Gastroanthropology

flour + water

I've been silent for a while - not for any particular reason except I finished my masters, had a malfunctioning computer that even stumped the geeks at Apple, flew 6,000 miles for a quick trip home, had an amazing meal at flour + water, had many amazing home-cooked meals courtesy of mom, celebrated my husband's 30th birthday (OMG - I'm with a man in his 30s!), contemplated the 'what am I going to do with the rest of my life' question, hunted for the perfect job, and got the almost perfect job. Almost perfect, because at the end of the day, even if you love your job, work is still work. More about work will come in the following weeks. 

So I said I went home for a trip. I was a little bit homesick - missing my family and friends, but in all honesty, mostly missing our dog. It was so nice to be back, the weather was perfectly hot, and I caught up with some old friends at my new favorite in San Francisco, flour + water. Chef Thomas McNaugton, the chef at flour + water, and I worked in the same kitchen many years ago - he was on the savory side, and I was sweet side (some things never change). It is really great to see his restaurant doing so well and getting rave reviews. So deserved. The guy has always worked his ass off and makes food so good that the tastes and textures need no explanation. Everything he makes just works and tastes amazing. Tom has done extensive travel to learn about the traditional ways many foods are prepared. The guy even went on a boar hunt with locals in the Pyrenees.

So here is how it went down. Tom comes to the table and says, "Do you want to order off the menu, or do you...". Tom is immediately interrupted and we say, "You send out whatever you want us to eat." Done. This is my favorite way to have dinner. It's like Christmas - all the anticipation and excitement - wondering what gift might come out from the kitchen next. Tom started us with some melon & lonza, some tuna & celery, some potato & lamb's tongue and crispy pig trotter & figs. Then came the pastas - the homemade sort that Tom makes. Let's just say that he has learned all the tricks, because Tom makes the best pasta this side, that side, and dare I say, even inside Italy. We had a little orecchiette with braised goat, and a duck ravioli that was so good that nobody offered the last piece to another, we each wanted it for ourselves. Pasta was followed by pork leg and then halibut. Tom knows that there can be too much of a good thing, and we were stuffed, so a pizza was never served. Which means, I'm going to have to fly another 6,000 miles in the near future for a flour + water pizza. The meal ended with a chocolate budino with sea salt. Hmmm, wonder where he got that idea? 

Tom doesn't cut any corners. I already said he makes all of his pasta. But as you can see he cures his own meat. And yes, that is a black, furry, foot and leg, waiting to be transformed into something amazing.

flour + water is at 2401 Harrison in San Francisco

Barcelona + Bubo + Comerç, 24

When you are visiting a city as a tourist you often run the risk of making tourist mistakes. Wasting a meal on a crap restaurant or getting ripped off by a taxi driver are two things that come to mind. So it is always great when you visit a foreign city that has a friend who lives there. Continuing our hyper-Euro-tourism we spent last weekend in Barcelona, complete with local guide. Not born and bred in Barcelona, but a fellow pastry chef who is also exploring what Europe has to offer and currently stationed at Bubo in Barcelona. 

More like an edible art gallery than pastry shop, Bubo is a feast for the eyes. 

And every flavor of marshmallow you could ever want to eat...

Barcelona is probably best known for its Gaudi architecture, its location along the Mediterranean Sea, and its Catalan cuisine. Among the foodie world its no secret that Spain has not only a rich food history, but also leads in food trends and innovation. The likes of Ferran Adria and Oriol Balaguer all strut their stuff near Barcelona.

As Barcelona is right along the water and as the summer heat leaves you in a daze its clear why dinner is eaten super late and seafood tapas are king. One of our favorite Mediterranean treats - Grilled Cuttlefish.

And a our new favorite tapa...sauteed spinach with spanish bacon and chickpeas.

Two of our best meals, recommended by our local guide, came from Carles Abellan's two ventures. Chef Abellan trained under Ferran Adria for nearly a decade and we had dinner at each of his restaurants. One was informal, rustic, and just plain good. Here was the menu at TAPAS, 24 the day we were there...

And then, the following evening we had dinner at comerç, 24. I wish I could tantalize your tastebuds with pictures but I've never been successful at taking pictures of food at dimly lit restaurants. And trying to use flash never makes anything look appetizing, which is a real shame. So, I'll just share with you my meal titled the Festival Menu by the Chef. I jotted everything we ate so not to forget one bit. Most courses came with multiple different tastes.

Enjoy.

Course 1: Gold dusted macadamias. Green Olives. Vichyssoise with summer truffle. Parmesan-lemon mousse cannelloni.

Course 2: Monkfish with black sesame + squid ink paste. Tuna tartare on egg yolk with salmon caviar.

Course 3: Sardines with blood orange + microgreens + fresh wasabi + crunched caramelized nuts. Consomme with spherified egg + cheese + truffle.

Course 4: Cod with pinenut foam + sherry. Artichoke ice cream with warm cod foam + sherry reduction + toasted pinenuts.

Course 5: Duck + foie rice with crunchy corn. Black rice with cuttlefish.

Course 6: Seabass with potato, vinegar foam, caramelized onion, and garlic flowers. 

Course 7: Chicken with prawn and cauliflower puree.

Just when you thought it was done...dessert.

Course 8: Oreo cookie of black sesame cookie and whipped cream. Pineapple sable with flambeed meringue. Greek yogurt foam with puffed rice + mango + raspberry. Passionfruit and mandarin foam over mint tea puree. Chocolate mousse with sea salt + olive oil + tuile. Nougat espuma coated in chocolate with marcona almonds + coffee gelee. 

Jealous? =)

Squash Blossoms + Nice Farmers Market

Coeur de Boeuf (Beefheart) Tomatoes from the market in Nice, France

London city life is quite overwhelming for me. You've got to be on alert all the time - dodging people, taxis, buses, pigeons, and menacing clouds. I try not to breath to deep because if I'm out in the city all day my nostrils are filled with soot. It can be a bit taxing on the soul. To help recharge my batteries my husband, who has spoiled me rotten, takes me to wonderful places on the weekend. Latest stop - the French Riviera. 

The beach, the sun, the Mediterranean, the warm air, friendly French people, the market...in other words, as close to heaven as you can get 2 hours away from London. It wasn't my first visit to Nice, so I knew the highlight would be swim and sun at the beach and the produce at the market in the Old Town. 

The first time I went to Nice many, many, years ago was for the Cannes Film Festival and I was lucky enough to be invited by a Roger Verge protege for lunch at Verge's restaurant, Le Moulin de Mougins. Verge is considered to be one of the great french chefs and pioneers of nouvelle cuisine. Le Moulin de Mougins is a converted 16th century olive mill that includes a small inn and cooking school, and one of the best restaurants I have ever eaten at. The squash blossoms at the market reminded me of the wonderful lunch, which included many firsts for me, like chicken breast stuffed with foie and lightly fried squash blossoms.  

While some of these peaches I returned home with, I knew the squash blossoms would not survive the trip.

So, when I returned to London I went on a search for squash blossoms. I couldn't find them anywhere, so I waited till the end of the week for Borough Market, because I knew if anyone in London had squash blossoms it would be Borough. Through the roof pricey so I just got a few.

STUFFED SQUASH BLOSSOM, makes 1/2 dozen

• 1/2 c ricotta cheese, drained overnight in cheesecloth
• 1/2 c fresh mozzarella, medium dice 
• 1/3 c fresh, raw corn kernels 
• 1 large salted anchovy fillet, rinsed and patted dry, then minced 
• 6 squash blossoms, stamen removed, gently rinsed and patted dry 
• flour + pepper for dredging 
• 2 eggs lightly beaten for dredging. 
• olive oil for frying 

 
METHOD

Combine first four ingredients in a bowl. I'm not a huge fan of herbes de provence - quelle horreur! But, if you do enjoy herbes de provence add a few pinches to the mixture. Use pastry bag or small spoon to fill the squash blossoms. Fill to where the petals start to split. Press gently in the palm of your hand and twist the petals gently to close the blossom. Before you fry consider making a small side salad. I made one with zucchini, tomatoes, parsley, splash of olive oil, and s+p. 

Pour enough oil in a pot to submerge the blossoms 1/2 way up. While the oil is heating, lightly dust stuffed blossoms with flour with pepper, then in the egg, then back in flour. When the oil is hot for frying (I don't use a thermometer, just drop a pinch of flour in the oil and see if it bubbles up). Gently drop the blossoms in the oil. I did two at a time. After 1 minute or when the blossom starts to brown on the bottom, gently flip the blossom over. When the blossom is totally golden brown, remove from oil onto paper-towels. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Serve immediately.   

If anchovies aren't your thing try a bit of chopped olives instead.

I know I have Borough Market, but the taste of the fruits in Nice really is something to write home about.

More on the seafood and socca (chickpea flour pancakes) of Nice in a few days!

The Future of Food

On Friday, I was at the Real Food Festival in London which is put on to acknowledge great food producers and products in the United Kingdom and neighboring countries. Famous chefs like Giorgio Locatelli and Raymond Blanc were giving cooking demos and growers were showing people how to plant potatoes in their gardens at home. 

The food at the festival was fabulous and all producers stressed provenance, health, and sustainability. The festival also hosted a debate on The Future of Food. Debaters included Patrick Holden - Director of the Soil Association, Raymond Blanc - Chef of Michelin starred Le Manior aux Quat'Saisons, and Paul Kelly - Director of Corporate Affairs for Asda. Asda was gobbled up by Walmart not too long ago and is one the UK's largest retailers.

I enjoyed the debate, but it was largely centered on what we've done wrong, who to blame, and sharing facts and figures about the terrible state our food system is in. I think we need to identify the problem (which we have already done) and work in tandem for a solution. 

So, what is the problem? We've got people starving in some countries (hunger is expected to reach 1 billion people this year) and others who are suffering from diabetes and heart disease because they've eaten too much. Lack of adequate nutrition is not just a problem in developing countries. There are towns in developed countries, or food deserts, were access to fresh fruit and vegetables is limited. Access to healthy food is just one part of the equation - we also have climate change, the constrained economy, land degradation and soil erosion, huge projected population growth, and water scarcity to deal with. Food, essential to life as air and water, has become a mere commodity where price is king.

What's the solution? It will have to me a multi-pronged approach. People must demand healthy and nutritious food for all and government must enact laws for healthy and nutritious food for all. We need to share, debate, and discuss how we are going to feed a planet that is quickly approaching 9 billion people without pillaging the Earth to do it. Industry will follow suit - they sell what's profitable. 

It's easy to place blame on the industrial food system, fast food chains, and supermarkets - but, what can you do? 

1. Stop wasting food! In the UK nearly 20 million tons of food is wasted throughout the food chain, and 7 million of those tons are wasted in the home. Buy only what you need and don't get tempted by "Buy One Get One Free"! If you buy too much try to freeze your food before it goes bad. Just because it's expired on the label doesn't mean its bad - use your judgment.

2. Limit meat and dairy! Livestock is hugely inefficient. All the cereals used to feed livestock could be feeding millions of people. Livestock is responsible for a large portion of agricultural green house gas emissions as well.  

3. Sustainable fish only! We take more from the ocean than can be replenished and often using fishing methods that are harmful to the environment. 

4. Support farmers that practice sustainable agriculture! Support permacultures, not monocultures. It may cost a little extra now, but an investment that you can not afford to make. 

5. Food comes in all shapes and sizes! Just because its misshapen or has a blemish doesn't mean its not as tasty or healthy. We've become obsessed with how the perfect apple looks, the not so pretty varieties are often tastier, nutritious, and more resilient.

6. Get in touch with your food! Where is it coming from? Who grew it and how? Who reared the animal and how was it treated? Its easy to be disconnected about food. When you learn about your food you inevitably choose what's better for you and the environment. 

7. Stop buying bottled water! Does it really make sense that water is shipped every which way all over the world? Water is heavy and uses enormous amounts of energy and oil to move across the globe. Not to mention all the trash created by water bottles. Use a reusable water bottle and fill with tap. Buy a filter if you don't like the taste or are suspicious of tap water.

This list could go on and on. Is food a right? Is good, healthy, nutritious, palatable, sustainable food a right? How will we feed 9 billion people? How secure is your food supply? Britain relies on huge amounts of imports to feed its nation a well-balanced diet - what does Britain do if food imports cease?

Lots of questions here...what's your opinion? How sure are you that 20 years from now you will have the same access to the foods you eat? Will the food system be better or worse?

On a lighter note...one of my favorite Italian chefs, Giorgio Locatelli, was at the festival. If your not in London to try out his restaurant Locanda Locatelli, his cookbook, Made in Italy is fabulous. As part of the Love Food, Hate Waste campaign, Locatelli shared with us his favorite food.

 

Love Apple Farm + Biodynamics

I'm sure by now you've heard of Chef David Kinch of Manresa in Los Gatos. If your still living under a foodie rock he was recently on Iron Chef and won with the secret ingredient: cabbage. Manresa is in my hometown so I have a particular interest in the restaurant, not to mention he has a super cool blogging girlfriend named Chez Pim.

These days my excitement for farming and sustainable food procurement outweigh my restaurant interests so I decided to make a trip to Love Apple Farm. The farm is in the Santa Cruz mountains in a town called Ben Lomond, and is the exclusive kitchen garden to Manresa. The original hippy, organic farmers still exist here and the Silicon Valley just a miles east seems like it could be lifetimes away. 

At the farm, tomato plants (post on Love Apple's tomatoes here) and delicious jams are for sale to the public. I went a bit picture crazy and these are about a fifth of what I took. 

I was particularly excited to visit Love Apple Farm because they practice biodynamics - essentially treating the entire farm as a whole organism, using all outputs and minimizing inputs. Check out my biodynamic page for more general information on biodynamics. Love Apple Farm has wonderful descriptions of the preparations used in biodynamic farming, including how these cow horns are used.

When we first arrived, Dali (the Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pig, named after Salvador Dali) was hiding under a wooden crate. He couldn't be coaxed out or bothered with the squawking hens.

Then, the chickens were fed some soaked bread and the feeding frenzy began...

Dali gave them a few seconds of a head start and then started to get up and waddle towards the bread.

This is one pig that is so ugly, its almost kind of cute. In an effort not to annoy him too much we moved on to further explore the farm.

I'm looking forward to the heat these habaneros will provide in a few months time. Most plants at the farm were in the baby stages and ready for spring planting. However, in the greenhouse, lettuce was growing magnificently.

The red lettuce looked so delicious and healthy I want to pull off some leaves and enjoy them immediately.

Just outside the greenhouse full of lettuce was this interesting plant...

I was told it was called frizzle. Has anyone used or eaten this plant? I tried a little and it was delicious. A peppery, light arugula taste, and absolutely no bitterness. Not to mention a gorgeous purply color. I've got to get my hands on more of this stuff. 

Of course, no organic farm is complete without the compost... the natural fuel for the soil in the making.

As we were walking out to leave I saw a crate full of these freshly pulled radishes...

I'm sure someone enjoyed them at Manresa for their dinner last night. 

The staff at Love Apple Farm are friendly and informative. As I've said before if they can't stop talking about what they are producing, its a really good sign. It means they are farming a wonderful product and they can't help but share the goodness.

With places like these in California its hard to stop gushing about what an awesome place it is.

I 

Farm.