Cookin' in the 'Cuse

Will we have food to eat?

It is late.  Or rather, I am late.  My seedlings are still seeds because I've been too busy to get them started.  I started them tonight but I'm very late--our last frost date is just two weeks away.  Over the past week as each daylight-lengthening day passed I asked the question, "will we have food to eat?"  It is a privileged question that I get to ask as I fly from one place to another, drive from meeting to meeting, and otherwise neglect the tasks that will put food on our table.  It is a question I asked myself even as I raced through the grocery store to pick up eggs and flour.  I know it is not a privileged question for many--it is a real, life-threatening concern.

I know the answer for me--of course we will have food to eat.  If, for whatever reason, our seeds don't take or are planted to late, I know I can go to the co-op or to the farmers' market or to the big supermarket to get food.  I will not go hungry.  But my choices will be limited.  I will not be able easily buy the kind of healthy, organic, fresh food that I can pick from our garden.  And after just one attempt at growing our own food I feel a passionate obligation to continue doing so.  It is not convenient.  It is not always easy--my back aches already from the hour or so spent preparing the soil today.  But I can't imagine not doing it. 

I am grateful to live in a country that provides an extensive "Plan B" (flawed though it may be) that includes farmers, grocery stores, and the means to distribute food so that I can eat. 

Every now and again I wonder what would happen if Plan B were different.  What if Plan B looked more like Plan A?  Plan A being the situation where I try to grow some of my own food and rely on local farmers and other producers for much of the rest and on supermarkets for the luxury imports like spices, nuts and condiments? 

The Eat Local Challenge begins in just a couple of days for those of us joining Locavores for the commitment to eating within our foodshed for the month of May.  Though I'm often concerned about eating locally and sustainably I'll really be focused on these issues for the whole month.  I'm defining local as food grown within 100 miles of Syracuse for most foods, and within New York State or near our borders for the rest.  I'll post more about what I'll exempt from this challenge and just how much of a commitment I'll make--eating one local  meal a day or one a week, for instance.

I hope you'll join me.  You can read about my attempts at last year's Eat Local Challenge by clicking the Eat Local Challenge link to the right.  For ten great reasons to eat local, click here.  You can also get inspiration from a host of other food bloggers (me included) and committed folks who are writing for a new blog that will focus on eating locally all year long.  It will launch any day now.

So yes, we will have food to eat.  The next question is, from where will it come?

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen...

It happens to all of us.  Life chugs along, sometimes with all the speed of an Acela train on its way to D.C., and then it hits you--the kitchen is feeling a bit lonely.  This is how life has been.  Oh I've cooked--big pots of soup for church, and....   Hmmm.  Not much. 

Well, my mother-in-law was in town from the Bahamas for my busiest week of the year and she LOVES to cook.  And with all that fresh turbot and lobster tail she came packing with who was I to stop her?  Then Harrison got in the kitchen a few times and made some great meals and then I was off to Boston, eating out, and then, my hand began to get the itch.  Kind of the way my legs get when I haven't run for too long, I needed to get my hands to a chopping block and my body behind the stove.

This is the dish I prepared for my student dinner last night.  It was billed in the latest issue of Intermezzo (my new favorite cooking magazine) as a simple and elegant dinner for two.  Well, I assure you with a quick bit of multiplication, this also makes a simple and delicious dinner for twelve.  I added some roasted fingerling potatoes (toss with olive oil and coarse salt and roast at 375 degrees for an hour) and a salad and dinner was made.  And my cooking urge was satisfied. 

This recipe is quick, easy, and warming in these "spring" days when the temps still dip into the 40s and 50s.  If you can find shallots, use them.  In this recipe, they manage to stay nicely crunchy and sweet in the creamy mushroom sauce.

Chicken with Shallots and Mushrooms (for two)

• 1 boneless, skinless whole chicken breast (cut in half and trimmed of fat) or two pounded thin chicken breast halves
• salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 12 button and/or cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard

Season chicken with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a large heavy-bottom saute pan, (I used a large cast iron skillet), heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and cook chicken for 7-10 minutes on each side (5 minutes if using the pounded thin chicken) until cooked through.  Move chicken to a warm serving dish and tent with foil.

Melt butter in the same pan over medium-high heat.  Add mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes.  Add shallots and cook for 2 minutes more, until shallots turn translucent but do not burn.  Add white wine and scrape browned bits off bottom of pan; add cream and mustard.  Cook until sauce has been reduced by half and is quite thick.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Return chicken to pan briefly to rewarm.  Serve chicken with mushroom sauce on top.

Tip Toeing Through the Tulips

Yes, that is our beloved Chase--walking, romping even--through the bulbs in our front yard.  It has been nine weeks since his emergency back surgery for a herniated disk.  He is nearly back to normal except for his tendency to walk on the diagonal when he gets a bit tired.  We dutifully carry him up and down stairs and make sure he gets lots of rest but it looks like he'll be alright.  Thanks for all of your continued concern and good wishes.  Here are a few more pics.

Back from Boston

Ahhh...nothing like a few days away with friends do nothing but kick back, eat and do a little retail therapy--just a little.

One of the cool things about a city the size of Boston with its huge college population, is all the bookstores and all the great restaurants.  With just a couple of days in town I managed to hit one of my favorite eateries--the Beacon Hill Hotel and Bistro (BHHB) in Boston and a new find (though not a new restaurant) Henrietta's Table in Cambridge.

The BHHB has fantastic food with a wall of windows facing Charles Street and a warm fireplace (not necessary on this trip) to greet you at the entrance.  They specialize in that New American cuisine that I love so much and seek out local farmers whenever possible.  The food is great--this is what they mean when they put beet salad on the menu:

That dollop of Farmers Cheese was awesome.  This is close as I've come to having beets for dessert--scrumptious!  But then, of course, I had to have dessert.  Luckily, my good friend Steph helped me consume this huge and delicious blueberry confection:

For dinner on my last night there a good friend recommended what he surmised to be a "Jen-like" restaurant.  He totally scored with taking us to Henrietta's Table in Cambridge.  Now, I've passed this place countless times.  It has been open for some nine years.  It is right door from the Monastery I visit on a regular basis.  How did it pass me by all this time?  I don't know, but I assure you, it is a must visit. 

Henrietta's Table is just across the lobby from Rialto--another fine restaurant on my long list of places to visit.  But what makes Henrietta's Table my kind of place is its "Fresh from the farm and Honest to Goodness Home Cooking" as stated on its menu.  They mean it and they come through.  The food is great, the atmosphere--sophisticated country farmhouse style--is comfortable and the service was impeccable.  But anytime I order a side of wilted greens and get a small pot full of chard and collards I'm in heaven.  The smoked porkchop didn't hurt either.  I LOVE this place.  Extra touches such as farmer profiles on the menu and listings of locally sourced ingredients were really appreciated.  For those of you in the Boston area who will be participating in the Eat Local Challenge--this is YOUR restaurant!

But now that I'm back in Syracuse it is time to get ready for the Eat Local Challenge which I'll be doing in May--and longer.  In the days ahead I'll be posting more information about how I plan to participate.  Check out that link above and get ready to join in!

It's Easter--Time to Come Out

It may be that you live in the Syracuse area and already have an idea about who I am--I'm a bit of a public figure.

Or it may be that you're a regular or inquisitive reader of this blog and have read my profile. 

But for those of you who are still wondering--just who is this "Cookin' in the 'Cuse person?" I've decided that today, Easter Sunday 2006, is the day to come out of the closet as an Episcopal Priest.  Yes, that is my "day job" and my  night job, and my identity.

I've debated for awhile about how public to be about what I do and good blogging friends have helped me sort this out a bit.  My priesthood is a huge part of my identity but is not largely what this blog is about.  If you want to read about the "churchy" stuff you can check out my other blog.  But, of course, my spirituality, my motivation, and where I spend the larger part of my waking hours does come through from time to time on this blog.  For the longest time I had fears that if people knew what my life's work was, they might be dissuaded from reading.  Well, I'm over that.  I don't want to underestimate the great readers of this blog who no doubt keep coming back not only because of the food and the scene I document here but the perspective I bring to it as Jennifer. 

So to be more open about things I've added a photo on the upper left side bar which, on a more practical note, will also help dispel the notion that I'm a guy! 

I hope you'll keep reading.  There's lots more to chronicle about cookin' in the 'Cuse. Not the least of which is the Eat Local Challenge coming up next month.  In the meantime, having worked like crazy over the past few days I'm off to Boston for a few fun days with friends.  I hope to post from there but if not, I'll be back in a few days.

Cheers!

Jennifer BB

We Can Do It Too, Can't We?

How cool is this?  The University of California at Berkeley has just become the first college campus to provide students with certified organic dining options--every day.  Now, I know it's Berkeley and I know it's California with all that good weather (well except for the 42 days of straight rain they are having).  But come on!  We can do this too.  If a public institution like Cal Berkeley can pull this off, then Syracuse University or SUNY-ESF (the State University of New York College of Enviornmental Science and Forestry) can surely pull it off--even if in a small way.  We--students, faculty, staff and others--just have to want it badly enough.

Read the whole story here.

Go Ahead, Make Me Happy--WBW 20

Wanna make me happy?  Send me an email with the words, "We now ship to New York". 

Ever since the decision came down nearly a year ago I've been waiting for my favorite non-New York State wineries to send me that cheery little note.  Now you know I love New York wines and being centrally located here in Central New York means that I can get to a good winery in as little as ten minutes, or just over an hour, or if I'm making a real trip of it--half a day. 

However, the same was also true for me in California and when I moved back east I quickly missed the wines that were hard to get even in the Bay Area.  Robert Sinskey Vineyards is one of them.  Sinskey produces organic and biodynamic wines that are elegant, not overpowering, and best of all, are meant to go with great food.  This is no accident since Robert Sinskey is married to a talented chef--Maria Helm Sinskey--who I've written about before.

This month's Wine Blogging Wednesday theme, hosted by Wine for Newbies (great wine podcasts by the way) presented a great opportunity to pull out a bottle of Sinskey's Pinot Blanc.  I picked this up during my visit to the winery last May and had been holding on to it.  That wonderful email, though, changed everything.  I could enjoy this bottle knowing that when the next vintage comes out I'll be able to get it without flying across the country. 

With a WBW challenge to find a white wine that was not Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling I knew it was time to open this Pinot Blanc.  As you would guess, this grape is a close cousin of Pinot Noir.  Traditional Pinot Blanc can tend to be fairly neutral and light in aroma and in California the usual tendency is to craft it in a Burgandian style using French oak.  Not so, here.  Robert Sinskey takes the purist route (practiced in Italy among other places) by using stainless steel tanks. 

I have to say I loved the results.  It is hard for me not to like a Robert Sinskey wine but I'd choose this over his rather nice Three Amigos Chardonnay any day.  There are beautiful floral and fruity notes to this Pinot Blanc--a bit of jasmine on the nose and lots of melon and stone fruit on the palate.  I enjoyed this wine on its own and with food and found it to be highly drinkable in both settings. 

Now here's the problem:  this vintage is sold out.  But keep checking their website or easier still, get on their mailing list.  When the next bottling comes out you'll get some good news in your email inbox and in short order will have some great wine in your glass. 

Note:  I know it is probably the height of poor taste to write about a vintage that is sold out from the winery but I promise to make it up to you by posting about a fantastic new release that folks in the Syracuse area can get really easily--stay tuned.

Robert Sinskey Vineyards 2004 Pinot Blanc, $18 for a 375ml bottle.

If you want to...

These are busy days for me so I'll hope you'll excuse me for not posting as frequently.  Lucky for me I have some new-found foodie friends who keep me up to speed on some of the goings on about Central New York.  If your days aren't so busy--or even if they are and you'd like a welcome diversion, try these.

If you want to...

...try a new dish, check out Lao Village at 208 West Genesee Street just across the street from the Post-Standard building off Clinton Square.  I just got word about this place this morning and based on the recommendation (thanks Jim!) I had to check it out.  They serve Laotian and Thai food that is delicious and affordable--and apparently popular based on the steady stream of customers I witnessed between 12:30 and 1pm.  Some folks did the take-out thing, others took their food out to the corner benches and enjoyed their meal while people watching.  Other's like me ate inside and watched dish and after steaming fragrant dish go by all the while thinking--oh!  Should have gotten that!  I was perfectly happy with my drunken noodles--not too sweet with crisp red peppers, basil, mushrooms and succulent chicken and my summer roll filled with cucumber slivers, some heat from the lime-chili sauce, rice noodles, and lettuce wrapped in rice paper--not fried either. 

If you know Thai food but Laotian food is new to you, you'll definitely want to give it a try.  Laos sits between Vietman and Thailand and the influences of both those cultures can be detected in their cuisine.  Laotian food is more likely to be grilled than stir-fried, sticky rice is big as are fresh vegetables.  Lime, chili paste, and pickled vegetables are also central ingredients.  But my descriptions--especially without photos don't do the food justice.  It is worth a visit so you can taste for yourself.

Check out their menu here.

...learn a new culinary skill, check out the cheesemaknig workshop offered by Heamour Farm.  On Saturday April 15 you can learn how to make quark, ricotta, and Heamour's secret recipe for fresh mozzarella.  The cost is $75 but that includes recipes, materials, and cheeses made during the workshop.  The class runs from 11-5 at the farm at 3723 Center Road, Madison, NY.  For more info call Shannon at 315-893-7616.  Of course, if you can't make the workshop you always pick up a wedge of some of their yummy cheeses at the Syracuse Real Food Co-op.

...live in anticipation, watch the old Doug's Fish Fry site in Skaneateles.  Word is, there's a new organic produce market coming in--very cool.  Meanwhile, Doug's has moved on to larger digs nearby.  I'll have more info as it becomes available.

Palatable Food Politics

I'm aware that dishing on the politics of food can sometimes be seen as an exercise in force feeding self righteousness or food snobbery.  I try hard not to ever fall into this trap but I know my passion about these issues (issues I understand to be a matter of life and death) can seem a bit over zealous.  If I do veer into that "holier than thou" trap you have permission to call me on it.

So imagine my delight in running into Jim Hightower's article on The Upchuck Rebellion. 

The Upchuck Rebellion is "a growing number of people fed up with the destructive power of industrialized food [and] are declaring that they are not going to take it anymore". 

I recommend this article highly.  Hightower mixes several handfuls of sustainability and organic ethics with a bit of history, a few dashes of inspiration, and a big serving of humor.  This is the article to pass on to folks who might want to read Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation* or Marion Nestle's Food Politics but don't have the time.  It is a quick overview of the issues and an easy read.

Hightower reminds us that J.H. Kellogg and C.W. Post were health food visionaries of their day and that they would be appalled by the food that is currently attached to their names.  He also goes into the real costs of cheap food and how to get good food into our schools.

Read the whole thing here.

*I just saw a reference stating that the film version is in production--Fast Food Nation the movie.  If any of you have heard about this drop me a comment.

Cute Factor--Very High

Alright.  The pizza isn't THAT cute but the little hands that made it were off the charts!  I'm not at liberty to post their photos here but I want you to imagine about a half dozen children aged five to nine learning how to cook. 

There is something so wonderfully cute about little five-year old fingers slicing sausages and spreading sauce and sprinkling cheese on a pizza shell.  There they were, lined up at their stations, clothed in their little aprons, cooking away.  A highlight?  Hearing one of the nine year-olds proclaiming that she liked the broccoli pizza the best--sorry, no photo of that. 

That was Sunday.  Today is Wednesday and we're going to have another cooking class with the teenagers tonight.  Last time they made soup.  Today they are going to learn how to make different pasta sauces.  They can't wait and neither can I. 

I'm pretty lucky that this is all part of my work.  This is the fun stuff.  Later on as I'm slogging through reports, meetings, and 100 emails each day, I'll think of those itty bitty fingers at the cooking stations and remember that it is for those little fingers and the bright souls and open hearts that go with them that I gladly slog away.