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Congress wants your kids to be fat and diabetic.
NPR shared a story yesterday highlighting Congress’s work to rewrite the healthier school lunch standards that the Obama administration’s Ag Department recommended earlier this year.
Lobbyists win again.
Someone should start a brown bag lunch program that bypasses the schools. Parents qualifying for free and reduced school lunch should be able to redirect the allocated funds to a community-based non-profit that could bag lunches for kids and deliver them to the schools.
Just ramblings.
Nonetheless, it’s an abomination that healthy food for kids has to be reduced to the fragmentation of lobbyist political agendas.
Read the full article at NPR
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Buy “Wild Caught” Fish.
NPR’s food blog ran a story last week highlighting the use of antibiotics in farm-raised tilapia. There only reason these fish are getting pumped full of antibiotics is because like other industriously produced animal products, they are raised in ways that nature did not intend.
SAMANTHA SIN/AFP/Getty Images
In order to keep fish healthy while being raised in small fish ponds, they need an extra boost from antibiotics. Because when you remove an animal from the vastness of nature and cage it up in tight quarters, they more easily spread disease.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Here’s a link to the story.
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Gwyneth and I use the same dough recipe.
It’s true.
I think it’s all just hijacked from Jamie Oliver’s pizza crust recipe, but Gwyneth Paltrow and I use the same pizza dough recipe. You should try it. Delightful.
Gwen’s got a nice post on her site devoted to making pizza at home. Give it a read at Goop.com
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Good Meat – Cookbook & Recipe Review
A book review of Good Meat: The Complete Guide to Sourcing and Cooking Sustainable Meat by Deborah Krasner
I’ve finally tried out a few recipes and the results are in. Good Meat is a Good Read, but I’m not so sure it has my favorite recipes.
Krasner, A James Beard Award-Winning Chef, tackles the ethics and health related issues related to eating meat in this cookbook. She’s quite knowledgeable about what makes quality meat, what the animals should be eating, how their diet affects your health and is able to frame the conversation well by talking about her husband’s let’s just say, less than favorable, cholesterol numbers. She helped bring those numbers back to where they should be, not by eating less meat, but by eating the right kind of meat. Good quality, pasture raised beef and other meats that are actually good for you.
So, the content is good, but the recipes are a bit over the top. Unless you regularly have access to heart, tripe, liver, and other offal items, the recipes are a bit limiting. I recently tried a recipe for Garlic and Cardamom Chicken that, unless I made it wrong, left huge chunks of cardamom to crunch on your palate with their pungent citrus burst that is really quite overwhelming in the quantity indicated in the recipe.
So, I don’t know. It’s worth perusing, but I’m not sure it will be a stable go-to tool in my cookbook arsenal any time soon.
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Farm City – Chicken Droppings and the Education of an Urban Farmer
Just finished reading Farm City by Novella Carpernter and loved it. The story itself was an intimate retelling of life on the farm. The urban farm. The city-dweller’s forty by sixty chain link fence crop container. A realistic acknowledgement of the work, idiosyncrasies and lunacy of trying to eat off the land amidst the culture of the city.I loved this memoir if it could be called such a work.
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Anthony Bourdain to Acquire Books for Ecco – Now publishing food writers.
This should be good. Can’t wait to see who they line up to author the first few books.
Ecco has been publishing Bourdain’s books, now Bourdain will become the editor of Ecco books. Guarantee to have some great niche books with crass things to say about the world of food.
NyTimes Diner’s Journal Article.
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Greek Leftover Pork Sandwich – The way lunch should be eaten.
Lunch today was fantastic.
Made a little greek sandwich using some leftover pork (sauteed with a small knob of butter and a bunch of red pepper/red chili flakes sprinkled on it) with a little microgreen salad, red wine vinaigrette, feta crumbles, black olives and small yellow grape tomatoes.
Pistachios and a Clausen Pickle on the side.
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The Perennial Plate
If you haven’t seen the web documentary series, The Perennial Plate, I suggest you head on over and take in a few episodes.
Current episode (70) takes a look at the stunning beauty of Motana and a rancher who’s concern for the land translates to a healthy ecosystem full of wildlife as well as healthy animals who go on to become healthy meat. Really beautiful cinematography and stories that represent the history and future of food.
Check it out.
The Perennial Plate Episode 70: The Cows and The Horses from Daniel Klein on Vimeo.
Incidentally, the guy in Episode 3 in Milan, MN is living my dream when he turned his garage into a greenhouse that basically produces family veggies year-round in Minnesota. Love it.
The Perennial Plate Episode 3: A trip to Milan, MN from Daniel Klein on Vimeo.
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Guajillo Chili Tacos with Sweet Corn Relish
I’ve been a major bust in the kitchen lately. My wife will tell you, there’s been a few inedible meals. Most profoundly disgusting was a beer battered fish that tasted like a soggy fish mush with an even soggier pancake wrapped around it. (I pan-grilled a steak about an hour later because of the emptiness in my stomach. That helps. Steak always does.)
Last night, Sarah gave me the nod of sweet redemption. A pat on the back. A declaration that this was “by far the best thing you’ve made in a while.”
I got the hankering for tacos yesterday. Took my lunch break to run by the store to get what I needed and stopped at home to throw together a quick marinade. Here’s what I came up with…
Marinade:
Give the chilies and garlic a quick chop then throw it all together and give it a good zip in the magic bullet or blender.
- 4 Guajillo dried chilies (these aren’t hot, but pack a ton of flavor)
- 3 Large garlic cloves
- 1 Tbls. Sea Salt
- 1/2 Tbls. Ground Pepper
- 4 Tbls. Olive Oil
- Zest and juice of 1/2 a Lime
Refrigerate, pan fry:
I used some ribeye steaks I had on hand, but you could probably use nearly any cut of meat if you give it enough time to marinade and/or slice it small enough. Cut the meat up into thin 1/4′ slices or small cubes. Pour the marinade over and put it in the fridge till after work (about 4 hours). To prepare, heat up a little squirt of vegetable oil in a large skillet on high heat. Cook it hot and fast while moving it around a bit to get all sides done quickly. Should only take about 5-6 minutes.
Fixins:
- Sweet Corn Relish
- Shredded Lettuce.
- Mexican Crema
- Mexican quesadilla cheese and maybe some shredded colby
- Finely chopped green onion
Posted by Jeremy Scheller | 6 Comments
Food Blog Love.
Great foodie sites with beautiful photography. To me, they go hand in hand. Since you can’t taste or smell through the net (yet?), I think it’s essential to provide beautiful photos to help the flavor pop off the page. I’m going to start sharing some of my favorite food blogs that consistently get it right. Here’s 3 for today.
Not Without Salt
La Tartine Gourmande
Seven Spoons
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Ferran: The Inside Story of El Bulli and the Man Who Reinvented Food.
Today I began reading Ferran: The Inside Story of El Bulli and the Man Who Reinvented Food.
I’ve seen a few shows on Ferran Adria. Most notably @NoReservations 2 shows devoted to the man, his team and the incredible inventive and revolutionary food of his world renown, now closed restaurant, El Bulli in Spain.
He is a man devoted to finding the way to prepare food to maximize is greatest potential for taste. He is a legend. He is a food DaVinci. He set the bar to which foodies proximate their palettes.
Should be a good read.
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Chipotle – The new ad campaign for ethically produced food. – LOVE!
Chipotle recently dropped this new campaign to highlight their practice of working with farmers who raise foods ethically and treat animals responsibly. It’s a brilliant 2:20minute video and worth your time.
It’s an issue on my mind constantly.
Where does my food come from? The idea of corn syrup makes me sick. Slaughtering sick animals makes me repulsed. Pumping animals full of antibiotics so they can eat the cheapest food that makes them have constant health problems…is an abomination to the land and the animals.
You simply have to know where food comes from, and for that matter, what your food is made of…
The American diet has cost us our health, but a little education can fix that. It’s one of the reasons I buy beef for our family from Thousand Hills Cattle Co. A place I’ve now visited, seen the animals, seen where they get processed and trust the organization.
Thanks Chipotle.
Go buy a burrito.
For further reading/cooking, check out Good Meat. I’ll have a book review in a week after I try one or two more recipes, but there is a great story and running theme of ethical and healthy eating that can be found throughout.
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“My cows only have 1 bad day” — My trip to Thousand Hills Cattle Co.
A few years ago, I read Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma. Many of us did, right?
For me, it completely changed my relationship to food. For the first time, I understood food as something more than what you find in a box in the grocery store. I started to see the bigger picture. A story about the land, about people, about business and about health.
I learned so much from that book that it has become for me, one of those quintessential books that you look back on as a catalyst moment. A manifesto for change. I’m still learning and still trying to write the next chapter of my food story so it’s healthier than the last.
Nonetheless, one of the most impacting narratives I gleaned from Pollan’s book is the need to switch to pasture-raised, grass-fed beef. Conventional, Industrial, Corn-fed beef is killing me. The cholesterol. The weight… Sure, I could cut out meat entirely, but, I’ve tried that several times, and it’s just not going to last for me. So, now, I’m more concerned with eating the best possible meat. I’m not going to go into the laundry list of reasons as to why it’s important to not eat grain-fed meat, maybe you should pick up the Omnivore’s Dilemma, or scan the net for some info of your own to learn more about that. But, I will advocate for it. I will continue to work toward making all the food we eat in the Scheller house more just, more natural, more in line with nature’s intent.
100% Grass-fed Cows.
I recently ventured about an hour out of Minneapolis to Canon Falls, MN, home of Thousand Hills Cattle Co. (THCC)
At THCC, the cattle eat grass, only grass. And THCC wants you to come see their cows.
They’ve been having monthly Open Houses at THCC over the last few months.
Essentially, you go to the main office, hear from Todd Churchill, the founder of THCC. You snack on some of the product. Make a visit to the processing plant and watch the animals get processed. And then end the tour with a visit to the cows. A visit to the land. A visit to the eco-system that provides the healthiest meat you can buy.
I loved the tour. Even the killing floor at the processor. I like the story, oddly….Mrs cow grows up in green pastures. Not force-fed with grain that makes it sick. Takes proper time to grow and put a little meat on her bones (ahem). Then as Todd says, “My cows only have 1 bad day.” And that’s her trip to the processor.
After the tour, I placed an order for some heart healthy red meat. Yum.
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There are 1 billion obese people, and 1 billion hungry people — The 30 Project
Saw this video link from @Bittman at the NYTimes.
I like the approach of this. It’s a great way to ignite a conversation around creating a true, crowd sourced vision for the next generation of our food system. Check out the video and let me know what you think.
Learn more at 30Project.org
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Chickpea Tomato Salata
I’m always trying to find a way to make use of the fresh tomatoes from my garden. You can’t beat the sweetness and flavor of a homegrown heirloom.
Because of the large portions of meat I eat, my wife has me convinced I’m going to die of an early heart attack. Long story short, I’m trying to eat a lot more beans. You know, the musical fruit. Chickpeas are about the easiest bean for me to choke down. Combine the fresh tomatoes and the chickpeas and here’s a lovely fresh little salad.
Chickpea Tomato Salata:
- 1 can chickpeas
- 1 or 2 small tomatoes or a combo with grape tomatoes
- 1 large garlic clove very finely minced
- 5-6 fresh basil leaves finely sliced
- shaved parmesan or romano (go crazy and use feta or a nice bleu cheese)
- a few splashes of olive oil
- juice of 1/3 of lemon
- lemon zest
- cracked pepper and sea salt to taste
- maybe some dried chilies or red pepper flakes if you like to spice it up
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Fruits of the Garden
It’s getting to be that time of year when the garden should be starting to flourish. Frankly, I did a poor job keeping up with things this year…and I planted a lot of new things I didn’t know how to grow. It’s a bit of mess. But, alas, many of the standards are still making their late summer appearances.
- Cukes
- Heirloom Tomatoes
- Thyme
- Chives
- Basil.
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In the weeks ahead…
I’ve been a bit busy since my last post because of spending lovely time at the family cabin, a weekend away in St. Louis, two of my kiddos having ear surgery and heading up to Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior for a summer vacation with the family.
That’s slowed me down, but hasn’t stopped the kitchen from churning out some new creations.
Here’s what’s on tap for the next few weeks:
A book review of Good Meat: The Complete Guide to Sourcing and Cooking Sustainable Meat by Deborah Krasner
My adventure with the time consuming process of making Chad Robertson’s country loaf. Chad is the proprietor of the famous Bay Area Bakery, Tartine. The beauty of the his work is unparalleled. I can’t wait to show what I’ve been doing and learning.
And, finally, I’ll be journeying to the open house of the Thousand Hills Cattle Company next week. Thrilled to get up close and personal with some ranchers who raise their animals sustainably and provide them with the conditions that nature intended. This will be a great way to begin closing out the summer.
Stay tuned. Posts coming is soon as I’m back from vacation.
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Lucky Peach Ramen
It’s no secret that I’m an uber-fan of No Reservations and food explorer Anthony Bourdain. Bourdain’s production company recently teamed up with the iconic James Beard Award Winning Chef and Restauranteur, David Chang. Chang’s Momufoku dynansty in New York is apparently the hardest eat seat to get. To make the crass union of David Chang and Anthony Bourdain even more enticing, enter Dave Eggers‘ publishing house, McSweeney’s.
Color me pleased as a fuzzy navel when I got my hands on the first issue of Lucky Peach.
Lucky Peach is a food and travel journal with the attitude of meat cleaver skillfully hacking away at a fresh kill. It’s raw. Authentic. Not pretentious, and yet important. Important because the editors already seem to know their readers after issue 1. It’s for home foodies. Chock full of recipes and how-tos straight out of Chang’s apron under carriage. It’s got banter and argument. Travel and tasting. And thank God, no advertising.
I look forward to seeing this thing develop overtime. You get the idea that it’s the zine of a couple of drinking buddies who happen to be award winning foodists in their night job.
I immediately took to the recipes this week.
Issue 1 was themed, “Ramen.” Not that crap in the styrofoam cup. Real noodles. Real broth. Real meals.
I kicked things off with Chang’s “Chicken Soup” on pg120. Great meal with little more than a little bit of chopping and an hour or two of simmering. I took his basic recipe for chicken soup with ramen noodles and I added a touch of fatty loveliness on top.
After pulling the chicken off the bones, I was left with a pile of bones, and some skins. So, naturally, I decided to make some chicken cracklings from the skin. I fried them in wok with a little bit of sesame oil until nice and crispy. Gave them a shake of sea salt and garnished the soup with them and a few diced spring green onions.
My wife was skeptical as she saw me taking those nasty boiled chicken skins and tossing them in hot oil. If cooked at the right medium high heat, you’ll end up leaving 3 times the oil in the pan as you started with and have light, crispy skins that are nearly as lovely as bacon, dare I say. I noticed she was a convert as she went back for a second helping of the crackling.
Get yourself a subscription to Lucky Peach here.
