foraging with veronica williams.....my forest floor gypsy

ms. veronica williams learned to pick mushrooms and berries as a way of life, from her mother in her native hungary… she has been a citizen of the united states of America and a resident of south bend, washington since 1949… although none of us will ever know our forest floor gypsy’s true age- these things are best left untouched…. the hilly forests of pacific county resemble the land she grew up on, knew and loved as a child… naturally, the familiar landscape and surroundings encouraged her to continue her avocation and traditions of reaping the harvest of wild edible commodities…. It is a joy to watch her haul in bucket after bucket of wild harvested celery, flats of fiddlehead ferns (these she blows the brown paper like skin off with a pressure washer), multitudes of mushrooms (some she swears are the biggest she has ever found), white and black truffles (she once gave me like $1200.oo worth as a gift- well I traded 2 pieces of beer-can chicken for them), huckleberries, salmonberries, goose tongue and watercress…. according to veronica- ‘…..the food is here for the picking….’ Her skills netted her 200+ gallons of wild berries last season, she has a wealth of SPOTS…. these SPOTS will never, ever be given up to anyone outside her immediate family…. she may sometimes wind up with another of my farmers weaved baskets, but this is the coolest old chick I have ever met… the products that she brings me cannot be dubbed ORGANIC, for they are wild, like veronicas spirit when she is in the deep emerald green forests… it should not go without saying that veronica forages with a respect for all that grows, following the ways of the native american people- the original ecologists….! she is a lifelong member of the mycological society of america and prizes herself on what she describes as “mushroom eyes’….. see- veronica can spot an edible mushroom from the seat of her car travelling at fifty miles an hour…. veronica has been the chef at the tokeland studio outpost since its opening in 1985…. The food in her kitchen is prepared the old school way, from scratch- using wild and natural ingredients…… veronica is a chefs chef, loving to talk food, she is a true inspiration for people educating themselves on wild edibles…. having her float in and out of my kitchen 2-3 times a week is a pleasure, this the kitchen where friend of veronicas- mr. james beard had cooked thirty years prior… for wild edibles call veronica @ 360.718.0362 or 360.875.6295… she has a solid following among us chefs here in the pacific northwest and beyond… rock on veronica – rock on…… the three early oyster mushrooms that you brought me today with the wild celery were fricken absurd, they were the size of my hand, one bigger……

wild stinging nettles.........( urtica dioica )

several weeks ago I was blessed with a big ass basket of nutrient rich wild stinging nettles from my dear friend and nationally acclaimed forager and life-long member of the american mycological society, ms. veronica williams… she says that she gathered this bunch of nettles from an area close to the mouth of the columbia river on the oregon side close to astoria- that is ALL the info she would give up…..! for days after I cursed her for the stinging itch my forearms went through to make the seasons’ first nettle soup…. Nettles happen to be one of my all time favorite wild edibles…. And one of the most nutrient dense of all early season wild edibles… if the season is cooperating one can harvest nettles in the chilly month of february, at sea level that is…. As any forager knows, though, this plant is called stinging nettle for a good reason… when one touches the leaves, the tips of the sharp, hollow hairs penetrate the skin and brake, depositing a toxin… the result is a painful burning or stinging, along with a localized rash… although the young leaves do not seem to sting as much as the more mature ones, the sensation is not a pleasant one in any fricken case… my forearms still itch…..! this stinging quality was once employed by the quileute seal hunters, who would rub themselves with nettles before going out to sea, to help keep them awake through the night… the indigenous peoples of western washington state (where I am now) used nettle leaves, stems, and roots medicinally: a tonic was prepared from any and all of those parts, to reduce the pain and discomfort of rheumatism, colds, headaches and childbirth… the habitat for thriving nettles is deep rich soil and near moisture, frequently shady; sea level to low mountains; extremely abundant in the pacific northwest…. grows throughout most of north america though, I have found nettles in virginia, north carolina, south carolina, tennessee, new hampshire, vermont and maine….. urtica comes from the latin uro, ‘to burn,’ because of the nettle’s stinging hairs, dioica means that the male and female flowers are on separate plants, though in general this is not true of nettles found in the pacific northwest…

offal....

The various parts of a meat animal which are used as food but which are not skeletal muscle. The term literally means “offfall”, or the pieces which fall from a carcass when it is butchered. Originally the word applied principally to the entrails. It now covers insides includingthe heart, liver, and lungs (collectively known as the pluck), all abdominal organs and extremities: tails, feet, and the head including jowls, brains andtongue. In the USA the expression “organ meat” or “variety meat” is used instead… Offal from edible birds and poultry is usually referred to as giblets(nothing beats a good New England giblet gravy on Thanksgiving)… Another archaic English word for insides, especially those of deer, was ‘umbles’, a term which survives in the expression “to eat humble pie”, meaning to be apologetic or submissive…. The taste and texture of offal depends on the particular organ, and on the species and age of animal from which it was harvested from. Generally speaking, offal from young calves is held to be the best, providing large organs of fine flavor and texture (sautéed calves liver and onions- yum)…. Heritage breed lamb offal is also good, but sheep, pig, and ox offal tends to be coarse in flavor and texture….. Although some pig liver is on the sweet side, especially if the liver is from a free foraging pasture raised heritage hog… Offal does not keep well so must either be prepared and cooked quite soon after slaughter or turned into a product which does keep…. The type of offal used in any given culture depends on the favored meat animal, which may in turn depend on religious dietary laws….. Muslim countries use a tremendous amount of lamb offal.…. The Chinese have numerous ways of dealing with organs from their big black pigs….. Offal is a wonderful source of protein, and some organs, notably the liver and kidneys, are very valuable nutritionally….. In most parts of the world, especially the less developed countries, it is valued accordingly. In the English-speaking world, however, the pattern is different. In North America, there has been and still exists a squeamish attitude toward most variety meats. In Britain, where there used to be no qualms about eating offal, overt consumption has declined in the last half of the 20th century, although most offal is in fact still eaten in processed foods where it is not clearly ‘visible’ to the consumer- hot dog anyone......? Squeamish attitudes may be explained on various grounds. Heads and feet remind consumers too directly that the food is of animal origin. Ambivalence about eating certain bits of an animal’s anatomy, such as testicles, is expressed through the use of euphemistic names like swingin’ steaks, fries and rocky mountain oysters to mention a few (dare one eat rocky mountain oysters on the half shell)…..! Some internal offal has surreal shapes and strong flavors, which are not to everyone’s taste. The meat of feet and ears is characterized by textures which are gelatinous and crunchy at the same time, a combination which is generally disliked in the western world, although appreciated in the Orient… I love slaughter time, I make ‘the listener sandwich’- (a crispy pigs ear between two pieces of white peasant bread with a splash of homemade coca cola barbecue sauce)…. A true gastronomic delight out of the two pig ears that generally go to waste…… Roasted snout can be crispy and gelatinous at the same time, leaving ones taste buds and palate in a wonderful place….

buddy cianci..........the prince of providence

Vincent A. "Buddy" Cianci, Jr., the ebullient five-term mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, has spent almost a quarter-century stirring things up in the city I was so proudly born in. Starting with his first squeaker of a victory in 1974, Cianci has kept the pot boiling through several re-elections, a forced resignation, a stint as a local radio talk show host, a triumphant return to office, and now a long run as his revived city's biggest booster. But these days, in addition to politics, Cianci has something else cooking -specifically, the Mayor's Own Marinara Sauce (MOMS). Cianci's adaptation of an old family recipe is a low-cal, no-cholesterol mix of tomatoes and lots of onions blended with garlic, olive oil, pepper, herbs, and carrots- the last, he says, to cut the acidity of the tomatoes. It's a bit thin for fans of chunky sauce (marinara isn't supposed to be chunky, Cianci says), but it's tasty enough to have won Rhode Island Monthly's blind taste test for the state's "best jarred spaghetti sauce." Donna Lee, food editor for the Providence Journal-Bulletin, approvingly calls it "a very light, gently seasoned marinara -- as opposed to the thick, heavy, over spiced sauces that are proliferating on the supermarket shelves and seem to be made with tomato paste instead of real Rhode Island grown tomaters." More impressively, in the two years since it went on the market, MOMS has appeared in the "Today" show, New England Cable News, and USA Today. Bill Clinton, Al Gore, the president of Italy, and the prime minister of Portugal have all taken jars home as souvenirs of Providence visits. Cartier, the posh New York jeweler, wreathed a jar in gems and placed it in the front window of its Fifth Avenue emporium. Making marinara may, in fact, one of the affable Cianci's most popular mayoral acts. Still, when students at Brown University did their own taste test, MOMS fell to supermarket brand Prego. So why all the fuss…..? And more importantly, why is the full-time mayor of a rapidly changing city spending his time mixing up sauce rather than mixing it up with his opponents….? The answer, perhaps, can be found on the label. Next to Hizzoner's beaming face is the official mayoral seal, which according to the Providence city charter can be used for a broad range of non-commercial activities. MOMS fits that definition: 100 percent of the profits from sauce sales goes into the Vincent A. Cianci, Jr. Scholarship Fund and thence into scholarships to high-achieving, college-bound Providence high school students who meet academic criteria, have a family income just beyond the federal government's Pell Grant guidelines, and demonstrate an active interest in their community… Hizzoner started the scholarship fund in 1991, financing it by hosting an annual golf tournament. Then, in 1994, he was preparing for a political event by mixing up a small batch -- only about 150 gallons -- of his pasta sauce recipe. "I always give a little gift away at my events," he explained. "So afterwards I had a few jars left over, and they were sitting on my desk the next day when I held a press conference. The reporters asked about it, they wrote about it, and people started to call asking where they could buy it." It occurred to him that this was one fundraising opportunity that wouldn't end with the golf season. At first it seemed like a joke, but my man Cianci is no novice to the publicity game. After all, he's spent the better part of the Nineties exuberantly and incessantly pushing Providence to lift itself out of the doldrums of class struggle, racial tension, and economic misfortune that plagued it throughout the middle of the century. This is also the same man who was forced to resign from office in 1984 after receiving a suspended prison term for assaulting a man who was allegedly having an affair with Cianci's estranged wife -- then was swept back into office six years later. And in 1996 he was dubbed by Rhode Island Monthly not only "best politician," but also "the Rhode Islander you'd most like to go on a date with." With that kind of background, promoting pasta sauce would seem to be, well, gravy…... So Buddy began by giving MOMS away, asking attendees at fundraisers and public appearances, "Would you like a jar of my sauce?" Then he found a way to get it on the shelves of small local markets. Then he found a distributor who could sell it to large supermarket chains like Stop & Shop. A local pizzeria created the Mayor's Own Pizza, topped with Hizzoner's sauce, as a special promotion during the city's 1996 Italian festival on Federal Hill. And before you could say "pass the parmesan, please," 28-ounce jars of MOMS were selling in mom-and-pop stores all over town, in supermarkets throughout Rhode Island and parts of southern Massachusetts, and even at the Providence airport gift shop……! That’s what I am talking about-Of course, charitable-minded pasta lovers have for several years been able to combine their good taste and their good deeds by buying actor Paul Newman's spaghetti sauce, "Newman's Own," which also contributes all its profits to charity. Competition……? No contest, says the mayor: "Would you rather buy sauce from someone named Newman, or someone named Cianci?" Someone must agree, because MOMS is currently selling at the brisk rate of 2,000 cases, or 24,000 jars, a month, not including sauce sold by the gallon for commercial use and in Providence public schools. The Vincent A. Cianci, Jr. Scholarship Fund is up to almost $500,000, including at least $150,000 in marinara money; 38 students thus far have received scholarships averaging $1,500. The mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts, was inspired to market his own civic-minded spaghetti sauce. And with four new hotels scheduled to break ground in downtown Providence in the near future, Hizzoner has four new restaurants and gift shops to target as potential outlets for that suicide wrist red gravy…. But he has bigger plans yet. After all, sauce isn't something you eat every day. September 1997 saw the introduction of "Mayor's Choice" coffee, a custom blend, buddy hopes will tap into the double-latte-mocha-chino java trend. "That's going to be as big as, if not bigger than, the sauce," he insists. The goal: to build the fund up to the million-dollar mark, enough to give away numerous scholarships without depleting the principal. And what happens when he leaves the mayor's office- a new career in catering, perhaps….? Hizzoner says he'll keep selling the sauce; as a former mayor, he'll have the right to continue using the name "Mayor's Own" as well as the mayoral seal. But, he adds in mock
surprise, "Who would ever think I would leave the Providence mayor's office………..?"

[blogger comment: Buddy Cianci was indicted in April 2001 as part of a federal investigation of Rhode Island politics which was cleverly dubbed "PlunderDome." He was convicted in June 2002 on a single count of racketeering conspiracy, and was sentenced in September 2002 to 64 months in prison, two years of probation, and a $100,000 fine. State law required him to leave office after sentencing. Hizzoner (buddy) has now paid his debt to society, he is again on the radio and enjoying his freedom….. all bullshit aside- we have to give credit where credit is due- and buddy, I can’t thank you enough for what you have done for the city we share……..!]

monsanto.....governmental food supply control

Government control of our food supply is the ultimate step in our enslavement. Barack Obama has moved swiftly, and largely unnoticed by either Congress or the public, to seize authority over the very food we eat. The mechanism for this power grab is legislation that most Congressmen will vote for without reading, as usual, based on the synoptic introduction listing intended improvements. From the HR version: To establish the Food Safety Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services to protect the public health by preventing food-borne illness, ensuring the safety of food, improving research on contaminants leading to food-borne illness, and improving security of food from intentional contamination, and for other purposes. Going through process in the House of Representatives is H.R.875, the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009. Concurrently being rammed through the Senate is S.425, the Food Safety and Tracking Improvement Act. A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for the establishment of a traceability system for food, to amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products Inspections Act, the Egg Products Inspection Act, and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for improved public health and food safety through enhanced enforcement, and for other purposes. That sounds innocuous, doesn’t it? These bills are being coordinated by their sponsors to stifle the debate that would normally occur during the reconciliation of the House and Senate versions: These bills have the legal potential to eliminate organic farming, destroy small family farms, outlaw natural seed banks, and criminalize even backyard vegetable gardens. Their overt intention, although nobody is noticing, is to force all of the American people into a more costly diet entirely composed of genetically modified plants and animals. How will this work? The genetically modified seeds are patented, so farmers who purchase seed from Monsanto are not allowed to save seed from one year’s crop to sow the next year. If they do, they will be sued out of business by the agri-giant. So once they get on the treadmill, they are forced to purchase every year from Monsanto. (Monsanto has even routinely sued farmers who didn’t want their seeds, whose fields were contaminated by Monsanto seeds blown from neighboring farms.) This could be a moot point, as the hybrids often produce sterile seed. In fact, there is a danger that eventually the world’s grain crop could become totally sterile, destroying life on earth as we know it, since even the animals that we eat feed on the grains. Whether deliberately or through their native ineptitude Congress permitted the American people to be softened up to accept this restrictive legislation. Fear for public safety was induced by recent crises from Chinese (April, 2007) and Mexican (July, 2008) food imports, among many others. Such events could be almost entirely prevented by adequate enforcement of existing laws and honest effort by responsible government agencies. But instead of correcting the failed existing system, the Obama administration will use these shortfalls as an excuse to pass even more legislation, and in the process, prevent Americans from providing for their own sustenance. Worse, after claiming freedom from the influence of lobbyists, Obama is doing this at the behest of agricultural giant Monsanto, among others. One of his campaign advisors was Stanford University plant biologist Sharon Long, a director at Monsanto. Obama appointed former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, so close to Monsanto that he often travelled in their corporate jet, as Secretary of Agriculture. Most egregious, Obama’s reputed choice to head the new “Food Police” agency that will be created by this legislation is Michael Taylor, who joined Monsanto as Vice President for Public Policy in 1998. Monsanto, you will recall, was one of the companies that produced Agent Orange, the herbicide used to defoliate the forest cover in Vietnam which was linked to veterans’ diseases. They also acquired the subsidiary that made the artificial sweetener Aspartame, linked to many reports of health problems because it breaks down into formaldehyde (embalming fluid) in the human body. On the European Common Market, Aspartame is banned for all children’s products. Why is this not the case in Canada and the U.S.? Because Monsanto – which owns the NutraSweet Company which manufactures Aspartame – pays off the FDA, the American Medical Association, The American Dietetic and Diabetic Associations, Congressmen and Senators and virtually anyone who gets in the way, and in other countries too. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation caught them red handed and aired a program where Monsanto was trying to bribe Canadian Doctors at Health Canada. From 1930 until they were banned in 1977 Monsanto was the sole American producer/marketer of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), persistent organic pollutants which bio-accumulate in animals. Won’t a Monsanto minion make a great leader for the Obama food police? The rest of the world already resents being forced to use genetically modified seed from the United States, 90% of which is from Monsanto... There may be some unintended consequences for Barack Obama in these choices. His support is highly polarized — he has little among republicans and conservatives. And democrats and liberals are generally the ones who favor organic food and care deeply about the environment, so this goes against his political base. And, oh yes, Michelle and the girls just planted an organic garden on the White House grounds, amid much fanfare about promoting healthy choices. We wonder how that squares with her husband cozying up to Monsanto..................? keep your hands off of my food...... you have done enough damage .....!

razor clams.........................(siliqua patula)

although the pacific razor clam is found from california to alaska, only a handful of beaches have populations large enough to sustain commercial harvesting of this unique, sweet tasting clam... fortunately, the remote ocean beaches of the pristine olympic peninsula in washington state are ideal razor clam habitat, which gives the quinault indian nation exclusive commercial access to the largest single razor clam resource on the pacific coast... of all the razor clams harvested commercially, quinault razor clams are the most prized for their large size and succulently sweet white meat... razors live near the surf line, which means they can only be harvested at extremely low tides..... diggin' for these bivalves is a blast.... consuming them is even better.......! if harvesting yourself, check the local fish police to see if the clams are high in domoic acid (a marine toxin)... in the kitchen they are commonly dredged in flour, dipped in local buttermilk and pressed into panko to yield a crispy exterior and slightly chewy inside... we also fry 'em up and situate them or one big ass clam on a toasted bulky roll with lettuce, thick cut tomato, american cheese and green tabasco mayo..... ahhh- the razor clam......!

cooking heritage breed turkey

how to cook a heritage breed turkey this thanksgiving

1- go to a farm and purchase a heritage breed turkey 2- take a drink of some american made whisky 3- put the turkey in the oven 4- take another two drinks of whisky 5- set the degrees at 375 oven 6- take three more whiskys of a drink 7- turn oven the on 8- take four whisks of drinky 9- turk the bastey 10- whisky another bottle of get 11- stick a turkey in the thermometer 12- glass yourself a pour of whisky 13- bake the whisky for four hours 14- take the oven out of the turkey 15- take the oven out of the turkey 16- floor the turkey up off the pick 17- turk the carvey 18- get yourself another scottle of botch 19- tet the sable and pour yourself a glass of turkey 20- bless the saying, pass and eat out happy thanksgiving

virginia wine on film.......

the virginia wine industry's rise from humble beginnings and the tale of the creation of the states 2008 vintage is told by this engaging new documentary- VINTAGE: The Winemaker's Year... the players and places of the Monticello (ava) wine region in central virginia serve as main characters, filling the screen with bucolic landscapes, beautiful wineries and a range of european and american accents to tell this captivating story... produced by the oenophiles at silverthorn films out of charlottesville, VINTAGE: the winemaker's year examines the factors that make virginia unique among the wine-producing regions and AVA's of the united states..... for all that are interested in the history of winemaking in this country the film explores why, 200 years after Thomas Jefferson's failure to cultivate grapes at Monticello, the region is finally flourishing as a producer of quality wines... This documentary will also shows how virginia is an advancing player in the boutique wine industry, gaining national attention and attracting top winemakers, enthusiasts and professional chefs alike.... the allure of c-ville and the surrounding wine country is easy to understand in this fascinating film- the soil, the climate, the landscape and the local culture scene make winemaking an appealing pursuit... this documentary is available at: SILVERTHORN FILMS- 313 2nd street south east, c-ville, va 22902 for $19.95 + $4.95 SH..... and remember- in virginia, every vintage has a story......

what is local............?

when dining in some of america's favorite 'local foods driven' neighborhood restaurants one has to ask themselves- what determines that a specific product utilized in the kitchen by your favorite chef IS truly local............ who draws the parameters, and how do we keep the moral 'FOOD POLICE' active and how do we sleep at night knowing that some of the bragged about products on that favorite menu of yours are not local......... is 400 miles away local......? local cannot mean that a product was shipped in from over 400 miles away..... the carbon footprint on this product alone creates a conflict....... chefs and food purveyors in general usually practice local product procurement on the products that make sense geographically..... if your favorite neighborhood eatery boasts how LOCALLY driven they and their menu are- then offers up lamb from new zealand, how are you going to react at the chef's choice to bring in that lamb from over 3000 miles away to put it on your plate....... (the question is- do you even care) I would prefer to purchase the above mentioned lamb from a family run farm down the road that has adopted careful animal husbandry, rotational pasture grazing and other sustainable measures that will assure a low impact on the environment, put money directly into the community and allows me to travel to THE FARM to see with my own eyes that all of these standards have been met...... lobster from the cold coastal waters of maine are not local when served in the foothills of northern virginia...... do we consciously think of these facts before making that food purchase.....? prior to rapid mass transit, refrigerated cargo containers and factory farming the family meal plan and dinner choices were natural.......... you ate what grew in your region- hence no okra in vermont...... it just did not grow there....... but okra flourished south of the mason-dixon....... and come to think about it- there are no cranberry bogs in arkansas either....... as a professional chef I respects everyones efforts in the kitchen, and hell even I bend a little...... I have put sustainably harvested american (texas) shrimp on my menu from time to time...... and yes I am currently operating a 'local foods driven' kitchen in the piedmont........ but more over- I purchase 99% non industrial, sustainably raised, certified humanely dispatched meats (from blue ridge meats), as well as tons of local fruits, berries, nuts and tubers grown in rappahannock county to compile my weekly changing menus..... virginia has some true culinary treasures whether fermented, farmed, foraged or grown..................... traveling the hiways and biways of america you pass over 100 restaurants that offer crab cakes.......... is this right.......have you given it much thought...........!

virginia grape juice.........

with over 190 wineries, virginia is showing promising strides in the oenophile world....... meeting and dealing with virginia winemakers, vineyard managers, tony kornhieser's official champagne guy and legendary virginia winemakers like mike bowles and gabrielle rausse has brought me closer to the vine here in historic virginia..... I have become a devout virginia norton apprercia-nado and have also become a true fan of virginia viognier, cab franc and meritage..... most of these vineyards fall in the monticello AVA (an american viticultural area) situated in the central piedmont region of the state.... this area is nestled along the eastern slopes of the blue ridge mountains and encompasses the small ridge known as southwest mountain..... it is historic in that it is home to thomas jefferson's monticello, where he spent years trying to grow european grape varieties.... there are currently 198 AVA's in the united states, and a total of 6 are here in virginia..... there are 191 registered 'farm wineries' in virginia, I have well over 130 left to visit.... the winemakers make it easy to want to taste their juice, they like to compare the climate here to that of bordeaux, with humidity and the potential for rain (and even hurricanes) at harvest.... making each vintage an adventure for the palette, as a result the wines tend toward an old-world balance that emphasises acidity and freshness rather than big, bold cali-style ripeness..... here are some of the virginia grape juice producers that I have tasted over the years and more specifically over the past few months- while this blogspot sat blank and motionless...... gray ghost . albemarle cider works . barrel oak winery . horton . chester gap cellars . chrysalis vineyards . gadino cellars . foggy ridge cider . ducard vineyard . jefferson vineyard . narmada winery . prince michel . rappahannock cellars . the now defunct oasis winery (fricken white house crashers) . unicorn winery . veritas winery . williamsburg winery . thibaut-jannison . gabrielle rausse (the god father of va wine) . boxwood . barboursville . kluge estate (not even $100 million can keep a good thing going good luck to the trump family) . montdomaine (mike is the pioneer who applied for the monticello AVA many years ago) . blenhiem vineyards . hume vineyards . keswick vineyards . pearmund cellars . phillip carter winery . sharp rock vineyard..........

organic products.........

non pesticide foods are definitely more safe for human consumption, you would be a fool to think otherwise, and washing DOES NOTHING for many foods.... did you know that lettuce is one of the food worlds worst...... every single leaf is saturated with the pesticides generally used.....! these chemicals creep in from the root system, and are in every leaf...... organic food is NOT a huge expense, depending on the food...... this country, and even this world is a bit backwards- just think, people spend 30 bucks on fake nails filled with chemicals...... they spend 60 bucks plus on hair cuts and dyes, but they don't give a damn what goes into their own body, they don't want to spend 1 to 3 dollars 'extra' on a bag of ORGANIC fruits and veggies........ -wow- if you are watching every single penny, as most of us are these days, watch the sales, contact the maker of your favorite foods and most will sent you coupons (printed on paper)...... or you can cut out something in your life, way less important than the food that goes into your mouth (aka- gaping pie hole)..........! quite frankly, the word ORGANIC does not mean pesticide free.... there are hundreds of articles about it, just do some research. the word ORGANIC just means it does not use the traditional pesticides..... for the most part, ORGANIC pesticides are worse than if they were injecting the stuff with plutonium.... copper sulfide is the pesticide of choice for organic farmers and growers..... and we should all know how highly TOXIC it is, and unlike DDT and other insecticides it becomes part of the soil, so no matter what- it becomes part of the food..... and that CAN NOT BE WASHED OFF........!

esopus spitzenberg........(malus domestica)

one of the great american apple varieties, thomas jefferson's favorite...... he planted over 18 esopus trees at monticello many years ago..... noted for its spicy flavor, and for its susceptibility to any and all diseases afflicting apples.... this highly respected american antique apple is named after the settlement of ESOPUS, ulster county, new york, where it was found towards the end of the 18th century..... it was widely planted in the US in the 19th century and utilized for both dessert and culinary applications, but subsequently fell out of fashion although it remains a popular heirloom variety for gardeners and trees are available from many US nurseries...... the apples have an excellent flavor complexity, which improves with storage, making this a great keeper...... while american apple enthusiasts often seek out european (and especially english) antique varieties, there is unfortunately little if any interest in AMERICAN HEIRLOOM varieties..... it is apparent that american and european tastes in apples are quite different, with europeans apparently preferring slightly more complex flavors...... however, if there was ever an AMERICAN ANTIQUE variety that should appeal to european tastes, it must be the ESOPUS SPITZENBERG..........! the flavor is truly aromatic and matches the complexity of the aromatic english apples...... the flesh is very buttery dense yellow, and there is a rich sharpness which is often characteristic of high quality heirloom and antique dessert apples..... eating an ESOPUS is a thoroughly enjoyable experience...... in terms of supermarket varieties, the closest match is probably the JAZZ, which also has similar dense flesh and rich sharp flavors...... having been able to enjoy the ESOPUS SPITZENBERG many times over, whether in one of our ANTIQUE APPLE SYMPOSIUMS through THE NEW ENGLAND FARM 2 FORK PROJECT or by finding a single tree at an antique apple orchard this apple is still by far my favorite AMERICAN ANTIQUE APPLE.......... hands down

rachel ray lost 44lbs...........!!!

dogged by a growing image problem (fat ass americans) that has linked HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP with everything from obesity to diabetes, the corn refiners association has come up with a smart solution- (or a sly and sneaky one, depending on your point of view): change the name..... according to the Associated Press, the CRA is applying to the federal government to approve 'corn sugar' as an alternative name on our food labels...... it seems HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP is a victim of its own success.... developed in the 1970's as a cheaper alternative to cane sugar, it quickly found its way into EVERYTHING from soda pop to bread..... but as the rates of obesity and diabetes in america climbed, the ubiquitous sweetener (known as the dietary devil) came to symbolize all that was wrong with the average americans diet..... consumers started avoiding it like the plague, no doubt in part because the name just sounded- well too damn industrialized.....! after all, my deep-rooted italian mom or grandma never reached for the HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP to make any of their homemade breads, desserts or condiments...... even some conglomerate manufacturers started removing it from their products: gatorade, snapple, hunts and coca cola jumped on the bandwagon.... the CRA is crying unfair and a foul.................... they have now launched a slick new website that welcomes readers with a picture of a pleasant photo of a corn maze and the question- '.......confused about what you're hearing about HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP......? but we in the food world already know: whether it is called corn sugar or HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, it is sugar and its make up is like practically every other sugar out there........ white (death) sugar, brown sugar, sucrose, honey, and even maple sugar are all roughly the same mixture of simple sugars called glucose and fructose....... given the fact that the american diet is already toooo damn sweet, we as american consumers with mounting health issues should be consuming less and less sugar in any of its molecular forms..... but hey- rachel ray lost 44lbs....

piss off...................wee-wee whisky

the whisky world has been chattering like mad about designer and researcher james gilpin's student project......... showcased at london's royal college of art's show 2o1o...... design interactions....... which turns the sugar rich urine (yes I said piss) of diabetics into high-end single malt whisky....... yes I said piss....! the inspiration for GILPIN FAMILY WHISKY came from his own life as a type 1 diabetic..... his type 2 diabetic grandmother was his first candidate or shall we say-piss donor..... his projects states, '.....old people's urine becomes an exportable whisky of high economic value..........' large amounts of sugar are excreted on a daily basis by type 2 diabetic patients, especially among older people, gilpin also thinks that we should start to consider using that sugar creatively........ (piss flavored whisky..........roll in your grave gentleman jack- roll in your grave) gilpin cleans the urine using water purification techniques, seperating out the sugars that are present.... this sugar is added to a cooked grain mixture where it accelerates the fermentation process..... (yeast eats sugar, and alcohol is the byproduct) he then distills a clear whisky, then adds other whisky blends for color and taste........ taste...! what can whisky made of piss taste like.....? dont worry all of you artisan whisky and whiskey makers, this is NOT a commercial venture- it is strictly an exhibit intended to spark debate and to serve as an educational tool........

Route 11 Potato Chips.............VA

Route 11 Potato Chips originally started in an old feed store in Middletown, VA. situated near the center of the Shenandoah Valley, they have up rooted and are now in a state-of-the-art chipping facility in Mount Jackson, VA....! (just down da road) Fry-viewing opportunities abound as do kick-ass chips for sampling and purchasing.... Route 11 is famous for its delicious, old style kettle-cooked tater chips with all natural flavor enhancements..... Everything they make is hand-cooked... Although it is very labor intensive compared to the continuous frying methods of the big boys..... Ah- the pleasures of the Shenandoah Valley- Apple Blossoms, Bucolic Farms and tater chips..... You will find yourself lining up like a pilgrim at a shrine to enjoy these hip chips..... Just think- Chef Jose Andres uses these chips to make his world famous 'DC' potato chip omelet..... On our visit the chippery was pumping out hand-dusted Barbecue Chips... Some are little ovals of locally grown potatoes with burnished edges and slight undulations.... Others are tater plateaus, doubling back on themselves like some coral formation containing nubby caverns of perfectly fried tubers..... The retro packaging sports eye catching appeal and the crispy nuggets of tater-ness contained inside are truly hip chips..... Lightly Salted . BBQ . Dill Pickle . Sour Cream & Chive . Chesapeake Crab . Salt-n-Vinegar . Garlic & Herb . Sweet Potato . Mixed Vegetable . Tabard Farm Yukon Gold . Mama Zumas . Habenero & Eastern Shore Hayman are the sinfully delicious specimens... Oh- did I forget to mention that Sarah (da chip queen) is also committed to the environment..... All tater chip peelings and chip rejects are fed to cows 1/2 mile down the road..... The fry oil is reused by another local company to roast their horse feed.... They also reclaim the steam from the fryers (taters are 75% H20) to help heat the facility kitchen..... crunch on with your GREEN selves route 11...... Come get your tater chip fix.... www.rt11.com sales@rt11.com 800.294.spud

maine lobster.............a rare calico bug

a rare calico lobster is on display at the Portland Lobster Company on commercial street in the old port of portland, maine's busy fishing community... the creature is sporting a mottled orange and black shell rather than the usual deep green and red shell that is so common to humerus americanus... this bug was caught by larry and crystal dunne, who have been harvesting maine bugs for years off the coast... the saco couple pulled up this calico bug on august 25th, 2o1o off the tip of cape elizabeth while aboard their boat, the bushwhacker... the Portland Lobster Company is 'boarding' the calico crustacean until the Dunne's can find it a new home- or a pot of boiling salted water.....! calico lobsters are one of the rarest of multicolored lobsters in the sea... a blue bug is one in a million and a yellow or orange bug is one in thirty million, reports a lobster scientist from The Lobster Conservancy... calico's are rare, only albino's are rarer, just how rare is anyones guest... discolored shells are a genetic trait... in twenty-five years The Lobster Conservancy has only had two or three calicoes reported by local lobstermen... the maine state aquarium in west boothbay has a tank full of unusual 'bugs'... some are half multi-colored and the half is normal... the bugs have been donated by local lobstermen who believe strongly that it is GOOD luck to catch a mis-colored bug, but BAD luck to eat one.....! the Dunne's have been working their way through the entire lobster color spectrum... her husband has caught both blue and yellow specimens in the past few years... finding a permanent homestead for this calico creature may be harder than usual this summer though, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute in portland has had so many donations, including an awesome albino this season that it has run out of room... no one knows why so many off-colored 'bugs' are showing up off the coast of maine this year... this is an unusual summer- so draw some local creamery butter, cook some native sweet corn-on-the-cob, make a classic wild maine 'low-bush' blueberry pie and cook that calico bastard then get crackin'..........! ( check out maine buggin' a documentary about the maine lobster industry )

geno's.......whiz wit........and andrew zimmern

driving from providence, rhode island to south philly with the ever-so consuming thought of geno's philly cheese-steak (whiz wit, please) burned into our brain and tattooed into the deep recesses of our palate..... we forge on- chewing up asphalt we hit the five hour mark and are now within striking distance of GENO'S........ (it's 6:35pm) as we pull up to the intersection of 1237 passyunk ave and 1219 south 9th street (pat's king of steaks and geno's steaks) I noticed a large group of what seems to be men in extravagant feathered costumes playing an oompah tune and dancing in the street.... a very busy street that just happens to be ground zero for the philly cheesesteak wars (move over nicky scarfo)...... as we approach the epicenter I look over to my left and notice none-other than ANDREW 'fucken' Zimmern (that's not his real middle name)...............!!! andrew zimmern, the man all of us culinarians look to when it comes to consuming the nastiest, smelliest most off the damn wall foods on the planet (quickly remembering the house of stink in asia somewhere)........ this dude is a freak of nature, a true foodies foodie and one of heather's favorite food-world stars.... and it just happened to be his birthday..... at the intersection of cheese whiz, shaved steak, maybe onions and a pillow-soft roll (baked in jersey of course) we met food writer, tv celeb, chef, author, teacher and the consumer of all thangs stanky..... this seemed to dwarf the whole reason we were there in philly..... geno's whiz wit...... andrew is regarded as one of the most versatile and knowledgeable personalities in the food world..... host of travel channel's hit series- BIZZARE FOODS, andrew travels the world exploring food in its own terroir- wherever and however it is found..... from restaurants to jungle markets, it's all about discovering the authentic experience...... the geno's cheesesteak whiz wit was still as we remember it- SCRUMPTDILLIOUS....!!! hit the road with andrew zimmern in search of america's best curbside cuisine..... be sure to check out APPETITEFORLIFE.MSN.COM to see '...appetite for life- curbside cuisine...' in its many american culinary locations....... and remember we traveled a total of almost 500 miles and nearly 6 hours in the car to get a geno's steak....... whiz wit.... as we walk the short distance back to the overstuffed automobile we over hear 3 asians kids discussing the differences between the 2 leaders in philly cheesesteakdom.... they seem to prefer PAT'S KING OF STEAKS because there is less neon and glitz..... but is the steak sandwich better at PAT'S....? we have not been able to give it much thought after consuming the much anticipated steak at GENO's...........!!! my mouth waters for our next visit

shaker's, of the remaining few.......brother arnold hadd

a bearded and very intense man, brother arnold hadd is one of the few (3) remaining shakers in the world and he is also the acting spokesman for '...the remaining few...'.....! he is the managing urban steward of the shakers remaining 1800 acres.... here is a look into the daily life at the protestant manastic sect's hilltop village in southern maine.... being one of three remaining shaker chefs this chance meeting and conversation meant the world to me.....! brother arnold's daily chores may consist of raising, drying, packaging and selling shaker medicinal & heirloom culinary herbs . caring for the pasture raised sheep (30+), highland cattle (9), and 3 pigs . tending the 1900 antique apple trees in the sabbathday shaker orchard . maintaining the farm equipment and historic village buildings that date back to 1760.... brother arnold chose raising highland cattle as part of the community's heritage 'grass-fed' beef program........ he says '.....these heritage breed cattle have retained their instincts, they are easy calvers, great mothers, tremendous foragers and grow well on the sabbathday lake shaker villages less than ideal pastures...... brother arnold raves on about the cattle saying '...queen elizabeth II maintains a herd of 400+ highland cattle and if you are invited to her balmoral castle, that is what will be on your plate... caught '...out in the world...' brother arnold is picking pears (mighty early) from an heirloom tree planted over a century ago in the center of 'the least of the mother's beast in the east'... sabbathday lake shaker village... I approached and asked him if he were one of the remaining few........ he said "I am"....! we immediately went deep into conversation about the pears, my connection to the shaker community, being one of three shaker chefs in the country and his daily life and eating habits at the modern day village... for a devout foodie this meeting will be remembered for many years... live long - live strong brother arnold hadd, you are forever in my thoughts.

sustainable single-estate peppercorns

we take the black peppercorns on our counter for granted... but this pantry staple was once so deeply coveted that the king of europe launched voyages (including the one that led columbus to america)to find better trade routes to india with an eye toward controlling the crop... in the middle ages, rent could be paid in peppercorns instead of cash... (my landlords always like benjamins) when the visigoths held rome ransom, they demanded gold, silver- and 3000lbs. of peppercorns.....! beyond its heat and sharp bite, black pepper also enhances our ability to taste food, stimulating our salivary glands so we experience flavors more fully... this sensational effect only comes from freshly ground pepper... once the hard, black shell of the peppercorn is cracked open, its aroma immediately starts to fade, and most of its flavor and scent disappear within a half hour... replacing your pepper shaker with a good pepper mill is one of the simplest way to enhance your everyday cooking... parameswaran's special wynad estate peppercorns ($30 for 200gr / 7oz) unlike most black pepper, which comes from multiple plantations, this organic, hand picked black peppercorn is grown on one estate on the wynad plateau in kerala, india... using only sustainable, fair trade black pepper cultivation to produce these black pearls of heat has proven worth it for chefs and old-school diners that still love to pile down steak a'poivre......! being that we should be conscious about all of the products that line our kitchen shelves, chefs and home cooks alike never take the time to think about the daily ingredients that have had an effect on the worlds markets and food supplies... this pepper is a blend of two varieties of black pepper- karimunda and panniyur which are grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers... the peppercorn berries are allowed to ripen to maximum size and flavor, then picked by hand and sun-dried... even more important these bad-boys are vacuum-packed on the estate to preserve freshness and flavor to avoid the typical ills of transport... this peppercorn berry sports a rich, deeply complex, beautifully floral, with a ripe, floral, lavender-like warmth... flavor that is earthy and smooth with moderate heat that builds gradually, but not ferociously......! the most commonly utilized in the kitchens of america is the tellicherry peppercorn and is still considered to be the world's finest pepper... named after a port town in the state of kerala on india's malabar coast... do a quick bit of research on the most mundane of products in your kitchen and you will be surprised to learn more about them and their checkered past.....!

windows on the world.................rip (79)

the north tower had a restaurant on its 106th & 107th floors called WINDOWS ON THE WORLD, which opened on april 20th 1976 (the day my son zander was born, just 33yrs later).... the restaurant was developed by Joe Baum at a cost of more than $17million... aside from the main restaurant, two sister foodservice facilities were located at the top of the North Tower... there was also a premier wine school ran by OG oenophile kevin zraly... in the year two thousand, its last full year in operation, Windows on the World reported revenues of $37million, making it the highest-grossing restaurant in the US... new york has many bars and restaurants with views of the city. Windows was something else, a restaurant that seemed to be suspended between earth and the heavens above... for this is where all 79 of our departed foodservice brothers & sisters are peacefully resting...... from 107 stories, the views extended for over 90 miles on a clear day..... the windows were something else themselves. they ran from floor to ceiling and thoroughly intensified the giddy sensation of soaring over the island of manhattan... diners lusted after the tables alongside these windows, and the made men of the city enjoyed them nightly do to WHOM they were (RIP- J. Gotti)......! these tables offered the ultimate NYC experience, sitting high atop the world's tallest, most powerful city, a-number 1, top of the heap... it may merely be a footnote to a national calamity, but the collapse of the WORLD TRADE CENTER'S two 110 story towers ended an era in NYC dining........! the two restaurants and bar on the 106th & 107th floors of 1 World Trade Center- Window's on the World, the Greatest Bar on Earth and Wild Blue- employed over 450 people.... seventy-nine were on duty Sept. 11th..... some were doing prep work for the evening, others were serving the 500 people at a corporate breakfast... all are still missing... Window's on the World, originally attacked as elitist- it was a private club by day and evolved in to the most talked about white tablecloth establishment by night.....! the restaurant was never cheap, but it wasn't intimidating either... the Greatest Bar on Earth was alittle loud and wild, especially on Thursday nights.... Wild Blue, by contrast was one of the most charming & romantic restaurant in NYC, a 60 seat cozy cocoon in the sky.......... and then in a blink of an eye it all disappeared............! he departs from this earth like an arrow... although he has not chosen his fate, he appears to have, in his last instants of life, embraced it... if he were not falling, he might very well be flying... he appears relaxed hurling through the air... he appears comfortable in the grip of unimaginable motion... he doesn't even appear intimidated by gravity's divine suction or by what awaits him......! some people look at this photo see stoicism, willpower, a portrait of resignation; others see something else- something discordant and therefore terrible: FREEDOM.....! there is something almost rebellious in the mans posture, as though once faced with the inevitability of death, he decided to get on with it; as though he were a missile, a spear, bent on attaining his own end..... he is, fifteen seconds past 9:41a.m. EST, the moment the photo is taken, in the clutches of pure physics, accelerating at a rate of thirty-two feet per second squared... he will soon be traveling at upwards of 150 miles an hour, and he is upside down... seeing that this man is wearing a kitchen workers uniform- our praise and prayers are with him, (the other 78 WOTW employees) and ALL 9-11 victims that we lost this day nine years ago........ RIP.......................you are not forgotten