Fresno Foodie

Chicken Cackle

2011-08-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

Calling all chicken (and egg) lovers! I am going on the air on Friday with some of the most amazing chicken raisers in the valley to represent the urban chicken hobbyist of the world. Check it:

You may think we humans are prolific at 7 billion strong, but under our sponsorship 24 billion chickens cackle on the planet at any one time. A wild Asian Junglefowl, cousin to pheasants, has been intimate with human settlements for several thousand years. "Down on the Farm" host, Tom Willey, will discuss the caretaking of our most successful domesticated species with three local poultry specialists. Tracy Newel's backyard flock was featured in Fresno Bee's coverage of the urban chicken renaissance. Brenda Ostrom of Mountain Meadow Farms raises "Mariposa Free Rangers" by the hundreds in her wide outdoors. Kingsburg's Vernon Peterson tends organic broilers by the multi-thousands for Mary's Free Range Chicken, one of our nation's most innovative poultry producers.

Birds of a feather flock together around the wireless this Fri., Sept. 2nd, 5:00-6:00PM on KFCF 88.1, Fresno.

Get yr fruit on!

2011-05-31T12:14:00.000-07:00

This spring's lingering cool comforts humans but delays expected debuts of many iconic, heat-loving Valley crops. "Down on the Farm's" Tom Willey hosts a round table of orchardists from D.E.Boldt Family Farm, Blossom Bluff Orchards and Peterson Farm who will preview and prognosticate on this summer's unfolding stone fruit season. Special guest, Felix Muzquiz, scoops the June 18th "Organic Stone Fruit Jubilee" which has added several innovations under her professional direction.

Grab all the low hanging fruit this Friday, Jun. 3rd, 5:00-6:00PM on Fresno's KFCF 88.1FM.

A cluck-cluck here...

2011-04-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

Yes, that IS the headline from the cover story in the Fresno Bee on Monday... I've gone on the record in support of my illegal chickens! Risky? Yes. But I had to take a stand! I figure if it does not go well (aka The Man comes to take away the gals) it would be my call to arms to see if I can change the ordinance! Or, I could just chill out for a while more if no one really cares.

What I did NOT expect were the thrashing of comments on the online post. Dear lord! I have been implicated of the following:
1. Causing avian flu
2. Loosing Bee readers
3. Being a hipster
4. Not being in touch with my food source
5. Being too in touch with my food source
6. The reason Google did not choose Fresno
7. Having a yard full of feces and parasites
8. Being white
9. Not being white
10. Starving people (by virtue of disrupting the conventional ag system that does so much to feed the world by mass production).

Strangely, not much about whether urban chickens are morally wrong... Hmmmm...

Curious? Read for yourself and join in on the conversation!

Down on the Farm

2011-03-29T17:25:00.000-07:00

Okay... I confess I was secretly an econ major in college. I love the stuff! And if the idea of commodities and agriculture and prices get you as excited as I do, then you won't want to miss "Down on the Farm" this Friday, April 1st.

Here's a description from Madera's very own Tom Willey:

Our nation witnessed a 4% food price increase last month alone, greatest spike in four decades. Erratic weather, biofuels and increasingly meat-centric Asian diets share blame. However, some third of a trillion dollars, freshly invested in commodity markets, chase profits making bets on the value of humanity's edibles and may be stealing food from the mouths of babes in poor countries. Does futures investing provide broad social and economic benefit, or is the commodities casino a predatory stone around the necks of the world's producers and eaters alike?

5:00-6:00PM on KFCF 88.1FM, Fresno

Movin’ some product

2011-02-01T18:00:00.000-08:00

I had a gal pal come by this weekend with a whole glut of unused stuff from her CSA box. “What do I do with this?” she asked, holding up a plucky head of fennel. Well, I had just the thing in mind! This is a super simple recipe that uses not only fennel but that other mid-winter overstock, oranges. Enjoy!

Fennel braised in orange juice

Trim green tops of a fennel bulb. Quarter (leave the core to hold the quarters together) and place in shallow, heat-proof pan. Add olive oil (about 1 tablespoon) and toss. Add orange juice (about 1 cup... some pulp okay) and water (about 1/2 cup). Add salt and pepper to taste

Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until tender, turning once while braising. Don't let the juice at the bottom of the pan get dry... If need be, add a splash more water while in the oven.

To serve, remove fennel and reduce remaining juices (should get thick and a little sticky). To finish the sauce, whisk in 1 tab of butter while still over the heat. Spoon sauce over bulbs.

Serves 2 to 4 people. Yum!

p.s. I compared fennel notes with a Korean friend of mine and we decided that a beautiful pan-Asian version of this recipe would be to use ponzu instead of salt and add in a bit of grated ginger too. Ooooh!

Here today, gone tomorrow

2011-02-01T17:57:00.000-08:00

Okay… I confess I have been gone for AGES! It’s true. I did this really annoying thing called graduate school and well… that’s that. But I am done with classes and now faced with the task of writing, writing, writing my final project… and, well, that’s just plain easy to procrastinate! And I’d rather write something fun, like this. So, I’m back! For now…

Movie much?

2010-01-27T17:40:00.000-08:00

I saw this film a number of months back in SF. It was so good that I've worked really hard to get it to Fresno! It's FREE (even the parking on campus after 5:00 pm) and it's one of the only films I've seen on the food industry that illustrates some solutions and positivity.

New Year's resolution much?

See the trailer and learn more about the movie here.

Vo-Voom!

2010-01-13T12:10:00.000-08:00

This recipe is an adaptation on a classic. Simple, seasonal, and oh-so colorful! Your plate will be left with a stunning little residue of bright pink smeared with goat cheese… you’ll feel like you are eating off a painters palette… Tan romatico.

Fuchsia Salad
Serves 2

• 1 bunch red beets, cleaned and trimmed
• 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
• 1/2 cups sugar
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 blood oranges
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 bulb fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise using a mandolin
• 1 ounce goat cheese
• 1/2 bunch arugula, preferably wild

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place beets in a roasting pan. Pour over 3 cups water, red-wine vinegar, sugar, and 3 tablespoons salt. Cover and roast until tender, about 40 minutes.

2. Drain beets and peel by rubbing with a paper towel. Cut beets in slices, or for a little romance, with a heart shaped cookie cutter; set aside.

3. Slice the top and bottom of remaining oranges with a paring knife. Set one of the flat sides on your work surface. From top to bottom, following the curve of the fruit, cut away peel and white pith. Trim off any remaining pith. Holding the orange over a bowl, cut along both sides of each segment, staying close to the membrane, to release; set aside.

4. Toss the fennel slices and arugula in a large bowl along with olive oil and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Divide evenly among 2 plates.

5. Arrange beets, orange segments, and cheese on the bed of arugula; season with salt and pepper.

Most Processed. Food. Ever!

2009-12-10T12:02:00.000-08:00

My husband likes to say that baked goods are the gateway to processed foods. Wheat is stripped of all its nutty brown, sugar cane is boiled, baked, and made sparking white, and then you add in a generous dose of corn oil, vanilla extract, and voilà: cake!

The internet phenomenon of cake pops takes it to a whole new level. First, take a box of cake mix (preferable red velvet with loads of red dye in it) and crumble the baked cake into a can or frosting. Form this slurry into little balls and shape into whatever you’d like (think Play-Doh people). This is then dipped into coating chocolate (aka sugar, oil, flavor) and decorated.

Okay. Despite all this… I cannot help myself! The idea of a mini cupcake on a stick, coated in chocolate is about as American as it gets. And damn cute.
Don’t make a habit of it, but come on! Just look at these things!

Broke?

2009-10-07T15:47:00.001-07:00

This hippest game in town this October 17th is the Fresno State U-Pick Organic days. From 9am-1pm load up on cheap organic veggies like arugula, turnips, and even some late season cherry tomatoes.

If you are really down, sign up for the Vermicomposting Workshop at 10am. For $20 you can get all the worms you and your happy urban farm can stand.

Location: Classroom at Fresno State Horticulture Unit (NE Barstow & Chestnut)

You've got a friend in me...

2009-08-28T15:15:00.001-07:00

How do you know when someone loves you? For me, it’s when they share their last morsel of food… My husband frequently scrapes together little nubs of ham and peas or ravioli in butter sauce, hoists them onto a fork, clearing his plate to ensure I get one last nibble of deliciousness. Awww…

So I’ve got to give it up to my gal pal who recently brought me one, lonely caramel… the last in the box... from the stunning Sweet Revolution organic honey maple caramels.

So there I was, unraveling a nimble red string tangled around a hand printed newsprint box, to find a solitary golden gem twisted in waxed paper… inside held a dark, vanilla speckled masterpiece of sweet delight. The shadowy flavors of maple and mellow breath of honey were paired with an intense spike of salt to create a little pop-rock dance in my mouth. Rarely am I so satisfied by one little morsel. Then again, there was only one sacred nibble left.

Sweet Revolution Caramels

I can eat a peach for hours...

2009-08-27T17:02:00.001-07:00

When it comes to fruit, I can relate to the great lovers of the world… Like Casanova, Don Juan De Marco or Wilt Chamberlin, I know what it must have felt like to be pulled from one siren to the next, tugged by a scent, a hidden curve, or gentle give. When it comes to fruit, I am a fickle lover, merely entranced by the flavor of what is before me.

Fig season has just hit, and immediately, I am gorging myself on bright green Kalamatas. Her prickly fuzz scuffing my tongue before I nibble on her dainty seeds. Already, I have forgotten about last week’s lover, the freckled pluot and her blushed interior, aromatic and mild, spiked with a tart, snappy skin. By now, I scoff at the old hack the strawberry who was my breath of life only a few months back.

And alas, my heart will move on to another in a mere weeks time! My wandering eye is turned to the thought of biting into a perfumed Comice pear over a sink… As Adam Gollner, author of Fruit Hunters noted, “…the texture of softened butter filled with dripping juices.” And then there is the sneaky little November Satsuma orange, hiding her impeccable flavor beneath a wrinkled citrus dress. I am convinced, after many years of eating fruit, my favorite is always what is at the very peak of ripeness… she always wins out over the others.

Thank God I live in Fresno, no? This is the ground zero for fruit, with more California beauties than a David Lee Roth video. We are surrounded by not just a plethora of heirloom varietals, but farmers with passion for their produce, land, and community. And here’s the irony… often, our best fruit gets shipped to LA or SF to people who are real fanatics. We in the Valley are left with the paltry leftovers or worse yet, have our fruit shipped from farm, to distribution center, then to local grocery stores before we get a nibble.

This is why I am so excited about a new business in town, RipeNow, our first local fruit delivery service. Owner Jeremy Lane has searched the valley and discovered farmers who are focused on picking fruit at the peak of ripeness. “This fruit is not meant to withstand the rigors of commercial distribution or win some durability prize,” he says. “These are special farmers who compete for titles such as, most flavorful, juiciest, best color and most fragrant. [Our] goal is to support and encourage the heritage of these local farmers and facilitate greater exposure of this delicious fruit right here at home.”

The business model is pure: get amazing fruit into homes and offices on as an alternative to pretzels and 100 Calorie Packs™. Lane describes, “We go to local farms, pick up the ripe fruit, pack it into recyclable wood crates, deliver it to businesses and collect the previous drop off box for re-use. Then it’s back to the farm for more fruit.” Sweet and simple.

RipeNow is supporting farmers who produce rare and soul satisfying fruits that keep me swooning, weak-in-the-knees, waiting for that next stolen moment with something so fare. Scratch the idea of that grocery store peach, picked green and sitting around for days on end in cold storage… for that matter, scratch the Saturday morning peach you buy at the farmer’s market with the caveat to “let it ripen on the counter for a few more days”… RipeNow provides fruit picked and delivered at its peak ripeness… the same peaches a farmer would pluck for an afternoon snack. As stone-fruit expert Andy Martin describes, “The search for the perfect peach is elusive. It’s good for a moment, then a few days later it’s gone. It’s hard to grow. Nuances in humidity and temperature over one night can drastically effect quality.” Given these circumstances it’s a small miracle we ever get fruit. Providing good fruit, that elusive “pleasant resistance” of a peach, borders on heroic. Thanks Valley farmers. And thanks RipeNow.

RipeNow: www.ripenowonline.com or (559) 318-7473

July Americana: Red, White & Blueberry

2009-07-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

It’s blueberry season again, and I can plow through a pint like a tub of buttered popcorn… easy. Here’s a way to sneak them into yet another meal, dinner. This recipe works great with frozen blueberries, so this is also a nice nugget to tuck away for mid-winter meals when y’all could use a little antioxidant punch.

Pork Tenderloin with Blueberry Dijon Glaze
Serves 4

1½ lb. pork tenderloin
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons grape seed or vegetable oil
2 cups frozen blueberries
½ cup water
4 tablespoons golden brown sugar
4 tablespoons good quality Dijon mustard (preferably with mustard seeds)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To ensure even cooking, tuck in any thin ends of the pork tenderloin. Secure with toothpicks or cooking twine as necessary. Sprinkle pork loin with salt and pepper. In an oven-proof pan, heat oil on high. Add pork tenderloin and brown on all sides, about 2 minutes per side.

Place pork in the oven in the pan used for browning. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, add frozen blueberries, water and sugar. Mix well, crushing blueberries with a masher until texture slightly resembles chunky jam. Cook on medium heat until heated through and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Pull off of heat and add mustard and rosemary.

After the pork has been in the oven for about 15 minutes, flip the loin and add the blueberry glaze. Put back in the oven. If at any point the glaze looks like it is starting to burn or get very thick (resembling taffy) add a couple of tablespoons of water to the bottom of the pan and continue cooking. Cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 160 degrees.

Remove the meat from the oven and let rest for 5 - 10 minutes (meat will continue to cook outside the oven until it reaches the internal temperature of 165 degrees). Slice and spoon glaze generously over pork medallions.

Serve with wild rice or couscous. Excellent with a side of sweet and sour red cabbage.

I Heart Coffee

2009-07-17T07:59:00.000-07:00

The last time I ran into Leo Rios he was perched under a pop-tent on a lazy Saturday afternoon with his girlfriend Liz and their button of a toddler. The faint smell of coffee was in the air and customers lined up for cups of the best brew in town: Café Corazon.

Leo is a coffee roaster, and is, at the very least, passionate. In his spare time, he studies plantations and growing practices. On weekends he spends hours filling orders for small batches of coffee beans, hovering over the roaster, jotting down temperatures every thirty seconds. In addition, as the business owner, he is inundated with paperwork and phone calls. “If you are not prepared to have your business consume every part of your life, then you are not prepared to have a business,” he says.

Leo’s first roast experiment was years ago at home with a modified popcorn popper and some green coffee beans. “That very first roast left me in awe,” he confessed. It wasn’t long afterward he knew he had a business on his hands. After a short stint owning a full-fledged coffee shop on the Fulton Mall, Café Corazon now provides fresh roasted coffee beans to local customers. “People are learning the difference that a fresh roast makes,” said Leo. And he’s right.

My first cup was supreme. Dark and smooth. None of the tricks certain coffee companies use to substitute complexity for sheer smoky bitterness. It was almost immediately I realized I was screwed- all other coffee tasted inferior to me. I had found the best. The freshest. The Master. Right here in Fresno.

My second bag was an Organic Chiapas from the PROISCH CoOp. Leo painstakingly took into account the natural growing conditions and inherent flavor of the bean. It was roasted to bring out the subtle complexity instead of being burnt to a crisp. I savored… Chiapas has earthy notes and a wisp sweetness that I never could have tasted if it were charred. “When you sip on a cup of Organic Chiapas… you're tasting the true flavor of Mexican coffee. You're tasting the flavors of the rainfall, the earth, the sun and the hard work of the processing that has gone into it,” said Leo. Hats off to respecting the true nature of the beast.

Tasting a cup of coffee made with Café Corazon beans sells itself. Leo’s painstaking care and love of the process is evident in every sip. “It is my aim to bring out the finer aspects of a coffee and give the coffee connoisseur something to savor,” he says. And, Leo is a man with an abundant heart, corazon, for his coffee, his family, and our little spot in the world, “You help in any way you can to improve the community. This is what I saw my parents do growing up, and it's what we wish to do, be true Chicanos. I'm trying to help build a strong community.” We’ve got a true Fresno treasure on our hand people. Drink up.

Get yourself a bag!
Email Leo: elcafecorazon@gmail.com
Follow him on Twitter for the latest roasting info: @CafeCorazon
Pick up orders at Yoshi Now! On Broadway in downtown Fresno

Beboparebop Rhubarb Pie

2009-07-09T08:14:00.000-07:00

Until recently, the only rhubarb pie I had was from Marie Callender’s. It was, at best, unremarkable. And then, inspired by a documentary of Garrison Keillor at a rhubarb festival in Minnesota, I decided to try my hand at the real thing.

I was blown away. The filling is deliciously tart, swirled with caramelized sugar and buttery crust. And, technically, is it not a vegetable? Eat up.

Rhubarb Pie

Pate brisee pie dough (enough for a double crust)

1 ½ cups sugar
1 ¾ lbs. fresh rhubarb (cut into ¾ inch cubes)
¼ cup cornstarch
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons butter cut into small chunks
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 small egg yolk
2 tablespoons Demerara sugar

Toss sugar, rhubarb, sifted cornstarch, cinnamon, vanilla, lemon, zest, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside to allow juices of the rhubarb to soften the sugar.

In an oversized tart pan, form bottom pie crust, allowing 1 inch overhang. Add filling (it should be 1 to 2 chunks of rhubarb deep). Tab butter on top of filling. Form lattice crust and crimp edges of pie together. Glaze crust with heavy cream and egg mixture, careful not to allow too much to spill into filling. Sprinkle crust with Demerara sugar.

Place a pan under the pie to catch any drippings and bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and put on crust shield if necessary (aka crust is getting too brown). Bake for approximately 40 more minutes, or until center of pie filling bubbles. Cool 2 hours before serving.

The Jam!

2009-06-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

Alrighty Fresnans! It’s that time of year again when you, or someone you know, has been burdened by an abundance of produce. Your mom’s got a peach tree. Your roommate has been urban foraging for figs again. Or, God forbid, you know anyone who planted a zucchini this year. Fear not! Pencil in an afternoon of good ol’ fashioned canning and make your grandma proud.

Part I: Go Shopping. I always head for Fresno Ag, but really any hardware store will do. Get yourself a bunch of jars with lids and canning tongs. If you are really into recycling, you can always get old jars from thrift stores and merely purchase new lids.

Part II: Kitchen Prep: First off, put a damn radio in the kitchen for some music. Invite over a friend (even if they just sit there). Put on some light summer clothes to sweat in, and have plenty of cold beverages around (beer or iced tea really hits the spot). Clean out all your jars and lids in warm soapy water or the dishwasher. Keep them sterile!

Part III: Make yo’ Filling. I’ve done lots and lots of internet searches, but really it’s easiest to do this all by taste. Basically, dump your washed fruit into a large, heavy bottomed pan, add a squeeze of lemon and start cooking. At some point, I add in a ton of sugar (by a ton, usually about 1/3 of the volume of the fruit in the pot) and one crazy flavoring (lemon thyme, bay leaves, oolong tea, cloves, chilies). Keep cooking this all down until it is thick and sticks to a plate that’s been in the freezer for a while. It usually takes about 30 minutes. No need for that pesky pectin!

Part IV: Can it, Lady. Using a funnel, carefully spoon your finished jam into your clean jars. Leave about ½ inch of room at the top. Wipe down the rim of the jar with a clean paper towel. Carefully place the lid and ring on the jar and tighten. Once you get all your neat little jars sealed, boil them in a large pot of water (making sure they are fully submerged) for at least 15 minutes (you can Google specific processing times). Once they have cooled a bit, you can wait to see if the jars are sealed by the gentle “ping” they make when you tap the tops.

Part V: Give someone some love and pass it on. Don’t you feel good?!

Tomatillo... You Make My Heart Sing

2009-06-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

These are the funky little things that look like green tomatoes in a thin paper hull. They are a ubiquitous ingredient in Mexican cooking and literally do all the work for you to balance out a salsa or sauce. They are both savory and sweet, with a nice acid kick (think lime flavoring included in a tomato). Here’s a dish that drives the men-folk wild:

Enchiladas Suizas

Buy some tomatillos (maybe 15 – 20) and take off the outer leaf-like skin. Cut ½ an onion into large chunks and toss with tomatillos in a little oil and salt and roast them in the oven for about 20 min at about 425 degrees or until they are mushy and the skin is brown… this is not an exact science! You can burn these… and they are also good half cooked. No need to turn them. Just go with it.

In the mean time, fire roast (aka your stove top burner) some peppers. Poblano. Anaheim. Jalapeno. Whatever heat you want. Maybe 2-4. Add these, the rest of the raw onion, about 4 cloves of garlic, some salt, the roasted tomatillo/onion mixture, and a tablespoon of canned chipotle to a Cuisenart. Blend. Taste. It may need more peppers or chipotle, depending on how hot you like it. Then add about 1 to 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream. Or until it tastes good.

Now you’ve got your sauce. And trust me, it’s worth the effort! The tomatillos are so bright and delicious, they are a perfect balance to the cream. Oh boy…

Okay! Have at the ready: a shallow pan of hot vegetable oil (heated on medium heat over the stove). Corn tortillas (5-10). Filling (shredded, salted chicken breast would be great, or even grated summer squash). The pan you intend to bake all this in, with the bottom coated in a little of the tomatillo sauce.

Assemble. Dip a tortilla in the hot oil (about 10 – 30 seconds) so that it warms through. Slap this on a plate and fill with a little chicken (it’s hot! …so take your time), roll up, and place in a pan. Continue until all the little enchiladas are side by side and fill your pan.

Finally, cover the whole dish with your sauce so that the tortillas are just covered. Add a bunch of grated white cheese (jack, provolone, white cheddar, whatever) on top. Bake at about 400 degrees until sides bubble and cheese browns. Garnish with fresh chopped green onion.

Serve with beans, or calabasitas (Mexican preparation of summer squash) or on its own. This is pure comfort food. The hubby was never so happy.

Hippie Nachos

2009-06-08T15:29:00.000-07:00

Okay… I’ve heard these referred to as “White People Nachos”, “Nachos Flanders-Style” (from the Simpsons) and the like. Whatever you call them, they are delicious. Whip these up as a quick appetizer, an afternoon snack, or a light dinner. If you really want to guild the local lily, use a home grown cucumber, make some ricotta (see reference below about home-cheese making) and dry up some salt water from the next time you are in Santa Cruz. Your superiority complex will soar in the faces of all your locavor friends.

1 large Armenian cucumber
½ cup soft, fresh cheese (goat, cottage, ricotta, farmers)
1/8 cup fresh herbs (I like dill or tarragon the best. Parsley is great too).
Salt and pepper to taste

Slice cucumber into ¼ inch rings. Arrange on plate. Top with a dab of cheese, herbs, salt and pepper. Serve!

Suffering Succotash!

2009-06-01T08:04:00.000-07:00

The Gibson Farm Market at Fresno State just opened it’s doors for the newest varietal of sweet corn, Vision. Ahh, this golden gem is (if possible) even sweeter and nuttier than the traditional yellow variety. Surely, you can convince yourself to eat your veggies with this one.

Succotash is one of my summer staples, being that it’s easy, uses up all sorts of stuff in your fridge, and it super-duper healthy. Try it as a side dish with some grilled chicken or sausage… or with a dollop of sour cream and a few beans for a full force vegetarian meal.

Summer Vegetable Succotash
Serves 4

2 tsp. olive oil or butter
½ onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pepper (bell, Italian curly, jalapeno, etc. depending on your desired heat level) chopped
1 small zucchini diced in ¼ inch cubes
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 ears of corn, sliced off-the-cob
2 sprigs fresh basil, chopped

In a sauté pan, heat olive oil. Add onions, garlic, pepper, zucchini and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until onions are wilted and zucchini is just tender. Remove from heat. Add in corn and basil. Mix until corn is just heated through.

It’s that easy! Try it cold the next day for lunch as well.

Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market
Corner of Barstow and Chestnut
http://www.auxiliary.com/AGF/farmmarket/index.shtml

American Made

2009-04-23T12:50:00.001-07:00

There once was a time when eating Japanese food in this country was an austere, strange, highly foreign experience. Shizo leaves dressed cold sashimi, sake was served warm, and you could find a plethora of seaweed, gnarled mushrooms, and even the occasional yam on the menu. It was a weird affront to our American palates (and portions). To me, this is a good time.

To the rest of America is seems, sake bombs and cream cheese are a good time. When did most Japanese establishments turn into loosely veiled TGI Friday’s? Every time I am convinced to go to sushi, I am struck by the scene of ruckus, tiny- tittied waitresses, yelping sushi chefs, and heaps of mayo. Mayo over muscles. Mayo mixed with cock-sauce, drizzled over a roll. Mayo in potato salad (seriously?). My nimble mouth stretches helplessly to fit in a slice of a California roll the size of my fist… rice is forced out through my lips and piles listlessly on the plate. Chucks of fish and seaweed are gnawed off mid-bite in an attempt to halt my gag reflex. Is this anyway to serve food? And is this anyway to name food: Double Climax, Sexy-Sexy, Blond-Bombshell (see above reference to TGI Friday’s)? At the end of the evening, I am overwhelmed at the staggering amount of food I have managed to pile down and the enormous bill ($20 lunch? Of course!). I’m freakin’ sick of it.

The Real Slim Shady

2009-04-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

Did you know cabbage is one of the best foods out there for you? Rock on with this in-season treat:

Sweet & Sour Red Cabbage ala Julia Child

Serves 4 or 5. Sauté 1 cup red-onion slices in a large sauce pan in 2 to 3 tablespoons butter or oil or pork fat until tender. Blend in 4 cups of shredded red-cabbage, a grated sour apple, 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar, a pureed garlic clove, a bay leaf, ½ teaspoon caraway seeds, 1 teaspoons sugar, salt, pepper, and ½ cup water. Cover and boil on high heat for about 10 minutes, tossing occasionally and adding more water if necessary, until cabbage is tender and liquid has evaporated. Taste and adjust seasonings.

*Note: I often use apple cider vinegar and double the amount of sugar and vinegar (I like it really sweet and sour!). Play with it. It’s a great recipe.

Hot Chicks

2009-03-25T11:37:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, I became a chicken mama. For the next few weeks I have 4 little guests in my spare bedroom, scratching, flapping, peeping, and sleeping (sleeping, and sleeping). My intention is to wean them into their outdoor coop where they will become fulltime egg laying machines!

Urban chickens have become a trend among elitist types, obsessive foodies, humane activist, Reece Witherspoon, entrepreneurs, hippies, and even the occasional hipsters. Fresh, pastured eggs are going for upwards of $8 a dozen at Farmer’s Markets across the country and more and more people are on board with the nutritional benefits of well fed chickens. Think of it like this… If I sit around and eat Fritos all day (aka chicken feed) versus my neighbor who eats salad and a few nibbles of lean protein, who at the end of the day, is going to have a better lean muscle mass? The same applies to chickens. Feed a chicken corn and soy and watch the cholesterol in their eggs skyrocket. Feed a chicken carrot tops, grass, flax seed, and the occasional garden snail and their eggs will provide a plethora of vitamins, Omega-3s, and nutraceuticals

Chickens are also most effective gardeners, scratching in the dirt, nibbling tender weeds, snapping up seeds, shitting every where, and gobbling up bugs. They are a one-man organic team of aeration, herbicide, pesticide, and fertilizer!

For a $1 each, indulge in the joys of rearing chickens in your own backyard.

Peas, Glorious Peas!

2009-03-12T17:01:00.000-07:00

It’s spring again. Little nubs of growth have popped up on the fingerling ends tree branches. Irises taunt us with their mangy beards. Birds prance and sing and act-a-fool over thoughts of passionate nest making. And at the farmers market, delicate flavors or early spring come peeking out between the masked flavors of winter.

The flagship for these troops is asparagus. Sometime in March they pop their closed-fist tips out of firm frosted soil and we are blessed with a grassy green ancient veggie until almost June. Every week I buy $2 bunches from the lady who sells exclusively asparagus making creamed soups, adding into carbonara pasta, sautéing with peas and mint, grilling, and even blanching elegant little log-cabin stacks next to eggs for brunch. Alas! Nature is perfectly timed so that just as I am sick-and-tired of these green spears and I can pee stinky no longer, the warmer weather smacks them down and they disappear for another 6 months.

My second omen are the sugar snap peas, dressed in plastic green baskets with little bucket hat foliage tips. I eat these by the dozen as a mid-morning snack, crunchy and raw, amazed at the balance between the saccrine pod and the bitter green babies tucked inside. Where there are peas, there are pea tendrils (great sautéed) and sweet pea blossoms ($5 will buy you a heap in fuchsia, soft pink, and white that will perfume your pad for days).

If you really want to splurge, grab a bag of English peas that have been shelled. These, I suppose, are related to the guys you buy frozen, but bear no resemblance in flavor. They are a stunning addition to pasta, sidled up next to a piece of ham, or just steamed and buttered. If you’ve got time on your hand, grab a bag of fava beans and spend your Sunday like a Southern lady shucking, boiling, and shucking again for little thumbs of bitter beans that are truly the prize of the season.

Other delights to be on the lookout for are faintly orange Meyer lemons, spearmint, delicate baby lettuces, new potatoes, purple-tipped scallions, green garlic shoots, chives, Bloomsdale spinach and of course, strawberries.

Follow the calendar and use the seasons as a guide for how to cook! All these subtle flavors of spring meld together perfectly for almost any dish… the green garlic shoots never overpowering the rustic funk of peas or the bright bite of mint. And as the weather warms, bold flavors hum and intensify until in August we are sweating and delirious with the intoxicating bounty of red blushed peaches, potent red onions, eye-rolling tomatoes, sour plums, and sweet purple basil. Wait for it. Enjoy the journey that is spring. It’s worth it.

The Sweet Life

2009-03-10T16:24:00.001-07:00

Sweet Potato Chorizo Street Tacos
Makes 8 tacos

3 tbsp vegetable oil or lard
1 medium finely chopped onion
¾ lb. peeled sweet potato, chopped into ¼ inch cubes
4 inches of Mexican chorizo
5 cloves of minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
8 corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cabbage
8 sprigs cilantro, chopped
8 tbsp sour cream
1 lime
hot sauce to taste

In a large sauté pan, heat oil and add onion and sweet potato. Cook over medium heat until onions are tender, about 7 minutes. Next, remove the chorizo from the casing and add to sauté pan. Cook with onions and potatoes until it is crumbled and starts to brown, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 3 minutes, or until sweet potato is tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Steam tortillas in a clean, damp dish towel for 1 minute in the microwave. Next, assemble your tacos, dividing all remaining ingredients among the 4 tortillas. Start with the potato chorizo mixture, top with cabbage, cilantro, and sour cream. Squeeze lime and add your favorite hot sauce to taste.

Note: I keep chorizo frozen and saw off a couple of inches every time I find the other ingredients for this recipe in my house. I even use “soyrizo” the vegan chorizo, quite often and it is great!

The Milky Way

2009-03-06T16:35:00.001-08:00

My husband has always stood by the claim that if he ever had to get a tattoo, it would be a loaf of bread and a slab of cheese; two passions in life that will never go out of style. I’ve got his back on this one. What could be more primal and delicious than the magic of fermentation to raise and set such delicate foods?

This all hit home while reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. I was swept away with a passage about family pizza night. No, no… not a Boboli with bagged cheese and a sauce packet… making pizza from scratch. Dad would gingerly proof the dough in the late afternoon from a little yeast and flour. The kids would prep the toppings of choice. And Mom would make the cheese. Yes, make the cheese.

I was curious. They swore of a 30 minute mozzarella recipe that birthed little white balls of fresh (and inexpensive) real cheese that melted and browned beautifully in the oven. I could not resist the pastoral sales pitch.

After a quick purchase on cheesemaking.com, the website of the self-proclaimed Cheese Making Queen, Ricki Carroll, I was set.

The first and perhaps, most important part of making cheese is the milk. Grocery shelf milk is typically “ultra-high pasteurized” meaning is it heated to a really, really high temperature to cook out all its beautiful, tiny enzymes. These little guys are necessary to make cheese (and for all you lactose intolerant people out there, also to properly digest your milk… Hello! It’s no wonder you clog up like a disposal after Thanksgiving… your milk has been killed!). But I digress… Fresno State pasteurizes their milk, but not to scorching hot temperatures, so it works like a champ. The other option is of course the local folks at Organic Pastures, whose raw milk has the full spectrum of flora and fauna needed for cheese.

Once you’ve got your milk, you start in on the chemistry. It’s a matter of a little rennet (some little vitamin-like tablet that’s a digestive enzyme), citric acid (a sour powder), salt, and water. Mix, heat, and then the whole thing sets up like a giant pot of silky white custard. From there, you separate the curds (future cheese) from the whey (strange translucent yellowed liquid that secretly tastes really good). For mozzarella, you heat the curds until they are almost unbearable to touch and then stretch the whole mess like taffy to twirl into little balls. Ricotta, you simply hang in a little cheese cloth for about 30 minutes and voila!

I confess, the mozzarella took about 45 minutes on the first attempt, but honestly, it was a milky miracle to make something so complex and enigmatic in a matter of minutes! The taste was fresh and silky, moist and gentle. And the ricotta was firm and mild, a distant cry from his store-bought, soupy, gelatin enhanced cousin. Let’s just say, I’d do it again… and I’m game for giving lessons.

Take back your kitchen and learn to pull off a couple of tricks that would have wowed your great grandma or your high school chemistry teacher. Now… if you could just learn to make the perfect loaf of bread…

- Home Cheese Making by Ricki Carroll at www.cheesemaking.com
- Organic Pastures Dairy Company at www.organicpastures.com
- Fresno State Dairy at www.auxiliary.com/AGF/farmmarket

The New Joint: Indian

2009-02-27T13:28:00.000-08:00

The other night I had another food induced dream: saffron colored curries rolled like rivers around pakora boats and feather-weight rice rained from the sky. It happened again. I ate way to damn much Indian food before bed.

My stomach becomes a bottomless pit in the face of a good curry and naan and I am no match for the charms of Mehek Punjab de. Alas, I went to bed, slumbering with an overfilled belly and hallucinating sleep.

Mehek Punjab de is a gorgeous little spot nestled in a strip mall (what isn’t in Fresno?) offering up quaint yellow walls, north Indian handicrafts, substantial tables and a gleaming case of sweets that spans the length of the joint. It’s usually packed with old ladies in saris and doe-eyed Sikh kids with hair bundled atop their heads. Dishes are served on traditional stainless steel plates and in little metal bowls, providing all the glitz I need for a night on the town.

And then there’s the food. To start, try the paneer pakora: little sandwiches of fresh, firm cheese spread with a green spice paste, deep fried. I’m also a fan of masala mago chips which are basically Indian nachos served up with chickpeas, yogurt, and a rim of fresh vegetables to garnish. If you are brave, dive into the pickles on table which will blast your tongue with a salty prick through the snap of crazy veggies.

The breads are divine. Throughout your meal you can watch generations of ladies spinning and tossing varieties of elastic dough down a hot tandoori oven. Try the makki di roti, a thick corn tortilla, traditionally served with spinach as a breakfast food. Fall in love with the sweet naan stuffed with cherries and nuts or go for the ultimate, aloo paratha, flat bread stuffed with mashed potatoes and onions.

Out came the masala dosa, a giant sourdough-like crêpe filled with spicy spuds, served with a dab of poppy seed studded soup and two incredible sauces: roasted red pepper and creamy coconut. In your mouth, crispy and smooth, hot and soothing all come together to create a far-east flavor boogie.

Out marched the excitement of sholey blaock: black garbanzo beans smacked with raw green chilies. Then onto hahi paneer which held light chunks of cheese suspended in rich orange colored curry. All these flavors are flowing through the medium of homemade yogurt and sweet ghee washed down with impeccable chai and a banana milkshake (seriously).

Finally, onto the sweets! Black chum chum, mitti seerni, ladoo, neatly stacked on silver platters like rows of lace on a petticoat. Orange and white, pink and green, they are concocted from carrots, sweet potatoes, coconut, cheese, pistachios, rosewater, honey. Get on board with the jalebi, a dayglow orange funnel cake soaked in syrup.

Alas you see my predicament of overfilled belly and turmeric educed sleep. Sweet dreams, Fresno. Enjoy.

Mehek Punjab de
3173 W. Shaw Ave.
Fresno, CA 93711
www.mehekpunjabde.com
559-226-0512

Ten Things to Put in Your Mouth.

2009-02-18T17:42:00.000-08:00

I don't have much in common with Oprah. I'm a fixed-income kid from Cali, without too much press. But like Oprah, I'm cool with my place in the world. And I definitely have some favorite things. Get ready to squeal with delight... see below for my Top 10 of 2008.

T&D Willey Farms Nantes carrots.

2009-02-18T17:40:00.000-08:00

These suckers are fierce. Thick orange broads packed with sugary sweetness and a dense, moist snap. Cut into carrot sticks, they will leave a florescent film in their baggie. Look for the blue rubber band and snatch these up at Whole Foods or through their CSA.

Charlotte’s Bakery Sourdough Wheat.

2009-02-18T17:37:00.000-08:00

I feel as though I am in a Bruegel painting each time I am lucky enough to sink my teeth through the chewy crust into the spongy interior. Robust, traditional, and brown. How bread once was. Find her in the Tower District.

Fresno State Butter.

2009-02-11T18:06:00.000-08:00

These kids know how to do dairy. Little tubs hold insanely fresh churned golden butter with a nice salty bite. It is heaven on toast or dabbed over vegetables. You'll have a hard time going back to sticks. Find it at the Rue & Gwen Gibson Farm Market on Barstow and Chestnut.

Organic Pastures kombucha.

2009-02-11T18:02:00.000-08:00

Gnarly, energy giving, microbe housing, fermented tea served up in a brown beer bottle. It's a little sweet, pH tangy, and faintly fizzy. Rumor has it, it cures just about anything. Grab a bottle for breakfast at their stand in Vineyard Farmer's Market on Saturday morning.

Tonno tuna in olive oil.

2009-02-04T17:12:00.000-08:00

I once saw Julia Child on PBS touting the virtue of tuna packed in oil as a pantry staple. "Oil?" I thought, "how… fatty." I now see the error of my ways and slam down a can almost weekly. The quality of this fish suspended in such a flavorful medium makes it a meal unto itself. It bears no resemblance to its fishy, watery brother. No need to mess around with mayo and pickles on this one. Buy it at Sam's Deli, Piemonte's, or Trader Joe's.

Torani Blood Orange syrup.

2009-02-04T17:11:00.000-08:00

A mix of sour punch, pithy bite, and true orange flavor makes this deep blushed stickiness a perfect addition to a cocktail... or in true 1994 fashion, an Italian soda. Pick up a bottle at Cost Plus.

FAGE Total Greek yogurt.

2009-02-04T17:10:00.001-08:00

One bite and you’ll never go back to low fat again. Luscious, tangy dairy delves into your whole mouth for a rich and velvety feel. Dollop instead of sour cream, dab in cereal, or spoon with honey and almonds for dessert. Find it at most grocery stores.

Alternative Baking Company vegan cookies.

2009-02-04T17:08:00.000-08:00

How do they make them taste so damn good without any of the crap in a normal cookie? Dare I say, better? Superiorly moist with top-shelf ingredients and a dense crumb, these things are seriously satisfying. Get them at health food stores or the occasional mountain general store.

Koda Farms Organic Nirvana rice.

2009-02-04T17:05:00.000-08:00

The ancient tradition of growing rice is alive and well in Dos Palos, where they are cultivating heirloom varieties of plump sushi rice. The Organic Nirvana mix is floated with number of other old-school grains which result in a delicate creaminess giving way to a nutty chew. Get it while you can at Tower Health.

Spanish chorizo

2009-02-04T16:58:00.000-08:00

Sliced wafer thin, little rings look like stained glass windows when held up to the light, dotted with translucent fat cubes, striped pork chunks, and crimson spice. Cooked, you’ll find its little orange oily trail marking your plate. Cold, it holds its own with cheese and anchovies. Olé! Find it at Sam’s Deli.

Eat yr veggies!

2008-11-24T13:14:00.000-08:00

Okay, I’m going to confess… I had a life altering experience while watching daytime TV some time ago. Montel Williams was a guest on Maury Povich (I know! I had to watch!). Apparently, Montel wrote a book all about how he made his multiple sclerosis go into remission. When pumped for details, Montel got very still, looked intently into the eyes of Maury, and said, “I started eating more vegetables.”

Tucked in on my little couch, my eyed glossed over, and something inside me tipped. Here, a total douche said something so simple, touted by mothers, doctors, and now even the FDA. And for some reason, this time I listened.

Instinctually, we crave simple, abundant, raw food. Imagine if you will, meandering among the tundra say, 10,000 years ago, and you get a little rumble in the belly. Filling up on leaves and nuts would have been much less taxing than making cheese, raising a cow, or inventing a pizza bagel. Vegetables were the fast-food of back-in-the-day. Our bodies are most at home with them.

Critics argue, “I don’t like vegetables.” Well, your body likes vegetables! After a few weeks on the green train, my mood improved, I was regular as a utility bill, with the vigor of a born-again. Oh snap! Sorrel swathed the back of my front teeth with a lemony zing. Mexican avocados, like little black stones, fit inside my palm, buttery and fat. Cauliflower, in her white ruffled winter coat, sings a song when bathed in béchamel.

If you are still at a loss or where to begin, start seasonal. Shop at the farmers market and get in touch with the wonders of what each new month has to offer. Soon enough, the promise of springtime asparagus will be as exciting as Christmas morn. Further, your food will taste better. Out-of-season produce tastes like crap and we all know it. Finally, fresh, local, seasonal veggies have way better (yes, that is a scientific term) nutritional value than their foreign, cold-weather friends.

“You absolutely need this stuff. And you’re going to love it! Because it tastes like liquid heaven.” Montel Williams, ladies and gentleman.

The Vineyard Farmer’s Market
Northwest corner of Shaw & Blackstone
Wednesdays, 3 – 6pm
Saturdays, 7am – Noon

Oh Snap!

2008-09-05T12:28:00.000-07:00

I just polished off another bunch of the snappy little red grapes from the Fresno State Farm Market. They are, by far, the best grapes I’ve ever had. Each nugget is like a rush of over-sugared Kool-Aid housed in a taught blushed skin. Amazing. While you are there, check out their butter, milk, and olive oil... not to mention their bacon, wine, and ice cream. These kids are pumping out the finest and what could be a better way to eat local?

Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market Store
5370 N. Chestnut Avenue
Fresno, CA 93740

Home Spun

2008-08-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

"You go to the fair?" I get that a lot. If you were crazy enough to want to go back after you were a kid, it was likely that the shank-tastic ‘90's shooed you away for good. It's noisy, gritty, hot, mediocre, full of low-lives… and I love it. I even get a little restless lying in wait for the first days of October, so a few years ago, I got risky and drove out to the sticks to participate in a little something before the Big Fresno Fair... a little ditty in Caruthers.

Like pre-drinking before a big night out, I'm now convinced this is better than the real deal. Caruthers is known for two things: 1. it is the largest free admission (yes, you heard me) fair in the world. And 2. the freakin' food. This is not the place to get your foot-long corndog or deep-fried Oreo cookie. No, no, this is all down-home. Little church ladies, junior leaguers, elementary teachers, and the occasional blue-plate-special-fry-cook; carnies need not apply.

The gates open to a line of tic-tac white booths dotted with cardboard signs for (among others) Portuguese bean bowls, teriyaki, ribs, Polish sausage, NYC chicken sandwiches, Indian tacos, French fries, lasagna and the Templo Sinai Mexican dinner plate. It's all the real deal.

I cannot escape the hot dip turkey sandwich. Turkey in September is like sex in junior high... a little early but still so damn good. For a moment, that distinctive tug of the holidays takes hold of your tongue and suddenly there is a chill in the air and a hint of cloves on the horizon... but I digress. Pulled from the depths of a crock-pot line-up, they serve it up simple: slopped down in its own juice, stacked like wet blond haystack on top a chewy hoagie roll. You can go there with a little mayo or pepper, but really, it's good on its own.

Then on to The Saviors Lutheran abelskivers. Thank God for the little pious ladies who tend to these perfect balls of fluffy dough, half fritter, half eggy-pancake, slathered in your choice of powder sugar, granulated sugar, or syrup. Blessed be.

And there are Frenchie's pies, where you'll have a hard time choosing between mincemeat, berry, apple, pecan, butterscotch, pumpkin, lemon, etc. I feel like I've got a fast track to the blue ribbon judging panel and there before me is the year’s best work ripe for my criticism.

And there is the Muslim fish fry shack where I went for a catfish strip delicately ribboned on a bamboo skewer, breaded and fried. It was like an earthy tab of butter that tipped its hat to the underbelly of the fish world. Honestly, the best thing I ate all day.

And finally, for the purists, there is one, and only one, booth set in ping-pong lights where you can get your caramel apple and cotton candy spun pink to carnival standards. All around you'll find a few cows and sows, wilting flower arrangements, seed art, freakish vegetables, shammies, and the other stuff that makes a fair tick. It's just enough.

At dusk the air hums with chatterbox church ladies and the ping of carnival whirligigs. Evening gnats on a gentle commute glow pink with the tint of the Farris wheel lights and the faint smell of animal life lifts above the last fried fritters. For a moment or two, I am home. A bittersweet memory of what life in this little brown town could be.

Caruthers Fair
September 24-27
www.caruthersfair.com

The High Life

2008-08-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

Kefir Cheese: better known as the Champagne of Dairy for its effervescent and tangy ping in the mouth. It’s smooth and creamy and tows the line between savory and sweet. I’ll slap the stuff on toast with jam in the morning and make a crazy dip with jalapenos, cucumber, and olive oil. Pick this stuff up at the Mediterranean Deli on Gettysburg and Fresno… or if you are really into local food, get it made fresh at Bedrosian’s Deli where it comes in an unmarked jar with a yellow lid and a yeasty whiff. It’s freakin’ fantastic.

Who's with me?

2008-08-07T13:03:00.000-07:00

Tickets are going fast for the first ever Slow Food Nation event in San Francisco on Labor Day Weekend. Three days of bites, sips, and mind-expanding information all packed into quite possibly the world most food-forward city. Go to see some celebrity chefs, meet the farmers, and see all the other crazies who are obsessed with eating. www.slowfoodnation.org

Why? Because you're worth it.

2008-07-29T09:29:00.000-07:00

Are Otter Pops looking a little lackluster? Do you pine for luxury on a spoon? Enter Häagen-Dazs Reserve® Fleur de Sel ice cream. Sheer brilliance, this miniaturized French sweet is suspended in caramel cream and studded with erotic pings of salt for $6. As suggested by the maker, “…after a bucketful of fresh salty oysters, take the empty shells and scoop on dollops of Fleur de Sel Caramel ice cream.” Uh… I think that would go over huge on a first date.

Whole Foods. Obvi.

In search of chicken...

2008-07-25T07:54:00.000-07:00

Pale, soft, and exudative… does a vision of chicken pop in your head? It should! These three words have bummed their way into the lexicon of the poultry industry as the biggest problem facing the original white meat. Go ahead, Google “chicken PSE” and see what comes up.

Apparently, as American demand for chicken has skyrocketed in the past decades (insert “I’ll just have a chicken salad” here), there has been an overwhelming change in the color, texture, and water holding capacity of the meat, defined as PSE. Growth defects, rapid chilling techniques, genetics, stress, and increased movement through the slaughter process all contribute to a change in pH which in turn gives us a weensy problem: quality.

So, is it possible to find a bird in town that resembles the mythic lore of the third-world chicken, or the American breed circa 1950…? What does such an animal taste like? How does the flesh perform under heat? Could it possibly be rich, robust, and moist?! Fear not my fellow Fresnans… the answer is yes!

One hot summer afternoon, I rounded the corner from McKinley onto Maple and took in the sight of a glistening statue of a rooster, chained to a fence in front of a squat building, framed in three languages: “King Poultry.” Some might be turned off by a vaguely marked ethnic building in an industrial park, but in search of chicken, I did a u-turn.

A waiting room, clean and sterile, punctuated with petite red paper lanterns and a couple of chairs, gives way to a small glass window. Sidle up: behold! Workers in gloves and masks, hairnets, and booties, rhythmically working over athletically built chicken carcasses. They are beautiful! Lean, long, puckered thighs and rubbery feet, with pintails and entrails gracefully pulled to the side. If you are suave enough to linger at the window a bit, you can peek into an adjacent room stacked high with cages of red-feathered chickens, scratching, bobbing, and flapping before their last rights.

You can choose the sex of your chicken and its color. They run about $8 each, and are prized for there, as one worker described, “sticky” flesh. Now, stay with me. Think about the last time you had an amazing, bone sucking experience of a roasted or grilled bird, and lingered with the little snap of protein when you pulled your teeth apart or the ghost of tacky gelatin on your fingertips. That’s it. These fellas are free-range, vigorous, healthy breeds, fed a little corn and picking up a lot of grass and bugs along the way. This not only gives them a more pronounced chicken flavor, but indeed they are better for you! Imagine eating the flesh of someone who strictly ate Fritos, as opposed to one who ate a little salad now and then too. Who’s leaner? Who has a better cholesterol count?

As if this were not enough, you can sling back a sack of eggs- 20 for $3. White, ecru, brown, or mottled, lop-sided, freckled, beige, or squat, these little guys are a beautiful testament to biodiversity. Crack one open for an intensely orange yolk, nestled in a firm, glossy albumen. Stunning. If you dare, do a side-by-side of the old-ass eggs you have in the fridge. Dear God.

Take it all in. Stay local. Get outside of your hermetically sealed thinking. Turn a cold cheek to PSE chicken and consider the King.

King Poultry
On Maple, just south of McKinley in Fresno

Keep It Simple, Stupid.

2008-03-27T16:50:00.000-07:00

In a chorus line of ladies chirping out orders for double-pump sugar free, skinny, non-fat, lattes, mochas, and frappucinos, I got the nerve to let the words slip out: "a double espresso con panna drizzled in honey." That's right people. Caffeine (in its darkest form), fat (though not too much) and sugar (in her most natural cloak). This little trio is freaking amazing; each layer gently balanced atop the next, mixing only for a little brown fluff of brooding intensity. Stick it to those hacked "lite" drinks and order up the real stuff...

Bewitching

2008-02-20T17:23:00.000-08:00

Food is an evolving, sticky beast. It picks up bits of influence like a caterpillar inching humpbacked across the gritty lines of culture. Usually what is born is passable fusion: a banal miso-glazed pork chop or “salsa verde” Doritos. But occasionally, only the cream is skimmed from the DNA food pool of two cultures, and what you are left with is a delicate, moth-like dish, emerging from a cocoon of oppression. Enter the Vietnamese sandwich. Elusive, and distinguished, this little loaf contains the best of French bread-making skills with the indescribable balance the Vietnamese can thrust upon all five parts of the tongue.

I first heard about this joint on a recommendation not for the sandwich, but for the coconut cake. Like a Costco free sample, I took the bait, and there I was yet again, in another dive parking lot in south Fresno, stepping into a little box with bars on the windows.

I was packed into a pickle jar of a room jammed with people, a fish tank, TV, newsprint-topped tables, and mounted cakes displaying the latest Pokemon figurines knee-deep in frosting. I swerved my way to the counter and ordered a sandwich. For $3 you get a choice of “regular” or “hot” (an obvious choice) always served warm (in both temperature and spice). Within minutes I was handed a little hoagie swathed in wax paper and a rubber band. I was in for a treat.

The baguette is impeccable. Warm and crisp, with an interior tug of white dough. Inside, a smear of red chili sauce cradling an amazing mix of pickled carrot, cucumber, and radish spears on a bed of cilantro sprigs. This is in perfect compliment to the meats: a thin slab of roasted pork and a pâté-like slice, riddled with black pepper. One bite and your mouth will understand the delicate dance between sweet and hot, crispy and warm, salty and sour.

For $2.50 you can get a slice of the coconut cake ($0.50 more than its fruity counterparts) in a little plastic case to-go. The cake is green; a pale, minty hue that permeates from sponge to filling, only broken by a snowy whipped cream top. The cake is light and not too sweet, with a pillowy spring in each bite. The filling is custard laced with generous chunks of coconut meat. Cast aside your visions of the bleached rubbery shreds that stick in your gums. Imagine you’re in Belize, on the beach, and a humble citizen machete chops the big green fruit and serves it up. It is this incarnation of coconut, the tender morsels of ripe nutty flesh, that are hidden in your cake… and it is spectacular.

Queen Sandwich & Cake is another example of the humble feast bestowed upon our Valley. Eat in gratitude for the collision of nations that has brought you something as complex and modest as the Vietnamese sandwich.

Queen Sandwich & Cake
2318 N Fresno St, Fresno, CA 93703
Southeast corner of Clinton and Fresno

Think Outside the Bun

2008-01-18T20:36:00.000-08:00

Are you hungry? No, I mean really hungry? Is there a man's hunger that stirs in you? Then why not try the new Big Bell Box Meal? Touted by Adam Corolla, this hefty box contains a volcano taco, beef burrito supreme, crunch wrap supreme, cinnamon twists, and a large soda. Surely 62 grams of fat and 1,900 calories should quell your empty belly rumblings.

It usually happens late at night, that I see an ad for some new, preposterous meal being served by a fast food chain. (Insert spokes person voice here… let’s go with Queen Latifa): “Having a craving for a little something sweet after your Pizza Hut? Add a cake to your order! KFC seeming a little messy? Let's put it in a bowl with gravy and cheese! Are your kids eating hamburgers with three patties? Then go for four… with bacon!” And every time, like an 11 year old boy with a vintage National Geographic, my mouth drops open, and I am stunned. They got me again.

This virgin fascination with the fast food industry’s seemingly unstoppable ability to one-up itself prompted me to do a little research. It all started when KFC introduced the Big Box Meal. Surely I had mixed up the facts that were slammed on the screen in a 30 second blip and this box was for a family, not one person (and being someone who loves the shock-and-awe of a good pop culture nugget, I wanted to get my facts straight). So I went online.

That’s when I entered the amazing world of fast food web sites. Like slipping through the rabbit hole, I was transported into a Willy Wonka world of giant chicken, glistening cheese, and secret sauce that curved around meat like a Victoria's Secret bra. Yum! The challenge is to find the illusive nutrition facts. Hmmm… Is it under “menu” or “about us”? One of my favorites is a site that makes you put all your items on a little plastic tray before calculating your fat and salt intake. “What kind of drink do you want?” prompts the screen, “and for dessert?”

The holy grail of these sites is no surprise: McDonalds. The USA site is typical: a couple of games for the kids, glossy slogans, some fluff about healthy food options… but go a little deeper and you will find a beautiful microcosm for the emerging global economy (listen up PoliSci people- there’s a master’s thesis in the making here!). Korea, Canada, India, Brazil. Each nation has its own unique McD’s site reflecting current ad campaigns, menu items, and kiddie schmaltz. Put on your rose colored glassed and watch the gentle fabric of each nation unfold: Russia has photos of patties rolling down the factory line; Israel's design is as crisp as lettuce backed with break-beats; United Arab Emirates has a dude with a Jeep in the sand; Sweden features a campy mix of Mexican pop to promote their "El Maco" sandwich… But the crown jewel in the golden arch is China. They’ve taken the red and yellow by force and produced a visually stunning firecracker of grassroots street style, chicken patties, and the Maoist zeal for order. I'm lovin' it.

I’ve come to look at fast food as a litmus of our society and greater world. We are marketed food that validates a fast-paced life without time for anything but hot, empty, comfort-filled calories. We are plagued with suggestions that tug at our primordial desire to be full. Fulfilled. Satisfied. Taco Bell is our Bob Dylan, leaking encrypted tales about our changing values as a nation. McDonald’s is the mouthpiece for our unsung youth. Watch for it. There’s a story to be told.

OMG!

2008-01-18T20:12:00.000-08:00

Ommegang! This is a little beer I discovered years ago after the founder was interviewed on Martha Stewart. It is, quite possibly, the best beer I've had made in the USofA. It's "Belgium style", which is basically, the shit. As all you Euro history buffs know, back in the day the fair county of Belgium was the center for the oriental spice trade in Europe. Banking on all their resources, brewmasters used toasted spices like coriander in their fermentations for an amazingly complex taste.

This guy is no exception. Full bodied, fruity, not too hoppie. Do it. Find it at BevMo.

Are you fat yet?

2007-12-21T15:08:00.000-08:00

I've put on three pounds this week. The holidays, have yet again smacked me upside the thigh and I find myself piling in little bits of chocolate, nuts, strudel, ham, beer, spreadable cheese, and lots of maple syrup. Hmmm... In responce to this, I went to the farmer's market and bought veggies, thinking this might help my puggy dilema. Instead, I used them for a carbo-enduced dilerium on Monday night. And it was worth every calorie. Try this one out for size:

Aloo Gobi
(Cauliflower and Potatoes)

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion, peeled and cut into small pieces
1 bunch fresh cilantro, separated into stalks and leaves and roughly chopped
2 small green chilies, chopped into small pieces
1 large cauliflower, leaves removed and cut evenly into eighths
3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into even pieces
2 cans diced tomatoes
fresh ginger, peeled and grated
fresh garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons garam masala

Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan. Add the chopped onion and one teaspoon of cumin seeds to the oil. Stir together and cook until onions become creamy, golden, and translucent. Add chopped coriander stalks, two teaspoons of turmeric, and one teaspoon of salt. Add chopped chiles (according to taste) Stir tomatoes into onion mixture. Add ginger and garlic; mix thoroughly. Add potatoes and cauliflower to the sauce plus a few tablespoons of water (ensuring that the mixture doesn't stick to the saucepan). Ensure that the potatoes and cauliflower are coated with the curry sauce. Cover and allow to simmer for twenty minutes (or until potatoes are cooked). Add two teaspoons of garam masala and stir. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves on top of the curry.

Holiday Vices

2007-12-21T15:02:00.000-08:00

The day before Halloween something happened to me that will seriously impact my life over the next two months. It will bring me both joy and sorrow and rush back all the bittersweet memories of the years past… I did not see it coming while milling around the back of a Rite Aid, but there it was, perched upon the refrigerated shelf: a bottle of eggnog. Ahhh eggnog (or as they call it south of the border, rompope) my personal madeline for holiday cheer. I am happy to admit, (though I may be the only one born after 1940 who does so) that I love the stuff and drink it down all season long.

I have learned over the years the skills to purchase eggnog. First off, don’t be fooled by fancy brands. My personal favorite is Berkeley Farms, followed in a close second with the regular old Save Mart brand. Makers like Bud’s of San Francisco or Straus Creamery usually lack depth or are too sweet. Torn between two options? Compare the amount sugar listed on the nutrition facts and go with the lesser of two evils… it’s more eggnogier.

By mid December, you may be struck by the downside of eggnog. Peering at your back in the mirror you may notice little lumps of fat sitting perched atop your rump. My white gold packs a serious punch: a single cup (and it’s impossible to drink that measly amount) has 350 calories and 20 grams of fat. Yipes! Having said that, never be fooled into buying the low fat version! That brackish water they call eggnog bears no resemblance to the real McCoy. You are wasting calories on slimy spiced, grayish water… Don’t go there. Instead, try drinking eggnog as a meal replacement. Like a freaky Christmas Slim-Fast.

By now you must be on the edge of your seat to bring out the big guns: booze. My personal favorite addition is Crown Royal. The white and gold seem to marry in the cup to form a fusion of beauty and grace. Don’t be afraid to mix it with the expensive stuff… It’s worth it. I also enjoy plain old E&J Brandy (produced locally at Ernest and Julio!) and spiced or Meyers rum. Don’t let your lazy ass buy the pre-mixed with So Co. That’s just nasty. Finally, don’t be afraid to stand up for what you love! I have unabashedly muled in my own carton of eggnog and demanded that a bartender (at Fibber McGee’s mind you) mix me drinks all night with the stuff.

It’s a sad time for me when January rolls around and I start to see my friend being pulled off the shelf. But I know it is time and absence will only make my heart grow fonder.

Bao for Now

2007-12-21T14:57:00.000-08:00

“I don’t do Chinese.” This is my standard response when the suggestion for Chinese food is made. In reality, I do Chinese, but I would much rather spend my calories on something wickedly good, rather than artificially flavored orange chicken or a bland, greasy chow mein (which I have come to realize is what most people want when they suggest a Chinese joint).

Good Chinese on the other hand, is rich, fresh, and wonderfully traditional. So, I was skeptical when someone suggested “Bakery Delight” for a quick Chinese snack. But set one foot inside of this place and you’ll know they mean business. No sweet and sour sauce or celery in sight… just a simple glass case full of egg-washed pastry, scissor-snipped dumplings, and sesame-topped dough balls. A whirr of activity comes from behind the counter-- women rapidly rolling, chopping, and pinching together perfect little pies.

I ordered lunch from a curt woman and paid $1.50 for bao and a pastry. I would have been satisfied with almost anything that filled me up for this price, but I got so much more. The pork inside the bao was rich and satisfying, leaving a little pink bleed of sauce into the white pillow of dough. Next the pastry, a petite golden oval formed of the flakiest of shells. It crumbled instantly into my mouth, leaving me to chew on the little layers until they magically dissolved. I sat trying to figure how this trick was performed. Then it came to me: lard! Ah, natures answer to the world’s best pastry. Does it really matter at this point that this was stuffed with a sweet red bean paste and dusted in sesame seeds? Delicious.

I have since come to discover the sesame balls, a dessert like no other-- gummy and chewy like a Chinese doughnut hole. Look for savory brioche, rolled in scallions with fried meat the texture of ratted angel hair. The shrimp dumplings are earthy with chunks of bamboo shoots, wrapped in a gossamer rice noodle package. But what will keep me coming back are the mini egg tarts… the most subtly sweetened golden custard, shrouded in the perfect pie crust. The contrast between the flaky and the smooth, the creamy egg and rich tooth of the flour crust (and don’t forget the lard!) makes me tip my head back with each bite, carefully ensuring no morsel will fall onto the table.

I have not yet dabbled into the roasted duck, fried pork ribs, or other meaty delights. (The word on the street is you can order a whole roasted pig for special occasions).

Get over bad Chinese and go have a little dim sum (and then some!). Each bite is indeed a delight.

Bakery Delight
6749 N Cedar Ave, Fresno

Grossed Out

2007-10-20T21:18:00.000-07:00

Really... what is in these things?! I just downed a peanut butter chocolate and it was just plain creepy. The foamy interior loaded with pungent chocolate flavor (all nature, I am sure!) left me with little blackened fingers from the sandwich exterior.

And look at this on the back of the label "* Sensitive individuals may experience a laxative effect from excess consumption of this ingredient." Sick... there are more stabilizers and Splenda® in those things than Tori Spelling. So sick...

For 130 calories, I should have had an apple.

Tower Chow

2007-09-02T22:28:00.001-07:00

Thanks to the Undercurrent who published my most recent rambling! www.fresnoundercurrent.net

I live in a city laden with taquerias, Starbucks, and deal-busting grocery stores. Food is prolific and for the most part pretty cheap. When the pendulum swings in Fresno, it tends to be towards high-end “fusion”, disguising yet another steak house and $12 martini format. In Rousseau I’ve found the middle ground I crave.

The first night I wandered up to the wine bar (now with full liquor privileges) and dined on pâté served with gherkin, Dijon mustard, and grilled crostini. Round two was an ultra simple, perfectly dressed Cesar salad (equipped with the necessary funk of garlic and anchovy) and finally a bowl of onion soup. Cliché? Maybe… But it’s hard to improve upon a ramekin filled with hot beef broth, onions, soggy bread, and smothered in Gruyère cheese. The food at Rousseau is prepared keeping in mind the French countryside tradition of comfort and simplicity.

The stuffed mushrooms are a perfect primer for dinner, with spinach and nibs of bacon nestled in brown caps. The sautéed spinach has a home-cooked edge to it, wilted in a light olive oil, perfectly salted, with a faint puddle of green juice on the plate. The ragout of pork loin is a lovely dish of peasant food, smothered in a beautifully browned sauce with mushrooms over potatoes. Veal cannelloni are simple, fresh and floated in an uncomplicated pool of bright tomato sauce.

It’s usually about the time your entrée arrives that you are enveloped with periodic whiffs of browning sugar coming off the made to order crème brule. This scent will prime you for the large selection of deserts, one of which I cannot get out of my head, the chocolate pot de crème. Creamy, firm, with a deep brooding, toe curling, chocolate that sticks to your spoon. Unbeatable.

Rousseau is not haute cuisine, nor cutting edge French, but this was the place I wanted to go for my birthday dinner. It’s intimate, casual, and for a moment, if I blur my eyes a bit and have another glass of wine, I can escape into a little corner restaurant somewhere in my imaginary France.

Rousseau
568 E Olive Ave., Fresno

Ice Queen

2007-08-28T18:29:00.000-07:00

I have had some bad Mexican ice cream. Atop a pasty cone sits a heap of soupy, boxed milk goop, flavored with sno cone syrup. It’s raunchy and liable to make you ill. If this has been your experience, it’s time to do something for society… Get off your bike and make some life changing choices! There’s a new ice cream name in town that’s shattering stereotypes of south-of-the-border dairy; an ice cream lady to be reckoned with on Belmont: La Reina de Michoacan.

Banking on a truly exceptional product, La Reina had the balls to open its doors to the public in a seemingly ungodly time of year: November. The unveiling ceremony was complete with mini paleta samples and a giant pink popsicle mascot- a bite out of one corner of its head and a cockeyed crown on the other. She was the queen no doubt, standing outside a transformed Belmont storefront, her name spanning the top, “La Reina de Michoacan” in perfect shadowed script. Windows painted with large mangos, coconuts, iced drinks and popsicles. A list of flavors, “Nescafe, Coco, Mamey, Fresas…” lettered neatly on the exterior.

Upon entry you are greeted by a sparking clean interior, reminiscent of some distant, Latino, Willy Wonka fantasy. It smells like an ice cream store should- waffle cones, a hint of bubble gum, and a little Soilent Green. On any given day there are over thirty choices of ice cream and paleta flavors gleaming under plate glass freezers.

Owners Gabriel and Amalia Alvarez have brought something truly exceptional to Fresno: the Michoacan style of ice cream making. The state of Michoacan in Mexico is famous for its paletas and creamy, soft ice cream made with top quality, fresh ingredients. Michoacan ice cream is made in small batches on site, so quality is exceptional, flavors seasonal, and cost minimal.

La Reina boasts a menu of all natural ice creams, paletas, augua frescas, sundaes, and fruits to entice. You’ll find classics like strawberry, peach, and pistachio along with new innovations like walnut, coconut, corn and dried fruit. For $1.75 try a generous scoop of cajeta: goat’s milk that has been sweetened and caramelized to a soft brown. Cookies and cream is faintly sweetened, reminiscent of dipping a cookie in a glass of cold milk. The avocado ice cream is smooth and nutty, with diced green fruit in sweetened cream. A personal favorite, chongos zamoranos, is a custard similar to cheesecake that is flavored with cinnamon. La Reina’s cappuccino is almost bitter at first taste, rich and full-bodied. Tropical fruit flavors such as mamey, guanabana, and arrallan, are also featured on the menu. All fruit, non-dairy paletas set you back 75 cents and range from kiwi to guava, cucumber to pineapple. If this were not enough, you can scoop up a glass of fresh made auga fresca in flavors that vary daily. Get royal and go have some ice cream at La Reina de Michoacan.

Open daily from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. 720 E. Belmont 559-485-3013

Still Life

2007-08-15T21:48:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I am just to full to write about ingesting something... So why not gather a little beauty from the morsels we put in our mouths? Props to the artists who spend their time capturing it (and I love the theory behind one-a-day artists).

Check out www.justinspaintings.com

Thai Time

2007-08-04T13:53:00.000-07:00

“If you knew what I know about the power of giving, you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way.”
~ Buddha (563 BC - 483 BC)

I had two lady friends who recently came back from original stomping ground for Buddha. What they brought back for me was not a typical tchotchke - no a snow-globe of Thailand or an Angkor Wat diorama. Packed in their suitcase was a little baggie of green curry paste and recipes. They brought me back a meal.

They showed up at my doorstep with bags of groceries and started in. Green papaya salad with pummeled raw green beans and chunky peanuts. Rich and decedent curry with tight green eggplant and kaffir lime leaves. Sticky rice with sweet and salty coconut milk and mango. Pure delight.

This was by far one of the best gifts I have ever received. Consider this next time you travel to a far off place… or even your grandmother’s house.

Aye Chilorio!

2007-07-27T21:08:00.001-07:00

This canned Mexican pork product was once reserved for the most reverent of occasion… for Chilorio was a food that had to traverse a great and treacherous journey to get to the tables of select homes in California (I know a guy who is a produce broker who used to mule it across the border for me from Sinoloa).

But today is a new day and we are free to eat Chilorio whenever our hearts desire! It’s stocked on the shelves of our local Fiesta Foods (Tulare and First). Chata is the brand and it is amazing. Open the can and let it fry for about 10 minutes in its own fat to get lots of crispy bits. Then eat. I recommend for breakfast with a fried egg on top (something about when more than one animal fat comes together is like heaven) or simple street tacos with steamed corn tortillas, cilantro, onion, chile, and lime (I did this for a potluck today… I looked like a Goddess).

Make friends. Let people think you slow cooked all day. Support Chata. Eat Chilorio.

Spicy Goodness

2007-07-21T20:42:00.000-07:00

Sticky, sweet, cheesy, hot… sauce? Dip? Who cares. This is delicious. I had it for lunch today with day old bread chucks and sliced tomatoes on the side. I hear it’s like sex over tamales. Go for it. Make it your own.

1 lb poblano peppers (jalapenos okay too)
14 oz can sweet condensed milk
1lb jack cheese
salt to taste

Fire roast peppers. Discard skins, stems, and seeds. Blend with condensed milk. Put mixture in a sauce pan over low heat. Add in cheese and until fully melted. Salt to taste.

*Note: if you can cook, I suggest finding the correct quantities of each ingredient instinctually based on how hot your peppers are and how sweet you need it to be.

Besos y Balas

2007-07-14T19:31:00.000-07:00

There is a great exhibit at Arte Americas in downtown Fresno… Detailed photos of farm workers (and let’s face it, this is an intimate part of the food we eat) and some brilliant man who paints on big, beautiful resin tortillas. The artist, Bravo, incorporates the blackened bits, jagged edges, and smooth white planes of this surface to create bright and beautiful works of art. Go see it. It’s ironic, moving, and might make you want to get a bite to eat afterwards.

Ry Krisp

2007-07-11T22:26:00.000-07:00

Let’s face it. There’s not really a popular food movement towards northern European cuisine. You don’t often see a fusion restaurant working in spatzle or a garnish of pickled herring. Unfortunate in my book, but I’ll get my NorEuro where I can.

Try these. They are delicious, nutritious, and the new flavor (California Onion Dill) is packed with punch! My man-friend likes to smear these with a soft cheese like ricotta, topped with two or three arugula leaves and a little black pepper. Wow! Where do I find these guys?

Cochinito Contento

2007-07-09T20:03:00.000-07:00

Vallarta ( Butler and Chestnut) is new arch nemesis to Fiesta Foods (Tulare and First). I highly recommend checking them both out, as they are immaculate, inspiring, and stocked with all sorts of wild things from south of the border. Of note yesterday morning was this gingerbread pig. I grew up eating these delicious little things, but they are surprisingly hard to find and the quality varies quite a bit.

This one was good. Just as they should be: crumbly, but not dry, with big flecks of Mexican cinnamon (these leave you with little chewy shards to gnaw on after your first swallow… quite nice really). They’re made with baking soda, so they’ve got a nice salty bite at the end. Delicious!

Indian Obsession

2007-07-08T13:49:00.000-07:00

I came across this article in SF Chron a couple of weeks ago all about pairing wine with Indian food and some accompanying recipes. I’ve been a little obsessed with Indian food lately, and this was no help (I think it was reading too many stores by Jhumpa Lahiri?). Nonetheless, I made these this morning and they are delicious. For those of you who have never had cardamom (shame, such a shame) this spice is the jam. And don’t think rice flour is all fancy… you can get this crap at the Fiesta Foods if you need to.

Cardamom Nankaties

Makes approximately 30 cookies. This buttery, shortbread cookie from Ruta Kahate relies on a single spice: cardamom. Depending on how you measure the dry ingredients, you may need a few additional tablespoons of softened butter to make the dough come together. Pairs with: Cascinetta Vietti Moscato d'Asti (whatever that is).

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/4 cup ground almonds
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat the oven to 350°. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir the flours, almonds, cardamom and salt together, and add to the creamed butter. Mix just until the dough starts to clump together. Using your hands, form the dough into a smooth ball. Pinch off a tablespoon-size portion of the dough and roll in your palms to form a round ball. Flatten slightly and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Continue with the rest of the dough, placing the cookies on the sheet 2 inches apart. Bake in the middle of the oven until the edges of the cookies turn a very pale brown, 15 to 18 minutes.

Dry Sac

2007-07-07T19:49:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I am at Whole Foods, and the general milling around of aisles in disbelief is not enough for me, I like to play a little game. All you need is a friend and a basic understanding of the Price is Right. Walk in and pick a category, such as bar soap* or bagged lettuce. Then you each pick a price point of what the most expensive item in this category will be... a $7 bar of soap? $10 say you?! All bets are off.

To further the fun of this, take advantage of a little policy they have at Whole Foods where any customer at any time can demand that you break open some outrageously expensive item for a "taste test". No need to purchase... and in fact, usually the sap that opened it for you will partake in the inevitable shit-talking that follows.

Yesterday I tried a soda from a company called "DRY". They sell 4 of these little guys for $7. Nice... I tried lavender (oooh, aaahh), though I could have gone for rhubarb, lemongrass, or kumquat. Nonetheless, it tasted like shit and was indeed as promised, dry. Kinda soapy. Not worth it, but a noble experience.

So now, armed with this info, get out there and try a $5 chocolate bar, $7 ice cream, or a bottle of Kombucha!

*When I played this game with recently, the most expensive bar of soap was $16. Fucking soap. Seriously...

Why did I finish it?

2007-07-05T19:15:00.000-07:00

Of note yesterday was a major faux pas on my part… I ate a Starbuck’s pastry. I was desperate for something to go with a cup of coffee, and it was the 4th of July and not much was open… so I did the deed and bought a bear claw from behind the glass case. I’m a sucker for a good pastry, and I love gooey fillings and almond topping, so I thought, how bad can it be? Well…

It was chewy. This is not the best descriptor for a pastry in my book. The middle was fairly soft with muddled brown filling (what is in a bear claw anyways?) but the edges were downright rubbery, like the edges of a pizza crust that have been in the microwave and then allowed to cool. Not good. There was little semblance of flake in the thing, instead layers were able to peel off the top like a string cheese. Not good. And, of most importance, it had a hint of banana... which in the world of sweet foods is as bad as detecting a "hint of fishiness" in savory foods. Not good.

Nonetheless, I ate the whole damn thing… I really wanted something sweet with my coffee (insert picture of hammering square peg in round hole). Good Lord why do I do these things?

* Sources tell me that Starbuck's pastries are able to keep for weeks at a time. So slap that image of some idiot in a green apron and an e-z bake oven in the back of the place (ala Subway sandwich bread) whipping you up something fresh from the oven.