Bite Size Green

Hanoi Scratchpad

2009-12-22T19:29:00.000-08:00

When I find a really marvelous travel writer, following their blog delights me almost as much as finding a letter in my post box. In the case of Hal Medrano's Hanoi Scratchpad, maybe even more. When I tried to purge my office closet of two shoeboxes full of old letters, I found a stack of thin blue airmail stationary with missives from Hal about his first forays into living in Asia and travelling throughout SE Asia. Much old correspondence went; but I couldn't bring myself to part with these delicious bites of his experience.

Hal's current writing from Viet Nam maintains all the vibrancy of his handwritten notes, but with a few bonuses. The photos are gorgeous, and complement his insights and wit beautifully. Facebook updates provide me with reminders, easy links, and the ability to see comments from his other friends. Nearly real-time exchanges are possible, mostly closing that sense of distance that the several-week time lag in letters made so palpable. But most important to me, he has room and time to include full recipes with detailed instructions (and mouth-watering photos).

Hanoi Scratchpad is much broader than a food blog; but the food writing is first class. When I read the other posts, I chuckle, reflect, or even tear up. But when I read about the dishes cooked and shared in Hanoi, I just salivate.

Ice, the Forgotten Food

2009-12-19T18:00:00.000-08:00

Really - for weeks I've been walking by an old VHS tape on a bookshelf at work. Only the title, Ice, the Forgotten Food shows. Rather than take the trouble to watch it, I took the easy route and made up a story instead. Along the lines of, "How did you survive those five days in the car, buried under feet of snow with only a few french fries and gummy bears under the seats to sustain you?" Why, ice of course. The forgotten food. Some day scientists will find that ice contains micro-nutrients vital for health, like mushrooms (once considered nutritionally blank).

But it turns out the tape demonstrates how crucial it is for ice, like any commercially sold comestible, to be sanitary. As in, "I only drank bottled water in Mexico, but got turista when I forgot to order my refrescos sin hielo." Sure it makes sense - but what fun is it?

I'm forgetting this food and putting the sincere lesson on ice until the next time I travel abroad, or host a party big enough to require a run to the ice cooler at the corner store. And practicing selective amnesia when Italian ice season returns. Surely the fresh lemon and cherry syrup make it safe, any day the humidity passes 90 percent.

Cuban Black Beans

2009-12-07T21:24:00.000-08:00

As Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) approaches, I start to dream not of gumdrops but of the marvelous Cuban feast for that night. Traditionally, the 24th is all about sharing great food with family and friends. The 25th is for church and/or laying around. And Epiphany, the 12th day of [la la la] is for gifts. A slower, sweeter approach to a winter holiday.

The menu varies a bit from family to family, but typically includes yucca, fried platanos, roast pork, and black beans with rice (aka moros y christianos - reflecting both Cuba's multi-cultural heritage and its sense of humor). An incredibly savory and gratifying meal.

In the summer, I cook the beans in the solar oven; but in the winter I love to have the pot simmering on the stove. Although it's terribly easy to start with canned beans, if I have time to think ahead and soak some dried ones I find the process more satisfying. (Gorgeous, warm aromas infuse the house.)

Hardly any great source of protein, fiber, and iron can be found more cheaply than dried beans; and they store as long as you need them to without any refrigeration or canning. Best of all, they are a vegetable always picked in season but ready to prepare at any time. And for me, Cuban Black Beans are in season all year.

Off Her Feed

2009-12-06T13:57:00.000-08:00

Violet and I have a few important things in common:

We are unfailingly excited about meal times
We are interested in anything anyone is cooking, even when we're not hungry
We loooooove the hand that feeds us

So when she stopped waking me at sunrise to remind me about breakfast, and failed to greet me at the door with high hopes of an immediate gratification supper, something was terribly wrong. After a day with her showing no interest in food, resisting any movement, and growling when approached, we called in the vet. By the time the vet could visit, Violet was also dehydrated (very dangerous for a cat) and surprisingly light (7 lbs!).
The fever accounted for the stiffness and crankiness; and a big lump of subcutaneous hydration plus regular squirts of bitter antibiotic solution helped with these. But we waited on tenterhooks for the critical sign of good health to return.
Finally, see did more than sniff and ignore. As the tentative nibbles and small drinks of water turned into small meals and finally full ones, we rejoiced to watch her energy and personality return. So now I can add one more trait we share:

4. We do not skip meals or snacks accidentally (Who 'forgets to eat'? I just don't get that).
If we go off our feed - get help!

Two Front Teeth . . .

2009-11-25T19:03:00.000-08:00

My being notoriously anti-stuff frustrates some of my family and friends at this time of year. Even the ones who don't find shopping recreational ask for a hint. When "what do you want for your birthday/Christmas/Channukah/solstice?" is asked plaintively, "I dunno" just doesn't cut it.

This year I have a better answer prepared. I would be delighted to receive recipes (your own, or adapted by you) for healthy snacks, drinks, or dishes. Not sure what qualifies? Check the Bite-Size Green site for examples, and to find gaps to fill. Let me know if I may give you credit; and if you have a couple sentences or a whole story to share for context, even better.

With an anthropological eye on the winter holidays, it seems as though people from every culture need to come indoors during the short, cool days, which creates the perfect opportunity to slow down, hang out with loved ones, tell stories, and share food. The relatively recent commercialization actually runs counter to this slow-food style celebration of community. So, if this request adds one more demand to your late autumn chore list, defer the task to any convenient time in 2010. The note telling me to expect a lovely surprise later will give me something to look forward to as the days grow long again.

Best Grape Soda

2009-11-24T19:03:00.000-08:00

All through the warm months, limeade feels like the ideal refreshment, especially when mixed with seltzer. Light, sparkling, and snappy without being too acidic, this mixed drink graces the table nearly every day, March - October.

But as the weather cools, the dark, intense, anti-oxidant rich siren call of grape juice beckons. Undiluted 100% juice packs a big blood sugar punch, a little overwhelming. Recalling memories of the grape soda of my youth, I tried mixing my fresh seltzer half and half to craft a homemade soda. Perfect! Fizzy, with a clear, pure grape flavor - and not too sweet. Deluxe.

Yamalot

2009-11-23T17:34:00.000-08:00

If yar whatcha eat, then I yam what I yam. Technically, I'm a sweet potato, marketed here as a yam. A tuber by any other name . . .

Autumn brings out my craving for orange foods - pumpkins, butternut squash, acorn squash, and the almighty yam, sweetest of potatoes.

A baked yam makes my favorite second breakfast (the mid-morning snack that prevents the wolfing down of a super-sized lunch). Generally, I throw a few yams in the oven whenever I need to bake something else at ~350 degrees. Scrubbed clean, stabbed to avoid explosions, and lightly oiled, they emerge ready for butter and salt. For the next few days, 30 seconds in the microwave provides the best fast food ever.

Homemade Soda Flavors

2009-11-22T15:59:00.000-08:00

In our house, a 'mixed drink' means seltzer and fruit juice (sometimes with a little white wine, too). A soda comes in a can with either high-fructose syrup or the dreaded aspartame. While sodas make cameo appearances at home, they didn't seem worth buying Sodastream's make-your-own soda flavorings for.

So I was ambivalent when the Value Pack arrived with a set of 3 'flavor essence' bottles and a 12-pack of trial size flavor goo samples. Nearly half the full range of flavors offered for sale, our kit included: fountain mist (a Mountain Dew knock-off), lemon-lime, orange, root beer, energy (cringe), cola, pete's choice (a Dr. Pepper knock-off), cranberry-raspberry, and pink grapefruit. The non-diet choices contain sucrose rather than high-fructose corn syrup; and the diet versions use sucralose (Splenda) rather than aspartame. Small improvements. Sadly, the colas use phosphoric acid (the calcium leacher) like most brands do, rather than the tartartic acid alternative a few have tried.

So far, we've only tried the Pete's, which is a dead ringer for a fountain serving of Dr. Pepper and its imitators - same flavor, with the slightly syrupy quality that fountain drinks often have. On Thanksgiving, we'll keep all 4 bottles chilled, so that we can add a flavor to any liter on demand - a nice party trick.

For us, just breaking the bottled water habit was enough. For regular soda drinkers, however, a favorite flavoring or two could be the short route to kicking the habit of bringing pop home in plastic or aluminum six packs.

Homemade Soda, First Try

2009-11-21T16:01:00.000-08:00

After entertaining ourselves with the Soda Club site's cute videos, we picked the Fountain Jet model and opted to pay a little more for the Value Pack, in order to get extra bottles and a second 110-liter fizz canister (I am always skeptical of value-anything options; but it was the more economical way to go, since we wanted the extras and shipping charges were waived).

The unit assembled easily, with one surprise - at 17" tall, it wouldn't fit in the spot I had planned, on a counter but under a hanging cabinet. Fortunately, it is cordless and can be set anywhere (even inside a cupboard) between uses.
Following the simple instructions, we filled one BPA-free water bottle to the fill line with tap water and popped it into the fridge to chill. Later we screwed the bottle into the Fountain Jet and pressed the button on the top of the unit until the buzzer sounded. Voila! Fizzy water. Taste? Exactly like the seltzer (or 'sparkling water') we've been buying from the grocery. After pouring the first mixed drink (seltzer and lime juice, the old standby refreshment), we capped the bottle and put it back in the fridge.
Next - we'll see how the fizz lasts, and try some flavorings.

New Old Soda Club

2009-11-20T15:56:00.000-08:00

After years of buying seltzer in plastic bottles, lugging them home from the store, and filling up the recycling bin with the empties, we finally found a happy alternative. As often happens, today's system is an update of an old idea.

In years gone by, bars, soda fountains, hosts with the mosts used spritzers, or bottles with a squirt device attached to a small CO2 canister. The bartender took glass in one hand, spritzer in the other, and tried to fill the glass without soaking anyone. These devices brought Italian sodas, seltzer drinks, and egg creams into our food culture. Today the bottles are collectibles, and the mini-CO2 canisters hard to find in stores.
The update? A countertop appliance with a tall, multiple-use (60-110 liters) CO2 canister in the back and a bottle-holder in the front [see examples in the ad, above]. As far as I can tell, only SodaStream and SodaClub (same company, apparently) make them, and sell them primarily online. Ours arrived this week; and so far the only hard part was deciding which of the four models to choose, and whether to go bare-bones or opt for the Value Pack.
And so the saga begins . . .

Spa Water

2009-10-18T18:15:00.000-07:00

Like many good ideas, the 'new' way to encourage people to drink tap water is a culinary innovation dating back centuries. At a work training recently, attendees were pleasantly surprised to find pitchers of water with cucumber slices, in lieu of bottled water (complying with the ever-more-common bans on spending local government money on uneeded single-serving beverage containers). Just that small touch somehow made the plain drink seem more refreshing, a treat rather than an austerity measure.

Trader Joe's coffee samples are the first stop for many shoppers at their groceries; and typically there is also a spigoted jug of one of the many juice varieties for sale. Over the summer, our local store also experimented with a range of spa waters, in place of the juice option. They added cucumber, strawberries, citrus slices - more or less any one fruit or combination the staff wanted to try. Most worked beautifully (my favorite being strawberry).

At the Atlantis Resort Hotel in Reno, the spa provides elegant jugs of water with therapeutically-oriented enhancements. The appealing flavors help make sure that guests stay well hydrated while moving between steam rooms, hot tubs, and other amenities. But they also advertise (on menu cards by each pitcher) specific health benefits, including:
Citrus - high in vitamin C, to strengthen the immune system, retain healthy levels of calcium, and lower bad cholestrol
Pineapple and mint - helps recovery of muscles and acts as an anti-inflammatory
Kiwi with cinammon and honey - all three for respiratory healing

Whatever you put in them, spa waters offer an elegant alternative to the plastic bottles of plain or flavored water that American culture has come to think of as necessary for health and convenience. And they can change throughout the year, incorporating the fruits, vegetables and herbs in season locally.

Casino Food

2009-10-18T17:21:00.000-07:00

Reno may not be as over-the-top as Las Vegas; but its casinos take the same approach to dining.
Each gaming resort must offer at least one 24-hour cafe, several high-end restaurants, a coffee bar or two, and at least one giant buffet center.

Staying at the Atlantis this weekend (drawn here for the Alliance for Community Media Western Region conference and award ceremony), one of my first tasks was food reconnaissance. And while the food service here will never be rated green, there are some healthy choices among the offerings.

As we arrived hungry and tired, the buffet provided a quick and easy way to sample whatever looked good, without having to deal with menu limitations. Wheat was certainly available, but easy to avoid; and with many good alternatives, I did not miss it. I enjoyed the roasted veggies, Chinese stir-fry, cold salads, and mashed potatoes with barbecued beef especially.

Today we chose to eat light, and opted for the cafe with the best entree salads. The southwest chicken salad was quite good; but the Thai crunch salad really rocked. Lots of shredded cabbage, blanched bean sprouts, nuts, shredded carrot, and a light peanut sauce formed the core, with hints of cilantro and other incidentals in the mix. Lime wedges and two sesame-encrusted crackers added more than just a decorative touch.

Even in a place where indulging oneself and acting impulsively are encouraged in every aspect of design, it is possible to have a delicious adventure without suffering a hangover of regret.
Tonight? Some fresh, house-made gelato!

Thai Salad Rolls

2009-10-09T19:44:00.000-07:00

For the Google's Green Gourmets episode, Angelina made Thai Salad Rolls. Preparing for the shoot, I was pleased to find a packaged kit with both rice paper rounds and rice vermicelli. For the filling, we used the vermicelli, fresh herbs (mint, basil, and cilantro) from the garden, strips of both cucumber and carrots, lettuce, and pre-cooked shrimp.

The peanut sauce for dipping was based on several recipes, including an old favorite from the lid of a Laura Scudder's peanut butter jar. The final rendition arrived through experimentation with key ingredients and a variety of bottled sauces from the fridge.

During the taping, Angelina made the assembly process look really easy. Although we shot two takes for safety, she made a gorgeous, snugly-tucked roll on the first try. For the on-screen bite, she rolled one without shrimp, which turns out to be one of a very few ingredients she can't eat.

Dry-farmed tomatoes

2009-09-30T09:43:00.000-07:00

On the very last day of the San Carlos farmers' market (Hot Harvest nights are a sadly limited season), I found the one item that will haunt me over the winter. My favorite organic farm stand (which has the loveliest strawberries in late spring and early summer, and gorgeous sunflowers for months) discreetly displayed a small table of brilliantly red tomatoes (next to the assortment of typically mottled-looking heirlooms). Labelled "dry-farmed Early Girls," they made me pause and think twice. Picking one up, it felt dense and a little tough-skinned, compared to the delicate heirloom tomatoes.

Handing my selection of modest-sized reds to the vendor, I asked about the dry-farming aspect. She said the fruit is super-flavorful, because no extra water suffuses the flesh in the way we are accustomed to seeing in irrigated varieties. Which is why, she added, "They have a cult following."

In a land of foodies and culinary fashion trends, the popularity of one varietal does not impress me much. But one bite converted me to a follower. As Basha described the experience, "This is the tomato of my childhood." They have the intense, sweet tomato-ness of her uncle's kitchen garden at his farm near Joliet, Illinois (before the new Federal highway system bisected the property). Not satisfied to wait til next summer, we are searching for them at several year-round markets nearby. A worthy quest.

Grapes of Autumn

2009-09-30T08:59:00.000-07:00

Who needs grapes from Chile?
As a side benefit of the popularity of American regional wines, more varieties of table grapes are being grown in many parts of the country.

California is particularly blessed; but surprisingly diverse climates are yielding a pleasing array of snackable grapes. Many hues and flavors appear in local farmers markets, beyond the generic red and green seedless standards carried by grocery stores. What types grow where you live?

Petit Aubergine

2009-09-30T08:34:00.000-07:00

The Belmont (CA) farmers' market is not as large as many in the Bay Area; but it has its loyal followers and some delightful finds for them.

One of my favorite things about farmers' markets is the discovery of new varieties of produce, from ingredients I never knew existed to unusual types of common ingredients (such as Armenian striped cucumbers). In the supermarket, one is lucky to find eggplant at all, and then usually only the giant dark purple (aubergine) variety. If the store considers itself gourmet, a few of the long, slender Japanese variety may be offered. But never, ever, have I seen the reddish, petit type we found in Belmont. Not quite too cute to eat (what is?), they inspire me to think in new ways about how to prepare eggplant, beyond the usual stir-fry, baked parmesan, and roasting for baba janoush options. From diversity comes inspiration.

Corn off the Cob

2009-08-24T21:09:00.000-07:00

As the days start to grow shorter, and kids go back to school, the squirrel in me yearns to put up the summer's bounty to hold me through the winter. But my idea of 'putting up' food stretches as far as the freezer. The strawberry vendor at the farmer's market told me how to both keep the berries fresh longer in the fridge and how to properly freeze them. So I have a fruit smoothie with local fruit any time of year, which is a grand luxury.

But tonight found me with 3 ears of local sweet corn, a sharp knife in hand, and the Wailin' Jennys on the stereo. I placed each ear on top of a small bowl (inverted, to act as a base), set inside a wide bowl. When I scraped down the ear close to the cob, the kernels fell neatly in the big bowl. Then I scooped them into a quart-sized bag and popped it in the fridge.

And now I feel more down-home, self-sufficient and ready to the long nights, with provisions laid in. A little organic produce and the right soundtrack go a long way.

Fair Food

2009-08-22T16:38:00.000-07:00

Ah, fair food! Curly fries, corn dogs, deep-fried everything.

While we were perusing the worst offerings - twinkies, Snickers, and Oreos - a woman came up and asked the vendor if there was a stall anywhere selling fresh fruit. Bless her.

Pasta and red sauce

2009-08-14T19:02:00.000-07:00

When a long day or week is over, and all great ambitions for haute cuisine have fizzled, what's in the cupboard? Pasta. Always in season, pasta is just another staple like dried beans and grains. When I first cut most wheat out of my diet, I mourned the loss of pasta. But after trying several brands of fancy, oddly-textured substitutes, reliable Trader Joe's came through yet again. TJ's brown rice spaghetti and fusilli cook and taste like standard dry pasta - with a little care to not overcook them (learn to love pasta al dente, Italian-style).

As if the gratifying carb load were not enough, pasta coats so well with nearly any sauce. While I love finding new variations (tomatoes, chard or kale and ricotta? yum. summer veggies, garlic and oil? yum? butter and mizithra? yum.), the ability to just open a glass bottle and spoon red sauce over boiled noodles can feel like grace itself. Well, maybe I'll add some sauteed onion and garlic, and a little sage and basil from the garden . . . that's not really cooking. It's relaxing. Almost as relaxing as eating a big bowl of pasta with red sauce, and then lying on the couch.

Julia Rocks!

2009-08-10T23:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the perfect time to get out of the kitchen - I could not take the heat. And spending time in legendary kitchens, from the comfort of a cushy movie theatre seat, was the perfect alternative. Afterwards, we wandered across the boulevard to La Tartine, and sat people-watching from the sidewalk cafe tables, as the last of the afternoon heat waned. As close to a real Parisian experience as the day could offer.

Julie and Julia made me wistful for the Paris of the 40's; and not so much for contemporary Queens. But, unlike a number of movie critics, I thought the juxtaposition worked marvelously. Yes, Meryl Streep stole the show with her typically remarkable performance. (I was a little taken aback seeing the actual Julia Child on TV, that evening. Her jaw was too square, her hair too grey. Ah well.) But Nora Ephron also did a great job of bringing out Julie Powell's most endearing traits - her vulnerability, her loyalty to Julia, her ability to learn and persevere. And the weaving of the two tales was done artfully. I hope it inspires any viewers who have not read Julie and Julia and My Life in France to add both to their summer reading lists.

Baking with Julia

2009-08-08T18:02:00.000-07:00

Who knew there were so many food geeks? Perhaps the local cinemas' showings of Julie and Julia at 12:01 am on opening day should have tipped me off. But still, I thought, 20 minutes ahead of show time the evening of opening day should get me a good seat. Alas, the show was sold out.

So home we went, with plans to return for one of the eight showings today. Instead, we immersed ourselves in home renovation projects, which do expand to fill all time available. But thanks to Create TV, we had Julia for company while we worked. They ran a marathon of Baking with Julia. Bagels, bread by Berkeley's Acme Bread Company, lady fingers and petit-fours, pita bread, and more. Many of her guests noted that they use unfinished quarry tiles in the oven; and not once did she say, "I brought that technique to America in Mastering the Art of French Cooking volume 2, you know." Which I thought very gracious, as one would expect. The year she filmed this show for PBS, she was elderly and couldn't do as much in the kitchen, often leaning on a counter for support. But her indomitable spirit shines through; and she does a fine job of hosting, asking the right questions to make sure the audience learns from her guest the techniques she herself already knows.

Squash Corn Soup

2009-08-06T22:49:00.000-07:00

Guest writer: Melissa Aaron

One of my summertime gustatory joys is Squash Corn soup. The ingredients are cheap, fresh and easy to come by. And they make a soup that I’ve never had anyone not enjoy. The soup requires little prep and cooks up quickly. One can easily make it vegetarian or add a little meat.

Squash Corn Soup Serves 6

Prep time: 20-30 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

6 cups patty pan squash (crookneck will do)

the corn from 4-5 ears of corn

¼ cup finely diced shallots

2 T finely diced garlic

1 or 2 finely diced jalapenos (depending upon how hot you want your soup to be and how hot your peppers are)

2 cups chicken or veg broth (with more on hand in case you want a thinner soup)

Optional – a little crumbled bacon for a little porky kick and/or sour cream or yogurt for garnish

Saute shallots, garlic and chiles until soft and aromatic. Don’t let them brown.

Add the squash and corn. Saute until just soft.

Add stock and cover. Simmer 15-20 minutes.

Puree in blender or food processor. Be certain to do this in small batches, as the steam from the soup will want to pop the lid off and burn the bejesus out of your hands and face.

Salt and pepper to taste, thin with more broth if you wish.

Serve with sour cream or yogurt and/or bacon.

Julie & Julia Movie

2009-07-31T12:51:00.000-07:00

Only a week til Julie and Julia opens!

At a theatre near me!

I plan to be there, laughing loudly but trying to keep book comparison commentary to myself.

Now that I've read both the Julie/Julia book and My Life in France, I can't wait to see how Nora Ephron and crew chose to weave the two into one feature-film length story. The memoirs themselves are full of intrinsically funny moments and endearing drama (not pathos, just the impulse you feel when you can relate to the narrator's ups and downs). The juxtaposition should work very well. If the film is anywhere near as good as the trailers, two hours will fly by.

And then we'll go out for supper. Possibly to The Left Bank.

The French Chef

2009-07-30T22:52:00.000-07:00

Mastering the Art of French Cooking may have established Julia Child as the American expert on French cuisine; but I believe it was Julia Child herself that made trying the recipes out into an approachable idea.

Reading My Life in France brought home to me for the first time that the funny, endearing woman on our TV screen during my formative years was not a character but an actual, simply genuine person. She worked very had to make cooking the food she loved understandable; and she revelled in that pursuit. During her half-hour segments, it is clear that she took the technique seriously, but was always also having fun. American cooks who had no idea they wanted to master any art in the kitchen could relate to the joy she conveyed with her voice, expressions, and gestures.

As a community TV producer, it tickled me pink to read her description of her home station, WGBH, when The French Chef piloted in 1962. "WGBH, Channel 2, was Boston's fledgling public TV station. It didn't have much mazuma and was mostly run by volunteers, but they had managed to cobbled together a few hundred dollars to buy some videotape." Fewer resources than my local access station; but so much of the same spirit. And they bought a television set for the first time, in order to watch it (pulled out from its hiding spot).

So much has changed in the last few decades. But people still need to witness a person they can relate to enjoying the pursuit of something worthwhile. In that light, perhaps there is a chance for Bite-size Green to make a difference. Angelina's enthusiasm certainly shines through, as does the dedication of the guests. And the core messages of starting with fresh, local ingredients in season is well-founded in the principles Julia Child herself passed along to us from the farmers and chefs she learned from.

Cloggity Blob

2009-07-28T21:55:00.000-07:00

One of the nice things about having a plumber in the extended family is demystifying how water travels through our pipes. It's not always pretty; but it's reassuring to know what counts as normal.

We've been carefully scraping plates into the countertop compost and wiping any grease or oil off them before washing, to avoid the wrath of Cloggity Blob. On occasion, we'll use our non-toxic drain clearing recipe; but I'd rather keep a clog out in the first place than move it further down the pipes.

Recently, our water pressure increased, and the sink started gurgling and slowing down when I let the post-wash water out. On kvetching to Michael, he assured me Cloggity Blob was not on the rise. Instead, we needed to install a vent - the pipes need some air when volume is high. Such a relief. Now the gurgling seems more endearing than threatening.