Flobots gets behind local economies

This past week, Denver-based alternative rock/hip-hop band Flobots issued a statement supporting the local economy. They have designated this week "Buy Local Week," promoting the importance about supporting the local economy, especially in these times of need. The holidays have always attracted many shoppers to spend more money than usual on gifts and holiday cheer.

The Flobots are particularly known for supporting many activist groups pertaining to everything from war to music to food. They have issued these statements on their Web site, Fight with Tools. They are very much community members and share their views on their activists ways through their music and fan base.




Although, hailing from Denver, they are vehement advocates of the Colorado economy and asked us all to do the same thing around our local neighborhoods.

I have, many times, discussed the importance of buying local pertaining to our food supply. Keeping local farmers around is a prominent factor. Even though buying local, especially in the food sector, might be a little bit more money, it's money that is circulated back into the local economy and not sent to big business and government. Remember: we all pay taxes and therefore should help our neighbors pay their taxes too, rather than supporting corrupt multimillionaire CEOs who don't necessarily look at the environment - their employees, and our economy - but how they can squeeze every little cent into their own pockets by the year's end. Many local producers work very hard, trying to make a living and feeding their families this holiday season doing what they love. So go out and support your local economy by buying from local farms, shops, and craft fairs.

And remember there are major corporations out there, although few, that do support the local economy and environment. So do your research, and if you feel the need to stop into a major chain, make sure it is one that supports local!

Thanksgiving Week

What is the one common factor that every American family has during Thanksgiving? If you have guessed football, you're probably in the Pittsburgh following, but the answer I was looking for is Food. Thanksgiving has always been about the food since the native americans brought the Pilgrims their first major gathering meal and it will remain about food and gathering. The typical American family will gather together in one home to cook this magnificent feast. The oven and stove becomes the center of attention on the one day a year where people pick at turkey skin and talk about the holidays or catch up on life. Some might only cook the typical turkey, boxed stuffing, canned cranberry sauce and candied yams, or if your one like myself, you go all out and make everything from turkey, chestnut and pumpernickel stuffing, heirloom cranberry sauce to sweet potato marshmallows topped with brown sugar.

With this common theme bustling around the house this week - Black Friday shopping aside - let's take time to reflect on our roots and think about why we even sit together on this holiday. The food!!!

Every American is entitled to a decent Thanksgiving meal, so if you haven't already purchased all of your food from the grocery store, head over to the local farmer's market or farm stand and try to buy as much food from there as possible. Yesterday, the farmer's market in Union Square (NYC) was packed with holiday cheer but more importantly some very unique heirloom vegetables that might be an interesting addition to the table this year. These farmers have worked very hard to supply these delicious vegetables and meats, so please spend the few extra bucks, have a little culinary adventure and give the farmers a decent thanksgiving with their families. Explore food.

Fine Dining: A Dying Breed?

Could the restaurant be in for a major change as a result of economic depression? Recent reports and articles have been written all over the globe concerning restaurant closings, re-openings, and the changing face of the industry. Some have suggested that this era of popular fine dining industry is coming to a close. Many fine dining restaurants have closed their doors to open more casual concepts, still featuring great food but at more affordable prices.

People still want to eat, but have come to the realization that great food can come at more affordable prices. The biggest problem with fine dining today is the high menu cost, large staff, expensive products leading to high food and labor costs reducing profits enormously in the struggling economy. High-end restaurants are still seeing business, but not the regular customers that keep coming back, which in the long run keeps a restaurant in business a little bit longer. Restauranteurs are now looking for a profit-driven -- still focusing on food -- way to keep their restaurants alive and booming. People still want to go out and eat, they just don't want the elaborate three hour meals at extraordinary prices when they can get a meal for the same price as chain restaurants, but with better quality.

As the public has come to realize what really goes on in food production, with books like Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan and recent movies such as Food, Inc, the general public is willing to pay more for food that is rightfully grown, but that doesn't mean you have to spend an arm and leg for it. With companies like Chipotle Mexican Grill, who's motto is "Food with Integrity," offering fast casual prices and speedy service, for the busy American workplace, people are starting to realize that good food doesn't have to be expensive.

I am not suggesting that fine dining will be completely dead. There will always be a time and a place for fine dining in America, but recently their have been an enormous amount of fine dining restaurants opening, and now closing. There have been estimations, that even though many restaurants are closing, just as many are opening in a more casual sector. Near future projections, have suggested that the restaurant hasn't taken the hardest hit yet but will in coming months, making restaurateurs even more concerned with making a profit and generating loyal customers. Cutting labor costs and addressing food costs along a lower and tighter line will also be a trend for those who work in the industry. Could the rebirth of the American economy also mean a rebirth of the restaurant industry?

What are your predictions for the future of the restaurant industry?

Cooking for 10 in under two hours

A few times a month I have this desire to cook for people I know. It might sound crazy, considering I work a hectic schedule cooking professionally, but it's something I really enjoy.

Tonight, it was my girlfriend's enormous family of 10. Cooking for 10 can be quite the task: in this family's case, there were different preferences, picky eaters and the one vegetarian. Luckily, on this particular night, it was only part of the family -- the vegetarian was absent -- and some friends. I had around 2 hours to shop and cook, so I was thinking something easy yet delicious.

The menu consisted of Herb Roasted Chicken, Spice Rubbed Roast Beef, Roasted Potatoes, Tomato Salad, and mixed vegetables (preferences taken into account). This meal would be a perfect meal for when you're in a hurry but still want to cook at home. For a smaller family, with the help of the kids, it could be prepared from scratch in under an hour.

Herb Roasted Chicken

1 whole chicken trussed

Herbs of choice (thyme and rosemary used tonight)

1 head garlic

1 onion

1 carrot

salt

pepper

oil

butter

1. Preheat oven to 425

2. Truss the chicken to ensure even cooking.

3. Rub with oil, salt and pepper.

4. Place in roasting pan with wire rack.

5. Stuff chicken cavity with chopped onion, carrot, head of garlic split, thyme, and a few pats of butter

6. On top place more thyme and butter.

7. Place in oven for about 10 minutes at 425 and then lower to 350. Basting chicken periodically to ensure crispy skin, golden brown color, and moist meat.

Cooking times will depend on size of chicken. I prefer to use a thermometer to check. Take out at 155 and let rest. Carve.

Spice Rubbed Roast Beef

Meat cut of choice, good for roasting

Salt

Dried Herbs and Spices (Open for exploration)

Garlic

Butter

Thyme

Oil

1. Trim up roast if needed and tie to insure even cooking.

2. Make spice mixture mixed with salt. (I used dried herbs and chili powder)

3. Rub Meat with good amount of spice mixture.

4. Sear till deep golden brown in hot saute pan with oil.

5. Add butter, thyme, and garlic.

6. Baste for a few minutes

7. Place in oven until desired doneness

8. Let rest and carve

Herb Roasted Potatoes

Potatoes of Choice (Yukon Gold and Red work well)

Herbs of choice (Rosemary and thyme)

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Salt

Pepper 

1 Head Garlic

1. Wash and cut potatoes into even bite sized portions.

2. Place in bowl with herbs, oil, salt, pepper, and garlic cut in half.

3. Place on baking sheet in oven at 425. Roast until golden brown and crispy

Tomato Salad

Cherry or Grape tomatoes cut in half

Thyme

Basil

Sea Salt

Good EVOO

Balsamic

1. Place tomatoes and chopped herbs in bowl. Season with Vinegar, Salt, and EVOO.

Vegetables of choice (corn, carrots, and string beans)

Corn (cut off cob)

Carrots (peeled and sliced)

String Beans (cleaned and cooked in salted boiling water)

Butter

Salt

1. In pot place carrots, water and butter. Cook down until carrots are tender and glazed with butter.

2. Add corn and beans. Heat up until hot and season with salt.

So there you go: a couple quick, simple recipes that can feed a large group in a short period of time. There's nothing fancy or complicated here, just well-seasoned, simple fare.

The one item I left at home was my camera, but I'll start adding photos of my food soon.  Keep in touch, comment, and tell us about your simple favorite meals to make with the family.

Prime Meats: Locally Sourced Meals in Brooklyn

Prime Meats, sister restaurant to Frankies 457 Court Street Spuntino, is nestled on the corner a few storefronts down the block from its sibling.  It, unlike the Italian cuisine of the original restaurant, is mainly German-influenced, a tribute to the original German heritage of the area.

Going back to Carroll Gardens is like a time warp for me. I remember sitting at my great grandmother's house, eating the famous Brooklyn style pizza, and always making a stop at the infamous Court St. pastry shop. So, I was excited to venture back down again.

When we walked down Smith Street and Court Street, we discovered that much has changed. Sushi bars are now intermingled with the Italian joints that have been there forever. We first stopped at Frankies 457 to attempt to grab a bite of Italian cuisine only to find that their was an hourlong line at 8:30 on a Tuesday night (recession in Brooklyn anyone?). They directed us to Prime Meats, which we actually already had in mind after reading a recent review.

Upon entering, I felt as if I could be in an early 20th century tavern. The bartender was dressed in classic attire, pouring wines and mixing cocktails. Within a few minutes, we were escorted out back to the patio seating. Unfortunately, after a brief look at the menu, I realized that Prime Meats was cash only. So it was back down the street to the bank. I had told my guest that she should order drinks for us in the meantime. When I had returned I sat down to only the water I had left with. I asked, and our server still hadn't returned to the table. So after getting the server's attention, we ordered drinks: a local beer (Sixpoint Righteous Rye) and cocktail (Mayanne Fizz, made with Old Tom Gin, Campari, Sweet Vermouth, diced strawberry, and sparkling wine). 

The Mayanne Fizz wasn't exactly what we expected; it tasted like horrible cough medicine. The waitress insisted the drink had been perfectly prepared, but was happy to bring a replacement. The next drink we ordered was superb, making me believe that the bartender was talented at mixing decent cocktails. Our food finally arrived with all the appropriate accompaniments (ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard for the burger and Bavarian mustard for the rest). We had ordered the Prime Meats Burger, for which the establishment has received notoriety, and Sürkrüt Garnie (chouchrote garnie). The burger, made with a half pound Creekstone Farms Black Angus patty, housemade sesame roll and malolactic fermented dill pickle, was absolutely delicious. Juicy and cooked properly, the burger actually tasted like beef. The malolactic fermented pickle tasted like a well-made malolactic fermented wine with the crunch and sourness of a delicious pickle. The only disappointment were the fries, which tasted like frozen fries, and that the mayonnaise was not house-made.

The Sürkrüt Garnie, a Bavarian classic, was delicious, and included slow cooked pork belly, Thuringian bratwurst, calf tongue and knackwurst, served with housemade sauerkraut. The tongue and pork belly were braised to perfection and tasted delicious. The potatoes on the plate could have used about another pound of salt, but the sauerkraut was quite flavorful with the addition of the Bavarian mustard served on the side. I also ordered a house-made pretzel, which was very oddly shaped but tasted good. The only element the dish lacked was color. The kitchen tried, somewhat unsuccessfully, to make up for it with the addition of chopped chives.

Overall, the food was excellent with some minor adjustments. The lacking part of our meal was service. It was slow and not very helpful: mediocre at best. The server only seemed to brighten up after we started discussing that the ingredients were mainly sourced locally (Pennsylvania, the Hudson Valley and Red Hook) and the importance of that in the upcoming years.

If you're in Brooklyn and craving a locally-raised, grass fed burger, there is no other substitute. It looks like word has gotten out; when we were leaving, around 10 o'clock, the place was packed.

Apollo's Cred Rating: 6.5/10

Appetizers: $8 - $13

Entrees: $13 - $32

Wines: $8 - $12 glass, $29 - $55/bottle with a very good selection

Cocktails: $8- $12

Ambience: Tavern-like warm feeling, outdoor patio

Recommendations: Prime Meats Burger

Downsides: Cash only

Address: 465 Court Street

Brooklyn, NY 11231

Phone: 718-254-0327

www.frankspm.com

Hunting the Ice Cream Man

This past week's New York Times Dining section contained a story about the apparent havoc the ice cream man has been creating in NYC parks. Parents of young children are now trying to blame that familiar ice cream truck tune for screaming, begging and crazed children.

The ice cream man evokes wonderful memories, symbolically marking the end of the school year and the start of summer. What would summertime be without crowds of children running down the street, yelling at the top of their lungs, chasing the ice cream truck?

The ice cream man tradition traces its roots back to the 1820s, with more frequent occurrences in the later 1800's. Today, ice cream men can be found around the world, serving pre-packaged fun bars, hard ice cream and soft serve. Mr. Softee was founded in 1956 and is now even located in the Far East. Most people will recognize the famous Mr. Softee jingle, even if they don't realize it has lyrics.

Yes, it is true that in recent years, the ice cream man has taken on a new, grimier image in some locations: of sweaty and fat old men, working away serving bacteria-infested soft serve.

However, new images of the classic ice cream man can be found in Tacoma, Washington. That’s where Joel Semanko, who owns an ice cream vendor business, Cool Cycles, can be found with his Harley and sidecar and dressed in traditional ice cream shop attire.

Apparently, going to the park has become a hassle for some people because children scream and yell for the ice cream man. This has led parents to complain that sweets have caused children to become addicted to the sound of the ice cream man. The consensus is the best way to combat these problems is to dismiss the ice cream man from service. But, while ice cream vendors could consider moving on, I don’t believe they’ve done any harm.

From the NYT article:

"New York City principals received letters from the advocacy group Asthma Free School Zone, urging them to keep trucks from their buildings.
‘Sometimes you’ll see a child in a stroller parked right next to the exhaust pipe of the truck,’ said Lori Bukiewicz, schools coordinator for the organization, which has been trying to persuade Mister Softee to use biodiesel fuels in generators for their freezers and to get city officials to pass legislation controlling the trucks’ emissions."

Maybe parents are just a little crazed and overwhelmed because of the heat, but the ice cream truck is an image of summer that everyone should recognize for years to come. Don't kill the ice cream man!

Read more at the New York Times.

And, for those of you who are interested in learning the lyrics for the Mr. Softee jingle, here they are:

"The creamiest, dreamiest soft ice cream,

You get from Mister Softee.

For a refreshing delight supreme,

Look for Mister Softee.

My milkshakes and my sundaes and my cones are such a treat,

Listen for my store on wheels, ding-a-ling down the street.

The creamiest, dreamiest soft ice cream,

You get from Mister Softee.

For a refreshing delight supreme,

Look for Mister Softee.

S-O-F-T Double 'E', Mister Softee."

Joel Berg speaks at the CIA

This past week I was invited back to my alma mater, the renowned Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, to listen to Joel Berg, author of All You Can Eat: How Hungry is America and founder of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger.

Joel Berg is an activist in the areas of hunger and food security around the country, with a home base in downtown Manhattan. I had the chance to meet with Berg earlier this year; we sat down one on one to discuss the issues of hunger and the importance of local, organic, and sustainable foods to the poverty-stricken communities of New York.

I started writing about food because I felt a need to educate people about the 36.2 million food insecure Americans and how we can help them obtain reasonably-priced, nutritious foods that are, hopefully, locally and organically grown in a manner that gives back to the earth.

With that in mind, I worked to connect the chefs at the CIA with Joel Berg to in order to organize this lecture for the students and faculty. Joel Berg is an accomplished man with an impressive resume; he's a graduate of Columbia University and served under the Clinton administration in senior executive service positions at USDA before founding the NYCCAH.

He spoke about the history of American hunger and what we can do to help. He had the opportunity to speak to a more focused audience than usual at the CIA, since food is the attendees' number one interest.

The lecture was intended to make the connection between cooking for necessity and cooking for passion. He revealed the possibilities of serving food to the food insecure and becoming an active member in local hunger organizations. He pressed people -- "citizens" -- to the hunger issue to local politicians' attention.

Berg repeatedly added that government intervention was needed, suggesting that, if the government would invest $24 billion into feeding the food insecure, we could potentially eliminate the $90 billion we spend every year on food insecure-related costs such as medical care and ongoing obesity problems.

He also discussed the relationship between malnutrition/obesity and food insecurity issues. Raj Patel does the same in his book Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System. Joel also addressed access issues, i.e. what it takes to obtain nutritious foods in low income areas of America. The lecture showed just how lucky we are to come home to a meal every night.


For more information or to join the fight, read All You Can Eat: How Hungry is America? by Joel Berg and check out the NYCCAH.

Book Review: Cooking Dirty

Jason Sheehan or wannabe Anthony Bourdain? Award-winning culinary writer Jason Sheehan has finally released a memoir of his past experiences working in a very low-end restaurant after years of toil. Within the pages of Cooking Dirty, Sheehan describes the hardships of working in stressful, fast-paced environments.  Starting in restaurants as a dishwasher at age 15 and eventually becoming executive chef, followed by restaurant critic and food writer, Sheenan is quite the accomplished man.   That also applies to working 16 hour days, doing a never ending stream of drugs that pass before him, smoking upwards of three packs a day and being constantly drunk.

 

Sheehan describes this life as what happens in run-of-the-mill restaurants. From past experience, I can tell you that although some of this happens, not everyone partakes. It makes me think that Sheehan is even more desperately trying to recreate Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential in his own words, or the TV contracts and million or so dollars every year.  

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbellly was one of the first tastefully written kitchen memoirs to describe what kitchens are really like. Bourdain went to Vassar College for journalism, has written additional novels and knows how to craft a hook to keep the reader engaged. Boudain describes what happened before the glamour the Food Network portrays, but Sheehan has taken it a bit overboard -- exaggerating, to some extent -- the drinking and cigarette smoking ex-cons working in today's restaurants.

Not only does he exaggerate, but he insists on repeating it over and over again in the book.  It becomes very boring after the first few chapters, at least to a professional. Sheehan makes it seem that all one can get from life as a chef is getting one's ass kicked night after night (true), drinking extraordinary amounts of alcohol, doing an assortment of pill cocktails, an occasional line of coke, smoking whatever comes your way, and being the FNG (f---ing new guy).

No real stories about food in this book exist independently of the aforementioned items. Besides, Sheehan constantly mentions that his love for food and the kitchen is what brings him back. It could be more like the perfect place for Sheehan's addiction for alcohol and drugs is the kitchen at work, and he gets paid for it.

Also, in today's kitchens, what happens in the past tends to stay in the past. Kitchens today are still busy and stressful, and getting slammed daily is a part of kitchen life. Drugs aren't exactly acceptable, food being discussion material, and drinks are only for after work (although many nights a week). Cooking is about the thrill of food, not the extracurricular activities associated with kitchen life. Cooking, though still genuinely blue collar, has also gained a little more professionalism in recent years. Instead of wannabe punk rock burnouts, people who are serious about food and cooking make up most of today's and tomorrow's future cooks.

It's melon season!

It's the middle of August, when melon season in the Northeast means the best of the summer.  I thought I'd write about different applications for melons other than just cut into wedges. Recently, you might have noticed restaurants doing more than just fruit salad and prosciutto-wrapped melon; here's a simple recipe that would make for an excellent addition to an end-of-the-summer BBQ.

When I worked in the Hamptons, melon soup became a weekly staple at the beach bar. It was really easy and very refreshing.

Recipe: Melon Soup

Melon of choice (honey dew, cantaloupe, watermelon)

Simple Syrup (1/2 sugar 1/2 water)

Few Basil Sprigs

Small rosemary sprig

Few Mint Sprigs

White Balsamic

Salt

1. On stove, put one part sugar and one part water in a pot. Add basil, rosemary, and mint. Bring to boil. Turn off and let steep for about 20 min. Chill down until cold.

2. Cut melon into small chunks (take off rind and scoop out seeds). Place in blender, add a small amount of simple syrup, blend until smooth.

3. Season with simple syrup (this will depend on how sweet the melon is), balsamic, and salt.

Enjoy on a hot summer day. Add your favorite liquor to it to make a refreshing adult beverage.

I've also read about watermelon BLTs, which sound refreshing and delicious; a savory side to the ever-popular BBQ dessert. At the restaurant where I work now, we do a melon and mozzarella salad with avocado and poblano puree. There are many recipes out there to try. In any case, enjoy your melon now, because it will soon be out of season again.
  

If you have the chance to grow your own melon next summer I suggest it. They take up a lot of space, but you will be surely surprised when you taste them. The most delicious melons I have tasted were from the garden.

Sustainable Beers: Sierra Nevada Estate Ale

While at the bar the other day with fellow co-workers and enjoying a beer or two, a question arose.  They had been poking fun at me for supporting local and sustainable agriculture.  Combined with the bar atmosphere, this led me to wonder: Is there a sustainable beer?

The answer, I found after some research, is yes.

There are many organic beers out there, but sustainable beers were nearly unseen until this year. Sierra Nevada brewery recently unveiled its Chico Estate Harvest Ale, a completely sustainable brew. Recent dining trends predict that beer is the new wine in the high-end restaurant industry. More and more often you will see beer pairings instead of wine, because usually beer goes better with food. In NYC there is even a cupcake shop -- Sweet Revenge -- that pairs its sweet treats with an assortment of beers.

High-end brewers are seeing increases in sales, and people are demanding more complex beers that expand the spectrum of flavor combinations and pairings. With its new estate beer, Sierra Nevada has taken the high-end beer trend one step further.

Like estate wines, Sierra Nevada has been growing all of the ingredients on a plot of land next to the brewery. Although they don't have enough land to grow all the ingredients for all of their beer varieties, they are producing this one specialty brew that's completely sustainable. In the next few years, I'm sure we will see this trend expanding to an increasing number of microbreweries.

With high-end brews comes high-end clientèle. So when going to your next beer fest, leave behind the Led Zeppelin t-shirt and ripped jeans in favor of your finest suit and tie.

Read more about Sierra Nevada's Estate Ale here.

Picnic and a movie, locavore style

The fondest memories of food are ones that are made with friends and family.  Your most profound memories of food probably aren't of the most refined dining experience or the finest quality ingredients.  Instead, memories are made with those around you. With that in mind, yesterday, I combined my passion for food, friends, and a free movie at the park.

My day started off with a trip to the farmers market to pick up some local and organic produce to make an array of fresh and seasonal salads that would be a perfect pair with a good rosé and a movie in the park. I bought almost everything from green market, where I happily paid the higher prices, knowing my dollar going straight into the farmer's hands. The food I selected was all delicious and very much in season. I first bought some corn, now finally in season and very tasty. With it went cilantro, limes (one of the only non-local ingredients), poblanos, and scallions.

Try these recipes to make some fond food memories of your own:

Corn and Poblano Salad

4 servings:

3 ears of corn

1/2 bunch cilantro

1-2 limes

1 poblano

scallion greens

olive oil

1. Peel outer corn husk. Leave 1 or 2 layers on. Put on grill or roast in oven to achieve light brown color. Cool. Cut off cob.

2. Roast poblano in oven or on grill. Place in bowl, cover with plastic wrap to steam, Peel and deseed. chop into pieces around the same size as corn kernels.

3. In bowl mix corn, poblano, chopped cilantro, scallion tops slices on bias, lime juice, oil, and salt. Season.

I wanted to add some sliced red pearl onion for color and flavor, but received a frown when mentioned "onions," so I left them out. This dish turned out to be sweet and spicy, and the corn was excellent. A great summer get-together dish to try.

Local potato salad, with a mustard vinaigrette and pickled spring onions.

Serves 4:

5-6 medium sized potatoes from farmers market

2 Spring onions, Including tops

Red Wine Vinegar

Sugar

Oil

Mustard (Dijon and whole grain)

Honey

Salt

1. Cut potatoes into even bite size pieces. Cook potatoes until tender in salted water. Chill.

2. Slice Spring Onions. In a pot, put 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, bring to boil and pour over onions, chill.

3. To make vinaigrette: put 1/4 cup red wine vinegar in bowl, add 1 tsp each of whole grain and dijon mustard. Add 2 tbsp honey and whisk together. Drizzle in 3/4 cup oil, while whisking vigorously.

4. Mix sliced spring onion tops, potatoes, pickled onions, and vinaigrette in bowl and season to taste.

Potato salads can be made many different ways. This is a twist on the traditional. I like the addition of pickled ingredients, which added flavors and acidity to the dish.

Heirloom tomato and mozzarella salad

Serves 4:

2-3 Heirloom tomatoes

Fresh mozzarella (homemade is best)

Basil

Sea salt

EVOO

1. Slice tomatoes and Mozerrella and arrange on plate. Top with torn basil, sea salt and EVOO.

This is simple, fresh, and light.  Heirloom tomatoes are excellent right now. Get them and don't be afraid to pay for them, because the Tomato Blight might run tomato farmers into the ground this year.

Grilled Flank steak sandwich w/ roasted scallions, rosemary mayonnaise, lettuce, and blue cheese

Serves 4:

1 loaf fresh bread

1 flank steak

Rosemary and thyme

Oil

Red Wine Vinegar

1 egg yolk

Blue Cheese

Scallions

Lettuce

1. Marinate steak with oil, a splash of vinegar, rosemary and thyme sprigs for a few hours.

2. Make mayonnaise: 1 egg yolk with a splash of water in bowl. Whisk together with chopped rosemary. Slowly drizzle in 1 cup oil, making sure it is emulsified together. Season with salt. Set aside.

3. Take scallion whites, trim them up, clean. Toss in oil and salt and roast, Until tender in oven. Split in half if large.

4. Cut bread into slices

5. After steak in marinated, dry off well, season with salt and pepper, and grill until medium rare. (Do not overcook, flank steak gets really tough if cooked more than medium rare.) Let rest and slice thin.

To assemble sandwich, toast or grill bread. Spread toast with mayonnaise. Place scallions on, followed by steak, blue cheese, lettuce, and then bread. Slice and serve.

After we all gathered in the kitchen to prepare this delicious rustic dinner, it was off to Astoria Park to enjoy an evening spread out on blankets and share all of these wonderful salads and sandwiches. It was a beautiful night, with the lights of the Triborough Bridge (recently renamed the RFK Bridge) and Manhattan skyline reflecting off the east river. We sat between the Hell's Gate Bridge and Triborough.  And this, my friends, is how some of the best memories are made with food.

Tomato Blight: Organic produce in peril

This year’s tomato blight in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions has arrived earlier than ever before and is predicted to destroy acres of tomato plants.  Organic farmers, unfortunately, will be the hardest hit.

The blight, often referred to as the Late Blight, is a very infectious pathogen that spreads rapidly among tomato plants. Late Blight has been connected to the potato blight that wiped out most of Ireland’s potatoes during the famous potato famine. The tomato and potato blights have been known to jump from one species to another, so tomato farmers that also grow potatoes could be hit twice.

This year, farmers are extremely concerned about their tomato crops, especially because tomatoes remain one of the most profitable of typical produce grown. Prices, typically around $15 to $20 a case wholesale, are expected to reach prices around $40 a case.

Prices this high could mean that the once-reasonable tomato salad at a restaurant will become the most expensive and in-demand item.

Non-organic farms, obviously, have the option of spraying synthetic fungicides for a chance to save the crops. Organic farmers, on the other hand, are seriously concerned about this year’s crop because infected tomatoes must be destroyed before the blight can spread to healthy plants. Although the late blight is always to be expected during late summer, this year’s early arrival is definite cause for extra concern.

Will this be a common occurrence in years to come? Has the overuse of fungicides created a Late Blight superpathogen that will eventually wipe out the tomato species?

Dutch Kills: A step back in time

It sure seems like the recession has people drinking away their sorrows.  In NYC, at least.  While other businesses suffer, bars appear to be thriving.  And if bars are where people want to spend their dwindling funds, they’ll want to know which ones are worth it.  And so, I’ll be offering my takes on taprooms from time to time.  First stop: Queens.

Sasha Petraske, owner of the renowned Milk and Honey and Little Branch, among others, has ventured into Queens -- Long Island City to be more specific.  Welcome to the Prohibition Era speakeasy atmosphere of Dutch Kills, home of the lower-cost cocktail alternative to the $13 dollar drinks found at Little Branch and its brethren.

Dutch Kills offers an escape from 2009, transporting you back to the 1920s, where suspenders and pinstripes are in style.  The bar is authentic right down to its incognito appearance: The only sign that marks the bar is the little gold plaque on the black door.

Beyond that door, the art of bartending/mixology are on display, with the bartenders becoming the main attraction. Petraske has assembled a group of the best bartenders and mixologists in the country, and they’re creating some of the most magnificent and best-balanced drinks in the City.  They add a theatrical flair to their work, shaking martinis and chipping from the giant ice block.  Drinks include homemade liquors balanced well with good gins, bourbons, and rye. Don't be afraid to choose your favorite liquor and ask the bartenders to shake up a cocktail. 

Though $9 for a cocktail might sound steep, it’s a small price to pay for the works of art these ‘tenders create.  They’ll even explain the origins of your cocktail of choice.

Dutch Kills features an assortment of Prohibition-themed drinks, which are all delicious.  On Fridays and Saturdays, you’ll likely find a packed crowd, but visit during the week for an even more authentic experience, when local jazz and blues groups add to the Prohibition ambience.

Quality: 9 out of 10

Website:
http://www.dutchkillsbar.com/

Location:
27-24 Jackson Avenue (at the corner of Dutch Kills Street), Long Island City, Queens
[Take the 7, N or W trains to Queens Borough Plaza.]

Phone:
(718) 383-2724

Obama proposes 10% tax on unhealthy food

Today I found out about a new 10% tax President Obama is attempting to place on unhealthy food.  The tax, supposedly, would raise $522 billion in the next 10 years, assuming Americans keep consuming the taxed food at a similar rate.  The revenue, in turn, would be used to ease the economic pressure of increasing food costs.  With Michelle Obama promoting victory gardens and healthy eating and people like Alice Waters and Ann Cooper promoting sustainable farming techniques and eating healthy in school food programs, this could be a reality check for the obese country we have become. 

Those who know me know I am a huge supporter of local, sustainable and organic foods, especially when they're used to benefit lower income citizens who normally wouldn't be able to afford to purchase these foods.

Obama's tax will make people look at what they are eating and promote local farming and sustainable methods. It will, hopefully, also bring the family back to the table because they will be more inclined to cook dinner from scratch, rather than stop at the local fast food joint.  This, in turn, will help reduce the epidemic of diabetes, heart disease and other obesity-related health costs.

Read more in this article posted by Forbes and tell us what you think about these ongoing issues.

Defining Local: From Thomas Keller to Green Market

September 11th enlightened most people about the significance of buying local. Local for the USA, in terms of manufactured goods, usually just means made in the United States.

For me, as a food industry professional, defining local and understanding where our food supply comes from means much more than “made in the USA.” In food production, aspects that shouldn't be overlooked include sustainable practices, harvesting and shipping methods, and organic production methods.  Many in the food industry have a different opinion on what local means to them and the importance of it.

Some people don't think local, period.  They just pick the cheapest, best product they can obtain without taking into consideration all of the economic and environmental “taxes” on growing and shipping.

While at Union Square’s Green Market this morning, I really pondered the thought about local and what it means to me. Some people place a mileage limit on locality. For me, it’s more regional. Local foods also describe seasonality. While certain fruits and vegetables might be in season in California, that doesn't mean that they are in season in New York. Green Market, then, is a great example of local. There are producers from as close as Brooklyn, to a few hours away (upstate New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Connecticut). I consider all these options to be local.

In a recent article in the Contra Costa Times on Thomas Keller's Definition of Local, Keller states "For me, as I went through my career, as I came to understand where our product came from and where the best products came from, the term 'local' changed for me. It wasn't about geographical location, it was about quality of the product. If we could get great lobsters from Maine every day at my back door, then for me that was a local product.” Thomas Keller is a world-renowned chef who owns multiple restaurants in California, Las Vegas, and New York. I have to argue that even though Keller picks his ingredients based on the best possible criteria, that he shouldn't be calling Maine lobsters at the French Laundry in California “local.” Buying local should mean, first and foremost, supporting your local economy to better your town.

Today I picked up a list from the manger’s station at Green Market entitled “10 Reasons to Buy Local Food”:

1. Local Food Tastes Better
2. Local Produce is Better for You
3. Local Food Preserves Genetic Diversity
4. Local Food is Safe
5. Local Food Supports Local Families
6. Local Food Builds Community
7. Local Food Preserves Open Space
8. Local Food Keeps Taxes Down
9. Local Food Benefits the Environment and Wild Life
10. Local Food is an Investment in the Future.

How do you define local and what's your take on Keller's definition?


Edit: here's another list that explains the benefits of buying local, and it doesn't just focus on food.   It also includes an illuminating graphic on the subject.

Locavores: the new vegans

In the past few years, the term "locavore" has grown exponentially in popularity. Just like vegans, vegetarians and pescatarians, "locavore" identifies people who choose only to eat locally grown and produced food.

With the extreme rise in foodborne illness and increased availability of local food, locavorism is starting to look mighty appetizing. Local produce is becoming more and more important for the sustainability of our food sources.

Local produce is healthier for human consumption and even helps eliminate the greenhouse gas emissions that larger farming corporations create.

Locally-minded people are also demanding "locally killed meats," as described by The Washington Post in this article. These are new trends, but the methods they represent are ancient.

How do you feel about locally raised foods?

Resolution No. 2049

We've been inundated recently with news about the green movement. Nadia Johnson of Just Food, a NYC based non-profit organization that works to develop a just and sustainable food system in the New York City region, wrote in a recent newsletter:

"Resolution 2049 is the first ever to address climate change exclusively through our food system and proposes "FoodprintNYC," a citywide initiative designed to lessen the impact the City's food choices and production systems have on climate change through the launch of a public awareness campaign, greater access to local, fresh, healthy food, and the mobilization of the financial and technical support needed to sustain these efforts, especially in low-income communities as well as city-run institutions."

This initiative is important because it's easy to take our current, unstable food system for granted when it's actually on a path to self-destruction. What are your takes on this issue?

Diminishing fish species

We humans are overfishing our oceans. It's gotten to such a point that, in only a few years, we will essentially have fished the ocean extinct.

There are many species of fish, still commonly eaten, that are endangered. A plethora of species are simply destroying fisheries and your health.

The U.K. is currently considering a ban of the sale of blue fin tuna because of extreme overfishing. Check out the NY Times Blog for further information about what to buy and what not to.

Also, we should start thinking about the Native American proverb: “The world is not inherited from our ancestors, but borrowed from our children!” Because it is our generation that is destroying the food system for our children. Let's become aware of ongoing issues, change our lives a little, and fix the problems for our children.

From the Kitchen: Twecipes

In the age of technology, have chefs lost touch with their kitchen crews or hindered their restaurants with lack of technology?

With Twitter, Myspace, Facebook, and the never-ending list of popular blogs out there, the kitchen still lacks the information technology that many other industries are embracing.

However, there is one recent example of information technology mixing with food. Celebrity chefs have started a new way of exchanging recipes on the increasingly popular social media network Twitter. These new "twecipes" feature 140 or less character recipes from popular chefs such as Rick Bayless.

The one issue with these "twecipes" is the problem of chef's lingo being necessarily used to shorten these simple and seasonal favorites in tweet form, which may present a problem for the cook at home. On the other hand, these twecipes can also be very informative about local produce in season and available at farmers markets.

Maybe Twitter is a good idea, helping to effectively expand networks in the cooking world and bring people back into the kitchen to cook for their families. In addition to quick and simple recipes, twecipes will aid in networking chefs with chefs and cooks with cooks. This might lead to a boost in the restaurant industry, which has been hit hard by the recession, convincing people to get out and eat.

Twecipes.... what's next? Chefs cooking with Blackberries?

Urban Beekeeping Followup

As a followup to our post on New York City beekeeping: a group of Pittsburgh, Pa. beekeepers are saving beehives in urban areas that have become a problem and relocating them to safer locations.