and more, all washed down with some crianza. While we were there, a couple got engaged which was extremely exciting! She was in the middle of a huge bite though, which made things kind of hilarious as she tried to chew through it to say yes. As we finished up our meal, men started squeezing through the tables to set up some music equipment on a little platform that had been previously unnoticed. We were sure that some horrid music would be played in our faces... and then the flamenco dancers arrived. I LOVE flamenco! We sat there, mesmerized for quite some time as these ladies stomped out their version of a soap opera in song and dance. The entire place was packed to the brim and filled with shouts of encouragement and claps as they reached Mach 5 with their feet. ¡Que perfecto!

All in all, a fantastic gift of a weekend. I couldn't have asked for a better companion, or a better place to spend Valentine's (sans pink, red, hearts or chocolate, thank god!).

¡Besos!

Hey Lil Guys...

Just a little reminder of summer...I took this picture in August. And I'll tell you something right now- if these lil guys were still around they would be lovingly swaddled in the center of a figgy pudding. Whatever that actually is.

Fork It Over: Momofuku Noodle Bar

 

For the past few years I've had my eye on David Chang (who hasn't?), beginning with this article about him in the New Yorker. He's got one sassy attitude, but it seems to me, a good one. And when I read that he pals around with Alice Waters, I developed a bit more of an interest. After all, I have admired Ms. Waters since childhood, when I began cooking the recipes out of her children's book Fanny at Chez Panisse. If she has befriended this guy, then he surely has something going on.

Since the aforementioned article was published (2008), Chang has continued to rocket to chef celeb status and opened several more enterprises. This past weekend I had the pleasure of dining at his first restaurant, Momofuku Noodle Bar. There are so many places in NYC that need to be crossed off the damn list already, and this one has been lurking around forever. After a week full of turkey and all that jazz, I needed something to excite the t-buds.

When we arrived, Momofuku Noodle Bar (MNB) was hustling and bustling. Yet while everyone in there was loudly consuming noodles and the staff was darting about to accommodate them, nothing felt chaotic or out of control. My dining companion and I waited a few minutes and were seated at the noodle bar. Deciding against the lunchtime prixe fixe (which looked delicious) we decided to order a handful of items a la carte. While we perused, S. ordered a Lagunitas IPA and I ordered the Apple Cider Shoju SLUSHIE. It was so refreshing- I ordered the small, which is a huge mistake. Only order the large, or you will live to regret it.

First we had a soy-poached egg. Um, hi. I'm going to need like 9 of these next time. It was the perfect texture, perfect saltiness, topped with scallions and some kind of crunchy onion garnish. My half was gone in two bites. Then we shared an order of steamed shiitake mushroom buns, smoked chicken wings and the Momofuku Ramen.

Everything was savory, and had several layers of flavor. The shiitake buns were plump and soft, filled with salty, shriveled mushrooms and god knows what. I just wanted to get it in my mouthal region as fast as possible. Then came the smoked chicken wings with pickled chili, garlic and scallions. These little guys were blazingly hot when they arrived, their crispy skin sizzling in a dark soy glaze. I snarfed these up in a timely fashion, scraping up the scallions and pickled chili with the wings themselves. Then I scraped up the sauce with my fingers. That I licked. They were finger-licking good, alright?!

Finally (and all of this was happening relatively swiftly, mind you), the ramen arrived. What a steamy bowl of goodness. And good lookin' as all get out. The pictures we snapped with the iPhone don't do it justice, but you get the general idea- awesome.The ramen had noodles, pork belly, pork shoulder, fish cakes, and a poached egg...oh the egg. It was just snuggled there in the ramen noodles like a diamond in the rough. Unfortunately I was forced to stab it with my chopsticks to release the creamy yolk into the broth, but it was quite lovely while it lasted. 

I had a great time. I wasn't expecting David Chang to be there performing acts of culinary magic or anything, but I did expect the orderly, positive experience I had there- oh, and the amazing food. The service was friendly and helpful and what little I spied of it, the kitchen seemed to be whirring along pleasantly. So, now that I've checked MNB off the list, Ko is on deck. CHOMP!

The Holy Grail of Beer: Sam Adams Utopias Dinner

Beer: it’s what’s for dinner. Or, rather it’s what is paired with dinner these days. While beer has spent years paired with dinner (pizza and pitchers anyone?), it is now finally getting the respect it deserves through elaborate, gourmet pairing dinners like the one I was lucky enough to attend last Thursday. Last week’s dinner was hosted by Samuel Adams, a historic Boston brand from The Boston Beer Company and quaffed by a tribe of incredibly loyal beer drinkers. My encounters with Sam Adams have always been pleasant, but not profound…until last week.  

The four-course pairing dinner was held at Vidalia, a restaurant in the heart of downtown DC featuring “American cuisine with a Southern accent”, in honor of one of Sam Adams’ crown jewels– Utopias. Touted as the first American “extreme beer”, Utopias is one-of-a-kind. Dark, strong and un-carbonated, Utopias is meant to be enjoyed in a snifter, like a fine cognac or port. It is brewed with several different strains of yeast, and an impressive blend of salts and hops that give the beer its complex flavor. Brewed every two years, beginning with the first batch in 2009, Utopias offers drinkers a plethora of flavors that changes from year to year. This year’s batch was aged in hand-selected Buffalo Trace bourbon casks, resulting in rich cinnamon, vanilla and maple notes, then finished in sherry casks from Spain and port casks from Portugal. Certainly Utopias lives up to its name, resulting in a drinking experience that is resoundingly satisfying, unique and intoxicating. I hesitate to pronounce anything as perfect, but as the winner of the Guinness Book of World Record’s title of ‘World’s Strongest Beer’, Utopias isn’t far off…  

However, before I rhapsodize further on the fun to be had with Utopias, there was an entire four-course meal to be enjoyed and praised. Chef RJ Cooper, a self-proclaimed “beer man”, was on hand to explain each dish and the thinking behind his pairing. It was exciting to hear how much of his menu incorporates local farms and orchards from VA, MD and PA. And at the onset of each new course Grant Wood, Senior Brewing Manager at Sam Adams, was eager to explain and extol the virtues of each beer on the table. I’ll start from the top

First Course:  Sonoma foie gras served with Mirabelle plum gelee, compressed ruby plums, brioche and cranberry, paired with Samuel Adams Cranberry Lambic. More like a terrine, the foie gras was creamy and pudding-like in consistency. The fattiness of the dish was an excellent foil to the crisp, almost sour, flavor of the lambic. This disappeared in a matter of moments.  

Second Course: This was the surprise lightning round. When challenged (jokingly) 45 minutes earlier to create one more dish/pairing, Chef Cooper rose to the occasion, serving one more extra-special dish. Diners were presented with a lovely white truffle risotto, reduced with Samuel Adams Coastal Wheat and topped with hand-shaved, fresh white truffles. You can imagine the moaning of foodies throughout the room. The pleasantly overwhelming umami flavor of the truffles was an interesting contrast to the robust wheat flavors found in Coastal Wheat, a twist on the Hefeweizen style.  

Third Course: Suckling pig stuffed with pork sausage, atop a puree of smoked sweet potatoes. Because of a recent glut of wet weather, the planned accompaniment of morrow beans from a local Amish farm could not be harvested, and had to be replaced with the sweet potatoes. Not a hardship, let me tell you. This dish was paired with the Samuel Adams Boston Lager, a classic. One of my tablemates had requested a vegetarian meal, which did not disappoint– he received a farm fresh poached egg with roasted potatoes covered with MORE SHAVED WHITE TRUFFLES. Insanity.

Fourth Course: Seckel pear and spiced biscuit served with wild ginger ice cream and caramel, paired with the Samuel Adams Winter Lager. Unfortunately this was devoured before I could capture photographic evidence. The ice cream was crafted using wild ginger from First Step Produce in Maryland, one of the only local purveyors of the rare-ish and highly sought after root. The pear came from Toigo Orchards and was prepared sous-vide before covering the spiced biscuit and succumbing to a puddle of smoked caramel sauce. I was pretty much a puddle myself at this point. I have always been a fan of the Sam Adams Winter Lager, and it was a cozy pairing for the nutmeg and cinnamon flavors of this dessert.  

At this point, the attentive wait staff cleared the tables, delivered a small plate of candies and began to pour the star of the show, Utopias, and its side-kick, the 15 year Triple Bock. When these inimitable beers landed in front of me, their aromas were a smack in the face. Utopias was fiery, spicy and clearly trouble…and I like trouble. The Triple Bock smelled strongly of dried fruit and chocolate. My written notes get hazy at this point, but one of my most lucid scribbles proclaims the Triple Bock to taste exactly like a delicious, alcoholic Raisinette.

Despite the merits of the oft-elusive Triple Bock, the Utopias was my clear favorite. It burns pleasantly like a smooth bourbon or brandy, but manages to release an abundance of flavors. The bottle is also enticing, formed of copper and ceramic to resemble a brew kettle and the contents are strong and alluring. At $150 a bottle, this is one to be savored and placed on the mantel. If I can get my hands on one, I shall consider it the centerpiece of my liquor cabinet.  

At the end of the night, after peppering the brewer Mr. Wood, with questions on production, tasting notes and the general awe-inspiring business of creating these beers, I was in heaven. A beer I once considered to have a more “main stream appeal” had not only surprised me, it had inspired me. Cheers!    

Stick a Fork In It...

Oh, hi y'all,

It's the dawn of a new era for Ellenfork! There is SO MUCH going in the world of food and E.Fork that I felt the need to splice my blog into two parts: traditional Ellenfork in which the format remains focused on recipes and Stick a Fork In It... which gives me more freedom to write about things that are happening outside of the technical side of food. This might be a restaurant experience, a generally interesting adventure, or simply something I think my lovely readers will find enlightening. More than anything, I want to share the photos I take that just don't fit into the world of Ellenfork. 

So to recap: here is the place for anything outside of a traditional recipe post. It's the wild, wild west up in here, y'all. 

Cheers,

E. Fork