tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81735343334112404792024-03-14T01:45:54.224-07:00THE DAILY NIBBLERDuzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743289793510639855noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173534333411240479.post-25537455630068405902012-01-09T12:57:00.000-08:002012-01-09T12:57:33.642-08:00New Year, New Blog!Hi everyone,<br />
<br />
This is just a post encouraging you all to check out my latest blog project: <a href="http://mit-schlag.blogspot.com/">Mitschlag</a>! <br />
<br />
The new blog is devoted to people who suffer from food allergies and sensitivities, like me! The blog will offer information on everything from brilliant food substitions to details on new alternative diets and wonderful recipes that will broaden your conception of restricted eating.<br />
<br />
The blog will focus on healthy food and nutrition so it will be useful for anyone looking to improve their diet in 2012. <br />
<br />
Make <a href="http://mit-schlag.blogspot.com/">MITSCHLAG</a> a part of your New Year's resolution!Duzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743289793510639855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173534333411240479.post-76932988156089646292011-10-02T09:52:00.000-07:002011-10-03T06:24:03.263-07:00A sweet and savory New YearRosh Hashanah just blew by and soon Yom Kippur will be upon us. These are two Jewish 'High Holy Days'. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year celebration, following the lunar calendar, and happens to be one of my favorites. As a true day of celebration, Rosh Hashanah's traditional feast is marked by sweetness to encourage a sweet New Year to blossom. The holiday spans two days, and is marked by a feast served on the eve of the first day. To accentuate the sweetness of the coming year, dishes traditionally served take on a sweet flavor note. Traditional foods to serve include apple slices in honey and sweet egg bread called Challah. Jews from around the globe serve different traditional foods for the holiday -- apples in honey, dates, jams, sweet bread and more.<br />
<br />
In my own family (my mother is Jewish of Eastern European descent) we traditionally start our meal with apples in honey and challah. After a few basic prayers we hold a large feast for family and friends, usually a potluck. Certain items always recur. I cannot recall a Rosh Hashanah that failed to feature a Lokshen Kugel (a sweet noodle casserole), and a variation on my mother's 'festive chicken' recipe -- a breaded chicken dish soaked in a sweet sauce featuring fruits like peaches and pineapples, sweetened with honey. I also cannot recall a Rosh Hashanah in my adult life where my dishes were prepared in a timely fashion. This year was no exception. Halfway through preparing my kugel, I noticed that the sour cream I had bought mere hours earlier was blue and orange and I had to return to the store to replace it before sending the casserole into the inferno. <br />
<br />
For years my aunt Sandee always made the kugel dish for the meal. She is a veritable master of kugel -- both varieties -- Lokshen (noodle) and Potato Kugel. Potato Kugel is typically served at Passover, when leavened foods are disallowed. Sandee makes noodle kugel for both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Her version is sweet and simple. Boiled egg noodles, eggs, sour cream, cottage cheese, Cinnamon and brown sugar are mixed together and baked to perfection. The dish is served hot from the oven for the dinner but is also wonderful as a cold leftover. It is something akin to a sweet lasagna.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5hCsc6fH8HbtRQePE2SDQgQrMRKCgpCxR5Rvc5kOKKDnL8VrQs7X4HKfqCtNvDJzjpGXbyZnbIcd8ctg0WkhAReehSMWzZh0hhX7D9YryQ1MDypacEqlPnejZR39mlbmjTJkuSXAjm0t/s1600/Photo0160Jnjpt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5hCsc6fH8HbtRQePE2SDQgQrMRKCgpCxR5Rvc5kOKKDnL8VrQs7X4HKfqCtNvDJzjpGXbyZnbIcd8ctg0WkhAReehSMWzZh0hhX7D9YryQ1MDypacEqlPnejZR39mlbmjTJkuSXAjm0t/s640/Photo0160Jnjpt.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My healthy rendition of kugel gets its sweetness from pureed roasted Butternut Squash and a touch of organic Dark Brown Sugar</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
As much as I love and cherish Sandee's rendition of kugel, my constant search for cultural recipes has led me to many variations the world over. It seems 'kugel' was created in Germany or perhaps Russia and known as 'keegel', where a casserole of egg noodles, eggs, sour cream and cottage cheese emerged. It made its way to Poland where raisins and cinnamon were added. In Jerusalem, caramelized sugar, black pepper and fine egg noodles accent what's known as "Jerusalem Kugel". Kugels can be made from noodles or vegetables like potatoes, zucchini and carrots and can be sweet or savory. In anticipation of the coming New Year, I created a new kugel recipe to share with my family. As usual, I neglected to develop the recipe before unleashing it on the masses (I don't recommend this). Luckily for me, and them, it worked out well.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZmRVw9lWQUAXs3MCE2HuNQlQLonoKTxWzhsPBlkIg1mDT1osy5hADsevJNBxqyIw74mI1vtMXw3kEuWLYOPeNUhGVVcI8xpwK4RDkizRGnuoLWldf-fTURgSLF-6kA_Tgl5edYzeuobmu/s1600/Photo0161Twag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZmRVw9lWQUAXs3MCE2HuNQlQLonoKTxWzhsPBlkIg1mDT1osy5hADsevJNBxqyIw74mI1vtMXw3kEuWLYOPeNUhGVVcI8xpwK4RDkizRGnuoLWldf-fTURgSLF-6kA_Tgl5edYzeuobmu/s640/Photo0161Twag.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<br />
It has been my experience that festive foods in the Jewish calendar are fairly rich and sweet, and rarely super healthy. this year I wanted to preserve the sweet tradition, while strengthening the nutritional profile of the iconic dish. I constantly reinvent traditional and comfort foods in a healthy light. Healthy does not have to mean bland or uninspiring. And for a holiday hailing a sweet and happy new year, I think a healthy but delicious dish is more than appropriate.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDLSy0L6IAayyG_AKNIujN17FKnj8TrwzOqHwvPsPc0UjJDlzdW41deiaCwHbvnh3z2lKxZ3fjxeQ_f_qpVZT3lxoF3J7in5lLS-L3haXWABuUBmwTGmYW4mKBeFdJRWX8mXiL-FmtoyK/s1600/Photo0163JmwtpTmagJmj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDLSy0L6IAayyG_AKNIujN17FKnj8TrwzOqHwvPsPc0UjJDlzdW41deiaCwHbvnh3z2lKxZ3fjxeQ_f_qpVZT3lxoF3J7in5lLS-L3haXWABuUBmwTGmYW4mKBeFdJRWX8mXiL-FmtoyK/s640/Photo0163JmwtpTmagJmj.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yin and Yang: Egg and Dark Brown Sugar</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
I wanted to highlight the sweetness of traditional kugels without incorporating a ton of refined sugar, so I turned to a sweet vegetable -- butternut squash. I am also veering steadily away from conventional cow's milk dairy products whenever possible, which can be full of hormones. I have been mostly cooking with goat and sheep's milk products instead and even though I am not lactose intolerant, I find them much easier to digest. I also replaced the traditional white egg noodles with whole wheat. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEild0V7Z9xIj1qC29pmetivZiYld-i3OOTawQrp81S5VVYijB5Qrctf94AxA2cC94_YgXbBToul_awRTES3m1HGwi2Q97IjnIpd54E-9-cG2-wl9OlmUz58UrNhiAcGAqBWVgi38Mzwg5eh/s1600/Photo0166Mjtw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEild0V7Z9xIj1qC29pmetivZiYld-i3OOTawQrp81S5VVYijB5Qrctf94AxA2cC94_YgXbBToul_awRTES3m1HGwi2Q97IjnIpd54E-9-cG2-wl9OlmUz58UrNhiAcGAqBWVgi38Mzwg5eh/s640/Photo0166Mjtw.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goat dairy paraphernalia: sour cream, soft cheese, and ricotta.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
My body seems to be fairly sensitive to sugar, refined in particular, so I used a touch of organic dark brown sugar instead. When I eat too much sugar I tend to get quite flushed and nauseated quickly. I even experience this in a milder way when I eat white flour breads and noodles and white potatoes as they tend to spike my blood sugar. As much as I enjoy the taste of traditional kugel, I tend to walk away from the meal feeling ill. I created this sweet and savory butternut squash kugel as a healthy ode to the traditional dish. I think my version is a good one to bring to any meal -- festive or routine.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKV2dTY-iVx8jbiQ4hf7aNsTWvggz80NskCy1yX5w2bPEFQKQwlQ01PanyhqTrbONZbeHQEEHpl8M6eiG067Ol8F0L22cSWo9yQBuZqUuE2KTXoDv2mlrnoISr96SywP2SvWHV9mP8t5D_/s1600/Photo0154Jtk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKV2dTY-iVx8jbiQ4hf7aNsTWvggz80NskCy1yX5w2bPEFQKQwlQ01PanyhqTrbONZbeHQEEHpl8M6eiG067Ol8F0L22cSWo9yQBuZqUuE2KTXoDv2mlrnoISr96SywP2SvWHV9mP8t5D_/s640/Photo0154Jtk.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted Butternut Squash, ready to mash for kugel filling</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
For anyone looking for a new version of kugel for this Yom Kippur, I recommend it to you. If you enjoy the savory flavor of soft goat's cheese you should add larger quantities than I did as its flavor was muted by the butternut squash puree. I hope you enjoy it and Shana Tova!<br />
<br />
<span class="summary"><h5><span class="yield">Serves a crowd</span></h5><ul class="ingredients2"><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 </span> <span class="name"> small-medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped </span> <span id="i488459ask0" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=488459" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">2 </span> <span class="name"> cloves garlic </span> <span id="i488460ask1" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=488460" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">3 </span> <span class="name"> leaves sage, chopped </span> <span id="i488461ask2" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=488461" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 teaspoon </span> <span class="name"> freshly ground nutmeg </span> <span id="i488462ask3" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=488462" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 teaspoon </span> <span class="name"> sea salt </span> <span id="i488463ask4" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=488463" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount"> </span> <span class="name"> freshly cracked black pepper (to taste) </span> <span id="i488464ask5" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=488464" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 1/2 teaspoon </span><span class="name">Cinnamon </span> <span id="i488465ask6" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=488465" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">2 tablespoons </span> <span class="name"> extra virgin olive oil </span> <span id="i488466ask7" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=488466" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 </span> <span class="name"> small container ricotta cheese (regular or low fat will work fine, I used goat ricotta) </span> <span id="i488467ask8" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=488467" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 </span> <span class="name"> large egg </span> <span id="i488468ask9" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=488468" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">2 teaspoons </span> <span class="name"> brown sugar </span> <span id="i488469ask10" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=488469" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 package </span> <span class="name"> broad egg noodles </span> <span id="i488470ask11" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=488470" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 </span> <span class="name"> Small container sour cream (I used goat sour cream)</span></li>
<li><span class="name">1/3 package soft goat's cheese</span></li>
<li><span class="name">extra virgin olive oil to drizzle on top</span></li>
<li><span class="name">cinnamon to dust on top </span> <span id="i488471ask12" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=488471" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span></ul><ol><span class="instructions"> <span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=7693298815608964629" name="265042"></a> </span>
<li> Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel seed and chop the squash. Arrange on a baking sheet. Top with all the spices and oil. Toss pieces with your hands to evenly coat the squash. Bake until tender. <span id="c54473ask0" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/265042" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
<span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=7693298815608964629" name="265043"></a> </span>
<li> While the squash is baking, cook the pasta to al dente following package instructions. Strain reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water. Set aside to cool. Mash or puree the cooked squash with the reserved water and 1/2 the sour cream, set aside in a bowl to cool. <span id="c54473ask1" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/265043" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
<span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=7693298815608964629" name="265044"></a> </span>
<li> Beat the egg with the brown sugar in a small bowl. <span id="c54473ask2" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/265044" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
<span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=7693298815608964629" name="265045"></a> </span>
<li> In a large mixing bowl gently combine the squash puree, noodles, beaten egg, remaining sour cream and ricotta cheese. Empty mixture into a casserole pan. preferably a deep rectangular cake pan or similar. Squeeze out dollops of the goat's cheese and roughly incorporate. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the mixture. Shake a few shakes of cinnamon over the top. Bake at 375-400 for approximately 20 minutes. Serve immediately or allow to cool and refrigerate covered. Can be served warm or cold. <span id="c54473ask3" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/265045" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
</span></ol></span>Duzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743289793510639855noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173534333411240479.post-55738791168570522772011-08-24T21:11:00.000-07:002011-08-24T21:11:33.751-07:00What are you doing next thursday night?<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;">Nothing? We'll how about </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=175512795854503#%21/event.php?eid=175512795854503" style="color: red;">The Toronto All Stars Dance Riot</a><span style="color: red;">?!</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=175512795854503#%21/event.php?eid=175512795854503"></a>Yes, yes, I know this is a <span style="font-size: small;"><b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: lime;">FOOD</span></b></span> blog. So why am I encouraging you to attend a dance party<span style="color: magenta;"> <b>(ahem, 'riot') </b></span>on a school night?<br />
<br />
This is no typical riot. This is a mob scene to raise money and awareness in <span style="color: lime; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>sustainable food development</b></span>! So head on over to the <span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://www.elmocambo.ca/">El Mocombo</a></b></span> and bring a friend or two with you!<br />
<br />
The event was created to raise money to bring two Palestinian students to the United States.<span style="font-size: small;"><b style="color: yellow; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: yellow;"> </span>No-- this is not an event supporting any radical action!</b><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: yellow;"> </span></b></span>These students are employees of<a href="http://projecthope.ps/about/"> PROJECT HOPE</a>, a Canadian-Palestinian initiative designed to offer Palestinian women and children a brighter future through educational, artistic and recreational programs. <br />
<br />
The two students will travel to the United States to take part in the <b><a href="https://www.growingfoodandjustice.org/">Growing Food and Justice for All Initiative</a></b>, which aims to empower low income and minority communities with respect to their food. The students will learn how to implement and sustain community gardens, as well as open a dialogue on food security, bringing their personal experiences in the West Bank to the forum.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: red; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">This event is <u>NOT</u> anti-Israel</b></span>, but instead is supports fostering peace between the neighboring communities, and supports a struggling community's right to secure its food.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRmvMK_wlu4">Click Here</a> to watch the students explain their struggle and mission.<br />
<br />
I almost forgot the best part -- <b style="color: #6aa84f;">THE MUSIC!! </b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.sambaelegua.com/wp-content/gallery/slideshow/psk_2009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://www.sambaelegua.com/wp-content/gallery/slideshow/psk_2009.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SAMBA ELEGUA, PEDESTRIAN SUNDAY KENSINGTON MARKET, 2009</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The event features a bunch of fantastic local bands, including two of my personal favorites -- <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lemon-Bucket-Orkestra/#%21/pages/Lemon-Bucket-Orkestra/178414838837902">Lemon Bucket Orkestra</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/2238767139/">Samba Elegua</a>!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://lemonbucketorkestra.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/cheeky_web.jpg?w=361&h=362" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://lemonbucketorkestra.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/cheeky_web.jpg?w=361&h=362" width="638" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Both play deliciously danceable tunes and bring a crazy amount of energy to their performances.<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: red; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: red; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> You do not want to miss this! </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: red; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And...</b></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">be sure to bring a can or two of food for donations. You will be entered in a raffle for the night!</span>Duzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743289793510639855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173534333411240479.post-17310017318889481952011-08-15T15:49:00.000-07:002011-08-15T21:00:38.883-07:00An Incandescent Evening<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4D73NV2d_p2hcugn-ai71RbZckI7CEA3MQQdzk30rw6xLg2WXIXfYp_q6E2fIdB5K-4gyiXIlAOt82IxsZhNXFUlA9E1AvD8829Ya8-2VIKGFESrw7-8SRyQmyh0pUkpYPmejazawpBk/s1600/Photo0092Tdm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4D73NV2d_p2hcugn-ai71RbZckI7CEA3MQQdzk30rw6xLg2WXIXfYp_q6E2fIdB5K-4gyiXIlAOt82IxsZhNXFUlA9E1AvD8829Ya8-2VIKGFESrw7-8SRyQmyh0pUkpYPmejazawpBk/s640/Photo0092Tdm.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A PERFECT FINISH: PEACH CRUMBLE</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
For a while now I have reserved my Sundays for lazy and leisurely behavior. I'm fairly happy to have a 'nothing' day in my week because most days are fairly busy for me. So, every Sunday, I try to do as little as humanly possible, if possible. That includes: no formal workout; no work (if I can afford to abstain); no events and as little cooking as possible. Needless to say, life frequently spoils my grand plans for Sundays. This weekend, however, was a near flawless success with one major hitch in the plan -- my boyfriend and I made an elaborate meal on Sunday night. It was delicious and was executed perfectly -- if perfectly entails: his second degree burn; my being too hot to eat the meal for twenty minutes after it was prepared; a mysterious water stain on my roommate's fancy dining room table; and feeling so full that neither of us could eat the following morning. <b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Perfection.</span></b><br />
<br />
It all began with a beautiful pipe dream. <b style="color: yellow; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: red;">A picnic.</span></b>The meal was meant to involve potato salad, a park, roasted peppers stuffed with avocado cream and/or a vegetable terrine, and a green salad <span style="color: red;">(we are vegetarians)</span>. Little did we know that this simple and delightful plan would foster a series of small catastrophes and misunderstandings.<br />
<br />
The picnic was set for this past weekend, no day or time was ever discussed beforehand. So come Friday we began to text-plan it in better detail...<b style="color: magenta;">"I'd like this...oooh that sounds great!"</b>. It was really coming together. Then the fateful impeding question-- <b><span style="color: white;">"what time are we doing this?"</span></b> Let me preface this by saying that I am unabashedly a <b style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">NIGHT</span></b> person. I will almost invariably do everything at night rather than by day if I can -- this includes eating big breakfasts, taking large walks, sightseeing...and most definitely applies to preparing large meals. I will always opt for a dinner over a lunch or brunch and as a result rarely schedule the latter if I can avoid it. The trouble began when we quickly realized we had envisioned very different meals. I thought we were cooking in the afternoon and eating in the evening. He thought we would have a late lunch picnic in the sunshine. I won't get into it, but a text battle quickly ensued.<br />
<br />
Text messaging is a remarkable thing, little issues are blown outrageously out of proportion and tone is often misread. We eventually resolved our woes in person by going through the series of offending messages and misunderstood suggestions, agreeing never to negotiate in that medium again.<br />
<div style="color: red;"><br />
</div><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">In the end there was no picnic. </span></b>We left the remnants of our plan to Sunday, which wasn't much of a nice day to eat outside, so we made an indoor meal. This required revamping our entire menu so as not to make a future picnic seem redundant -- that and my boyfriend preached, "potato salad just doesn't belong indoors". So, after a nice brunch out, we began to contemplate what we might want to eat in several hours. We dreamed up an odd vegetarian take on<span style="color: cyan;"> </span><b style="color: cyan;"><i>involtini.</i></b><span style="color: cyan;"> </span>Involtini usually involves thin slices of meat rolled around a filling (often a cheese filling) served on top of a sauce or broth. I have had excellent eggplant versions at Italian restaurants, usually stuffed with a nice soft cheese like ricotta, on top of a tomato sauce. My boyfriend doesn't eat a lot of cheese, certainly not a dish stuffed with it, so we used a little goat's cheese sparingly, incorporating it into a butternut squash and sweet potato puree that I insisted we add a little black peppercorn-pecorino cheese (sheep's milk similar to Parmesan) to for a more rich flavor. We were also too lazy to wrap the filling with the sliced vegetables (we used zucchini), and instead made it free-form by resting the zucchini slices on top of the puree and a tomato sauce I threw together on the side. To round out the meal we made a wild rice medley that ended up filling us up too much for comfort.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2EupUogfl5-M4bDQkmA9vdFEH575fu60KC5Hb3PpB37zaoTuF11t_Xx1S4JThqv29T5mKqSsKcSMLni58Hk9hqCFxg00B96m1IpAEAEeoT51yT1Td8R2B-iux-D_smDGeBDREixkfe6O/s1600/Photo0081Jmga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2EupUogfl5-M4bDQkmA9vdFEH575fu60KC5Hb3PpB37zaoTuF11t_Xx1S4JThqv29T5mKqSsKcSMLni58Hk9hqCFxg00B96m1IpAEAEeoT51yT1Td8R2B-iux-D_smDGeBDREixkfe6O/s640/Photo0081Jmga.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>DINNER: MY BOYFRIEND'S PREFERRED PLATING</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>The main dish was quite attractive and flavorful in the end. But it took forever to complete! We began cooking before 7pm and didn't eat till after 10:30pm! Albeit, it was worth the wait but still a little ridiculous. I blame my small kitchen where it is very difficult to prepare multiple elements of a meal simultaneously, there is simply not enough counter space. And each component of the dish was cooked in stages -- roasting, then mashing, then seasoning, then reheating etc. <br />
<br />
If I ever remake this dish I think I will make it Indian style instead of Italian, substituting yogurt for the cheese in the sauce and puree, and cardamom, ginger, garlic, cumin and mustard for the Italian seasonings we used in this rendition. I will probably leave out the sweet potato all together from the squash puree (it was all I could taste), and will mix in wilted spinach and peas to the tomato sauce. I will serve it all with raita and possibly some kind of chutney, and use basmati rice instead of wild.<br />
<br />
All that aside, I was quite pleased that the first meal we cooked together turned out as interesting, colorful and delicious as this one. Its mildly remarkable, seeing as we both had somewhat embarrassing accidents and awkward moments throughout the night. I would say these started out when he tried to transfer the squash puree to the plates, grazing the bottom of the bowl (the bowl that was boiling hot on the bottom from gently simmering on the stove for forty minutes) with his hand. The mishap resulted in a small second degree burn.<br />
<br />
Shortly after we got him an ice pack, I insisted he sit down at the table, while I plated all the food by myself in the kitchen. I brought his plate to the table, but as I went back for mine I suddenly realized that I was absolutely boiling.<br />
<br />
My face and body were totally flush. I am very sensitive to heat most of the time and had been cooking over a hot stove in my already too hot apartment for hours, raising my body temperature to new heights I hadn't experienced since the 45 degree summer trip I took in the South of Spain four years ago. I excused myself to splash some cold water on my face in the washroom. This quickly steamed away. After a semi-sink shower (drizzling icy water down my back and arms), I realized the best option for me was to head to my small fire escape for some fresh air. I came in and out every few minutes, trying to bear the heat, but couldn't handle it. So, I spent about twenty minutes on that balcony while he ate alone at the table. I finally got the courage to eat my steaming plate of food, and returned to do so while he watched me, occasionally making jokes that sent wild rice spewing from my mouth. <b><span style="color: red; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Perfect.</span></b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA17TKT76WAJIH9RA03akRfAWFfHfoQk2RMDitJ-hUM3oZNcMHS3wZPExD9lRyGTCF3Tudp3-UfLNe9fyBNBzrg5zj4BOgMNIxVBvrHC3UVRDgEKleArxpAmu_yzRWq6rFmIOVSGKzoBdr/s1600/Photo0083Jm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA17TKT76WAJIH9RA03akRfAWFfHfoQk2RMDitJ-hUM3oZNcMHS3wZPExD9lRyGTCF3Tudp3-UfLNe9fyBNBzrg5zj4BOgMNIxVBvrHC3UVRDgEKleArxpAmu_yzRWq6rFmIOVSGKzoBdr/s640/Photo0083Jm.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>DINNER: MY PREFERRED PLATING, WILD RICE ON THE SIDE </b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The rice did a number on both our stomachs. I could barely eat mine, too full from the squash and potato mash. So he finished mine off for me. He had eaten too much bread while I was on the balcony, so by the time we stood up to clear, neither of us was moving with ease. We cleaned the entire table and kitchen of dishes while my peach crumble heated up in the oven. He went back to the table to remove the place setting that was already there when I set the table for us.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: red; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>"Fuck". </b></div><br />
A huge placemat-shaped water mark was left behind on the table.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: magenta;">"How did that happen?!"</span></b> I asked.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: red; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>"My ice pack was leaking a little, but I never expected this!" </b></div><div style="color: magenta; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</div>We tried to wipe it away but it was there to stay, it seemed. I carefully placed another mat in its place, mumbling,<b style="color: magenta;"> "it might have been there already, my roommate has these mats right here every day, perhaps that's why?"</b>.<br />
<br />
In disbelief I requested that we take a short walk to walk off the meal, where I asked a series of <b><span style="color: magenta;">"how is that even possible?"</span></b> type questions, and he simply replied, <b style="color: red;">"if I did it, I did it. I will simply have to pay for the repair".</b> This really worried me because my roommate has a nice eye for furniture-- older seventies wooden pieces mainly -- and I was really worried that repairing it could be quite costly. We decided to wait and see if it would be an issue.<br />
<br />
We returned to the apartment, somewhat disenchanted. It was nearly midnight, we hadn't touched our desserts, there was a large stain on someone else's property, I was still too hot, we were uncomfortably full (and somehow growing fuller by the minute) and his burn had blistered. I went to the table to check the stain, perhaps it wasn't as bad as we had thought.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: magenta;">"It's gone!"</span></b>, I almost shouted. <br />
<br />
Totally vanished as if it had never occurred. I nearly jumped for joy <span style="color: red; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>(I am not a jumper)</b>.</span><br />
<br />
After we breathed a significant sigh of relief, we returned to the kitchen with revised appetites, ready for more. <b style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: red;"></span></b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMlN38iVjkZrq6eku5bxTCOdGXHcM2h0vX887EXuYuREGNZutqwA9Dyf7dO_6mDaCEBuTH2HffC39zK8fK6syCajsW7yN5l1rLiv0FeAb0BJBRi8i1RwLXGMfz53QeQJ41drZiQHlkgv4/s1600/Photo0088J_u.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMlN38iVjkZrq6eku5bxTCOdGXHcM2h0vX887EXuYuREGNZutqwA9Dyf7dO_6mDaCEBuTH2HffC39zK8fK6syCajsW7yN5l1rLiv0FeAb0BJBRi8i1RwLXGMfz53QeQJ41drZiQHlkgv4/s640/Photo0088J_u.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>PEACH CRUMBLE, HOT OUT OF THE OVEN</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>The peach crumble was just the ticket. It was sweet, a little messy, hot and delicious. <b style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: red;">Perfect.</span></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<b style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: red;">our magnificent midnight meal: </span></b><br />
<br />
<div style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Squash Puree</b></div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-1 LARGE ORGANIC BUTTERNUT SQUASH, SEEDED</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-3 BABY RED ONIONS</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-1 HEAD OF ORGANIC GARLIC, PEELED</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-1 LARGE ORGANIC SWEET POTATO</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-1/4 LEMON, JUICE OF</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-SEA SALT</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-FRESH BLACK PEPPER</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-1/2 PACKAGE SOFT GOAT'S CHEESE</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-50G PECORINO CHEESE (WITH BLACK PEPPER IF AVAILABLE), GRATED</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-1 TBSP ORGANIC BUTTER</div><br />
We roasted the squash in a 350 degree oven, seeded and split open, its skin and flesh rubbed with salt, pepper and olive oil. We roasted the sweet potato in its skin. Both were roasted until tender. We packed up the garlic and onions in their own aluminum foil pouches, drizzled with a little oil and salt and roasted them in the same oven while the squash cooked.<br />
When everything was ready (fairly tender) we scooped out the mushy interiors of both the potato and the squash halves and mashed them together in a mixing bowl. We seasoned the mash with the remaining ingredients, including the garlic and onions, in a pot on the stove over low heat. I opted to thin the mixture with a it of water because I thought it was to thick at first. We kept it on low heat wile we made the rest of the meal.<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Wild Rice</b></div><br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-1 CUP WILD RICE MEDLEY, THOROUGHLY RINSED IN A SIEVE,WE USED LUNDBERG ORGANIC</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-2 CUPS WATER</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-1 TBSP OLIVE OIL</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-1 TSP SEA SALT</div><br />
Bring the water and salt to a boil in a pot with a tight fitting lid. Add the rinsed rice. Bring to a boil. Add the oil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover with tight fitting lid. Simmer until ready, each rice will have its own time frame.<br />
We seasoned the rice after it was cooked with olive oil, more salt, roasted garlic, black pepper, lemon juice and fresh basil finely minced. <br />
<br />
<div style="color: lime;"><br />
</div><div style="color: lime; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Zucchini Slices</b></div><br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-4 ORGANIC GREEN ZUCCHINI</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-SEA SALT</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-BLACK PEPPER</div><br />
We thinly sliced the zucchini lengthwise, placed it in baking pans drizzled with oil and the spices and roasted it at 350 until flexible and slightly browned. We kept it in the oven until ready to serve on a lower temperature.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: red; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Tomato Sauce</b></div><br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-4 ORGANIC TOMATOES</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-2 CLOVES ORGANIC GARLIC, CHOPPED</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-2 LARGE LEAVES FRESH BASIL, MINCED</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-1/2 RED ONION, CHOPPED</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-1/4 CUP WHITE WINE</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-1/4 LEMON, JUICE OF</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-OLIVE OIL</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-SEA SALT</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-BLACK PEPPER</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-SOFT GOAT'S CHEESE, 2 TBSP</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-50G PECORINO, GRATED</div><br />
In a frying pan over medium high heat, saute the onions in the oil and a pinch of salt. After a minute, add the garlic and continue to saute until all are translucent. Add the tomatoes, season with pepper to your taste and saute until they bleed out and their liquid simmers to half its volume. Add the lemon and wine. Let simmer for a few minutes. Adjust seasonings to your taste. <b style="color: yellow; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">YOU SHOULD ALWAYS TASTE YOUR FOOD AS YOU PREPARE IT!</b><br />
<br />
Lower the heat to medium low. Add the cheese and stir to incorporate into a rose sauce. Stir in the basil.<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>YOU CAN ARRANGE THIS MEAL ANY WAY THAT YOU LIKE. ALL OF THE DISHES MAKE NICE SIDE DISHES ON THEIR OWN AND CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO OTHER MEALS EASILY. WE ATE THEM BY PILING THE MASH IN THE CENTER OF LARGE PLATES, TOPPING IT WITH THE ZUCCHINI SLICES, WITH THE TOMATO SAUCE POURED AROUND THE MOUND OF SQUASH. MY BOYFRIEND HAD HIS RICE WITH THE MAIN MEAL, I ATE MINE IN A BOWL ON THE SIDE. </b></div><b><br />
</b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">WE SERVED IT ALL WITH A SMALL ARUGULA, AVOCADO AND CUCUMBER SALAD WITH A MUSTARD-MAPLE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE I MADE AT THE LAST MINUTE. </span></b><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>A FINE FINISH TO A TUMULTUOUS MEAL:</b></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm94Uwcjj_ZJD9fEAesmsnoJ1VADenZcGr_CjPQphGLIkKouwJCdfdGI93JSsNKubUs20dKfFpCLzkZYbuCRWbSm-hTofYFmPQ_TCo1PmDOPA_btqfuWbPs-q-qxcpIS3jjLcK3bsEe5Wd/s1600/Photo0089Twm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm94Uwcjj_ZJD9fEAesmsnoJ1VADenZcGr_CjPQphGLIkKouwJCdfdGI93JSsNKubUs20dKfFpCLzkZYbuCRWbSm-hTofYFmPQ_TCo1PmDOPA_btqfuWbPs-q-qxcpIS3jjLcK3bsEe5Wd/s640/Photo0089Twm.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A LITTLE RED POT OF PEACH CRUMBLE</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<div style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>PEACH CRUMBLE</b></div><br />
<h5><span class="yield"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">CRUMBLE TOPPING</span></span></h5><span class="amount"></span><span class="amount" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-4 tablespoons </span> <span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">organic butter</span><span class="ingredient" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span><span class="amount" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span class="amount">-1/2 cup </span> organic rolled oats<span class="ingredient"></span><span class="amount"> </span></div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span class="amount">-1/2 cup </span> pastry flour<span class="ingredient"></span><span class="amount"> </span></div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span class="amount">-1 pinch </span> fine sea salt<span class="ingredient"></span><span class="amount"> </span></div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span class="amount">-1 dash </span> black pepper<span class="ingredient"></span><span class="amount"> </span></div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span class="amount">-2 teaspoons </span> ground cinammon<span class="amount"> </span></div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span class="amount">-1 teaspoon </span> natural vanilla extract<span class="ingredient"></span><span class="amount"> </span></div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span class="amount">-1/2 </span> lemon, zest of<span class="ingredient"></span><span class="amount"> </span></div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span class="amount">-1/2 cup </span> brown sugar<span class="ingredient"></span><span class="amount"> </span></div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span class="amount">-1 tablespoon </span> <span class="name"> good quality extra virgin olive oil </span></div><br />
<b><span class="instructions" style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl to desired crumbly consistency. Top prepared filling. Bake.</span></b><br />
<br />
<ol><span class="instructions"> <span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=1731001731888948195" name="283713"></a> </span> </span></ol><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><div style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>PEACH FILLING</b></div><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-5 LARGE ORGANIC PEACHES, PITTED AND SLICED</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-1 1/2 TBSP ORGANIC MAPLE SYRUP</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-1/3 ORGANIC LEMON, JUICE OF</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-1/3 CUP ORGANIC DARK BROWN SUGAR</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-3 TBSP ORGANIC BUTTER</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-2 TBSP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-3 TSP GROUND CINAMMON</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-1 TSP ORGANIC VANILLA EXTRACT</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-PINCH SEA SALT</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">-A FEW TURNS OF A FRESH BLACK PEPPER MILL</div><br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">PREPARE CRUMBLE TOPPING IN A MIXING BOWL. COVER, REFRIGERATE UNTIL READY TO BAKE.</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">PREHEAT OVEN TO 370 DEGREES. </div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">IN A SMALL CAKE TIN, COMBINE PEACHES AND REMAINING INGREDIENTS. COVER WITH CRUMBLE TOPPING. BAKE UNTIL GOLDEN AND BUBBLY, ABOUT 30 MINUTES.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="color: red;"><b style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">SERVE IN SMALL DISHES IMMEDIATELY WITH SMALL SCOOPS OF GOOD QUALITY VANILLA ICE CREAM ON TOP.</b></div>Duzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743289793510639855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173534333411240479.post-77909521441662068342011-08-09T07:33:00.000-07:002011-08-15T21:01:14.534-07:00Hot time in the Summer<span class="summary"> My boyfriend works in organics and occasionally arrives with nearly overripe fruit to make use of. This time he brought me a ton of very ripe organic strawberries to bake with. I planned to make a strawberry pie but didn't have quite enough free time to do it. He suggested I make a strawberry crumble instead. It was damn good. </span><br />
<span class="summary"></span><br />
<span class="summary"><br />
</span><span class="summary">Strawberries and I have an odd relationship. I've been trained to avoid them for most of my life due to my sister's severe allergy to them. She breaks out in hives. So, they were never in the house and I really only ate them at friends' homes and restaurants. Of course they naturally became my favorite fruit by the time I was in highschool. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="summary">As I grew older I was able to buy them for myself, and I really overdid that for awhile. I had strawberries in everything from my salads to my sandwiches. Now I seem to be sensitive to them. This is not surprising because many people with mold allergies (like me) are sensitive to fruits like strawberries and melon because of their high water content. They easily develop mold spores that can nauseate people like myself to no end.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="summary"> You may notice that my recipe requires that you freeze the fresh berries before baking them. I know that this may seem odd, but I think its an essential step. I have baked many fruit pies and crumbles, and berry pies are always better texturally when baked from frozen. I made the crumble and left it out for 20 minutes before baking it in the oven to allow the fruit to thaw a little. I think it works because it slows the cooking time on the fruit to something closer to the crumble top's cooking time, synchronizing them. The result is a firmer fruit crumble with a more intense fresh fruit flavor. </span><br />
<span class="summary"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="summary"> <span style="font-size: small;">I also had some avocados that were very ripe, so I made a batch of my guacamole to eat with a nice multi-grain ciabatta loaf from ACE bakery. I have been making guacamole for years and have been told that my version is excellent. If you don't want to use the sour cream, you don't need to, in which case the recipe is raw, gluten free and vegan. It should be eaten fairly soon after preparing, but it is thrown together in a few minutes so this isn't troublesome. </span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="summary" style="font-size: small;">Together these dishes would make a great light summer lunch when paired with a salad. They co</span><span class="summary" style="font-size: small;">uld also make for a nice afternoon tea or picnic. Both dishes ooze summer in color and flavor. I hope you like them!</span></div><div style="color: red; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="summary"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">NB: Do yourselves a favor and don't bake anything on a hot and humid day. I looked like a beet by the time dinner hit the table.</span></b></span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="summary"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">Guacamole</span></span></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dxbO7jI3QZ4/TkE2aeR5MmI/AAAAAAAAASU/VsUPg32p82g/s1600/Photo0065Ajhg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dxbO7jI3QZ4/TkE2aeR5MmI/AAAAAAAAASU/VsUPg32p82g/s640/Photo0065Ajhg.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guacamole served with a multi-grain ciabatta loaf, hot out of the oven</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="summary"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></b></span><span class="yield">Serves 4</span></div><ul class="ingredients2"><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">3 </span> <span class="name"> ripe avocados </span> <span id="i536064ask0" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536064" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">4 </span> <span class="name"> cloves garlic, minced </span> <span id="i536065ask1" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536065" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 </span> <span class="name"> small tomato, finely chopped </span> <span id="i536066ask2" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536066" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1/4 </span><span class="name">Spanish red onion, finely chopped </span> <span id="i536067ask3" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536067" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1/2 </span> <span class="name"> red (or orange) bell pepper, finely chopped </span> <span id="i536068ask4" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536068" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">2 </span> <span class="name"> limes, zest and juice </span> <span id="i536069ask5" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536069" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 pinch </span> <span class="name"> coarse sea salt, NOTE: THIS CAN BE REPLACED WITH A DASH OF SOY SAUCE FOR A HINT OF UMAMI </span> <span id="i536070ask6" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536070" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1/4 </span> <span class="name"> large lemon juiced </span> <span id="i536071ask7" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536071" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 tablespoon </span> <span class="name"> sour cream </span> <span id="i536072ask8" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536072" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 pinch </span> <span class="name"> dried red chili flakes </span> <span id="i536073ask9" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536073" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 splash </span> <span class="name"> red wine vinegar</span></li>
<li><span class="name">1 splash balsamic vinegar</span><span id="i536074ask10" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536074" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">2 teaspoons </span> <span class="name"> extra virgin olive oil </span> <span id="i536075ask11" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536075" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 teaspoon </span> <span class="name"> freshly cracked black pepper </span> <span id="i536076ask12" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536076" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span></ul><ol><span class="instructions"> <span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=7790952144166206834" name="288103"></a> </span>
<li> Scoop out the flesh of the avocados and place in a medium sized mixing bowl. Mash up with the salt and garlic. <span id="c60385ask0" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/288103" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
<span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=7790952144166206834" name="288104"></a> </span>
<li> Stir in the juice and zest of the citrus. <span id="c60385ask1" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/288104" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
<span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=7790952144166206834" name="288105"></a> </span>
<li> Stir in the chopped vegetables. <span id="c60385ask2" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/288105" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
<span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=7790952144166206834" name="288106"></a> </span>
<li> Stir in the spices. Then incorporate the olive oil, vinegar and sour cream. Drop a pit in the bowl and wrap with saran if storing in the fridge before serving to prevent dip from oxidizing. <span id="c60385ask3" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/288106" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
<span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=7790952144166206834" name="288107"></a> </span>
<li> Serve with whatever you fancy, I like blue tortilla chips. Also nice with pita or spread on toast with tomato slices on top with a touch of evoo and sea salt. <span id="c60385ask4" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/288107" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
<span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=7790952144166206834" name="288108"></a> </span>
<li> ENJOY!</li>
</span></ol><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span class="summary"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></b> </span></div><span class="summary"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">STRAWBERRY CRUMBLE</span></b></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fL2cIV1vtV4/TkE3c_IQU5I/AAAAAAAAASY/jj16p1CLEiE/s1600/Photo0066Ad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fL2cIV1vtV4/TkE3c_IQU5I/AAAAAAAAASY/jj16p1CLEiE/s640/Photo0066Ad.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strawberry crumble, hot out of the oven</td></tr>
</tbody></table><h5><span class="yield"> </span></h5></span><br />
<span class="summary"><h5><span class="yield">Serves 4, or one glutton</span></h5><ul class="ingredients2"><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">2 </span> <span class="name"> large pints very ripe strawberries </span> <span id="i536090ask0" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536090" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">3 tablespoons </span> <span class="name"> organic butter, cut into little pieces </span> <span id="i536091ask1" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536091" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">2 teaspoons </span> <span class="name"> pure vanilla extract </span> <span id="i536092ask2" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536092" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1/2 </span> <span class="name"> lemon, juice of </span> <span id="i536093ask3" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536093" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 shot </span> <span class="name"> Glenfiddich scotch whiskey </span> <span id="i536094ask4" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536094" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1/3 cup organic dark brown sugar</span></li>
<li><span class="amount">2 tablespoons organic maple syrup</span></li>
<li><span class="amount">1 pinch </span> <span class="name"> fine sea salt </span> <span id="i536095ask5" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536095" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount"> </span> <span class="name"> a few turns of freshly cracked black pepper </span> <span id="i536096ask6" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536096" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 tablespoon </span> <span class="name"> good quality extra virgin olive oil </span> <span id="i536097ask7" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536097" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 </span> <span class="name"> batch, "my crumble topping", http://www.food52.com/recipes/13669_my_crumble_topping </span> <span id="i536098ask8" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=536098" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span></ul><ol><span class="instructions"> <span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=7790952144166206834" name="288119"></a> </span>
<li> Prepare one batch of "my crumble topping" recipe with the following additions: Add another tablespoon of oil to the original recipe, add another teaspoon of fresh black pepper, and 1/2 a teaspoon more vanilla extract. Refrigerate it in a mixing bowl. <span id="c60388ask0" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/288119" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
<span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=7790952144166206834" name="288120"></a> </span>
<li> Cut off the tops of the strawberries and cut the fruit in half. Bag in ziplock bags, freeze overnight. <span id="c60388ask1" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/288120" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
<span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=7790952144166206834" name="288121"></a> </span>
<li> Remove the frozen fruit from the freezer. Empty into a loaf pan. Top with the butter, lemon, vanilla, olive oil, scotch, sweeteners (sugar and syrup) and spices. Use a large spoon to evenly incorporate. <span id="c60388ask2" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/288121" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
<span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=7790952144166206834" name="288122"></a> </span>
<li> Top with the crumble topping. Bake at 375 to 400 degrees until golden brown on top and bubbling pink/red around the edges. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.</li>
</span></ol><ol><span class="instructions"></span></ol><ol><span class="instructions"></span></ol><ol><span class="instructions"></span></ol><ol><span class="instructions"> </span></ol><ol><span class="instructions"> </span></ol></span>Duzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743289793510639855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173534333411240479.post-976914708439232522011-08-01T09:08:00.000-07:002011-08-07T21:44:29.072-07:00My New Pie Crust<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFpWV1VbalDo8P5la8F2AQmeoZvRoBgDk2LJKPag94zWB9MfRxISBnFo-l0tQ69aAZ5rOnxY-Rk63Rxyt3R_r9nnM6Q6fssFW_TgwGkWimgaWvgu9VyBAHLshxPWU9ursQhCiwgDjZKlM/s1600/Photo0016Tw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFpWV1VbalDo8P5la8F2AQmeoZvRoBgDk2LJKPag94zWB9MfRxISBnFo-l0tQ69aAZ5rOnxY-Rk63Rxyt3R_r9nnM6Q6fssFW_TgwGkWimgaWvgu9VyBAHLshxPWU9ursQhCiwgDjZKlM/s1600/Photo0016Tw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSMRorcgRvBqGj4mk85Gh2f_VdCma41DVa94i7sgMDAkN1bYkfDy5U85os3jLOjDJ4QSlhNgdWXIduceNXtpjiqypPZsGMLj5EjTV1wHHJdv7533m5wJe_pjdDQKNb-SmmsuZ09mxKDvh/s1600/pie6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTqyNZ394rd0ytBj1-KwTwyxkRQwgkUhqPhzrsBcaJ9WB9_VbgDhlv1VXOeEnjPxi0qYPwBqDlXt3g07IUH5tXapn4uA6P0jy71sQ_Z2Om2vCisgXCMKOy4u9gtXN1W1IjaX71AVxeSKx/s1600/piecrust.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTqyNZ394rd0ytBj1-KwTwyxkRQwgkUhqPhzrsBcaJ9WB9_VbgDhlv1VXOeEnjPxi0qYPwBqDlXt3g07IUH5tXapn4uA6P0jy71sQ_Z2Om2vCisgXCMKOy4u9gtXN1W1IjaX71AVxeSKx/s640/piecrust.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A new crust made rich with good quality olive oil and butter</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
It was my brother in law's 35th birthday this weekend, so I baked him a pie on request. Pie and I have a history. A big one. There was even a time when I would not attend a party in highschool without bringing a hot whiskey-apple pie in tow. After years of homemade pies, I got myself a job at a well known, and cherished, patisserie in Toronto; Clafouti. It was there that I learned to make tarts with the best of them, pumping out hundreds a day by hand. I honestly believe I've made enough pie in my day that I could make one in my sleep -- which shouldn't be too hard since I already walk and talk in my sleep! No, really, I do.<br />
<br />
Making the same thing over and over has its advantages. You get a profound 'feel' for it. I can grasp dough and tell you exactly what it lacks to be perfect. I can also make a near perfect pie in half the time of a normal baker. It also has a major disadvantage -- you can grow incredibly tired of it. I almost never look forward to baking pie. Regardless of the filling, it always seems like the same old story. But this past weekend, inspiration struck -- why just change the filling? Why not change the crust? If anything truly defines pie, its the crust. There are so many variations and I've made nearly all of them countless times. But this time I thought -- if I know what types of dough yield certain results why not invent a dough? A super dough! And so I did. And it was quite possibly the greatest crust I've ever made, not to mention the most forgiving.<br />
<br />
This dough is easily repaired, and makes the exact amount for one pie crust. It is rich like shortbread, and fragrant. It holds together through two rounds in the oven (blind baking and baking). It flakes on contact delicately, and it bakes into a beautiful golden brown. It pairs well in savory or sweet pies. It is unique but also comfortably familiar.<br />
<br />
The pie is enhanced by good quality olive oil and organic butter. It is not a sweet dough (no sugar in the mix) so it can handle savory fillings. It benefits from pastry flour but could be made with alternative flours, and I intend to experiment with these as well (eg. spelt, rice, kamut flour etc). I hope you like it!<br />
<br />
<br />
My New Pie Crust<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qTyi-Fpl5ht6Lb6BHAgy_h3IQVIguM4oJEPdsSwkAy0WCxNtX4TT-qqdpbYsgy3qMV_T5Q3vT7EoTKG3wPxYFsfzT0OKQnAc8A7-YrvqwbA6eNHrsnP7QCZtwj32zWJOMeIDCCaGXhaF/s1600/Photo0015NtTg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qTyi-Fpl5ht6Lb6BHAgy_h3IQVIguM4oJEPdsSwkAy0WCxNtX4TT-qqdpbYsgy3qMV_T5Q3vT7EoTKG3wPxYFsfzT0OKQnAc8A7-YrvqwbA6eNHrsnP7QCZtwj32zWJOMeIDCCaGXhaF/s640/Photo0015NtTg.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the new forgiving dough, ready to be blind baked in the oven</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<ul class="ingredients2"><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">2 cups </span> <span class="name"> sifted cake/pastry flour </span> <span id="i528114ask0" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528114" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1/3 cup </span> <span class="name"> water with ice cubes </span> <span id="i528115ask1" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528115" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount"> </span> <span class="name"> just shy of 1/2 cup butter </span> <span id="i528116ask2" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528116" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">2-3 tablespoons </span> <span class="name"> good quality extra virgin olive oil (I used a nice israeli oil I had on hand) </span> <span id="i528117ask3" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528117" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 teaspoon </span> <span class="name"> fine sea salt </span> <span id="i528118ask4" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528118" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span></ul><ol><span class="instructions"> <span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=97691470843923252" name="283702"></a> </span>
<li> Preheat oven to 350 degrees. <span id="c59451ask0" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/283702" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
<span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=97691470843923252" name="283703"></a> </span>
<li> In a large mixing bowl sift together the flour and salt. Cut up the butter into small cubes. Toss into the flour. Using a fork, mash the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. <span id="c59451ask1" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/283703" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
<span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=97691470843923252" name="283704"></a> </span>
<li> Drizzle in the oil, Incorporate into the flour mixture evenly. Slowly mix in the water. Scrape the contents of the bowl together to form a ball. It may feel slightly wet for a pie dough. I simply rolled it around in the bowl with a touch more flour. <span id="c59451ask2" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/283704" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
<span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=97691470843923252" name="283705"></a> </span>
<li> Lightly flour the pastry board/marble slab, counter top. ***I put a couple of sheets of clingfilm down on top of the board first***Roll the pie dough out with a lightly floured rolling pin. Roll out in all directions until the circle of dough is approximately two inches wider than the pie plate. <span id="c59451ask3" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/283705" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
<span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=97691470843923252" name="283706"></a> </span>
<li> Grease and lightly dust the pie plate with flour. If you used the cling film on your pastry board the best thing to do is roll your dough up around the rolling pin, clingfilm and all. Take the rolling pin to the edge of your pie plate and unravel over it, removing the clingfilm from the dough. I then pressed the dough into the pie plate and trimmed the edges. When i said this was a forgiving dough it was because the dough was easily ripped and mended back together with no averse effect. I attribute this to the wetness (but not too wet!) of the dough. <span id="c59451ask4" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/283706" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
<span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=97691470843923252" name="283707"></a> </span>
<li> I blind baked the dough after stabbing it all over with a fork. I baked it until the edges were golden, about 12 minutes. I then let it cool before baking it again with its filling</li>
</span></ol><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: red; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>And here is the filling recipe for Tim's odd birthday pie. He requested "apple-blackberry". He's British, so I forgave his sacrilege.</b></span></div><br />
So I made him a: whiskey-apple-pear-black raspberry-Marion blackberry-wild blueberry pie with an olive oil crust and a crumble top <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1NiP2dUMlRjUckgeGo_H9mZKcBLeqVtqWVTsl9aAVsCtB36cpXhfp_G6OQiLxbXcCBUtJfTSq5aSA3aL7zLf84cvBux7P-Y_Y7jHYeQdhcd25-YBo2xUyDteHt2xGSapAWz8q1o3nWiQ/s1600/Photo0036Tj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1NiP2dUMlRjUckgeGo_H9mZKcBLeqVtqWVTsl9aAVsCtB36cpXhfp_G6OQiLxbXcCBUtJfTSq5aSA3aL7zLf84cvBux7P-Y_Y7jHYeQdhcd25-YBo2xUyDteHt2xGSapAWz8q1o3nWiQ/s640/Photo0036Tj.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the finished pie</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span class="yield">Serves 6</span> <br />
<ul class="ingredients2"><span class="ingredient">
<li> <b><span class="amount">1 </span></b><span class="name"><b>prepared pie crust</b> (see recipe immediately above) </span> <span id="i528166ask0" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528166" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">5 </span> <span class="name"> small organic royal gala apples </span> <span id="i528167ask1" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528167" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 </span> <span class="name"> organic d'anjou pear </span> <span id="i528168ask2" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528168" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1/2<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1941734711"> </a></span> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=97691470843923252"><span class="name"></span></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1941734711"> </a>lemon, juice and zest </li>
</span> <span id="i528169ask3" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528169" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> <span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 </span> <span class="name"> package Stalbush 'healthberry blend' (gourmet frozen berries) </span> <span id="i528170ask4" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528170" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1/3 cup </span> <span class="name"> frozen wild blueberries </span> <span id="i528171ask5" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528171" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 </span> <span class="name"> shot good quality whiskey </span> <span id="i528172ask6" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528172" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">2 tablespoons </span> <span class="name"> organic butter </span> <span id="i528173ask7" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528173" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1/4 cup </span> <span class="name"> light brown sugar </span> <span id="i528174ask8" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528174" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1/4 cup </span> <span class="name"> dark brown sugar </span> <span id="i528175ask9" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528175" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 teaspoon </span> <span class="name"> natural vanilla extract </span> <span id="i528176ask10" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528176" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">2 teaspoons </span> <span class="name"> ground cinnamon </span> <span id="i528177ask11" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528177" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 teaspoon </span> <span class="name"> flour </span> <span id="i528178ask12" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528178" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">2 tablespoons </span> <span class="name"> water </span> <span id="i528179ask13" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528179" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><b><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 </span> <span class="name"> recipe's worth of my crumble topping </span><span class="name"> </span><span class="ingredient"><span class="name">(see recipe below)</span></span> <span id="i528180ask14" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528180" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span></b><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1/2 teaspoon </span> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=97691470843923252"><span class="name"></span></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1941734722"> </a>fine sea salt </li>
</span> <span id="i528181ask15" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528181" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> <span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 teaspoon </span> <span class="name"> freshly cracked black pepper (odd, I know, but it works!)</span> <span id="i528182ask16" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528182" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span></ul><ol><span class="instructions"> <span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=97691470843923252" name="283714"></a> </span>
<li> Peel core and chop the apples and the pears. Heat a skillet over medium high heat (not non-stick!!!!) Add the butter and let it melt and sizzle. <span id="c59456ask0" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/283714" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
<span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=97691470843923252" name="283715"></a> </span>
<li> Add the apples and pear pieces. Saute 1 minute. Add the lemon juice and zest. Add the sugar and let it bubble and reduce a little. Add the cinnamon, salt and pepper, vanilla and the whiskey. Saute another minute. Make a slurry out of the water and flour. Add to pan and stir in. <span id="c59456ask1" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/283715" target="_blank">Ask a question about this step.</a> </span> </li>
<span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=97691470843923252" name="283716"></a> </span>
<li> Add contents of the pan to prepared pie crust. Top with the frozen berries, arranging evenly over the top. Top with crumble topping. Bake at 375 in a preheated oven until crumble top is brown and pie is fragrant (about 20-30 minutes depending on your oven. </li>
</span></ol><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLONX0y3ZB2xz5jCu36i63etCDzRS4jXnyokN-uh24fJYXAo9KtofFR3Zb6dHI_jhBhBzxD8RXzeT8STujd1ETvbVr-bwvRWlN7pdPf4N58F9TZg8qD-qyvkZ5ABRgKAtHLjtpyJsoG5eF/s1600/Photo0023Wj%252Bt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLONX0y3ZB2xz5jCu36i63etCDzRS4jXnyokN-uh24fJYXAo9KtofFR3Zb6dHI_jhBhBzxD8RXzeT8STujd1ETvbVr-bwvRWlN7pdPf4N58F9TZg8qD-qyvkZ5ABRgKAtHLjtpyJsoG5eF/s640/Photo0023Wj%252Bt.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pie fixings</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitMKDhyphenhyphendsjH6FT_Vxz7gO1BpSEqE5sie4UkUujTEB9spw5Cx5tgu8heh-314pv23WBAbLhO2qSUbCD2SabLhOPL0dtcF1fUCD6RWyvxyUNGVnuhCMqbAwSV76nI6cmyQHDYAp75Y6J98RL/s1600/Photo0025TwpU_mj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitMKDhyphenhyphendsjH6FT_Vxz7gO1BpSEqE5sie4UkUujTEB9spw5Cx5tgu8heh-314pv23WBAbLhO2qSUbCD2SabLhOPL0dtcF1fUCD6RWyvxyUNGVnuhCMqbAwSV76nI6cmyQHDYAp75Y6J98RL/s640/Photo0025TwpU_mj.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">caramelizing the apples and pears</td></tr>
</tbody></table><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSMRorcgRvBqGj4mk85Gh2f_VdCma41DVa94i7sgMDAkN1bYkfDy5U85os3jLOjDJ4QSlhNgdWXIduceNXtpjiqypPZsGMLj5EjTV1wHHJdv7533m5wJe_pjdDQKNb-SmmsuZ09mxKDvh/s1600/pie6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSMRorcgRvBqGj4mk85Gh2f_VdCma41DVa94i7sgMDAkN1bYkfDy5U85os3jLOjDJ4QSlhNgdWXIduceNXtpjiqypPZsGMLj5EjTV1wHHJdv7533m5wJe_pjdDQKNb-SmmsuZ09mxKDvh/s1600/pie6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSMRorcgRvBqGj4mk85Gh2f_VdCma41DVa94i7sgMDAkN1bYkfDy5U85os3jLOjDJ4QSlhNgdWXIduceNXtpjiqypPZsGMLj5EjTV1wHHJdv7533m5wJe_pjdDQKNb-SmmsuZ09mxKDvh/s640/pie6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">caramelized apples and pears hit the blind baked crust</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSesCAVii8aD4xEo5VsNkmBE6L4LFE9mL1qa0uHDN2OLdr7dAUlc4vhs3-NklqIKlpW3Z_UIFU7gd8dz3_VtsasSllDNTg0WN4MbmSMaM79LFhieC0FCSrHEb0ERVJNhotS_P5pe-A8V5o/s1600/Photo0031Txm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSesCAVii8aD4xEo5VsNkmBE6L4LFE9mL1qa0uHDN2OLdr7dAUlc4vhs3-NklqIKlpW3Z_UIFU7gd8dz3_VtsasSllDNTg0WN4MbmSMaM79LFhieC0FCSrHEb0ERVJNhotS_P5pe-A8V5o/s640/Photo0031Txm.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and get topped with frozen berries</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSMRorcgRvBqGj4mk85Gh2f_VdCma41DVa94i7sgMDAkN1bYkfDy5U85os3jLOjDJ4QSlhNgdWXIduceNXtpjiqypPZsGMLj5EjTV1wHHJdv7533m5wJe_pjdDQKNb-SmmsuZ09mxKDvh/s1600/pie6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: red;">My sister, Anna, who doesn't even like pie, had two helpings.</span></b></span></div><br />
My Crumble Topping<br />
<br />
Excellent on pie, can be even better on crumble/crisp. Does well with the addition of shredded coconut. I also like to top it with a couple dashes of cinnamon for punch at the end.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFpWV1VbalDo8P5la8F2AQmeoZvRoBgDk2LJKPag94zWB9MfRxISBnFo-l0tQ69aAZ5rOnxY-Rk63Rxyt3R_r9nnM6Q6fssFW_TgwGkWimgaWvgu9VyBAHLshxPWU9ursQhCiwgDjZKlM/s1600/Photo0016Tw.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFpWV1VbalDo8P5la8F2AQmeoZvRoBgDk2LJKPag94zWB9MfRxISBnFo-l0tQ69aAZ5rOnxY-Rk63Rxyt3R_r9nnM6Q6fssFW_TgwGkWimgaWvgu9VyBAHLshxPWU9ursQhCiwgDjZKlM/s640/Photo0016Tw.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<h5><span class="yield">Serves 1 pie</span></h5><br />
<ul class="ingredients2"><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">4 tablespoons </span> <span class="name"> organic butter </span> <span id="i528156ask0" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528156" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1/2 cup </span> <span class="name"> organic rolled oats </span> <span id="i528157ask1" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528157" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1/2 cup </span> <span class="name"> pastry flour </span> <span id="i528158ask2" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528158" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 pinch<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1941734730"> </a></span> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=97691470843923252"><span class="name"></span></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1941734730"> </a>fine sea salt </li>
</span> <span id="i528159ask3" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528159" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> <span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 dash </span> <span class="name"> black pepper </span> <span id="i528160ask4" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528160" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">2 teaspoons </span> <span class="name"> ground cinnamon </span> <span id="i528161ask5" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528161" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 teaspoon<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1941734735"> </a></span> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=97691470843923252"><span class="name"></span></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1941734735"> </a>natural vanilla extract </li>
</span> <span id="i528162ask6" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528162" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> <span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1/2 <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1941734738"> </a></span> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=97691470843923252"><span class="name"></span></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1941734738"> </a>lemon, zest of </li>
</span> <span id="i528163ask7" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528163" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> <span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1/2 cup </span> <span class="name"> brown sugar </span> <span id="i528164ask8" style="display: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> <a href="http://www.food52.com/fp/rnew/0?ingredient_id=528164" target="_blank">Ask a question about this ingredient.</a> </span> </li>
</span><span class="ingredient">
<li> <span class="amount">1 t</span><span class="amount">ablespoon </span> <span class="name"> good quality extra virgin olive o</span><span class="name"></span><span class="name">il </span><span class="name"> </span><span class="name"> </span><span class="name"> </span><span class="name"> </span></li>
</span></ul><span class="summary"><span class="instructions">Combine all ingredient in a mixing bowl to desired crumbly consistency. Top prepared pie crust and filling. Bake.</span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUMlujMXAOaG-Jqf3PCfeRnzPc1LSTT3zHPDehBfZaqzrvHUVqAOSvua1IEgCucliReoyeAH_S0Kgl5Pjykg6ZZE5byHIIysleg_hyaevgg71P_EG7-bdeVxCHrsBsQMTB763XyT8uTFv/s1600/Photo0035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOUMlujMXAOaG-Jqf3PCfeRnzPc1LSTT3zHPDehBfZaqzrvHUVqAOSvua1IEgCucliReoyeAH_S0Kgl5Pjykg6ZZE5byHIIysleg_hyaevgg71P_EG7-bdeVxCHrsBsQMTB763XyT8uTFv/s640/Photo0035.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">crumble topped and ready for the oven</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span class="summary"><span class="instructions"> For my next pie I am going to use the new crust to make a savory dinner pie. Possibly a savory sweet potato or butternut squash pie topped with caramelized red onions. I may also make a greens pie with ricotta. The myriad possibilities are worth dreaming up!</span></span><br />
<ul class="ingredients2"><span class="ingredient"></span></ul><ol><span class="instructions"> <span class="instruction"> <a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=97691470843923252" name="283713"></a> </span> </span></ol><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8173534333411240479&postID=97691470843923252" name="0"></a></div>Duzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743289793510639855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173534333411240479.post-62502994164713829712011-06-09T16:16:00.000-07:002011-06-09T16:37:53.402-07:00Catching the Future<div style="color: white;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.051199333947967385" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">URBAN FISH </span><b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></b></div><div style="color: white;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.051199333947967385" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span id="internal-source-marker_0.051199333947967385" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A whole new “Local Farm Product”</span></div><div style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(SEE THIS ARTICLE ON <a href="http://goodfoodrevolution.wordpress.com/2011/06/09/urban-fish-farming-in-new-york-city/">GOOD FOOD REVOLUTION</a> </span><b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">)</span></b></div><div style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br />
</span><b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></b></div><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVXaOVjBl9mvjXgr4IEMG6g1uZX91rPuK12kGnVCJa76hdZ70_v62sv3hbNxuPwrrC8Sf9-rj5_wz-FPkL8RawtGSP0qsWiUZOMCNZlcTR5bTeTmrrn2v76Q0tOzH93nFdm2qdJs7mFsx/s1600/IMG_8089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVXaOVjBl9mvjXgr4IEMG6g1uZX91rPuK12kGnVCJa76hdZ70_v62sv3hbNxuPwrrC8Sf9-rj5_wz-FPkL8RawtGSP0qsWiUZOMCNZlcTR5bTeTmrrn2v76Q0tOzH93nFdm2qdJs7mFsx/s640/IMG_8089.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: GIORDANO CIAMPINI ( (<a href="http://giofni.tumblr.com/">http://giofni.tumblr.com</a>/) <b> FISH IN KENSINGTON MARKET, TORONTO </b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A New York City basement is pumping out a revolutionary and controversial new product, which surprisingly is supported by the State. At New York University’s Brooklyn College, professor Martin P. Schreibman and his colleagues, students and assistants, are developing a solution to ease the world’s fishing crisis and hunger: the Urban Fish Farm. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Aquaculture –the wave of the future for fish farm developments. This is not growing carp in your parent’s bathtub or goldfish in a display tank, this is real fishing for the future…if fishing is going to have a future. As it stands, the world’s natural resources for fish are being hazardously depleted. Currently one sixth of the world’s population consumes fish as a primary protein source. If human beings continue to consume fish in this way, it will not be long before we endanger or worse, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">extinguish</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, popular fish varieties like salmon and tuna. In the past we have attempted to solve this growing issue by farming fish within the bounds of natural ecosystems. This has caused its own sizable troubles for those ecosystems invaded and disturbed by the farms – ie. water contamination due to the unnatural abundance of waste produced by the farmed fish, then released into the natural environment. The new innovation, urban Aquaculture farming, where fish are grown in isolation (on land in tanks), could become a clean, safe and manageable way to allow our natural resources to recycle themselves before they are destroyed beyond repair. This will still cater to the tastes and needs of many nations worldwide. The urban system has been engineered in order to compliment rather than supplant commercial fishing, allowing our natural resources just enough of a break to avoid obliteration and eventually return to a balance. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> In New York City, where urban Aquaculture is just getting going, Dr. Martin Schreibman, of New York University’s Brooklyn College, and his colleagues, hope to see urban farmed fish like his sold locally (to cut down on fish importation) and grown inexpensively to feed the local homeless population of the bustling borough and greater city area. Schreibman and his colleagues are also hopeful that if Aquaculture takes off in the city, it could provide jobs and become a very lucrative industry –“a 1.5 billion dollar per year industry in New York City alone” in fact. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Which fish are being raised in these vats? Tilapia, primarily. Tilapia are farmed all over the world in many ways. In African nations they are being farmed in villages in man-made ponds where they are the primary foodstuff for the local villagers -- providing healthy fats and protein to the malnourished. The fish are also grown in vast fish farms in Asia in countries including Thailand for local sale and export. The popular fresh water fish species from the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">tilapiine cichlid</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> tribe is the high profile fish for urban fish farming. Perhaps not quite as popular and as in-demand a foodstuff as salmon and tuna, tilapia fish are highly disease-resistant and can be safely grown in confined spaces (even safely in moderately filthy conditions) with an unadulterated delicious and nutritious result. The fish also have low to negligible mercury content, according to the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) compared to other popular fish like albacore tuna and swordfish, making tilapia brain and nervous system-friendly for those who frequently consume fish. But that’s not all they’re growing</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The scientists at Brooklyn College have fine tuned their aquaculture facilities to such a degree that they have been able to grow fresh water and salt water aquatic species in captivity they never dreamed possible –everything from eels to octopi. They’ve even raised several species of tropical fish and sent them into space on the space shuttle in order to study the effects of hypo-gravity on their sexual reproductive organs! The most recent focus of their attention is on growing horseshoe crab from their eggs to aid in restoration of this species in Jamaica Bay.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Schreibman began working on urban aquaculture with Professor Yonathan Zohar, director of the Center of Marine Biotechnology at the University of Maryland, who created the urban tank concept a few years prior to when Schreibman started his own studies at Brooklyn College. Zohar was using urban aquaculture and gilthead seabream to study how to spawn fish in captivity. The center that Schreibman founded, the Aquatic Research and Environmental Assessment Center (AREAC), received funding from Brooklyn College and a New York State bond in order to form a facility for aquatic research and environmental assessment -- focusing on the impact of environment on aquatic organisms. After some time, the facility moved into aquaculture research and now also serves as a teaching facility. Graduates and undergraduates do field work at the centre –currently their focus is on </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Aquaponics</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> –growing fish and plant life together. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooN3w0pmeMNh2e67_nYaNdCYJ70EDpFbKdZ9qX-sPz5m4dhW9-BsflE-O4SJQqtyKQqQu7UDB6haBnbMfvXCT3g7X4mhAB5fvsGzFYJvuG59ZH352laT0AKnnZtlTBBvlBOBo7bDBcN3i/s1600/IMG_8090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiooN3w0pmeMNh2e67_nYaNdCYJ70EDpFbKdZ9qX-sPz5m4dhW9-BsflE-O4SJQqtyKQqQu7UDB6haBnbMfvXCT3g7X4mhAB5fvsGzFYJvuG59ZH352laT0AKnnZtlTBBvlBOBo7bDBcN3i/s640/IMG_8090.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: GIORDANO CIAMPINI (<a href="http://giofni.tumblr.com/">http://giofni.tumblr.com</a>/) <b> FISHMONGER KENSINGTON MARKET</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: white;"><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Brooklyn College Aquatic Research and Environmental Assesment Center project has been ongoing since 1998 and has changed focus several times. Its chief purpose has been constant –to grow and study various aquatic species in captivity under varying conditions. They have a number of different tanks used for different species under observation. At present, their major focus is on raising tilapia and learning as much as possible about their sexual reproductive capacity in captivity in order to make a viable new urban industry. There are approximately ten tanks for their tilapia, with sizes ranging from 300 to 1000 gallons of water. Schreibman and his aides are growing roughly ¾ pounds of tilapia per gallon of water. A lot of fish.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tilapia are omnivores so it is possible to sustain them on various diets. At the centre they have been fed everything from vegetable and cereal based meal, to fish meal to fish oils, to soy and flax meal. They will eat almost anything in their path so they are generally grown in tanks with little to no vegetation as they will likely consume it. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Schreibman has several research objectives for his centre. He is driven to learn as much as possible about how to control the growth of animals in containment. He also aspires to see his work address world famine. He hopes that by growing abundant resources in limited spaces, and using a smaller footprint of water and land in growing food products, technology can truly maximize the yield of this natural product.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The State funding that Schreibman’s project receives has varying guidelines. At the moment New York State is very interested in alternative forms of energy, energy efficiency and conservation of alternative resources. As a result, Scheribman’s project is shifting focus to look more closely at </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sustainability.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> When asked how long he predicts his work will continue to be supported, Schreibman replied, “I don’t know. Funding is really difficult to come by these days. But there are always questions to address as long as there is funding available. I hope it goes on forever until we get people fed and teach them to grow their own food…and get them eating locally. I think we’ve got a long way to go." </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The standard opposition to farmed fish is that their nutrients and flavor pale in comparison to wild, and organic fish also available in the city. Schreibman does not share this bleak view of his farmed product. He believes that the stable and clean environment offered in his lab creates a far superior product to that of the average fish farm. Scheibman argues that the proof is in the pudding and that his fish are far more fresh, clean and healthy than the average imported Tilapia available for purchase in New York City. “Those fish travel for weeks and months from Asia before they get to our markets…my fish are sacrificed in the morning and on my dinner plate in the evening.”</span></div><div style="color: white;"><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Environmentalists have some concerns over the facilities used to grow the fish, specifically the significant amount of energy required to maintain the aquaculture lab facilities –a costly endeavor. Schreibman admits that this side of the process is an issue. The farm facilities need constant observation and maintenance to ensure consistent quality and sanitation. But he also feels there is a trade-off involved. In exchange for power and manual labor, our natural resources will get the break they need to restore and recycle, jobs will be created, and more people will be fed a superior, local, product that they can depend on.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Schreibman’s urban development eliminates some common problems which arise when farms are introduced within natural resources. Because his tanks are contained, their waste does not directly impact local fish populations which often suffer due to the spillover of antibiotics, waste and pesticides common in conventional fish farms. Schreibman’s tanks use a water re-circulation process known as RAS (Re-circulating Aquaculture Systems). The tanks employ a bio-filtration system -- a bacteriological process where small filters called bio-balls are used within a filter as places for beneficial bacteria to grow. The tank’s water is re-circulated through these bio-balls which neutralize and trap the tank waste, preventing the potential accumulation of toxic substances in the tank –such as ammonia. The bacteria on the bio-barrels break down ammonia returning clean water back into the tank system. More water is added to the tanks to account for any volume lost in filtration. As tank design has improved, the amount of water added during filtration has been greatly reduced. Schreibman maintains that very little water is added at all to his tanks. “Only ten percent change over per week in our system –some systems have almost zero changeover…making our’s an ideal system…which uses less water and land to grow an ideal product.”</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVqz8Qe72V513h0H85VLsqMYi2GZU76LgbSSpdfd2kcBx_cLWDSWCeb91TlPO0MbVEjoLmifO2224XJELPd9_Qx3uVVL5IqTi-FuCWICsOcAHTVoBLphOKzuWnTHBIVABPMvYm7X22oSnl/s1600/IMG_8092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVqz8Qe72V513h0H85VLsqMYi2GZU76LgbSSpdfd2kcBx_cLWDSWCeb91TlPO0MbVEjoLmifO2224XJELPd9_Qx3uVVL5IqTi-FuCWICsOcAHTVoBLphOKzuWnTHBIVABPMvYm7X22oSnl/s640/IMG_8092.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PHOTO: GIORDANO CIAMPINI (<a href="http://giofni.tumblr.com/">http://giofni.tumblr.com</a>/)<b> FISHMONGER, KENSINGTON MARKET</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A major benefit of urban fish farming is that it eliminates the threat of escaped farmed fish –a major concern in ecosystems where bred fish compete vigorously for food with the wild fish populations. A hazard of conventional fish farming is an abundance of fish waste, antibiotics, and hormones being released steadily into a natural ecosystem, devastating that system as a result. Martin Schreibman’s fish are grown in such a fine-tuned, clean environment that they need no antibiotics or hormones to be raised. The solid waste produced in Schreibman’s tanks is currently being deposited in the New York City sewer system. At the moment that method is sanitary enough for the volume of waste at issue but if the city were to adopt the new urban farming method, Schreibman feels it would require a manure system to neutralize the waste.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While composing this article, I came across a new book called </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For Cod and Country</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> by </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Barton Seaver</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, a celebrity chef who focused three of his restaurants on </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sustainable seafood</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> before leaving the line. He served small portions of sustainable species of fish and a vegetable-focused cuisine to make up the rest of the necessary calories in his meals. Seaver now promotes sustainable seafood consumption through a host of high profile organisations including the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">National Geographic</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Society, as well as a new television show, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In Search of Food</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">, on the Ovation network. I was very curious to hear his opinion on Aquaculture. He had several positive things to say about it as a tool for saving our natural resources, a tool he felt was being ignored. “Aquaculture has a huge opportunity for profit - we import 80% of our food! Financial markets are remiss to not think of this as a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">huge</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> opportunity.”When asked if he thought the US Government needed to support project’s like Shreibman’s, Seaver had this to say: “I do! But it is not necessarily the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">environmental </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">side needing support...aquaculture means job creation, better nutrition for our kids leading to better grades in school...</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">chambers of commerce, departments of education and defence</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">...all of these cabinets should be interested in supporting and creating this new industry.” Seaver sees great flavor potential in urban farmed fish if they are raised well, but acknowledges that this is not always the case, “some of the farmed fish I’ve experienced have been unpalatable, some shockingly brilliant in taste...and I’ve had everything in between...urban aquaculture requires talent, perseverance and skill to do well.”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Seaver acknowledges that while urban fish farming has a few drawbacks, “all aquaculture has an opportunity to replace some of the burdens if done correctly...We have to develop systems that take energy and water into account...keeping jobs for wild fisherman in mind..Urban aquaculture in particular is a great opportunity as it makes omega 3s available to people unable to access wild coastal fish...it is an opportunity to answer some great social inequality issues that arise around seafood as well...” The most serious concern he has about adopting urban fish farming as a long term solution to the fishing crisis is that, “it has the opportunity to further distance our relationship with wild fisherman...fisherman deserve as much protection as fish...one danger is we further the disconnect between ourselves and our fishing communities.” But overall, Seaver still thinks the adoption of urban aquaculture is a positive development in the search for the resolution to the fishing crisis. “Urban aquaculture could be part of a long term solution...there is no silver bullet for the fishing crisis...it should be lauded and welcomed as one in a host of tools that we should be pursuing...”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Exactly how much energy and money would be required to run city wide fish farms has yet to be determined, and is a guess Professor Martin Schreibman is hesitant to make. There are potentially many factors to consider before putting such plans into action which is exactly what Schreibman’s team is starting to focus on –drafting business plans for future projects in the city. Still, despite the haziness of some details, Schreibman is confident that Urban Aquaculture is the necessary future for fishing. He is aware that there is a strong push for </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ocean Aquaculture</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -- where vast farms are dropped into the middle of oceans -- but sees it as the wrong direction to turn. The negatives are the same as those of conventional fish farms which he hopes to resolve with urban Aquaculture –an inability to track lost animals into the wild; pollution from large accumulations of fish waste; and toxicity due to high level of hormones and antibiotics present in the hazardous waste. He sees no sound alternatives to his system. For him, it is the only way. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: white; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">POSTED BY THE NIBBLER </span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBk44XqitA1WBKSAMtU-yyOtdCBLwmaWiojoatZvV9wOdEp5vIkO9LFMScGZV6uxGeg5GEFEODgTa0XVZ4aJj21cMVHZh6T8M_gY8f9jHmfLM_FTmXVwyLAlhKQQqcD9EVLB-sgxfaogQg/s1600/LIPS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBk44XqitA1WBKSAMtU-yyOtdCBLwmaWiojoatZvV9wOdEp5vIkO9LFMScGZV6uxGeg5GEFEODgTa0XVZ4aJj21cMVHZh6T8M_gY8f9jHmfLM_FTmXVwyLAlhKQQqcD9EVLB-sgxfaogQg/s1600/LIPS.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb_DTO8JVJC8ic9wy0IOFw-QoCSrAtIDTZRHd29pilCTxWpySHALhfk05VVtcodmmuEANSVpGe9aY16-Aby5spRRmbGfmB8qIwU6qstunPTWaQN7TNV-LtD9wyuKJeMvkjsFLTHP4Aa1Eq/s1600/LIPS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ITxHS_gNopK7hosodgmqbAILnqWWagBvIn7FZcBOnrB47iBTDc6_xi_OxGrGo5xR6qB6C8hky7Un3liaqO5lPFrp_rSkpu9O4aDvQa9NtXeYPQqI6j1egRqwglkBL_VwCB4YjOK-R90a/s1600/LIPS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span>Duzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743289793510639855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173534333411240479.post-13815803253726886242011-04-07T09:29:00.000-07:002011-04-08T08:29:30.687-07:00The Squash and the QuailSo I recently moved into my latest Toronto apartment. This time I found a hidden gem, and a space ripe for entertaining in. I have had a few long standing intentions for hosting dinner parties, and when I moved in and discovered my roommate was going out of town, I thought I should throw a couple of them straight away.<br />
<br />
Dinner I: <b>COMFORT</b><br />
<br />
My first dinner was set for mid-week with my best friend. Two eccentric ladies and copious amounts of wine begs for some hearty fare to soak up the inevitable mess. I tossed around several ideas for a menu as the day drew near, the only consistent threads were rich and comforting, and something...poultry. Aleks is a carnivore. At first I thought of doing a roast chicken with oranges, carrots and onions, served up with a celeriac puree and some sort of salad starter. That meal idea was mostly inspired by my brother-in-law. I am frequently invited over to my sister's place for Sunday roast, something her husband has perfected and does up every week (he's British, so I won't hold it against him). But the more I mused on that idea, the less I was excited by it. I wanted jus, or gravy...something...sexy. <br />
<br />
I settled on a reinvented comfort meal. I went in with the prayer that it would all somehow meld into harmony.<br />
<br />
I made a light and flavorful starter.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ru19qMysB0I/TZ3QJPbMK7I/AAAAAAAAAMk/Uh2tTvg9wCc/s1600/IMG_6449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ru19qMysB0I/TZ3QJPbMK7I/AAAAAAAAAMk/Uh2tTvg9wCc/s640/IMG_6449.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
It was a veritable rainbow on a plate to contrast the dreary whiteout of the street that night. A green salad with onions and carrots roasted in the juice of a clementine, topped off with wee fried quail's eggs and shaved parmeggiano in a dijon vinaigrette. The quail's eggs were very cute perched on top of the greens and veg. Aleks simply described the salad as "so fresh."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ug8qvvEZ6HM/TZ3PwNBbxZI/AAAAAAAAAMg/u5HE3sM38R4/s1600/IMG_6446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ug8qvvEZ6HM/TZ3PwNBbxZI/AAAAAAAAAMg/u5HE3sM38R4/s640/IMG_6446.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wSSWUSIuXis/TZ3QgU0__cI/AAAAAAAAAMo/p7WJRUZH3bw/s1600/IMG_6446.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wSSWUSIuXis/TZ3QgU0__cI/AAAAAAAAAMo/p7WJRUZH3bw/s640/IMG_6446.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Next up, the comforting main. I decided to make very rich turkey meatballs in a deep red wine ragu. This turned out better than expected. The meatballs came out not distinctly poultry, but instead meaty and moist. My sauce was TOTALLY from scratch. I used olive oil, red and orange bell peppers, carrots, celery, white onions and sweet onions, and garlic as the base. I deglazed the sauteed veg with a nice Pinot Noir. Then tomato Passata was added instead of a pre-made tomato sauce. The sauce was sweetened with some organic dark brown sugar to add a nice sweet and sour dimension. I finished it with some dried basil and parsley. I let the ragu simmer for about an hour to really develop the flavors. The sauce would make a nice vegetarian ragu for pasta if you leave out the meatballs.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b8qibOGHbmk/TZ3QIx9lPvI/AAAAAAAAAM0/b_8mxo7rgPA/s1600/IMG_6451%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b8qibOGHbmk/TZ3QIx9lPvI/AAAAAAAAAM0/b_8mxo7rgPA/s640/IMG_6451%25282%2529.JPG" width="634" /></a></div><br />
<br />
When I was satisfied with the deep flavor, I incorporated the meatballs, which I had prepared and fried separately (ground dark and white meat with caramelized onions, egg, and sauteed red and orange pepper pieces), so that they really soaked up the sauce's flavors, imparting some of their own while breaking down slightly. Aleks approved.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l_6tRskf1Ic/TZ3QUxdJ-XI/AAAAAAAAAM8/ABX73Zeo_Gs/s1600/IMG_6453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l_6tRskf1Ic/TZ3QUxdJ-XI/AAAAAAAAAM8/ABX73Zeo_Gs/s640/IMG_6453.JPG" width="584" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
My twist on the classic meatball main came with the accompaniment. Rather than a heavy pasta, I chose a side I rarely use -- spaghetti squash. I have cooked with it but have been moderately unsatisfied by it as a pasta substitute. This time I managed to cook it properly, following the recommended instructions on its label, I baked the squash split open, skin on, flesh down, skin rubbed with olive oil, until tender in a 350 degree oven. It came out perfectly...all four full serving dishes of it -- I greatly overestimated how much I needed, but was pleasantly surprised that it reheats incredibly well. For anyone unfamiliar with it, this bright yellow oval squash is low in carbohydrates and calories and interestingly cooks in a way that allows its insides to be scraped out in spaghetti like strands. It is much more flavorful (sweet but not too sweet and a little nutty) than I remembered. It worked perfectly alongside the sauce.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i0iO4_mKP2Q/TZ3QTb5VoyI/AAAAAAAAAM4/-V1U6Ek6nfE/s1600/IMG_6452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i0iO4_mKP2Q/TZ3QTb5VoyI/AAAAAAAAAM4/-V1U6Ek6nfE/s640/IMG_6452.JPG" width="454" /></a></div><br />
<br />
With my buckets of leftovers I created a go to vegetarian pasta alternative for my busy week. I simply re-baked the squash at a high temperature in a shallow dish drizzled in a little olive oil, salt and pepper. In a saucepan I sauteed some red onion and garlic finely chopped, tossed in a large chopped tomato and let it come to a low boil. Then I added a little white wine and let the alcohol cook off for a few minutes. Then I enriched the sauce with a little milk and some dollops of soft goat's cheese and let it just amalgamate into a smooth sauce. Next I grated some fresh parmeggiano (cow's milk) and pecorino romano (sheep's milk) cheese in, stirring to incorporate them. Lastly, I tossed in a little fresh arugula. My third time around I decided to leave the nearly complete sauce over the low heat, without stirring it in, I then piled on the spaghetti squash fresh from the hot oven, drizzled it with a little more olive oil, and cracked pepper, then a little more of the grated cheese. I let it sit in the pan just long enough to let the cheese on top of the squash melt. I then gave the whole thing one swift light stir and emptied it out into a deep bowl to eat. Wonderful. It was so nice and comforting on a cold night after a long day. And by not fully stirring the two components, I created a nice duo of flavors so that each bite was a little unique. I normally don't eat a lot of pasta because I find it heavy, so the squash was a nice alternative.<br />
<br />
Dinner II: <b>WHIMSY</b><br />
<br />
My next meal involved two of my best pals, Ilana and Sara. I have known these girls since highschool. Ilana is a vegetarian so I catered to that entirely. Since I had thoroughly enjoyed the spaghetti squash the other night and had several quail's eggs leftover, I created a new dish to feature the two ingredients. I started the meal with a similar salad to what I had made for Aleks, only this one had roasted candy cane beets, blueberries, goat's cheese and avocado instead of quail's eggs on top.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-BOXbWFAcdrI/TYDsqqbrObI/AAAAAAAAAKs/odb80vejlUA/s640/photo%25285%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="476" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SALAD STARTER: ROASTED CANDY CANE BEETS WITH AVOCADO, GOAT'S CHEESE, GREENS AND BERRIES</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-j8sKQBAN6f0/TYDsdee5HII/AAAAAAAAAKo/k023dUnClNA/s1600/photo%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-j8sKQBAN6f0/TYDsdee5HII/AAAAAAAAAKo/k023dUnClNA/s400/photo%25284%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
For my main I ended up with something truly mad but delicious. I put a lot of thought into the meal. As a rule of thumb, when faced with an obstacle in a meal plan (such as no meat) I overcompensate for the loss with presentation, color and bold flavor. I started thinking about how to highlight the star ingredients, and how to create a meal full of contrasting flavors. I decided to construct a tower of tastes that were all bold but complimentary. I presented this tower as a nest, the star quail's eggs cradled by the straw like squash strands.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-qMnnyh6xpxU/TYDzC-1aX2I/AAAAAAAAAK0/PjzWQgP_EuI/s1600/photo%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-qMnnyh6xpxU/TYDzC-1aX2I/AAAAAAAAAK0/PjzWQgP_EuI/s640/photo%25287%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE MAIN: BIRD'S NEST</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
I started by roasting the squash the same way I had for my meal with Alex. Next I roasted some vegetables for a sauce -- zucchini and orange bell peppers. I roasted the veg drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper, on tinfoil on baking sheets in a fairly hot oven. When they were tender I reserved the peppers, peeling and discarding their blistered skins. I took the zucchini which I chopped down a bit and tossed it into a blender, juices and all. I pureed it down with some e.v.o.o., freshly grated lemon zest, raw garlic, red onion and fresh basil. I then added some milk to the mix. Then in a large stir fry pan I sauteed some chopped garlic and red onion in olive oil. Once they went translucent I raised the heat a little and threw in some zucchini slices and colored them. Next I added a splash of a nice Pinot Grigio and let the alcohol burn off via a low boil. Then I emptied the mix into a saucepan, gently heating it over medium high heat. I finished the sauce with some soft goat's cheese, letting it incorporate smoothly over the heat, then a lot of cracked black pepper, more olive oil, and some freshly grated parmeggiano and pecorino romano cheese. I then took a medium sized mixing bowl, added some nice olive oil, cracked black pepper, a little chopped garlic, a squeeze of lemon, a touch of coarse sea salt and mixed it all thoroughly with a few handfuls of fresh baby arugula. To finish the dish I fried three quail's eggs per person sunny side up in olive oil with a little salt and fresh pepper. I plated the dish in layers. I started with large white plates. Onto my blank canvas I ladled a generous amount of the green sauce. Next I made a nest out of the spaghetti squash in the middle, with a dollop of sauce at its centre. Then a little nest of arugula on top of the nest of squash. Then a large roasted orange pepper strip, and finally the fried eggs were placed on top, finished simply with a drizzle of olive oil, shaved pecorino and some fresh pepper.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-LYmXhDfcX-0/TYDsOoZxUuI/AAAAAAAAAKk/xoPiZ0RW874/s1600/photo%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-LYmXhDfcX-0/TYDsOoZxUuI/AAAAAAAAAKk/xoPiZ0RW874/s640/photo%25283%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
It worked far better as a combination than I anticipated. The sweetness of the peppers and squash paired well with the bitter arugula, and the slightly bitter and creamy zucchini sauce.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-JyvUN5EPH1o/TYDs9RLrffI/AAAAAAAAAKw/eWOzD2B_Y-A/s1600/photo%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-JyvUN5EPH1o/TYDs9RLrffI/AAAAAAAAAKw/eWOzD2B_Y-A/s640/photo%25286%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF SPECTACULAR BIRD'S NEST</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Ilana also dislikes chocolate for desert so I decided to make one of my favorite deserts -- crumble. I have recently fallen in love with a frozen fruit brand, Stalbush Organic. The organic fruit is very high quality and comes in uncommon varieties like black raspberries, boysenberries and marion blackberries. I made a black raspberry, wild blueberry, and marion blackberry crumble, sweetened with 1/4 cup of organic dark brown sugar, a little natural vanilla and some lemon zest. The crumble combined organic flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, butter, cinammon, and lemon zest. I served the piping hot florescent red dessert in deep bowls with a little scoop of Kawartha's French Vanilla ice cream.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-PsxS4MBDQis/TYDtlQ98q3I/AAAAAAAAALE/b96A4TU5yV8/s1600/photo%252814%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-PsxS4MBDQis/TYDtlQ98q3I/AAAAAAAAALE/b96A4TU5yV8/s640/photo%252814%2529.JPG" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DESSERT: BLACK RASPBERRY, WILD BLUEBERRY AND MARION BLACKBERRY CRUMBLE</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>The perfect vibrant finish.</b></div><br />
<br />
<br />
Dinner III: <b>FAMILY AFFAIR</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>ROAST CHICKEN</b></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWUaZ3rxtN7TbSIuF8Iu1LeTgu9oxwS7SRdhfq2xlS893Vpduptfh-kJiVyPTuPyqydnai_mfK2rIWhTFHIZxHdkLZcyI3OJaePVKIGLxpJz8c0qEi2c2ptDOLPFhh1krKfvjR_8qn6P6/s1600/Toronto-20110212-00004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrWUaZ3rxtN7TbSIuF8Iu1LeTgu9oxwS7SRdhfq2xlS893Vpduptfh-kJiVyPTuPyqydnai_mfK2rIWhTFHIZxHdkLZcyI3OJaePVKIGLxpJz8c0qEi2c2ptDOLPFhh1krKfvjR_8qn6P6/s640/Toronto-20110212-00004.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE MAIN: ROAST CHICKEN AND VEG</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>My last dinner was pulled off with a lot less charm. I had invited my sister Anna, her husband Tim, and my coworker and family friend, Gail. Tim and Gail really like their meat. I have been mostly vegetarian for years now so sometimes accommodating this is a little foreign to me. I decided to get the best bang for my buck and roast my first whole chicken. I picked one up from<a href="http://www.rowefarms.ca/"> Rowe Farms</a> who label themselves as purveyors of ethically raised meat. A bit more expensive but worth the investment for someone like me.<br />
<br />
I started by confusing myself altogether by asking too many different people for advice, resulting in countless conflicting suggestions. As a result, I cooked the chicken with a combination of them, ending up with guests in my apartment and one large, undercooked bird. I won't give my exact techniques here, even though the end result was perfect, because it was a very illogical last hour of cooking, involving random blasts of heat and uncovering and covering the bird...What I will share is how I prepped the bird. It was a clementine and lemon-roasted chicken. I started by rubbing olive oil and butter all over it. Then salt and pepper. I mixed up onions, garlic and clementines and stuffed the chicken's cavity with them. I pierced the bird all over stuffing lemon and butter under its skin to make it extra crispy and delicious. I baked it in a roasting tray on top of wedges of kabocha squash, rainbow carrots, onions, garlic, lemon and clementines.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ438TaK_KuJhkH0O3ruXh5xgYY4kLLBpTxPhiFI7GO82Ba7q_1nHpb-JXjCqBSCesDN6KjC4tdFUoJSMM5hAYG-DsYZ007HeRnR2NZGsf-FIjVCmDfnbFJEDc86OHshuPGyZ8AqwCT-TV/s1600/IMG-20110212-00003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ438TaK_KuJhkH0O3ruXh5xgYY4kLLBpTxPhiFI7GO82Ba7q_1nHpb-JXjCqBSCesDN6KjC4tdFUoJSMM5hAYG-DsYZ007HeRnR2NZGsf-FIjVCmDfnbFJEDc86OHshuPGyZ8AqwCT-TV/s400/IMG-20110212-00003.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVD7IcJB_XFr69nkQIFkeiV2pkmNL7XsXsBpMNuGMZ5Mdu9LSE8lPX7E45wj7RvIQJMqj-dCja86qcHVQMpwbcyQL52ub34aI9_J29Xg0MtPNQ7wrC47pwwpcHRoPCIJRuAWB9Sw0HoFo/s1600/IMG-20110212-00002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVD7IcJB_XFr69nkQIFkeiV2pkmNL7XsXsBpMNuGMZ5Mdu9LSE8lPX7E45wj7RvIQJMqj-dCja86qcHVQMpwbcyQL52ub34aI9_J29Xg0MtPNQ7wrC47pwwpcHRoPCIJRuAWB9Sw0HoFo/s400/IMG-20110212-00002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I also prepared some vegetables separately -- roasted rainbow carrots, sweet potatoes and onions.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAqSAiMT59Hg8LYY0Cqwrs2Wb_hHknoj3GiP9N5bZllEKCV89fjZekRiU0gC-8Co1nYdIm0ivjjDGwBi6a-VnImhknr14T_Mr655U57hIQbikF_nXbN0nPAKgHAn5o7_Ql8-nl-GLz5Y9W/s1600/pluot+036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0n496aVEvs4bS69dHYe_QgmK6WkOsPnvDxeFpJ2BACJRC18cHPba0A6iQOE5gDx_9Tw3Ot8BRf14NnGzx3w8ZWYu_VnmXLisrV3rhHocqGitjjJXiy6Rr0x9uY_TtZa9r9_MULqn9h051/s1600/IMG-20110212-00002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0n496aVEvs4bS69dHYe_QgmK6WkOsPnvDxeFpJ2BACJRC18cHPba0A6iQOE5gDx_9Tw3Ot8BRf14NnGzx3w8ZWYu_VnmXLisrV3rhHocqGitjjJXiy6Rr0x9uY_TtZa9r9_MULqn9h051/s400/IMG-20110212-00002.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE MAIN: ROAST CHICKEN AND VEG</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
While it was in the oven, I gave my guests grapes, a baguette, some butter and a Quebec favorite cheese of mine -- <a href="http://www.aboutcheese.ca/shop/grey-owl/">Grey Owl ash-rind goat's cheese</a>, to nibble on. In the meantime I made my appetizer in a harried rush. I wanted to use the quail's eggs in a way that really highlighted their cuteness. I located some very tiny fresh bagels and decided to make a mini brunch. I wanted a meat like element but no meat. Inspiration struck...carrot "BACON"! I made this meat-lover's atrocity in advance. I bought some deep purple carrots, sliced them thinly, and cut the slices into shorter pieces. I caramelized them in the oven in a dressing made with olive oil, white wine vinegar, a little clementine juice, maple syrup, sea salt and fresh pepper. You could use smoked salt and paprika if you want to highlight a bacon-esque flavor. I served these little babies family-style in a mini le creuset pot. <a href="http://www.food52.com/recipes/9912_bloody_carrot_bacon">You can find the recipe on Amanda Hesser's new site Food52.com, where it made Editor's pick for a carrot recipe contest.</a> The rest of the brunch involved greens in a nice vinaigrette, quail's eggs scrambled with cream and chives, and the mini-bagels toasted with a good quality cream cheese I made a spread out of. I made the cream cheese spread a few hours before with pepper, dill, chives and lemon juice.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY5461nbttoVpPV79oqkkDLUD-vt-3hMprXlPPKC_HsSYL7C7AbUfm61vI4QbsdjpSkugfmleZMNVQ_iuE1yX4tUnxMuSlPaBCAI0aDBRPuSZKIbbUpoJdCOVH54DAuKPMNKEWJqlmdlFN/s1600/IMG-20110212-00001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY5461nbttoVpPV79oqkkDLUD-vt-3hMprXlPPKC_HsSYL7C7AbUfm61vI4QbsdjpSkugfmleZMNVQ_iuE1yX4tUnxMuSlPaBCAI0aDBRPuSZKIbbUpoJdCOVH54DAuKPMNKEWJqlmdlFN/s640/IMG-20110212-00001.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MINI BRUNCH APPETIZER: MINI BAGELS WITH HERB CREAM CHEESE, SALAD, SCRAMBLED QUAIL'S EGGS, CARROT "BACON"</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
The meal took forever, I believe the carved chicken hit the table by 11pm. The flavor and moistness of the bird was well worth it, and I had a lot of vegetables and meat for leftovers.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Next time I will make pasta. </b></div>Duzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743289793510639855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173534333411240479.post-43668645362663153802011-02-10T14:39:00.000-08:002011-02-10T14:39:09.948-08:00MISSION TO MARS: BREAD<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTlOqnRW42Ewj0z9nlUKxmQskrvgKKoQobvRaqm_1jMZpdtVBIM5l4sDfXSZO9iQGMce4UOXWGYB9-Lq_FmBr7fEJUfjygYnsB9xc1nN4gt-ac9e0_z70MTcu00_LGzS52bQ7GPz9GfQkS/s1600/DSC_0032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzqhyeXTxthvAybWS36FWePmxJ59BYxeXl1aUyzsG9ue7gRkP3joZJojCCcaYV1pFn-_jKn0drYhbYngYZGVbK0vXpBq_GjxsxxoDIl1-impimbu5JA_JRWeUtQ62nZ9j6pWZ4uni7XKd/s1600/DSC_0026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzqhyeXTxthvAybWS36FWePmxJ59BYxeXl1aUyzsG9ue7gRkP3joZJojCCcaYV1pFn-_jKn0drYhbYngYZGVbK0vXpBq_GjxsxxoDIl1-impimbu5JA_JRWeUtQ62nZ9j6pWZ4uni7XKd/s320/DSC_0026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I love good bread. Real, handmade, honest bread. But, </span><span style="font-size: large;">when it comes to baking it myself, </span><span style="font-size: large;">it scares the bejeesus out of me. Baking is my cooking 'special skill'. I have natural icebergs for hands which is great for working dough, but bread has been a mission I've strategically avoided my whole life. Until recently, that is. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It all started about a month ago at my friend Sara's quarter life crisis celebration. Sara is an old friend who shares a large group of mutual friends and acquaintances. One of those friends is a guy named Ben. Ben and I have known each other for years and yet I can barely remember a single conversation we've had in that time. That night he was the first and last person I talked to. I had brought Sara a foodie gift, a mishmash of vinegars and sauces she would make quick and loving use of. This opened the way to discovering that Ben is very interested in food, in fact he even went to culinary school after burning out at a bank. This opened a long talk with us that was quite fun to have, and very memorable. The night and chat ended with two decisions -- for us to bake bread for the first time together and to hypothetically open a winery for our retirement...the bread plan came through and I'm packing my corks for the winery tonight.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I brought my treasured copy of Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid's <a href="http://www.cookbookswelove.com/cbwl/site/cookbooks/home-baking/"><b>Home Baking</b></a>. A wonderfully helpful baker's atlas. and we picked two recipes to tackle, agreeing to see them through even if it took all day...it did. We started with a rustic free form<b> <span style="color: yellow;">irish soda bread</span></b>, rich with butter, whole wheat and oats...then advanced to our own slightly demented versions of<b> <span style="color: orange;">German sign pretzels</span></b> (literally: pretzels are hung outside German bakeries as identifying marks for the trade of the shop). The pretzels were much more complicated than we anticipated but they turned out pretty well!</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">Enjoy!</span></span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMMcn6kIyLwKrRtzHQOFhbCprAwkVvPOR39UTzx-7bRetzm6eW8_rXGGMKlJ2tX86mvl8BTB495SqxZMmkA1fkfVH-4Zr6c_V1JNfEd0iIDYqDm1_B7LKCdzFTTzaB6rekWEijimQ-snXB/s1600/DSC_0009+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMMcn6kIyLwKrRtzHQOFhbCprAwkVvPOR39UTzx-7bRetzm6eW8_rXGGMKlJ2tX86mvl8BTB495SqxZMmkA1fkfVH-4Zr6c_V1JNfEd0iIDYqDm1_B7LKCdzFTTzaB6rekWEijimQ-snXB/s320/DSC_0009+%25282%2529.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgFmK7PQIiK1ED-aMztIgVATZx9tnFDhimenP1ujIorIdXc7Ehj1eMGu05pj80RL7nbY5MM1moX_S-v_WErQEue1oTvgOgOrSTK4Km5OLtP7iG52ZHakMfVYgKQ9jTfMexeCMrvDSUncm/s1600/DSC_0012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAgFmK7PQIiK1ED-aMztIgVATZx9tnFDhimenP1ujIorIdXc7Ehj1eMGu05pj80RL7nbY5MM1moX_S-v_WErQEue1oTvgOgOrSTK4Km5OLtP7iG52ZHakMfVYgKQ9jTfMexeCMrvDSUncm/s320/DSC_0012.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BEN: THE WHITE SPOT IS FLOUR. HEHE.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLBq0jIIW40z9Hnj_e0vmxIKjH_3sH4S4gGI6t1GojuEF0vWl5GSy8L4JW6FOWLpeC04D3KhArGihyquXKD-CKol0wden0JEhANenGGJvoewu5zuixAm8ZzW4wPHM8RUVOi8cTIBWneyF/s1600/DSC_0014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVLBq0jIIW40z9Hnj_e0vmxIKjH_3sH4S4gGI6t1GojuEF0vWl5GSy8L4JW6FOWLpeC04D3KhArGihyquXKD-CKol0wden0JEhANenGGJvoewu5zuixAm8ZzW4wPHM8RUVOi8cTIBWneyF/s320/DSC_0014.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MAKING PRETZEL DOUGH</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-pdAFjNlxepDWcfP2SiAbk7dFf6dqdTKe-mzD98Fa_Hh7VGGvDIg6nGsxgwk4DJCXTbBFfI-LawqPmrD1O98SXi5aYKWSEOZF3y5QabPpV_VUqIZ0hpmoNSnc2jR1AqDRQT9BpY5EFX10/s1600/DSC_0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-pdAFjNlxepDWcfP2SiAbk7dFf6dqdTKe-mzD98Fa_Hh7VGGvDIg6nGsxgwk4DJCXTbBFfI-LawqPmrD1O98SXi5aYKWSEOZF3y5QabPpV_VUqIZ0hpmoNSnc2jR1AqDRQT9BpY5EFX10/s320/DSC_0002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">IRISH SODA BREAD DOUGH HITS THE OVEN</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzqhyeXTxthvAybWS36FWePmxJ59BYxeXl1aUyzsG9ue7gRkP3joZJojCCcaYV1pFn-_jKn0drYhbYngYZGVbK0vXpBq_GjxsxxoDIl1-impimbu5JA_JRWeUtQ62nZ9j6pWZ4uni7XKd/s1600/DSC_0026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzqhyeXTxthvAybWS36FWePmxJ59BYxeXl1aUyzsG9ue7gRkP3joZJojCCcaYV1pFn-_jKn0drYhbYngYZGVbK0vXpBq_GjxsxxoDIl1-impimbu5JA_JRWeUtQ62nZ9j6pWZ4uni7XKd/s320/DSC_0026.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CLOSE UP OF THE FINISHED SODA BREAD</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTlOqnRW42Ewj0z9nlUKxmQskrvgKKoQobvRaqm_1jMZpdtVBIM5l4sDfXSZO9iQGMce4UOXWGYB9-Lq_FmBr7fEJUfjygYnsB9xc1nN4gt-ac9e0_z70MTcu00_LGzS52bQ7GPz9GfQkS/s1600/DSC_0032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTlOqnRW42Ewj0z9nlUKxmQskrvgKKoQobvRaqm_1jMZpdtVBIM5l4sDfXSZO9iQGMce4UOXWGYB9-Lq_FmBr7fEJUfjygYnsB9xc1nN4gt-ac9e0_z70MTcu00_LGzS52bQ7GPz9GfQkS/s320/DSC_0032.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A SLIGHTLY CRINKLY PRETZEL, DELICIOUS!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">**modified soda bread recipe coming soon**<br />
</span></div>Duzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743289793510639855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173534333411240479.post-64153007593010399392011-01-17T22:38:00.000-08:002011-01-20T14:11:38.995-08:00we are FLU<b><span style="color: magenta; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">a soup worth getting sick for...</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRfDyR6hZW0ieK0zFicD1vBa__T7E9xLl8Q6ZXvwNVEflHty8e4tNjWOz7vVHpH8Jr9xN2TtzviUVLUOVAJ2b5D2dfv8uzt5QqngHJJ5EeKCbAYMOiJT6RxaDcW36PWafvkl7VB80OaRQ9/s1600/soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRfDyR6hZW0ieK0zFicD1vBa__T7E9xLl8Q6ZXvwNVEflHty8e4tNjWOz7vVHpH8Jr9xN2TtzviUVLUOVAJ2b5D2dfv8uzt5QqngHJJ5EeKCbAYMOiJT6RxaDcW36PWafvkl7VB80OaRQ9/s640/soup.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8_5Ni_zfoBKuGuVL4oI7YBRiUeWTAQKjKMYcrv0NVgOSO1lGBS8k0WuAYLVMzHQs4aSKy-Odhkv0RzLBiaNggSEgj7UTBuOTeCMRI5rpQlUXOyhtRHpOOFk8pQkG2YymKIHXBvUhkqmx/s1600/soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I spent the </span></span>past week and weekend sick with a flu. This will be my third flu in the past few months. Upon reporting this to my good friend Sara, I was greeted with convulsive laughter.<br />
Ha. Ha.<br />
Now that that's out of my system, here's what I did about it --<span style="font-size: large;"><b> I ate really comfortable food.</b></span><br />
<br />
<b>How do I feel? </b>Physically sick. But spiritually?<span style="font-size: large;"> <b>Fantastic. Splendid. Marvelous</b>.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: magenta; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">I need to do this more often.</span></b></div><br />
<br />
Over the past few days I mooched a magnificent nostalgic meal off my father -- his spaghetti and meatballs (I don't eat red meat so he made them with ground turkey). Simply wonderful.<br />
<br />
<br />
I am on the mend but still feeling homey about things, so I decided to make one of my favorite things tonight, <span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: yellow; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">cream of tomato soup.</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
In my time, I've had many lackluster soups. I've even made a few. This time I wanted to make a soup I was proud of, and so I pulled out all the stops, all the bells and whistles. It was rich, creamy and full of soothing subtle flavors. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I often find tomato soups too thin and too acidic, so I made this one with cauliflower to balance out the flavor and texture. It worked beautifully.</span></span></b></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: cyan;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</span></span></b></span></span><br />
<div style="color: cyan;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I might just have to walk home with wet hair and do it all over again... :)</span></b></span></div><br />
<br />
<b>MIGHTY TOMATO SOUP</b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">6 Organic roma tomatoes</span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">small handful grape tomatoes </span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1 cup cauliflo</span></span>wer florets</b><br />
<b>2 baby cipollini onions</b><br />
<b>4 cloves garlic</b><br />
<b>6 tbsp olive oil</b><br />
<b>1/4 red onion chopped</b><br />
<b>1/3 cup sparkling white wine </b><br />
<b></b><b>5 leaves fresh basil</b><br />
<b>1/4 lemon, juice of</b><br />
<b>1 cup organic 1% milk</b><br />
<b>2 tbsp sour cream</b><br />
<b>1/3 cup 10% cream </b><br />
<b>1 tbsp balsamic vinegar</b><br />
<b>1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese</b><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>1/3 cup grated pecorino romano cheese</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>sea salt</b></span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">freshly cracked pepper</b></span><br />
<br />
What I did:<br />
<br />
So I started by preheating my oven to 450. I tossed 5 of the tomatoes, the cauliflower, the cipollines and 3 cloves of garlic onto a baking tray lined with tin foil. I drizzled on a little olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted them for about 12 minutes till they were starting burst and golden.<br />
<br />
Next I took a heavy saucepan and added about a tbsp of olive oil. I had the temperature on medium high. I added the chopped red onion and a chopped clove of garlic and sweated them for a few minutes. I added a little salt and then deglazed the pan with about half the wine. After this I dumped in the roasted veg and their drippings from the tinfoil, broke up the pieces with my mixing spoon and let them simmer a little. After they started to form a thin sauce I added about half the milk and another tbsp of olive oil. I let the mixture simmer a bit, stirring often.<br />
<br />
Next I grabbed my hand blender and pureed the soup. After this I tasted it and added the remaining ingredients bit by bit, stirring and pureeing them into the mix (including the remaining raw tomatoes), letting them simmer a bit after each addition.<br />
<br />
When I was pleased by the flavor I gave it a rest, served it up.<br />
<br />
I topped my serving with some large shavings of pecorino romano, some fine shavings of parmigiano, some cracked black pepper, some chopped fresh chives and a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">THE NIBBLER</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zyZABlFpatE33UXqSugDCub699OvRGGpKPtVjnI2o0uRKFdxapTiSGlQYoEovX-X3Px8YKHSl5m3yxnzQre1Fi675sISl85MHwlPoeebuXimASmzg699waXGE5ge-OOgWgZrpgTzNLi6/s1600/LIPS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zyZABlFpatE33UXqSugDCub699OvRGGpKPtVjnI2o0uRKFdxapTiSGlQYoEovX-X3Px8YKHSl5m3yxnzQre1Fi675sISl85MHwlPoeebuXimASmzg699waXGE5ge-OOgWgZrpgTzNLi6/s1600/LIPS.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Duzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743289793510639855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173534333411240479.post-37679276084084673672011-01-12T22:54:00.000-08:002011-01-12T22:54:53.962-08:00NEW YEARS DAY LUNCH<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWOkPx5CxhsV9naT2efdU4LER-ZIbD_zfmoLdBajpB5jrHucVcReEeVFy1Do2TlX3N8QPZ3k-YUfiJrwziYLTTZx7y2PgIuaojFK-UVHCBAzKKDDB4U98ckP_sOSrARYm4DgSHQQ_dpfi/s1600/Food3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWOkPx5CxhsV9naT2efdU4LER-ZIbD_zfmoLdBajpB5jrHucVcReEeVFy1Do2TlX3N8QPZ3k-YUfiJrwziYLTTZx7y2PgIuaojFK-UVHCBAzKKDDB4U98ckP_sOSrARYm4DgSHQQ_dpfi/s320/Food3.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE SPREAD.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Ok, I must confess this was a very late lunch, it started at 5:30 pm on January 1st, but it was lunch! My good friend Amanda was in town so I invited her and her boyfriend to my apartment for a feast that left our pants tighter than usual.<br />
I wanted a cross between brunch and lunch, but not quite 'lupper', and wanted to make everything from scratch, but realizing this was taking place New Years day I was realistic and prepped a lot of it the night before...because, come on!<br />
<br />
<br />
My menu was ambitious to say the least and I recall several moments where I thought, 'there's a heck of a lot of dairy here... :-O but oh well! onwards and upwards in 2011!<br />
<br />
What I served:<br />
<br />
<b>Drinks:</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Knudsen Fruit Spritzers: red raspberry, tangerine and boysenberry</b><br />
<b>Red Wine</b><br />
<br />
<b>Starters:</b><br />
<br />
<b>Warm roasted yellow and candy cane beets on field green and mint salad with roasted cippolline onions and garlic, goat's cheese and red wine vinaigrette</b><br />
<br />
<b>Potato and green onion blini with sour cream and salmon roe</b><br />
<br />
<b>Mains:</b><br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>Scrambled salt and pepper eggs</b><br />
<b>Montreal style bagels with smoked salmon and all the trimmings</b><br />
the trimmings included: <br />
meyer lemon wedges<br />
red onion slivers<br />
capers<br />
finely chopped dill and chives <br />
dill, chive and meyer lemon cream cheese<br />
<br />
<b>Desserts:</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Kawartha Dairy French Vanilla Ice cream with blackberries,. blueberries, meyer lemon zest and mint</b><br />
<br />
Some Recipes to hold on to:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-BJ9xjpupx1zJhdbaSrr2woLJrtfXNqyu-oZYEQrp9t8X_6Hb-EZKh0S-qbUAV_w5oJNm4oLKTM0O6uB0v5WLtf6I2w69Ku5W4iAeNkp32XOZ8qRZwiVWGAdd7sX_p0jIZ51-nqMR-Olw/s1600/Food2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-BJ9xjpupx1zJhdbaSrr2woLJrtfXNqyu-oZYEQrp9t8X_6Hb-EZKh0S-qbUAV_w5oJNm4oLKTM0O6uB0v5WLtf6I2w69Ku5W4iAeNkp32XOZ8qRZwiVWGAdd7sX_p0jIZ51-nqMR-Olw/s320/Food2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BLINI WITH SOUR CREAM AND SALMON ROE</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Potato and Green Onion Blini<br />
<br />
4 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and washed<br />
2 dashes coarse sea salt<br />
1 cup milk<br />
1 egg<br />
2 green onions finely chopped<br />
fresh cracked pepper<br />
2/3 cup all purpose flour<br />
2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
1/4 cup olive oil<br />
olive oil and butter for frying<br />
<br />
<br />
I made these a day ahead and reheated them. First I boiled and mashed the potatoes with a little salt and pepper, olive oil and milk. I let them cool a bit then transferred them to a metal bowl where I mixed in the remaining ingredients thoroughly. I tweaked the batter with tips from my dad, pancake man. When we got a slightly thick but not too thick mixture that held together, using a non stick frying pan I fried the pancakes in thin ovals 2 at a time. I let them brown on each side in the pan and allowed for little bubbles to form before I flipped them. The next day I heated them up after storing them on a plate over paper towel overnight. I served them warm from the oven with sour cream and salmon roe.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Herb cream cheese<br />
<br />
1 small container light Western Dairy Cream Cheese<br />
1 meyer lemon, zest and juice<br />
2 tbsp chopped dill<br />
2 tbsp chopped chives<br />
<br />
Simply mix all the ingredients together thoroughly in a bowl, refrigerate and serve with smoked salmon, meyer lemon wedges, red onions and capers.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRD1kCGGN0MuEyTHgQDBx6hXLQvAVDHyL9bsYXUWANxzDOcUCCe38-jt8qD5XhXe9SA0D5wjOIL6cqyHxjwkPOC7zhTlor9QYpwQWrXiprthCkdWNB-hTGrKKo99HVGvOZ1A8okYw4MOhV/s1600/Food4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRD1kCGGN0MuEyTHgQDBx6hXLQvAVDHyL9bsYXUWANxzDOcUCCe38-jt8qD5XhXe9SA0D5wjOIL6cqyHxjwkPOC7zhTlor9QYpwQWrXiprthCkdWNB-hTGrKKo99HVGvOZ1A8okYw4MOhV/s320/Food4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>FRONT</b>: ROASTED BEET SALAD. <b>BACK</b>: HERB CREAM CHEESE</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
Roasted Beet Salad<br />
<br />
1 sack mixed beets, yellow and candy cane<br />
1 sack cippolline onions<br />
1 bulb garlic<br />
a little red onion finely sliced<br />
juice of 3 clementines<br />
seat salt<br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
<br />
Wash and peel the beets. Boil them until almost tender. Drain. Peel the onions and garlic. Toss them all onto a tinfoil lined baking sheet with the juice and oil and salt and roast until golden brown at a temp of 350-400 degrees F. Remove from the oven.<br />
<br />
In a small bowl, mix the following for a vinaigrette:<br />
<br />
1 tbsp evoo<br />
1 tsp coarse sea salt<br />
1 tbsp dijon mustard<br />
1 tbsp honey<br />
juice of one clementine<br />
2 tbsp red wine vinegar<br />
juice of 1/4 meyer lemon<br />
1 tbsp chopped chives<br />
<br />
In a large bowl mix 2 cups mixed greens with 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint. Run the mint under hot water for a second or two to release the natural oils. Top this with the roasted veg.<br />
<br />
Add the vinaigrette and toss the salad. Add 1/3 package soft goats cheese in small drops. Mix lightly. Serve immediately.<br />
<br />
<br />
For a lunch like this a picture says 1000 words:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie5MuEW1Ta2ZjL2yFawVJZDhPvhyphenhyphenssn8nxpOip4xqfaEBrft44H-r7G4AHBGmJPTvD3wZLaOdv9iJTI6UozE3xDi8qJRl61HweWFeMpqRBONMWnff2_6Ji2h8iFKq87XWpUmkHGGlbBysz/s1600/Food.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie5MuEW1Ta2ZjL2yFawVJZDhPvhyphenhyphenssn8nxpOip4xqfaEBrft44H-r7G4AHBGmJPTvD3wZLaOdv9iJTI6UozE3xDi8qJRl61HweWFeMpqRBONMWnff2_6Ji2h8iFKq87XWpUmkHGGlbBysz/s320/Food.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">THE NIBBLER</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zyZABlFpatE33UXqSugDCub699OvRGGpKPtVjnI2o0uRKFdxapTiSGlQYoEovX-X3Px8YKHSl5m3yxnzQre1Fi675sISl85MHwlPoeebuXimASmzg699waXGE5ge-OOgWgZrpgTzNLi6/s1600/LIPS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zyZABlFpatE33UXqSugDCub699OvRGGpKPtVjnI2o0uRKFdxapTiSGlQYoEovX-X3Px8YKHSl5m3yxnzQre1Fi675sISl85MHwlPoeebuXimASmzg699waXGE5ge-OOgWgZrpgTzNLi6/s1600/LIPS.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Duzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743289793510639855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173534333411240479.post-36503243918582184772011-01-10T14:28:00.000-08:002011-01-11T09:17:27.226-08:00DIY HOLIDAYSo, I'm heading out of town for my first out-of-home Christmas. My parents and I were invited to join some friends in their winter home. So off I go, only what to bring? We were given a spending limit so my mom cleverly suggested I tackle some homemade gifts. I am a big jam and chutney lover, but am equally enamored of savory preserves, so BOTH it was!<br />
<br />
I decided to make some jarred antipasto and two types of jam.<br />
<br />
The jarring process was a bit daunting to say the least -- I'd never sterilized anything before and didn't intend to send my god-parents jam with a side of botulism for Christmas! So I did my homework. But this only confused me more -- was I supposed to boil the lids as well as the jars? Was boiling the sealed jars a necessary step or would they explode?? I decided to follow the instructions that came with the pectin I purchased for the jam. This informed me that all I needed to do was boil the lids and put the washed and clean jars in a 275 F oven for 10 minutes to sterilize.<br />
<br />
I had intended to make Saskatoonberry jam but was too lazy to trek to the Healthy Butcher (the only store in Toronto where I have successfully located the berries). Instead I headed to Fiesta Farms and grabbed a few frozen packages of organic specialty fruit I recently made a crumble with for a holiday potluck (it was devoured instantly from an otherwise full desert table so I took that as a good sign). I made two variations of jam --<b> boysenberry-blueberry, AND boysenberry-black raspberry-blueberry</b>. Both jams are packed with dark fruit rich in antioxidants and I used a smaller than usual amount of sugar so they're not even that bad for you! All the fruit used was frozen with the exception of the blueberries I used which I threw in fresh for a textural contrast.<br />
<br />
So I never made jam before so this was a bit of a "by feel" recipe.<br />
<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Boysenberry Blueberry Jam</b><br />
<br />
2 packages organic frozen boysenberries<br />
1 1/2 C water <br />
1/2 package blueberries <br />
1C organic brown sugar<br />
1/2 meyer lemon juice and zest<br />
1/2 sachet liquid natural pectin<br />
<br />
Put the frozen fruit and water in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat for a few minutes. Add sugar lemon zest and juice, stir and bring to a boil. Lower temperature to medium heat and let rapidly simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the fresh blueberries, boil 5 more minutes. Add pectin, boil and then simmer until jam reduces to your desired consistency, mine was quite syrupy. Turn off heat.<br />
<br />
Using clean tongs, remove a jar from the oven and place it on a wooden cutting board. Pour the jam carefully into the jar without dirtying the outer edge (you may want to use a funnel for this). Using the tongs, remove the lid from the boiling water and place on top of the jar of jam. Seal. Store at room temperature for 24 hours before opening and/or refrigerating.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvtMV0FKsPafWM8-KVhgfcz0YCVFS0nmDAB8rLkrC19gJV64AlN5l69GBsaZ4gcuyYL9VDdf5mfFP4qEI9V9p913Ph7IOYl_Xp-Qg4VubJM1DVmE6IMESUWtqBWssxQvsi_J-0m9AgoaU/s1600/jam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvtMV0FKsPafWM8-KVhgfcz0YCVFS0nmDAB8rLkrC19gJV64AlN5l69GBsaZ4gcuyYL9VDdf5mfFP4qEI9V9p913Ph7IOYl_Xp-Qg4VubJM1DVmE6IMESUWtqBWssxQvsi_J-0m9AgoaU/s320/jam.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
The antipasto I prepared was pretty simple. I decided to roast some colorful bell peppers and jar them in oil with some red wine vinegar, lemon, herbs and hot chillies. I also roasted some cippolline onions and preserved them in oil.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGvE7rl7rfiizen_VI4uylJWnrx1iaJCbsWZ0VYz1T9Xq583xvBbSOOQ3DFhCpSNbgY8uBGM2tNK-h-yxtJm5xhaeMAHvZw0J3lefjHe7Lmvgv-qHXR0_OdpOdOV4zGIh-4Sq6VGux2e3/s1600/redp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitGvE7rl7rfiizen_VI4uylJWnrx1iaJCbsWZ0VYz1T9Xq583xvBbSOOQ3DFhCpSNbgY8uBGM2tNK-h-yxtJm5xhaeMAHvZw0J3lefjHe7Lmvgv-qHXR0_OdpOdOV4zGIh-4Sq6VGux2e3/s320/redp.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Red Hot Peppers</b><br />
<br />
1 1/2 giant red bell pepper<br />
2 cloves garlic<br />
5 dried whole red chillies<br />
1 tbsp capers<br />
1/8 cup dried parsley<br />
1/8 cup dried basil<br />
1 roasted cippolline onion<br />
juice of 1/3 lemon<br />
1 tbsp coarse sea salt<br />
2 tbsp whole black peppercorns<br />
2 tsp ground cayenne <br />
1/8 cup aged red wine vinegar<br />
extra virgin olive oil, enough to cover<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1K8hmLCIqiZBntTVgXS-lrxyNCgMX6Y5NO0WR-vsDZs4s6CS7kVb0N8LkDbG5C_XJfxUbA1vGAI6baJJLExtoMxve8xwjzBRNPn87L1X0xNBmH-obXcypCXtH7j1Oxx7jaB9eZVINJEQd/s1600/redpep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1K8hmLCIqiZBntTVgXS-lrxyNCgMX6Y5NO0WR-vsDZs4s6CS7kVb0N8LkDbG5C_XJfxUbA1vGAI6baJJLExtoMxve8xwjzBRNPn87L1X0xNBmH-obXcypCXtH7j1Oxx7jaB9eZVINJEQd/s320/redpep.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I started by cutting the peppers in half, removing stem and seeds. I placed these outside-up on a tin-foil lined baking sheet. I rubbed the segments with a little olive oil.I placed the sheet of peppers on the top shelf of the oven on broil until the skins blackened. I removed them from the oven and let them rest a minute before emptying them into a large ziplock bag. I sealed them in and let them steam in the bag. During this time I prepared the jar in the oven. After they were in the bag a few minutes I removed them one by one and peeled off their blistered skins. I put the peeled peppers on a plate and sliced them. In a glass I mixed together my spices and lemon juice. I poured this into my prepared jar. I then poured my red wine vinegar on top. Then added my dried chillies. After this I took a small set of tongs and began to add my pepper strips. After half the jar was filled I carefully added the capers. Then I added the rest of the peppers. Once the jar was filled with peppers I slowly drizzled in my olive oil, allowing a few moments here and there for it to distribute through the jar evenly. I stopped once the peppers were covered. I then sealed it with the boiled lid.<br />
<br />
<b> </b><b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Roasted Cippolline Onions</b><br />
<br />
2 small sacks cippolline onions<br />
1/8 cup red wine vinegar<br />
1/4 lemon juiced<br />
1tbsp coarse sea salt<br />
2 tbsp whole black peppercorns<br />
1/2 tbsp cracked black pepper<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUsNDvKen9molguTpURtzfzx4A5fgmZcDui2foWoopJdEl35nYC0xGJwOz0k8FxfMW4wZf3ViddRVnd-7bFJENCTtg_8Yocz8RjMOX2TNt2fUrrMMM-F2SgjjlN4KEHGXFm0tOxY-IwAU/s1600/onion2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUsNDvKen9molguTpURtzfzx4A5fgmZcDui2foWoopJdEl35nYC0xGJwOz0k8FxfMW4wZf3ViddRVnd-7bFJENCTtg_8Yocz8RjMOX2TNt2fUrrMMM-F2SgjjlN4KEHGXFm0tOxY-IwAU/s320/onion2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I started by trimming the onions and removing their husk. I placed these on a tin-foil lined baking sheet. I rubbed them with a little olive oil. I placed the sheet of onions on the top shelf of the oven on broil until the onions became golden in places. I removed them from the oven and let them rest a minute. During this time I prepared the jar in the oven. In a glass I mixed together my spices and lemon juice. I poured this into my prepared jar. I then poured my red wine vinegar on top. After this I took a small set of tongs and added my onions to my prepared jar. Once the jar was filled with onions, I slowly drizzled in my olive oil, allowing a few moments here and there for it to distribute through the jar evenly. I stopped once the onions were covered. I then sealed it with the boiled lid.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhC-ByB_Eal9f0goBIOjGqrTgRIc2BIf8uINhyphenhyphenPPuk1i7tSdzqw1_C-gVVySqB3gQH-TUTiy84g3HmfYWSi-Q8BhiK0XYsIryqqKjPuI92M764B444SQoVEVozvaeNoFKSTpbIQtlY64MI/s1600/onions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhC-ByB_Eal9f0goBIOjGqrTgRIc2BIf8uINhyphenhyphenPPuk1i7tSdzqw1_C-gVVySqB3gQH-TUTiy84g3HmfYWSi-Q8BhiK0XYsIryqqKjPuI92M764B444SQoVEVozvaeNoFKSTpbIQtlY64MI/s320/onions.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I MADE VARIATIONS OF EVERYTHING, HERE ARE SOME PICS:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDX5Drv-TXsaL48V0WJZWN4Gm9ed64HsfftBvgf-9cPIiMKEQ1_H5LhEWHXUyz0umigs34YghJ4kmcdZgzZzKk_BuUZnAkDaSffpW3gUEw_qATmx2IMeSEtICXyvoSYH_USqF10mJ7ism4/s1600/pepper2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDX5Drv-TXsaL48V0WJZWN4Gm9ed64HsfftBvgf-9cPIiMKEQ1_H5LhEWHXUyz0umigs34YghJ4kmcdZgzZzKk_BuUZnAkDaSffpW3gUEw_qATmx2IMeSEtICXyvoSYH_USqF10mJ7ism4/s320/pepper2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDX5Drv-TXsaL48V0WJZWN4Gm9ed64HsfftBvgf-9cPIiMKEQ1_H5LhEWHXUyz0umigs34YghJ4kmcdZgzZzKk_BuUZnAkDaSffpW3gUEw_qATmx2IMeSEtICXyvoSYH_USqF10mJ7ism4/s1600/pepper2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDX5Drv-TXsaL48V0WJZWN4Gm9ed64HsfftBvgf-9cPIiMKEQ1_H5LhEWHXUyz0umigs34YghJ4kmcdZgzZzKk_BuUZnAkDaSffpW3gUEw_qATmx2IMeSEtICXyvoSYH_USqF10mJ7ism4/s320/pepper2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6l5u5dIebPN2rP9T8Two30dd_p_yxtsOpiq1-GCBvw0cnOSv70Dqp7Exnf09-YYvHC8htbHjVDsAyJmbsnsy0ajjuiQ_yrMFZn455SCbAwmrv7NY28TadUH930uXqk9OeJGvCVCqLjQsp/s1600/peppers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6l5u5dIebPN2rP9T8Two30dd_p_yxtsOpiq1-GCBvw0cnOSv70Dqp7Exnf09-YYvHC8htbHjVDsAyJmbsnsy0ajjuiQ_yrMFZn455SCbAwmrv7NY28TadUH930uXqk9OeJGvCVCqLjQsp/s320/peppers.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>THE NIBBLER<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zyZABlFpatE33UXqSugDCub699OvRGGpKPtVjnI2o0uRKFdxapTiSGlQYoEovX-X3Px8YKHSl5m3yxnzQre1Fi675sISl85MHwlPoeebuXimASmzg699waXGE5ge-OOgWgZrpgTzNLi6/s1600/LIPS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zyZABlFpatE33UXqSugDCub699OvRGGpKPtVjnI2o0uRKFdxapTiSGlQYoEovX-X3Px8YKHSl5m3yxnzQre1Fi675sISl85MHwlPoeebuXimASmzg699waXGE5ge-OOgWgZrpgTzNLi6/s1600/LIPS.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Duzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743289793510639855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173534333411240479.post-69842218215204405802010-12-17T00:01:00.000-08:002010-12-17T15:29:20.747-08:00LONDON: market paradise<span style="font-size: small;">As intense and unpredictable as it was for me living in London, England, I would do it all again just for the city's wondrous markets. Unlike the markets of my home city - Toronto, Ontario, Canada- London markets are beautiful, energetic, colorful and always chaotic city spaces to stumble through. Whether you're seeking your next meal or your next great outfit, the city has exactly what you're looking for...where else can you find white-chocolate enrobed walnuts and Guylian chocolates by the pound AND a stunning sari in the same 5 meters?! While I lived in the bustling capital I frequented several outdoor and some indoor markets. They all impressed me, but a few stood out as my favorites to haunt:</span><br />
<br />
<div style="color: lime; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>BOROUGH MARKET</b></span><br />
<div style="color: lime;"><a href="http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/">http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/</a></div></div><div style="color: white; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>foodie paradise. pure and simple.</b></span></div><div style="color: white; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>This small but jam-packed market is located a stone's throw from London Bridge tube station and no matter how insane my thursday and saturday were, I always made it a must stop. </b>Borough Market is set beneath the railway viaducts between the river Thames and Borough High Street in South East London. Its main area is set up throughout a series of zigzagging streets and walkways, and there are two additional self contained markets. </span></div><div style="color: white; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">It is a 'food and drink' market, but that description does not do it justice. I used to salivate at the mere thought of one its famous grilled cheese sandwiches -- two thick slices of country bread encasing french raclette and a homemade red onion relish, pressed to perfect slow-melted perfection...</span></div><div style="color: white; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">The market has an endless variety of fare on offer, and even more on Saturdays when its additional spaces are crammed with extra vendors purveying everything from stichleton cheese (not to be confused with "stilton cheese", I've only encountered this cheese at Borough market) to 100s of flavored specialty olive oils. The main space has an excellent line up of usual suspects including a wonderful artisan chutney and jam company -ENGLAND PRESERVES- I have still found nothing that compares to their product line here or elsewhere...pear and port chutney made its way into my luggage...</span></div><div style="color: white; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">The market is also a standout for its produce (local and organic)-- I swear I have never seen rainbow chard like that..."so beautiful, what does it mean??" springs to mind...</span></div><div style="color: white; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you get bored by the stalls, there's always the local restaurants and shops surrounding the market to sate you...including the incredibly cute 'jam and bread' cafe - MONMOUTH COFFEE - where with every coffee you are entitled to grab a bench and indulge in some fresh baked bread and homemade jam -- free and unlimited!<a href="http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1233/762726219_51cd43adc6.jpg%3Fv%3D0&imgrefurl=http://flickr.com/photos/78688597%40N00/762726219&usg=__2pn3KXYFx4Zhbb1zRy8O_4kcXAY=&h=375&w=500&sz=196&hl=en&start=0&sig2=j9POi9LPNwk6G7m0Gu-WlQ&zoom=0&tbnid=U1QU-mkqo8WMUM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=130&ei=9AEJTdnCFMqGswbLx8STAw&prev=/images%3Fq%3DMONMOUTH%2BCOFFEE%2BLONDON%2BBOROUGH%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1366%26bih%3D575%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=860&vpy=394&dur=42&hovh=98&hovw=130&tx=87&ty=65&oei=9AEJTdnCFMqGswbLx8STAw&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=22&ved=1t:429,r:19,s:0"> I DON'T HAVE AN IMAGE FOR THIS CAFE BUT FOUND ONE HERE.</a></span></div><div style="color: lime; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SPITALFIELDS MARKET </span></b><br />
<a href="http://www.visitspitalfields.com/">http://www.visitspitalfields.com/</a></div><div style="color: lime; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Market Stalls:</b> Monday to Friday, 10am - 4pm and Sundays, <br />
9am - 5pm.</span> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Thursday:</b> Antiques <br />
<b>Sunday:</b></span> <span style="font-size: x-small;">Busiest day</span><br />
<div style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">Spitalfields Market is an urban mecca I discovered towards the end of my stint of living in the UK...had I found it earlier on, I would have been there every Sunday rather than the two times total I was able to visit! :( </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: white;"><tbody>
<tr></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Rt4GP5gm5L6pFqbWJOpOl6LX-2uRfI7hblwmLAsARlSLJG_nmSMAxXCPetvlB6IjWE3R_T9alcvoYuf5SRdJUHs_Ra8xDmuLxN7rIbIVp0aryon3WY604sscewZyUg0S4H6vyTSvZYJK/s1600/M1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Rt4GP5gm5L6pFqbWJOpOl6LX-2uRfI7hblwmLAsARlSLJG_nmSMAxXCPetvlB6IjWE3R_T9alcvoYuf5SRdJUHs_Ra8xDmuLxN7rIbIVp0aryon3WY604sscewZyUg0S4H6vyTSvZYJK/s320/M1.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">FRUIT AND NUT VENDOR, SPITALFIELDS MARKET</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">The market is simply exceptional. It dates back to the thirteenth century (!) and is THE place for crafts, art, fashion, furniture, food and much more. The vibe is very bohemian, as are the crafts, clothes and furniture on offer. </span></div><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUQ0jgvzq8DlujCTt_5KHFwxdJnxpK9r3DtnVAm4BUOYtshBSBDwYOQxOaCV5zTCCisAKhUR1Rd-oK_wF2Mjcd3_I8EoS3X2unHGa6hzd25dTVtk2xSGxujHVdBC_gnkenfF7LHUSI97U/s1600/M9.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUQ0jgvzq8DlujCTt_5KHFwxdJnxpK9r3DtnVAm4BUOYtshBSBDwYOQxOaCV5zTCCisAKhUR1Rd-oK_wF2Mjcd3_I8EoS3X2unHGa6hzd25dTVtk2xSGxujHVdBC_gnkenfF7LHUSI97U/s320/M9.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">FUNKY T-SHIRT VENDOR, SPITALFIELDS MARKET</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pretty eclectic stuff and set up. I was particularly blown away by the clothes -- there are several stalls selling beautiful, one of a kind designs...but this is a FOOD BLOG!</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOpFLSrdzhZ1euBQFTc7A8Kurt3NSqlno8vmoU_R8TRDEB6I-Nrq0BWt800xiLTwFNAEl7_jpdU-rz5aiicDU_VuR5xMoVxa6V9UX9Ov_sex2pfQHaPbWcFqValWqK4jls7RIz8_CEBVw/s1600/M3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOpFLSrdzhZ1euBQFTc7A8Kurt3NSqlno8vmoU_R8TRDEB6I-Nrq0BWt800xiLTwFNAEl7_jpdU-rz5aiicDU_VuR5xMoVxa6V9UX9Ov_sex2pfQHaPbWcFqValWqK4jls7RIz8_CEBVw/s320/M3.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">FRESH LOCAL ORGANIC RAINBOW CHARD FOR SALE, SPITALFIELDS MARKET</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">The food stalls offer all sorts of artisan products and exceptional produce. What really caught my attention was the British and Asian food for sale. The British food included artisan pot pies, sausages and cheeses. The Asian foods included fresh fish cakes and the heavenly aroma of <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okonomiyaki">Okonomiyaki</a></b>...</span></div><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHzQwjtqR8j1F0E3czUon6FsMAYRB7RpL7BstL_WIiN5vLghDKOtq-Sj6lheVFJEyBjVDqO7o1kkMU_tmDMCgXG8mDKxYvuRRc7RQnfkeKH5mOI2tmbpT5kXRDoS11WLSjc986axgNSye/s1600/M5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHzQwjtqR8j1F0E3czUon6FsMAYRB7RpL7BstL_WIiN5vLghDKOtq-Sj6lheVFJEyBjVDqO7o1kkMU_tmDMCgXG8mDKxYvuRRc7RQnfkeKH5mOI2tmbpT5kXRDoS11WLSjc986axgNSye/s320/M5.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">RAINBOW ROTI VENDOR, SPITALFIELDS MARKET</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVDVhyphenhyphen_9LbvhfSBQQMaMp8Cohxg2ANXbrj5SuHVPJ4OVpuXFT-kSFLQGL09RJkCVf34qKAS9EvQLtQqnlQFmJlTdDfGkMyRF7lT23qzncckPXNvJeeOzK4LS61SNMvb4ilpYXsED_TFS3/s1600/sausage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVDVhyphenhyphen_9LbvhfSBQQMaMp8Cohxg2ANXbrj5SuHVPJ4OVpuXFT-kSFLQGL09RJkCVf34qKAS9EvQLtQqnlQFmJlTdDfGkMyRF7lT23qzncckPXNvJeeOzK4LS61SNMvb4ilpYXsED_TFS3/s320/sausage.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="color: white; text-align: center;">Local Sausage Vendor, Spitalfields Market</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxoQRPtL6BcX5aAMWHtc81O65zwjyRIYyfW7qYjFOI1bkSneSK2clICWN8Etrw2TATp5vxCHpPby9F4MwTaJOPimbaCdnK2wk1v2ma58R72dgiFklB9xyG6CShgj8T775T5nnjw9qFuhyh/s1600/M4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxoQRPtL6BcX5aAMWHtc81O65zwjyRIYyfW7qYjFOI1bkSneSK2clICWN8Etrw2TATp5vxCHpPby9F4MwTaJOPimbaCdnK2wk1v2ma58R72dgiFklB9xyG6CShgj8T775T5nnjw9qFuhyh/s320/M4.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">TOO CUTE, JAPANESE FISH CAKE VENDOR, SPITALFIELDS MARKET</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMc5X7NDU6pyMgR8mARrDQLjHG2qQAqeGCGjF3iFE8X_T3Cb4IweBKubkSlYMViYpxMuhoY8_sqRI2BoDywMaQLmRxrX4fE6tCv3AuxdMEDqFSCeEthK5slhGmP1M9GTSWg5O7OljNLNcG/s1600/M6.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMc5X7NDU6pyMgR8mARrDQLjHG2qQAqeGCGjF3iFE8X_T3Cb4IweBKubkSlYMViYpxMuhoY8_sqRI2BoDywMaQLmRxrX4fE6tCv3AuxdMEDqFSCeEthK5slhGmP1M9GTSWg5O7OljNLNcG/s320/M6.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">PIEMINSTER POT PIES, SPITALFIELDS MARKET</span><br />
<br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAX-IJWtZKB42t46Rw5GM2x5GDlb8dhsmU2b2aKMZ6ER3ioJ48x-Pl1iEBEGOzXw3TMniory5VoSkEkJcGaysCrgMxs8KYfBRdno5s1YUs4h3gSxWxIvz7MJDktgvOIyXBqHihz0eaQzMh/s1600/M13.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAX-IJWtZKB42t46Rw5GM2x5GDlb8dhsmU2b2aKMZ6ER3ioJ48x-Pl1iEBEGOzXw3TMniory5VoSkEkJcGaysCrgMxs8KYfBRdno5s1YUs4h3gSxWxIvz7MJDktgvOIyXBqHihz0eaQzMh/s320/M13.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">JAPANESE FOOD VENDOR, SPITALFIELDS MARKET</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">The market is enormous. There is a main stall area in a huge glass-ceiling space. This building extends to other surrounding stall buildings and then beyond to a series of older windy surrounding streets where more can be bought from vendors...I recall the further down the rabbit hole of streets I ventured, the shadier the products became...in fact several were simply large blankets on the ground covered with miscellaneous trinkets, think garage sales as far as the eye can see...</span></div><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1dygYk2QSrj6BrRhydoLgI8H0GR701sWiwd-lcY-jbvr9FCTqOtNzN15HGlR6MCZpTf9JKGNqFIkSwJzBPxhBKVPo4dPYXQhyBUez1trM9jzXK9r8YUCEbBvXfdJTjDh_1KN2Iluag5Mv/s1600/M11.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1dygYk2QSrj6BrRhydoLgI8H0GR701sWiwd-lcY-jbvr9FCTqOtNzN15HGlR6MCZpTf9JKGNqFIkSwJzBPxhBKVPo4dPYXQhyBUez1trM9jzXK9r8YUCEbBvXfdJTjDh_1KN2Iluag5Mv/s320/M11.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">PEOPLE SNACKING OUTSIDE SPITALFIELDS MARKET</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QrRXpzUboe8zxjSzSgEHQga8gz-WsggFnmYeqUlwAMpVvOdBWSE1lbcvEde1NCoaHgXdKxsNwDMqFrdxMMvZ8VZXrhglP2ppsd8ojOGsfEzZ2BdC4w2lWwcs8l-3ffnTnJ5yacq93Dbt/s1600/M10.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QrRXpzUboe8zxjSzSgEHQga8gz-WsggFnmYeqUlwAMpVvOdBWSE1lbcvEde1NCoaHgXdKxsNwDMqFrdxMMvZ8VZXrhglP2ppsd8ojOGsfEzZ2BdC4w2lWwcs8l-3ffnTnJ5yacq93Dbt/s320/M10.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">OUTSIDE SPITALFIELDS MARKET</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: white;"><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUdLz4rqBMCpTg7weQsQibfWGdC5KINBMOcy67xdAf-EpK8qmPXNWdXu6jPNpmojzn5mcMTAhi2IFskMqM6H4hlJP-cF5dbcPknnvMOsbDEMOcGxlbpHi7xQiBf0L7G0rvt8TBiczD0fS/s1600/candy1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUdLz4rqBMCpTg7weQsQibfWGdC5KINBMOcy67xdAf-EpK8qmPXNWdXu6jPNpmojzn5mcMTAhi2IFskMqM6H4hlJP-cF5dbcPknnvMOsbDEMOcGxlbpHi7xQiBf0L7G0rvt8TBiczD0fS/s320/candy1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Candy and Sweets store across the street from the Spitalfields Market Hall</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you venture far enough on a SUNDAY, you'll reach BRICK LANE and the <a href="http://columbiaroad.info/">COLUMBIA ROAD FLOWER MARKET</a> where you can gather beauty out of chaos by selecting some 5-quid bundles of stunning flowers...simply BREATHTAKING.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8K2bjUaqlWKJIjKpOsr0DUrG_ohuKwkOnZjybVy_cVEpuEGSuiCZK4iyzPZiG4PGU6d4WcFiaxQyeHcF-yJECEyPnjpNuf9pKqX1L85hpEQ2NbCkHr2HbFKG1pLf6BZYdiiIU8aTGJo-9/s1600/M12.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8K2bjUaqlWKJIjKpOsr0DUrG_ohuKwkOnZjybVy_cVEpuEGSuiCZK4iyzPZiG4PGU6d4WcFiaxQyeHcF-yJECEyPnjpNuf9pKqX1L85hpEQ2NbCkHr2HbFKG1pLf6BZYdiiIU8aTGJo-9/s320/M12.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PEOPLE SNACKING EN ROUTE TO BRICK LANE MARKET</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;"> </span> </span></div><div style="color: lime; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">CAMDEN MARKET</span></b><br />
<a href="http://www.camdenlock.net/">http://www.camdenlock.net/</a><br />
<div style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I would make CAMDEN MARKET my home...if it weren</span></b></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">'t as dirty and dodgy as it is :) </span></span></div><div style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I remember thinking "this is like kensington market in Toronto, only 3X bigger and 100X more awesome..." Which is exactly why I frequented it whenever I got the chance. Home to funky clothing, great music, the London punks all set up on a Canal, Camden Market is just too cool for words. It<span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: white;">sprawls</span> through some major streets, with funky storefronts and random food takeaways (waffle stands etc.). crams itself with endless funky attire for sale in the <a href="http://www.camdenlock.net/cammarket/index.html">camden/buck street market</a> and climbs its way over an old bridge where the market really opens up to the huge lock market hall (on the canal) where you can find amazing arts and crafts on three levels, and a huge variety of antiques.</span><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> You can also find an amazing variety of food stalls in this part of the market and also in an area known as the West Yard. The food is very ethnically diverse and very tasty. </span></b></span></div><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkIeFA52MAdQSkO3r0vDmImEHQU-eAm2qYfcflf8q6DY7r8VvfX4emEIMFkI3sklYBTC389t72gTsFpmkeOodjL1I4l405NfZfRRBoxUEDmfH9_KnlVQqk2pBVPBFfQMT6BvS25c57aL7Z/s1600/M7.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkIeFA52MAdQSkO3r0vDmImEHQU-eAm2qYfcflf8q6DY7r8VvfX4emEIMFkI3sklYBTC389t72gTsFpmkeOodjL1I4l405NfZfRRBoxUEDmfH9_KnlVQqk2pBVPBFfQMT6BvS25c57aL7Z/s320/M7.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr style="color: white;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">CAMDEN MARKET FOOD HALL</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I particularly enjoyed the Indian and Middle Eastern food. That aside, there is something for EVERYONE.My favorite food </span></b></span></div><div style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">experiences there were an excellent falafel sandwich complete with great pickled turnips and tahini sauce, and an amazing grilled vegetable and goat's cheese quesadilla with a first rate fresh tomato and cilantro salsa, tangy guacamole and good quality sour cream. </span></b></span></div><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">The food stall area is as chaotic as the rest of the market, accented by glowing neon signs. Not in it for a full meal? Not to worry, you can buy some Guylian chocolates by the pound to take away in the West Yard, or simply grab a doughnut from the incedible donut stall outside the lock's main entrance...</span></b></span></div><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7xfHIhNddwfv6jYAyU-HaPuSwaLajrn9RU_Onrt5kWmhl2lZNwfPhjd6GnQZc_RlHpG0Ja56O1551aKZm98I_xEjVLMH_nZUPLe-tVkVOGa8xQkTZ4DGWaglrmBXdigIyvGSu1dfD8E6/s1600/M2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7xfHIhNddwfv6jYAyU-HaPuSwaLajrn9RU_Onrt5kWmhl2lZNwfPhjd6GnQZc_RlHpG0Ja56O1551aKZm98I_xEjVLMH_nZUPLe-tVkVOGa8xQkTZ4DGWaglrmBXdigIyvGSu1dfD8E6/s320/M2.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">INCREDIBLE DONUT-VENDOR, CAMDEN LOCK MARKET</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I cannot express how much I LOVE this market! </span></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zyZABlFpatE33UXqSugDCub699OvRGGpKPtVjnI2o0uRKFdxapTiSGlQYoEovX-X3Px8YKHSl5m3yxnzQre1Fi675sISl85MHwlPoeebuXimASmzg699waXGE5ge-OOgWgZrpgTzNLi6/s1600/LIPS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zyZABlFpatE33UXqSugDCub699OvRGGpKPtVjnI2o0uRKFdxapTiSGlQYoEovX-X3Px8YKHSl5m3yxnzQre1Fi675sISl85MHwlPoeebuXimASmzg699waXGE5ge-OOgWgZrpgTzNLi6/s1600/LIPS.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE NIBBLER</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span></b></span></div><div style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"></span></b></span></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: white; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Duzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743289793510639855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173534333411240479.post-59363951439081583092010-12-15T14:57:00.001-08:002020-10-28T09:00:31.279-07:00pizza:CERTIFIABLE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN">There Will be No DOCtoring Here</span></span></b></div><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN"></span></b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGaUPPH53OUmpuW9k69dJloFk8-W6qCdtajAhVF8JiUv6uyksoC-miA6dTgnKGyER0_TAfEVXNdHu-8uVmgZZqy0hZ3WuPkUhEQEVBnO-d-KMVVVW8hyy2anfwz2JW2BW0LKqfW3OYnalR/s320/photo_15.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Margherita Pizza D.O.P., Pizzeria Libretto, Toronto</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN"><br />
</span></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN"> <span style="font-size: small;">Mislead. Bamboozled. This is the average North American who has recently purchased what we have come to regard as “pizza”. Apparently we have been tricked for years into thinking that those chewy slices that we</span> <span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA">ha</span><span lang="EN">ve embraced as a culture are the real deal. But no true pizza welcomes ham, or sausage, or even the ever popular pepperoni </span><span lang="EN-CA">–</span><span lang="EN"> well no authentic Neapolitan pizza anyway. </span></span></span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA"><br />
</span><span lang="EN"> Thanks to a panel of prestigious pizza aficionados, and the legal assistance of the European Union, there is real pizza out there -- complete with a definition and convenient stamp of approval.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA"> </span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA">I’</span><span lang="EN">m talking about real Neapolitan pizzas and we can even find them in our very own GTA. Where? <i>Pizzeria Libretto</i>. For years savory circular pies of various style and thickness have passed for “pizzas” but no more! A few short years ago Italians officially took back the snack they shared with the world, horrified by its mutations as it traveled to every corner of the globe. Tandoori chicken pizza? Grilled Pizza? Desert Pizza? Sacrilege! They did what any food loving traditionalists would do in times of crises -- turned to the law.<br />
<br />
To claim their cultural relic, Italians, or should I say Neapolitans, created an organization in the mid 1980s devoted to the cultural preservation of the sensational national nibble -- the <i>Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana </i>or A.V.P.N. They created a series of rules and guidelines necessary to follow in order to produce the regional specialty. But it was </span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA">no</span><span lang="EN">t until 2004 that the organization joined forces with the Italian Ministry of Agriculture to make a case for certifying authentic pizza at the European Union (E.U.). As a result they are now included in the Union</span><span lang="EN-CA">’</span><span lang="EN">s ongoing effort to officially classify regional foods as definable cultural products. In this process, product names are essentially trademarked resulting in verifiable stamps of authenticity. The classification assures consumers worldwide that what they are purchasing is the real deal. Other food stuffs which have been certified include <i>Champagne</i>, <i>Mozzarella di Bufala Campana</i>, <i>Parmagiano Reggiano</i> etc. In Italy such foods garner the designation D.O.C. (Denominazione di origine controllata). So what does pizza need to be today to be considered authentic? According to the E.U. and A.V.P.N., a true Neapolitan pizza must meet several requirements. The pizzas must not only be assembled in a certain way but must also meet certain measurements; be heated within a certain timeframe at a particular temperature; involve ingredients from specific regions of Italy; involve particular ingredient combinations and preparation methods; and even be cooked in a certain type of oven. There are also only two certifiable types of Neapolitan pizzas: <i>Marinara</i> and <i>Margherita</i>.</span></span></b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQSY34R4dI-z6VbVcVbTLPV7xBkGn7WQvEIvhbWFcnUf_pEx9f9t51zssTWPL5UQhkOTXmPUBPhSK5Xf0OXy_6VLc4vCYXcYjpcIb_r0r8IsrYiLRw6gQfpB5ITnqCd7SuufHmQradCiXa/s320/photo_9.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Margherita Pizza D.O.P., Pizzeria Libretto, Toronto</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN"><span lang="EN"></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN"></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN"> <br />
<b><span style="font-size: small;">Pizza has a history, and its creation was no accident. Naples claims pizza originated there in the 1700s. Many historians argue that the first <i>Pizzeria</i></span> was </b></span></span><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA">the <i>Antica Pizzeria Port d’</i></span><span lang="EN"><i>Alba</i>. It<i> </i>served <i>Marinara</i> pizzas </span><span lang="EN-CA">–</span><span lang="EN"> pizza topped simply with tomato, garlic, olive oil and oregano. The pizzas take their name from the sailors who ate the dish upon return from long fishing trips. The equally famous <i>Margherita</i> pizza has been linked to Naples and a baker named Raffaele Esposito. Legend has it that Esposito baked three different pizzas for a visit of King Umberto I and Queen Margherita of Savoy in 1889. The Queen favored the pizza which displayed the colors of the Italian flag. The red was represented by tomatoes, the white by mozzarella cheese and the green by fresh picked basil leaves. The pizza was dubbed <i>Pizza Margherita</i> in her honor. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA">Think you’</span><span lang="EN">re making a margherita tonight with those farmer</span><span lang="EN-CA">’</span><span lang="EN">s market tomatoes and basil bunches from your garden? Think again. The integral ingredients in the pizza making guidelines are also specified. They must originate from distinct Italian regions and are also protected cultural products. For instance, not just any mozzarella cheese can be used on these pies, it has to be mozzarella di bufala campana and fior di latte dell</span><span lang="EN-CA">‘</span><span lang="EN">appennino meriodionale D.O.P. And those tomatoes -- San Marzano or nothing! </span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;"><span lang="EN"> <br />
So what does a humble Toronto pizzeria need to do to become certified? That's</span><span lang="EN">something Max Rimaldi, owner of <i>Pizzeria Libretto</i>, is contending with as I type. His Ossington and Dundas West <i>pizzeria</i> is one of the first Toronto <i>pizzerias</i> in the midst of getting certified by A.V.P.N. In order to attain his certification Max needs to not only practice what A.V.P.N. preaches but pass their inspection </span><span lang="EN-CA">–</span><span lang="EN"> an inspection he must also pay for. Though the organization is a labor of love and as such non-profit, members have to pay dues -- membership fees and certification fees. Max needs to fly and accommodate some Italian pizza master judges who will taste, pinch, squeeze, fold and smell his offerings before giving him their seal of approval </span><span lang="EN-CA">–</span><span lang="EN"> and no doubt will be expected to clean up the mess after its all said and done. Luckily Max will not have to purchase round trip tickets from Naples for his inspectors. He is going through a board of middlemen, the American chapter of A.V.P.N. known as <i>Verace Pizza Napoletana Americas</i>, or V.P.N. Americas, which will send an inspector from California, specifically the chapter</span><span lang="EN-CA">’</span><span lang="EN">s founder Pepe Miele. Max had to do more than make a few phone calls and apply online. He had to send photos: of his pizzas; oven; establishment (tables, customers etc.); dough (before and after rising); dough machine; <i>mise-en-place;</i></span><span lang="EN-CA"> etc. –</span><span lang="EN"> and potentially a lock of hair of his first born child. He is still waiting patiently to arrange his inspection because much like the Italian bureaucracy, the heads of V.P.N. Americas work very slowly. But while he twiddles his thumbs, Max and his partner Rocco Agostino make pizzas according to the certification body</span><span lang="EN-CA">’</span><span lang="EN">s standards and rules. <i>Pizzeria Libretto</i> even takes its name from the A.V. P.N. pizza charter (the Italian version), specifically from the description of the final product which describes the crust as being easily pliable and foldable into the shape of a little book, or </span><span lang="EN-CA">“libretto”. </span></span></b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH9pTrZE08rMSldfUQgsAJhgoeBXWL30tCK913xd7XwGT6zzm0Nge-7YAdnA4Jc8keCe0nY_I0XTspAJE_eLfUHFdp0BKuj-_7tepWYEXyFYWazUvZ89cu_5wfkqyxQll0nrI5Lotqv1f1/s1600/photo_2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH9pTrZE08rMSldfUQgsAJhgoeBXWL30tCK913xd7XwGT6zzm0Nge-7YAdnA4Jc8keCe0nY_I0XTspAJE_eLfUHFdp0BKuj-_7tepWYEXyFYWazUvZ89cu_5wfkqyxQll0nrI5Lotqv1f1/s320/photo_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Margherita Pizza D.O.P., Pizzeria Libretto, Toronto</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN"></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN-CA"> </span></span></div><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN"> <span style="font-size: small;">Max is a true pizza connoisseur, “I eat pizza every day”. But despite knowing his <i>Margheritas</i> from his <i>Puttanescas</i>, he does n</span></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">t limit his taste buds to what he considers authentic pizza. He is even a fan of other local shops</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> pies (<i>Pizza Gigi</i> and <i>Terroni</i> to name names) but his heart melts for the delicacy of true Neapolitan style pizza </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> a delicacy he has not personally encountered elsewhere in the GTA. The reason? Neapolitan pizza is a very specific thing that requires exactly what the certification board outlines </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> specific ingredients, preparation methods and special equipment. Max idealizes the notion of true Neapolitan pizza but being located on another continent poses a few key problems for its offshore execution. He does his best to import the ingredients he deems irreplaceable (olive oil, san marzano tomatoes, <i>Caputo</i> brand flour), he even purchased his pizza oven from Italy. The charter insists that to achieve the true product the pizzas must be cooked in a wood burning oven that achieves a temperature of 900 degrees farenheit </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> that</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">s 300 degrees hotter than gas burning ovens. Why? To achieve the desired result </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> Neapolitan pizzas are meant to be cooked in no longer than 90 seconds flat. Max</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">s oven is no all- purpose vessel. It is designed for one thing and one thing only </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> Neapolitan pizza. The company he ordered it from even asked if that was what he was ordering it for as opposed to their alternate model designed for other regional pizza styles. As a result Max</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">s oven has an opening large enough only to accept Neapolitan size pizzas, and small enough to achieve and maintain the necessary 900 degree internal heat. </span></span></b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN"><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQfKGz0VJO1NlsxZlb6qE957XjKJZCUjK-zG5Fl4J8qr297tctCXM5SSK_stDCoc2yQLoWGtQG1CPftboS71qkJbNNyNuUy_iLMXNtt7I3kEo5PK1APkgqzcH0hEjyvwcFGi0nb_BZplJ/s1600/photo_11.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSQfKGz0VJO1NlsxZlb6qE957XjKJZCUjK-zG5Fl4J8qr297tctCXM5SSK_stDCoc2yQLoWGtQG1CPftboS71qkJbNNyNuUy_iLMXNtt7I3kEo5PK1APkgqzcH0hEjyvwcFGi0nb_BZplJ/s320/photo_11.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Margherita Pizza D.O.P., Pizzeria Libretto, Toronto</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span lang="EN"></span> <br />
</span></span></div><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">Though he does his best to follow the charter's rules, Max and his chef Rocco Agostino follow an Italian cooking philosophy first and foremost. </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">“We follow the philosophy of Italian food -- local ingredients, what’s fresh immediately, we are not going to import everything, it comes down to fresh ingredients and inspiration,” and for the dynamic duo</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> that means forsaking the charter</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">s cheese rules. According to the rules, Max should only import and use one of two types of cheese for his pies -- <i>mozzarella di bufula campana</i> and <i>fior di latte dell</i></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;"><i>‘</i></span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"><i>appennino meriodionale D.O.P</i>. But that</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">s one rule he will not abide by. Why? Cost, freshness and industry corruption. Importing fresh cheese from another continent on a regular basis is anything but cost effective nor is it conducive to showcasing the incredible quality of the fresh product. </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">“I just got back from Italy and had multiple layovers and waiting periods and I feel tired and less than fresh, now imagine what that does to a piece of fresh cheese”.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> Max also encountered problems regarding imported products</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> dates of production -- they were frequently forged to appear more fresh than they actually were. Max wanted something fresh and local but akin to the Italian product so he teamed up with a local dairy farmer just outside Toronto who produces local Italian style cheeses. The result: -- “Our <i>ricotta</i> on our <i>Marinara</i> </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> it is made Friday morning and served Friday night </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> it</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">s a dream.” That dreamy cheese now comes in twice weekly. The brains behind the certification board understand that exceptions must be made abroad to comply with the charter but still create a winning result. They are n</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">t quite so lenient in Italy </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> take for instance Max</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">s favorite pizzeria in Naples </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> <i>Da Michele</i>. To him and many others they offer the epitome of Neapolitan style pizza but technically they break a major rule </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> they use a lighter seed oil in place of olive oil. For Max, “they are absolutely still incredible and authentic though they break the charter</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">s rules. If I</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">m above the standard I should be able to do what I want”. Italians are defensive of their traditions, but they will admit when something is good despite breaking rules. <i>Da Michele</i> uses different oil to </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">“</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">save on cost and to prevent the oil</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">s flavor from overpowering the pizza flavor,</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">”</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> but in every other respect they are so Neapolitan that they only produce two types of pizza for sale </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> the <i>Marinara</i> and the <i>Margherita</i>. So are these <i>Libretto</i> pizzas really so distinct? My first attempt to find out resulted in a nearby restaurant getting my business. I arrived at <i>Pizzeria Libretto</i> late on a Saturday night greeted by a large line, at the front of which I was informed that my party would become the twentieth group waiting for a table. As we left the bustling restaurant discouraged, a woman in a mink coat muttered </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">“not to worry, we’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">ve only been waiting for an hour and a half so far”. An hour and a half later I finished dinner at the <i>Lakeview Lunch</i>. I was anxious to eat whatever was worth hours of lining up. Was this pizza heaven or hype? The next Friday I reached out for some informed company to test the waters</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> my cousin and his fiancé </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> he, a pizza fanatic, and she, a pizza fanatic by proxy. They not only make their own pies in their oven on a routine basis but have eaten pizzas all over the city and abroad </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> including authentic Neapolitan pizza in Naples. I opted to arrive alone first in order to line up while they made their way downtown. I was pleasantly informed by the hostess that it looked like forty five minutes or so. An hour and a half later my party and I were starting to resemble dehydrated fruit. We were packed tightly into the restaurant not designed for waiting </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> left to hover over a group of four diners, salivating over their <i>salumi</i> platter, dribbling on their shoulders </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> did I mention I</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">m a vegetarian? Just when we were beginning to become irate we were offered our table. Despite the fact that the overstuffed restaurant continued to bustle out of control around us, things moved fairly smoothly from then on </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">something I attribute largely to our graceful waiter who strutted around the room like he had on a pair of invisible heels. Our appetizers impressed but still could n</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">o</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">t wipe the frown off of my cousin</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">s fiancé face, “nothing is worth that wait”. My cousin was more optimistic but I was beginning to get very nervous. One by one our mains arrived. We strategically ordered some authentic pizzas and some of <i>Libretto</i></span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;"><i>’</i></span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"><i>s</i> more liberal creations. We tucked in to three varieties </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> the rapini, garlic, black olive, goat</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">s cheese and mozzarella; the Friday special, the <i>D.O.P. Marinara</i> prepared traditionally but finished with a generous dollop of fresh Ontario <i>ricotta</i>; and the <i>D.O.P. Margherita</i>. We even tested out the spelt crust on one of them to see how it fared. It was unanimous. Ethereal. Bliss. These pizzas were fantastic, and even more surprisingly to me, exactly as the charter intended. I was careful to bend, fold, smell and observe the traditional Margherita. It was just as it was meant to be -- blistered with bits of charring on the bottom, soft and chewy, crisp on its edges, lightly doused in tomato, topped with just melted cheese. “A characteristic aroma, at once perfumed and fragrant</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">”</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> (as the charter lays out) released from it</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">s centre where the olive oil, fresh basil and tomato had </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">“</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">perfectly amalgamated</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">”.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> It was divine, and though it was the first to arrive at our table for several minutes, divided three ways it was enough to raise the spirits of my cousin</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">s fiancé, who looked down and said, “Forget about what I said </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> this is amazing.” But was it my favorite? No. The untraditional <i>ricotta</i> on the <i>Marinara</i> was something truly special, delicately flavored and scrumptiously creamy (but an addition that would no doubt have a Neapolitan grandmother turning in her grave) and the balance of flavors on the rapini pizza (which had no tomato in sight) left me wishing that I had accepted the accidentally doubled order of it. So why get certified if the rules are perhaps too stringent? Can</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">t their fabulous and more innovative pizzas speak for themselves? <i>Pizzeria Libretto</i> wants their certification because pizza is something about which everyone has an opinion. </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">P</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">eople talk Max</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">s ear off about what they consider authentic pizza </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> but as a member of A.V.P.N. he won</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">t have to argue </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> their seal of approval will show any who visit his establishment that he not only knows about pizza but purveys a certifiable product </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;"> one executed so perfectly that it may even provoke his more traditional customers to order one of his pizzeria</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">s own inventions. Ultimately A.V.P.N.</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">s rules can be more like guidelines for pizzerias like <i>Libretto</i> </span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">–</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">attention paid when necessary but like the charter</span><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: small;">’</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">s description of the final product, flexible. </span></span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5oxcny_Io9XO50yoIKhrbUei3fwBuuJ1Xjvcqbdpxh64LPE4E5GcC_Nidv4rXKP3Al2czpkcai5bcXDOi79A299_b-iHM2X5rK1za_32XMqS00LO9qrzIw8FHaMN92oJB8SPHbJQO1xeM/s1600/photo_12.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5oxcny_Io9XO50yoIKhrbUei3fwBuuJ1Xjvcqbdpxh64LPE4E5GcC_Nidv4rXKP3Al2czpkcai5bcXDOi79A299_b-iHM2X5rK1za_32XMqS00LO9qrzIw8FHaMN92oJB8SPHbJQO1xeM/s320/photo_12.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Margherita Pizza D.O.P., Pizzeria Libretto, Toronto<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody>
<tr></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zyZABlFpatE33UXqSugDCub699OvRGGpKPtVjnI2o0uRKFdxapTiSGlQYoEovX-X3Px8YKHSl5m3yxnzQre1Fi675sISl85MHwlPoeebuXimASmzg699waXGE5ge-OOgWgZrpgTzNLi6/s1600/LIPS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zyZABlFpatE33UXqSugDCub699OvRGGpKPtVjnI2o0uRKFdxapTiSGlQYoEovX-X3Px8YKHSl5m3yxnzQre1Fi675sISl85MHwlPoeebuXimASmzg699waXGE5ge-OOgWgZrpgTzNLi6/s1600/LIPS.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE NIBBLER<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="background-color: magenta; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;"><b>ARTICLE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON WWW.GREMOLATA.COM, APRIL 2009.</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGaUPPH53OUmpuW9k69dJloFk8-W6qCdtajAhVF8JiUv6uyksoC-miA6dTgnKGyER0_TAfEVXNdHu-8uVmgZZqy0hZ3WuPkUhEQEVBnO-d-KMVVVW8hyy2anfwz2JW2BW0LKqfW3OYnalR/s1600/photo_15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div></span></div>Duzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743289793510639855noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173534333411240479.post-63084945183171246552010-12-14T13:43:00.001-08:002020-10-28T08:58:01.925-07:00what the fuck is a pluot?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWsHTJ_UtElPRzqzWNN0sBDsMmisCc64cAA2zTKPY3dEUrY2uyvHxWvxC7PN2e8f3PRfmEld8o1-i_3YXsz4afl6qTusfsZYwf94cQqNEqh-P6hEYpm4KD0e-3yzqPoQdoG9spxbb5JQ5/s1600/pluot+045.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWsHTJ_UtElPRzqzWNN0sBDsMmisCc64cAA2zTKPY3dEUrY2uyvHxWvxC7PN2e8f3PRfmEld8o1-i_3YXsz4afl6qTusfsZYwf94cQqNEqh-P6hEYpm4KD0e-3yzqPoQdoG9spxbb5JQ5/s320/pluot+045.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>“What the fuck is a pluot?” This is a question I’ve asked myself many times while shopping for fruit. I wasn’t overly eager to try it out either as it looks sort of like a large red plum with something out of whack about it; namely something orange bubbling up through its translucent purple skin. But one fateful night when plum crumble was on my menu and I was out of options I purchased a bag full. The fruit was very firm and juicy. Sweet but not too sweet. When baked, the pluot segments bled a lovely fuchsia juice. I was inspired to find out a little more about the fruit, particularly since it was becoming commonplace in even the tiniest fruit stands around Toronto. I discovered a far more complicated food than I ever anticipated -- a hybrid fruit variety with quite a history, which opened a hidden story about how all stone fruits come to our stores and mouths, and how we can never hope to experience the same thing twice.<br />
<br />
A quick Google located a Wikipedia blurb and a genetic categorization and a patent. It seems that like any other invention, hybrid fruit gets patented and protected. The concept fruit, the pluot, is the property of a company named Zaiger’s Genetics. This company has cornered the market on this type of fruit development, hybridizing and selling the rights to grow their many varieties of stone fruit, cherries and almonds -- all thanks to one man with an obsession; Floyd Zaiger.<br />
<br />
The road to Zaiger’s Genetics began over fifty years ago in Modesto, California when Floyd began to hybridize azelias and rhododendrons to tolerate the heat of the California climate. Floyd taught agriculture at the highschool level and then at Modesto Junior College. Floyd later took a position working under Fred Anderson, the protégé of the legendary agricultural innovator, botanist and horticulturist Luther Burbank. Burbank made many notable developments in the plant world (he developed more than 800 strains and varieties of plants in his career which lasted over half a century). Burbank notably developed the Santa Rosa plum. Zaiger worked for the Anderson Nursery for two years before he came to a crucial crossroads – either stay on full time, or create his own business. He opted for a solo career and began to hybridize stone fruit as a hobby. A time consuming hobby – developing a single new stone-fruit variety is a ten to fifteen year commitment. <br />
<br />
Today Zaiger’s Genetics is still under Floyd’s control and run by members of his immediate family, including his daughter, Leith Gardiner Zaiger, who was kind enough to give me a thorough company history. The charming madame of the Zaiger empire has a degree in plant science from the University California Davis, as well as a rough and tumble southern accent, and a direct and to the point attitude. As she put it, “I do everything around here”. The Zaigers are now seasoned professionals when it comes to stone fruit development, always working with several species at a time. In fact, they grow 60,000 seedlings a year. “We work on everything and their interspecifics, from cherries to almonds to apricots,” explains Leith Zaiger. Unlike some fruit hybrid companies, Zaiger’s Genetics do things the old fashioned way – by hand pollination. Their operations paint quite a picture – one hundred and forty acres of experimental fruit trees fill their Modesto, California property. It is there that the Zaigers develop new species of fruit trees as “God” might – growing seeds together, allowing the new fruit to mature, collecting the new seeds, replanting them, growing the new trees, and collecting the new fruit for evaluation. They work tirelessly to narrow which new species are strong and desirable enough to be developed into an official new variety. Its no game for the impatient and the customer is always right. <br />
<br />
The Zaigers are essentially in the designer fruit business. Every species is custom made for its intended consumers. Everything from flavor to texture to size to shelf-life to acidity are factors in development. Their fruit is sold all over the world and with that comes a broad spectrum of preferences and needs, not to mention environmental conditions to be negotiated. And tastes evolve, and fast. But contending with this sort of fickleness is the Zaiger family passion and constant battle.<br />
<br />
<br />
The Zaigers are ideally situated in Modesto, California. Leith describes the climate there as “pretty temperate.” Modesto is centrally located in California, with high temperatures in summer averaging 98 F, winter highs of 45-50F, lows of 50F by day and 35-40F by night. The area also gets two feet of fog over the ground, which undoubtedly casts a mystical mood over the experimental fields where fruit is grown not seen any other place on earth. <br />
<br />
The Zaiger’s hand-pollination techniques make their product more desirable to the nurseries and farmers looking to steer clear of the stigmas of GMO fruit. When it comes to GMO growing practices, “some people feel you’re making ‘frankenfruit’, they feel that something detrimental would be added to the gene of the fruit”. Leith feels that, “GMO will most likely become a valuable tool, maybe not in my lifetime.” Though the Zaigers do not develop their new fruit in a laboratory, according to Leith, it is “not necessarily harder to control the new fruit using traditional techniques. Whether you grow the fruit in a lab or a greenhouse you still have to grow it out, it can always have the desired gene there, but if that gene is not expressed, it’s worthless.” <br />
<br />
I was curious how often their experiments flop and if there is any way to predict what will result? “Every ten varieties we develop, we know two will fail but we don’t know which. Stone-fruit varieties are not like fine wine, they degrade with age; they break down. Sometimes they don’t have the longevity to last for a long time, though there are some exceptions.”<br />
<br />
Every time the Zaigers develop a winning variety they name it, patent it, sell it, ship it and someone grows, distributes and sells it abroad. The new varieties change over with the seasons. This is because they are hybrids and have no descendants. As a result, consumers are always experiencing something new when we bite into a “peach” or “plum” from season to season. To illustrate how many varieties are developed and discarded I asked Leith if they had any best sellers, “I can’t answer that, I don’t track them after they are patented and named, there are just too many”. The various species engineered, sold and grown are part of an ongoing evolution. Basically every time you buy a “peach” or a “plum” or even a “pluot” at a market or store you could really be purchasing anything from a “Zephire” to a “Flavor Grenade” (two of Zaiger’s past popular and now defunct varieties). <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTfr4LJiTGXzm2xGqTCAgARS18MIiR8GqPS78D2BXRLEHpiF8PNIQbmEodwzB97RDt_ocO6WNIDOZxHwTKn5vtp4PRRRDHGcqm0UMlqsQs_yrmBMzGu4jmZxfF0hwyMY4mfIiYetM7uUC/s1600/pluot+036.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTfr4LJiTGXzm2xGqTCAgARS18MIiR8GqPS78D2BXRLEHpiF8PNIQbmEodwzB97RDt_ocO6WNIDOZxHwTKn5vtp4PRRRDHGcqm0UMlqsQs_yrmBMzGu4jmZxfF0hwyMY4mfIiYetM7uUC/s320/pluot+036.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Leith and her family consider themselves to be “fruit snobs”. They know what they like and know that when they go out to buy something they won’t fully be told what they’re purchasing. “It can get difficult for us as consumers, is that peach sub-acid or sweet etc?”. Leith and her family have the priveledge to constantly eat their fruit fresh off the farm before it has been chilled and shipped and stored – before it begins to decay and lose it flavor and texture. The store bought varieties pale in comparison. It is the Zaiger’s mission “to improve on the shelf life and taste of good products so the consumer can taste the difference between the many varieties of the fruit that they engineer.” <br />
<br />
The phrase, “we can rebuild it, we can make it stronger” springs to mind.<br />
<br />
The Zaigers have devoted their lives to developing painstakingly specific flavor profiles and physical characteristics. These will not be described to the consumer. As a result, they develop their fruits according to regional palates. A key example of a variety they perfected to meet discerning tastes is the white fleshed peach. It all began when Floyd visited France in the late 1960s. He noticed white fleshed peaches were selling for much more money than yellow varieties. They were sweet and quite difficult to harvest, their flesh often too sensitive to pick without heavy bruising. Delicacies. So Zaiger returned home to the US to develop a stronger-fleshed white variety for France and the European palate. Today more than 50% of the European variety that exists was developed by the Zaigers in California. <br />
<br />
The white fleshed peach is a curious development in light of the Franken-fruit debate. Many people also express concern over hybridized produce regarding its nutritional content, fearing it will be inferior to the original varieties of the fruits. But with stone fruit, there are no originals out there. Under the microscope, white fleshed peaches reveal some unexpected nutritional findings. Many scientists have speculated that the more intense the color of a fruit or vegetables’ skin the more nutrient-dense it is likely to be. This is particularly thought to be true of the beta-carotene and antioxidant content of produce. Antioxidants are molecules that go through our bodies, ridding them of free-radicals (molecules which have been linked to diseases). By flushing these free radicals from our systems, scientists speculate that we can shield our bodies from diseases, inhibiting the growth of things like cancerous cells. But past studies conducted by Dr. David Byrne published in HORT Science Magazine revealed that white peach varieties actually exhibit more beta carotene in some cases than yellow and orange varieties, a finding that even baffles Leith. Dr. Byrne also discovered that several plum and cross breed varieties of stone fruit have very high levels of antioxidants, higher than blueberries, the super-fruit called the most powerful conveyor of antioxidants available in North America. So it seems not all hybrids are nutritionally lacking, in fact far from it.<br />
<br />
Dr. Byrne has conducted many studies on the nutritional content of various interspecific stone fruit varieties. He conducts his research via Texas A&M University, where he is a faculty member. He has received funding over the past few years from the USDA Food for Heath Project, Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Centre, and the California Tree Fruit Agreement (a collective of tree-fruit growers of the state of California that markets on their behalf). He has published his research in various journals. One of his key articles from 2006 reports, “that [though researchers report] blueberry has the highest antioxidant activity among fruit…the levels found in red-fleshed plums overlap the levels found in blueberry. <br />
<br />
An interview with Dr. Byrne and Dr. Luis Cisneros, published on the Texas A&M, expands on the value of their discovery for the everyday consumer. The pair “judged more than 100 varieties of plums and peaches…[finding that they matched or exceeded] the much-touted blueberries in antioxidants and phytonutrients associated with disease prevention”. The finding was considered a great discovery in “tight economic times”, because of the far less expensive price for the average plum compared to blueberries. <br />
A plum has roughly “the same amount of antioxidants as a handful of…blueberries.” <br />
<br />
The antioxidant levels of one hundred different kinds of plums and peaches were compared to five brands of blueberries. The compounds located in the fruit were extracted and an experiment was conducted examining their effects on breast cancer cells and cholesterol. This type of testing had not been done before. Remarkably, the scientists found that “the phytonutrients in plums inhibited in vitro breast cancer growth while not bothering normal cell growth.” Their research was preliminary and since then, Dr. Byrne has received additional funding to conduct more research into the phenomenal properties of the hybridized fruits.<br />
<br />
The amazing findings of Dr. Byrne and his associates have helped inspire new stone fruit development with a nutritional focus. This type of fruit breeding is happening locally, in Guelph Ontario. Thanks to the support of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Ontario Tender Fruit Producers’ Marketing Board, the University of Guelph has been conducting research to develop healthier and tastier fruit designed for the Canadian market using genetics, selective breeding and biotechnology.<br />
<br />
Stone fruit development seems a bizarre phenomenon in a culture infatuated with organic and heirloom produce. We are so obsessed with getting back to our food’s roots that we frequently steer clear of anything that seems like a work in progress. Yet we embrace stone fruit; hybrid varieties of fruits that are nutrient dense and delicious. Like many of human-kind’s experiments, stone fruits are constantly being perfected and are always evolving. They are not perfect, but many individuals, like the Zaigers, are striving to achieve a modern perfection that never occurred in the wild. <br />
<br />
So what the fuck is a pluot? Subject to change. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifnQ5pTkx2Xqc9GPJnSWLY4WGe5K0z45FrXOE8-G8EN6iPgXpaqHG-Sn0Wvx6Mwmt6PnRDI3dmV5FMGQ2z0eS9P2uNMYzQOGLXgkxGdZs3pBvCNEepqSfMVYAOCy4XMLK5IQAYCa0pw_rz/s1600/pluot+044.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifnQ5pTkx2Xqc9GPJnSWLY4WGe5K0z45FrXOE8-G8EN6iPgXpaqHG-Sn0Wvx6Mwmt6PnRDI3dmV5FMGQ2z0eS9P2uNMYzQOGLXgkxGdZs3pBvCNEepqSfMVYAOCy4XMLK5IQAYCa0pw_rz/s320/pluot+044.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container"><tbody>
<tr></tr>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zyZABlFpatE33UXqSugDCub699OvRGGpKPtVjnI2o0uRKFdxapTiSGlQYoEovX-X3Px8YKHSl5m3yxnzQre1Fi675sISl85MHwlPoeebuXimASmzg699waXGE5ge-OOgWgZrpgTzNLi6/s1600/LIPS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zyZABlFpatE33UXqSugDCub699OvRGGpKPtVjnI2o0uRKFdxapTiSGlQYoEovX-X3Px8YKHSl5m3yxnzQre1Fi675sISl85MHwlPoeebuXimASmzg699waXGE5ge-OOgWgZrpgTzNLi6/s1600/LIPS.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE NIBBLER<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
(article originally released on www.gremolata.com)Duzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743289793510639855noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8173534333411240479.post-41099037948668321752010-12-13T14:31:00.000-08:002010-12-17T09:36:58.602-08:00BYTE ME!<div style="color: white;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZzRjoMRnM0DEwjF9rMl_IZO1Xs1qBy5goshYwyGPJaZXt4ma6aiwTUlV3aPPjk07rWrP556CHmv52k_ydxIv8guBtcyagCErRdQ6WmoROmvRDAp67qqF4O5g70ggGLpYZhFDXiZ_5Uj98/s1600/LIPS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZzRjoMRnM0DEwjF9rMl_IZO1Xs1qBy5goshYwyGPJaZXt4ma6aiwTUlV3aPPjk07rWrP556CHmv52k_ydxIv8guBtcyagCErRdQ6WmoROmvRDAp67qqF4O5g70ggGLpYZhFDXiZ_5Uj98/s1600/LIPS.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
HEY FOOD FANATICS OF ALL VARIETIES! </div><div style="color: orange;"><br />
</div><div style="color: orange;">BE YOU <b><span style="color: white; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">GASTRONOMO-GEEK</span></b>, <b><span style="color: yellow;">FOODIE<span style="color: orange;">,</span> </span><span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">CULTURE JUNKY</span></b>,<span style="color: #990000;"> </span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b>HEALTH-NUT</b></span></span><span style="color: orange;">, OR SIMPLY</span> <b><span style="color: purple;">LOVER</span></b>...<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">NOT TO MENTION YOU <b><span style="color: #93c47d;">HERBIVORES</span></b>, <b><span style="color: cyan;">OMNIVORES</span></b> AND <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">CARNIVORES</span></b></span><b>...</b></div><div style="color: red;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>THIS BLOG GOES OUT TO YOU ALL!!</b></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR ARTICLES RANGING FROM<span style="color: yellow;"> </span><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>RESTAURANT REVIEWS</b></span>, <b style="color: cyan;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">FOOD TALES</span></b>,<span style="color: red;"> </span></span><b style="color: magenta;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">CULTURAL TIDBITS</span></b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">, <span style="color: purple;"> </span><b style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">HEALTH REPORTS</b>,<span style="color: #b45f06;"> </span><b style="color: yellow;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">FOOD SCIENCE</span></b>, AND LEST WE FORGET THE ALL TOO IMPORTANT <b style="color: lime;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">FOOD PORN</span></b>!</span><b></b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zyZABlFpatE33UXqSugDCub699OvRGGpKPtVjnI2o0uRKFdxapTiSGlQYoEovX-X3Px8YKHSl5m3yxnzQre1Fi675sISl85MHwlPoeebuXimASmzg699waXGE5ge-OOgWgZrpgTzNLi6/s1600/LIPS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3zyZABlFpatE33UXqSugDCub699OvRGGpKPtVjnI2o0uRKFdxapTiSGlQYoEovX-X3Px8YKHSl5m3yxnzQre1Fi675sISl85MHwlPoeebuXimASmzg699waXGE5ge-OOgWgZrpgTzNLi6/s1600/LIPS.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE NIBBLER</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b><br />
</b></div>Duzehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13743289793510639855noreply@blogger.com0