Sweet. Bitter. Tart.

'r' is for russian rye bread

2011-11-29T19:04:00.000-06:00

All sorrows are less with bread. ~ Miguel de Cervantes

As you know from a past post, dear readers, there are few things I love more than bread. So imagine my delight when I happened upon a new bakery offering complimentary bread samples at our local farmer's market. After just one bite I was completely smitten. Dark, dense, aromatic and flavorful, it was like no other bread I had ever tasted. Naturally, I wanted to know everything about this bread and its baker.

Meet Alex Roginsky-Podlyas, proprietor of Alex's Russian Bakery and baker of wonderful Russian rye breads. Born in the Ukraine, Alex came to the United States with his family when he was 14 years old. He always enjoyed cooking with his mother, and while in high school, he worked as an interim chef for a small Japanese restaurant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in Political Science and Law Studies. "I had no clue what I wanted to do when I 'grew up'," said Alex. "I knew I loved all things food, but I also knew that line of work was grossly underpaid. Serving up teriyaki skewers and tempura shrimp was not going to make me wealthy."

So he set out to conquer the world of finance. He held various jobs in financial sales and retail banking, eventually moving to Jacksonville, Florida, to accept a position with a Wall Street bank. He was very successful - so much so that he traveled to India to train recent university graduates to work on the bank's systems. "I was the go-to guy for all of the 'important guys' in our Wall Street office and was the ace who either knew answers or could find answers to everything very quickly," he explained. But alas, one year when it came time for his annual performance review and potential bonus, he received surprisingly low marks. Alex was confused. "I thought I was being read another person's performance review," he said. Politics, favoritism or some other corporate wheels were evidently in motion and, as far as Alex was concerned, the writing was on the wall as it related to his future with the bank.

His disillusionment with his financial position led him back to his first love - food. After considering his options, he decided to work with sourdough bread. "I thought my fellow Russian peers would love my bread," he said, "and given there are not many options for Russian bread in the United States, I thought my business would do well."

Alex is focused on producing both sourdough rye and wheat breads, using only natural yeasts. He explained that sourdough breads do not necessarily have to be 'sour' (his breads are not) and likened the skill involved in managing the yeast in bread baking to that in beer brewing; the yeast is what gives flavor to both. The art is in creating the perfect balance.

Perfecting that balance, however, was no simple task. "I must have had 200 trials and failures before my bread looked and tasted like the real thing; like it was made in a real, old-fashioned, countryside bakery in some obscure location in Latvia," he said. And although I have never been to a real, old-fashioned, countryside bakery in an obscure Latvian location, I would bet real serious money the bread there would taste just like Alex's. "I researched scientific journals of modern times for months to understand what Latvians figured out a few centuries ago without modern science - scalding flour with boiling water and 'sweetening' dough through a slow multi-step fermentation produces bread that is both nutritious and delicious (read more about it here). Modern science proves rye bread is the healthiest bread," he says. Healthy, and hearty - one (albeit very large) loaf can weigh almost 20 pounds!

My favorite among the breads he produces is the dark and spicy Borodinsky, which is beyond delicious. Did you know that the village of Borodino was the site of a decisive battle between the Russian army and Napoleon in 1812? It's true! Legend has it that on the eve of the clash, the wife of a Russian general wanted to bake some special bread to fortify and encourage the soldiers. She seasoned the bread with coriander, a beloved local spice. Napoleon subsequently lost thousands of troops in the battle, and Borodinsky acquired its heroic status among Russian breads. Officials at the Museum of Bread (yes, there is such a thing) in St. Petersburg dispute the relationship of Borodinsky and the Battle of Borodino, but...it's a good story nonetheless, no?

Alex is passionate about producing a pure and authentic product. "I believe we've been living in an era of decreasing knowledge about bread and nutrition in general. My bread contains six ingredients or less. They are the most basic ingredients - water, flour, salt, roasted barley, sugar or molasses, spices. This is as fundamental as fire, wind, earth, water," he says. It seems that Alex has at long last found the real wealth he was seeking, and we are fortunate he has chosen to share it with us.

You can find Alex most Saturdays at the Riverside Arts Market, and he has plans for a brick-and-mortar location on Edgewood Avenue in the heart of Murray Hill. Hooray! In the meantime, you can follow and support his delicious journey via his Facebook page.

'q' is for quinoa

2011-10-06T17:12:00.002-05:00

Quinoa - pronounced 'keen-wa' - is a member of the Goosefoot family, which includes plants like sugar beets, swiss chard, spinach, and the nomadic tumbleweed. Quinoa has been cultivated high in the South American Andes for thousands of years. The ancient Incas considered it sacred and coined it 'the mother grain' because of its hardy nature and nutritional benefits. Unfortunately, the Spanish conquistadors were unkind to quinoa and its production was banned for many years because of its association with non-Christian ceremonies. But it remained beloved by the Incas, and modern-day eaters are finding lots to love about it as well. You can read a detailed account of its history and the history of The Quinoa Corporation (makers of the fine product pictured above) here.

Quinoa is not actually a grain, but a very small seed, which is wrapped around the middle by a thin band. The seeds are coated in naponin, a resiny substance that's very bitter and forms a soapy solution in water. The naponin must be removed from the quinoa before it is consumed. Most producers will have already done this for you, but some suggest a quick rinse before cooking. Quinoa is prepared in a manner similar to rice by combining it with water, bringing it to a boil, and allowing it to simmer until the water is absorbed. As the seed cooks and puffs, the band around its middle separates a bit, which provides the softly textured, slightly nutty taste of quinoa with an ever-so-delicate little crunch. Few foods pack the nutritional punch of quinoa, which is loaded with protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Quinoa is yummy in salads, casseroles, pilafs or stuffings, but my favorite way to prepare it was adapted from Heidi Swanson's recipe in her cookbook Super Natural Every Day, which is seriously one of the most wonderful cookbooks in the history of ever.

Quinoa Patties on Arugula With Goat Cheese and Vinaigrette
Adapted from the recipe for Little Quinoa Patties, Super Natural Every Day

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
4 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. hot red pepper flakes, more or less to taste
1/3 C. chopped chives
1 yellow onion
1/2 C. grated Gruyere cheese
4 cloves garlic, smashed and finely chopped
1 C. fine bread crumbs, more if need be
Water, if need be
2 Tbls extra-virgin olive oil
Goat cheese, crumbled for scattering atop the patties
Fresh arugula for salad base
1/2 C. chopped scallions
Your favorite vinaigrette

Preparation:

Combine the quinoa, eggs, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the pepper flakes, chives, onions and garlic. Add the bread crumbs, stir and let the mixture sit for a minute or two to allow the crumbs to absorb some of the moisture. If you need more moisture, add a bit of water. If you need less, add a bit more bread crumbs, but it's better to err on the side of moist than dry. Your mixture is now ready to form into patties. I like them about 3 inches wide and 1 inch tall.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium low heat. Add the patties, with enough breathing room around them. Cover and cook gently for 7-10 minutes until the bottoms are a crusty, deep golden brown. Carefully turn the patties over and cook, for an additional 7 minutes or until golden. I usually keep them covered for a bit, then uncover them during this phase. Sometimes the second side cooks quite a bit faster than the first side, so keep your eyes on them, or lower the heat a tad if necessary. When done, place on a wire rack to keep them crisp.

Next, divide the arugula among plates - this recipe usually makes at least 2 patties each for 4 people - top with the patties, crumble liberal amounts of goat cheese over them, toss some chopped scallions about, and drizzle with your favorite vinaigrette. They are so delicious! This recipe is also great because you can make the mixture or the patties ahead of time and store in the fridge for a day or so.

And now, for what may be one of the most arresting things you will ever witness as it relates to the preparation of this delectable little seed, I give you this two-part dose of awsomeness here and here. You're welcome.

'p' is for port fonda

2011-08-25T19:22:00.000-05:00

bueno.

'o' is for oyster

2011-06-11T12:59:00.000-05:00

Six of my favorite things in life come together in this delicious recipe. There is nothing as good as the salty shock of freshness from the sea, the tang of vinegar and shallot, and the sweet fizz of Prosecco in one tasty bite. The only thing better would be the salty shock of freshness from the sea, the tang of vinegar and shallot, and the sweet fizz of Prosecco in one tasty bite, which you eat while clad in Lanvin, riding a magic unicorn throughout Italy with your One True Love. Other than that, no.

Oysters With Prosecco Mignonette

Ingredients

2 tablespoons champagne vinegar

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons Prosecco

12 freshly shucked oysters on the half shell

Instructions

Place the vinegar, shallots, salt and pepper into a small, nonreactive bowl and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to sit for at least 15 minutes so flavors can meld. Just before serving, add the Prosecco. Spoon the mignonette over the oysters and serve. Drink remaining Prosecco. : )

Recipe adapted from Chow.com

'n' is for newberg

2011-02-06T10:06:00.010-06:00

A woman should never be seen eating or drinking unless it be lobster salad or champagne, the only true feminine and becoming viands. ~ Lord Byron

Fortunately we are no longer living in the time of Lord Byron, but when left to my own devices, I will freely choose lobster and champagne as often as possible! Especially Lobster Newberg, which is a dreamy concoction of lobster, cream, butter, eggs, cognac, sherry, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Can you think of anything more decadent or delicious? The dish was created at Delmonico's in New York City, which was America's first fine dining establishment and the birthplace of many an iconic dish including Delmonico Steak, Baked Alaska and Eggs Benedict, another one of my favorite things in all the world! Thanks Delmonico's!

The story of the origination of Lobster Newberg varies slightly from tale to tale, but involves Ben Wenberg, a wealthy sea captain engaged in the fruit trade between Cuba and New York, and a frequent customer at Delmonico's when on shore. In 1876, while home from a voyage, he visited the restaurant and told Charles Delmonico he had discovered a new way to cook lobster. He asked for a chafing dish and demonstrated his discovery by cooking the dish at the table. Delmonico was so impressed, he added it to the restaurant's menu, calling it Lobster a la Wenberg, and it became one of the restaurant's most popular dishes.

Some time later, Ben Wenberg and Charles Delmonico had an awful falling out. Wenberg was banished from Delmonico's and, alas, his signature dish was removed from the menu. The restaurant's customers were none too pleased, however, and continued to ask for the dish. Delmonico ultimately relented, but changed 'wen' around to become 'new' and Lobster Newberg was born! Curiously, sometimes the dish is spelled with a 'u' - Lobster Newburg, for reasons my sleuthing has yet to unearth.

Delmonico's famous chef, Chef Charles Ranhofer, gave the following instructions for preparing Lobster a la Newberg in his definitive tome on all things culinary, The Epicurean, published in 1894:

"Cook six lobsters each weighing about two pounds in boiling salted water for twenty-five minutes. Twelve pounds of live lobster when cooked yields from two to two and a half pounds of meat with three to four ounces of coral. When cold detach the bodies from the tails and cut the latter into slices, put them into a sautoir, each piece lying flat, and add hot clarified butter; season with salt and fry lightly on both sides without coloring; moisten to their height with good raw cream; reduce quickly to half; and then add two or three spoonfuls of Madeira wine; boil the liquid once more only, then remove and thicken with a thickening of egg yolks and raw cream. Cook without boiling, incorporating a little cayenne and butter; then arrange the pieces in a vegetable dish and pour the sauce over."

Fortunately, you can still visit a modern-day Delmonico's and enjoy all of their signature dishes. Bon appetit!!

'm' is for melancholy

2010-12-08T17:28:00.005-06:00

RIP

'l' is for leek

2010-11-12T11:31:00.009-06:00

The lovely leek is a member of the Allium family. Alliums, members of the Liliacceae or lily family, have been under domestic cultivation for at least 5,000 years and as such, are one of the world's first food crops. Following their great exodus, the children of Israel remembered longingly "the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely, the cucumbers, the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic."

Leeks look a bit like giant scallions, but are much milder than either onions or garlic. In the first century A.D., Nero ate leeks in oil as he was convinced they had a divine ingredient responsible for his fine singing voice and as such, was derisively nicknamed 'Porropagus' or 'leek-eater.' Aristotle was also convinced of the leek's positive effects on the voice and once wrote that the piercing cry of the partridge was attributable to their frequent consumption of leeks.

The leek has been recognized as the emblem of Wales since the mid 16th century, and was depicted in a coronet on the British one pound coin in 1985 and 1990 as a tribute to Wales. As legend has it, the leek's association with Wales can be traced back to the battle of Heathfield, which took place in a leek field. St. David reportedly persuaded his countrymen to distinguish themselves from their Saxon foes by placing a leek in their caps. The Welsh celebrate St. David's Day each year on March 1 by wearing bits of leeks in buttonholes or caps to commemorate the victory. Perhaps not coincidentally, the Welsh also have a reputation for being fine and enthusiastic singers. As evidence, I give you - this.

Americans incorporated the leek into their cuisine in 1910, when French Chef Louis Diat of the Ritz Hotel in New York reinvented a peasant soup he remembered fondly from his childhood, which was made with leeks and potatoes. He added heavy cream, topped it with chives, and served it cold. He called it 'vichyssoise' after his home town - a wonderful word that sounds like a flourish or a dance don't you think?

But alas, dear readers, there is a dark side to the history of the venerable leek. Leek growing competitions and festivals became popular in Northern England's mining communities in the late 19th century when one of the few affordable hobbies was gardening. 'Pot Leek' shows began in the pubs and clubs and were so named because of the pint pots the gardeners used for beer drinking. The competition for victory in these shows is so fierce, sabotage unfortunately abounds. Competitors have been known to sneak into rival leek fields at night and slash, trample, firebomb, or douse them with toxins. Oh no!

William Ivory became fascinated by competitive leek growing - so much so that he wrote a comedic play about it called 'King Leek' in 1996. "When I started looking into the passions that leek growing arouses in some men I was surprised," says Ivory. "Obsessive growers get so involved with the welfare of their leeks it's like a love affair. If you don't take it seriously, it's not fun. If you take it too seriously, it can break your heart." In the weeks before a big show, leek growers have been known to sleep in their leek fields to ensure no harm comes to them, often sleeping with their leeks more than their wives!

For me, leeks conjure up images of cold, misty, damp afternoons, warm soups and roaring fires. Much like you can see here and here where the talented and ever-dreamy Jamie Oliver whips up the most wonderful leek pasta and salad dishes in a rustic English country cottage. Oh my. Wouldn't you just love to be there?!

Folklore source: "75 Exciting Vegetables for Your Garden" by Jack Staub

'k' is for king arthur flour

2010-10-18T18:14:00.023-05:00

"I came into music just because I wanted the bread. It's true. I looked around and this seemed like the only way I was going to get the kind of bread I wanted." ~ Mick Jagger

How fun is it to imagine the 'bread' our beloved Mick was referring to was an elusive artisan sourdough rather than just boring old money!? There are few things I cherish more than a meal of freshly-baked bread, a variety of wonderful cheeses, endless slices of salami, and (of course) free-flowing champagne! I believe I could live on these things indefinitely (sadly, doing so would undoubtedly shorten 'indefinitely' for me).

Making bread is no small undertaking, but is a truly rewarding endeavor. While not an expert by any means, I've become fairly comfortable with a basic rustic white loaf, rye bread, and pizza dough (which believe it or not was the most difficult for me to get just right). Other than pizza dough, bread baking is not a frequent occurrence at Chez Sweetbittertart because I enjoy making it the long way. If you haven't tried it yet, gently punching down a bowl of cool, smooth, puffy bread dough is all kinds of tactile awesomeness. And the smell of bread baking is swoon-inducing. The whole process fills me with warmth and wonder. How is it possible to turn so few, seemingly incongruous, simple ingredients into the delightfully yummy miracle that is a freshly baked loaf of bread?

The first step is to begin with the highest quality ingredients you can find - the key of course being the perfect flour. Simple enough, since flour is flour, no? No! All it takes is a short stroll down the baking aisle of your local grocery store to become overwhelmed by a dizzying array of choices. There's all-purpose flour, bread flour, cake flour, and pastry flour - and those are just some of the varieties of wheat flours available. So however does one decide which one to use?

The difference between them lies primarily in their gluten content (the protein that helps yeast rise and stretch), which varies depending upon whether the flour was made from hard wheat or soft wheat. Bread flour typically has the highest protein content, and is best for making yeast breads. Cake flour is made primarily from soft wheat and has a low protein content, making it best for cakes and pastries that do not need to rise much. All-purpose flour is made with an average protein content that makes it suitable in most cases for either bread or cake making. To further complicate things, within each type of flour, there is often a difference in gluten content and quality among brands.

Enter The King Arthur Flour Company to save the day! Formerly named Sands, Taylor and Wood (ST&W), the company was founded in 1790; that's just shortly after George Washington was elected president! Headquartered in Norwich, Vermont (in a compound called 'Camelot' no less), The King Arthur Flour Company is 100% employee-owned and maintains the highest standards of quality. With an online resource center; mail-order baker's catalogue; award-winning cookbooks; on-site bakery, cafe, store, and baking education center, the company provides a veritable wealth of information, education, engagement and general yumminess to its community of loyal customers. The company is also dedicated to giving back to the community and protecting the environment so it's the perfect combination of good people, good works, and good food.

Highlighting its adherence to the highest standards of quality, King Arthur Flour's motto is "Never Bleached. Never Bromated." In an effort to increase production, some manufacturers mill the heart of the wheat berry, but also close to the bran - the berry's darker outer layer. This creates dark flecks in the flour, which requires the flour to be bleached to give it the appearance of pure white flour. While bleaching provides a pure white look, the performance of the flour is not the same. Bran's hard sharp edges cut through the gluten strands, making it more difficult to develop good structure in baked items. King Arthur Flour is only milled from the innermost heart of the wheat berry, which contains the lightest color and the richest, gluten-producing proteins. You can bake confidently with King Arthur Flour!

Before we part, dear readers, I must warn you to be wary...did you know that flour dust is explosive?! While not explosive in its inert state, flour and other carbohydrates become so when hanging in the air as dust (thankfully not very likely in the home kitchen). Flour grains are minuscule, so they burn instantly and can ignite the other grains around them, creating an explosive force within the dust cloud. The Great Mill Disaster occurred at the Washburn 'A' Mill in 1878, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from just such an explosion. Flour explosions are sometimes referred to as 'flour bombs.' I don't know about you, but the only 'flour bomb' I want to be anywhere near is this one. Happy (and safe) baking wishes to you!

'j' is for jelly

2010-10-09T13:50:00.013-05:00

Or is it jam? Or marmalade? Or preserves? What the heck is the difference between all these things anyway? Let's investigate!

The first place I usually turn when embarking on food research is On Food and Cooking - The Science and Lore of The Kitchen, by Harold McGee. The book is a veritable treasure trove of scientific and historical facts for hundreds of culinary ingredients. According to Mr. McGee, the first sugar preserves were likely to have been pieces of fruit submerged in honey or the boiled-down juice of wine grapes.

Sugar, like salt, makes the fruit "inhospitable to microbes: it binds up water molecules, and draws moisture out of living cells, thus crippling them." Yikes! It appears that our sweet sugar has a Dark Side! He praises the sweetness, consistency and color of fruit preserves, noting that Nostradamus once described the color of a quince jelly as "so diaphanous that it resembles an oriental ruby" (Hmm...I have a feeling we will learn more about 'quince' a bit later in our alphabetical journey).

But what about the distinctions between the various types of fruit preserves? Fear not! Further research has revealed the following:

Jam - is made with whole fruit that is cut into pieces or crushed. The fruit is combined with sugar and heated to release the fruit's pectin, which acts as a setting agent. (Not to be confused with a secret agent.) The mixture is cooked until it is soft and easily spreadable.

Jelly - is a translucent fruit spread. The process of making jelly is similar to that of making jam, but with the additional step of straining out the fruit pulp after the initial heating. A muslin bag is typically used as a filter. The bag is suspended over a bowl by a string to allow the straining process to occur slowly and naturally, using gravity. Forcing the straining process will result in a jelly lacking in perfect clarity.

Preserves - are a bit trickier to nail down. The term is sometimes used to describe any fruit preserve (jelly, jam or marmalade), but is also know to mean a type of jam that includes larger pieces of fruit.

Marmalade - its roots probably lie in Portuguese quince paste (marmelada), but today the British-style marmalade is typically made from citrus fruits; orange is the most popular. The process of making marmalade is similar to that of making jam, but the citrus peel is included in the mixture to provide it with its distinct tang.

So you would like to sample them all you say? Well you're in luck! The French company Bonne Maman makes wonderful preserves, jellies and marmalade in over a dozen flavors. It should also come as no surprise that I'm more than a little curious about some of the savory options available (jalapeno jelly? port wine jam?) and can't wait to embark on that quest.

Did you know that these delightful fruit spreads have provided inspiration to many musicians over the years? It's true! As evidence, I leave you with jam, marmalade, and jelly. Enjoy!

'i' is for izze

2010-10-02T16:07:00.005-05:00

Izze is my favorite soda (and coincidentally, also the nickname of my favorite niece)! Izze is natural, pure and simple - with just the right combination of sweetness and sparkle - just like my real-life Izze!

The Izze Beverage Company was founded in Colorado in 2002 by Todd Woloson and Greg Stroh - two friends with a shared love of good food and drink. They wanted to create all natural sodas from pure and simple ingredients. They also wanted the goodness of their brand to go beyond what they put in the bottles, so they are committed to giving back to their community through their involvement in several charitable organizations.

Izze sodas come in intriguing and delicious flavors like Blackberry (I know!), Grapefruit, Clementine, Blueberry, Pomegranate, Apple, Peach, Birch, Ginger and Lime, and most recently, Guava. And yes, they make amazing cocktail mixers.

I'm usually not much of a fruity drink person, but Izze is not too sweet and its fizziness adds just the right kick to a cocktail. The Blu Sushi restaurant came up with these delightful sounding concoctions:

Tuscan Sunset
Pinot Grigio topped with Izze Clementine sparkling juice and several drops of cranberry.

DejaBlu
A blend of Pearl Blueberry vodka and Izze Pear sparkling juice.

Senor Feliz
Boca Loca rum with Izze Clementine sparkling juice and blood orange juice.

You're welcome. : )

'h' is for humboldt fog cheese

2010-05-16T12:43:00.019-05:00

Humboldt Fog is an artisanal goat's milk cheese produced by Mary Keehn's dairy, Cypress Grove Chevre, in Arcata, California, about 200 miles north of San Francisco. Arcata is adjacent to Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County, and the cheese was named in honor of the ever-present fog for which the area is known.

In the 1970s, Mary began searching for a source of wholesome, healthy milk for her children. Her neighbor owned a herd of Alpine dairy goats, so one day she asked if she could buy one. Her neighbor replied "Honey, if you can catch one, you can have it!" Well, she caught two! Hazel and Esmerelda were Mary's first goats. Mary soon proved to be a talented goat breeder. So talented in fact that her large herd was producing much more milk than she and her family could consume. The surplus led to her exploration of the art of cheesemaking and in 1983, Cypress Grove Chevre was born.

Humboldt Fog is Cypress Grove Chevre's flagship, award-winning cheese and is an amazing goat cheese with a creamy exterior and a texture that becomes more dense toward the center. It is characterized by a thin layer of vegetable ash that runs through the middle, similar to Morbier. Traditionally, in making Morbier, morning milk was separated from evening milk by a layer of ash. With Humboldt Fog, the ash was introduced to add subtle texture and flavor.

In addition to being the foggy home of one of my favorite cheeses, all sorts of interesting things go on in Humboldt County! According to a 2002 Cannibis News article, Steve Bloom, former editor of High Times magazine said "Humboldt is the nexus point of the whole growing movement. It's kind of like Napa to wine. Mendocino and Humboldt are the Napa and Sonoma of marijuana country...the people who left San Franciso and other parts in the 60s came up here and started doing the growing and established the whole growing industry." Their community was memorialized in the 2008 film, Humboldt County.

Hmm. So in what I can't help but believe is related news, Humboldt County is also home to the Kinetic Grand Championship. Which is seriously the most awesome thing in the history of ever. The race is known as the triatholon of the art world and involves all sorts of crazy human-powered art sculpture thingys on wheels that are designed to travel over both land and water in search of Victory and aesthetic glory. Next weekend (said Championship takes place each Memorial Day weekend), people in Humboldt County will be pedaling crazy contraptions shaped like fish or dragons and dressing like bees and martians and having an all around grand time. For real. You really need to watch the videos.

While that's sinking in (and as if that weren't enough), Humboldt County is also home to a Chicken Wingfest, the Arcata Oyster Festival, a Mushroom Fair, AND a Blackberry Festival. Note to self: WHY DON'T I LIVE HERE?!! : )

'g' is for Gourmet

2010-03-07T15:14:00.003-06:00

RIP

1940-2009

'f' is for failed mouse project

2009-11-06T22:49:00.020-06:00

Greetings! Okay so here is the source of the 'bitter' part of the 'sweet. bitter. tart.' blog name (I'm not that bitter really, but if I were, it would be about this). About 10 years ago I had what I thought was a super awesome idea for a story about a mouse who was a chef. I know! He lived in the French countryside and was summoned to Paris by a magnate renegade lemming to cater his annual Cheese Ball. A mouse who cooks in Paris!? Gee, that's a really good idea...oh...enter that whole Ratatouille thing (and insert the sound of a dream dying).

There was also a museum curator cat, and an artist spider who was born without the ability to spin webs, so navigated through his spider life via a series of complicated ropes and pulleys. So if Disney releases a spider movie about a spider who was born without the ability to spin webs, but navigates his way through his spider life via a series of complicated ropes and pulleys I'm going to throw myself off a cliff. Just saying. Anyhoo, here was My Story through some of the pictures.

The End. :)

'e' is for explorateur cheese

2009-09-23T10:47:00.023-05:00

How can anyone govern a nation with 246 different kinds of cheese? ~ Charles de Gaulle

Explorateur cheese is out of this world. Invented in the late 1950's, it was named for the first U.S. satellite, Explorer 1, and the awesome little rocket still appears on the packaging today. Explorateur was created by Fromagerie Petit-Morin shortly after 'triple cream' cheese was officially defined as cheese containing at least 75% butterfat. To put things in perspective, double cream cheese has 60% butterfat, and butter has 100% butterfat. Because it's, you know, butter. A high level of butterfat is achieved by adding lots and lots of cream to the milk and the result is, of course, a rich and gooey delight. Explorateur's soft, creamy interior is coated in a light, velvety rind that breaks open ever so gently to reveal the oozey goodness inside. Its flavor is decadent and mild, with a subtle woodsy undertone. Simply put, it's the dreamiest of cheeses.

In related news, cheese has been linked to nightmares. But you'll be relieved to know the British Cheese Board has refuted this notion. In 2005, they studied the effect of cheese upon sleep and dreaming and discovered that cheese had a positive effect on sleep. The majority of the two hundred people tested claimed beneficial results from consuming cheese before bedtime. In fact, six types of cheese were tested and it seems the dreams the subjects experienced were entirely dependent upon the type of cheese consumed. Post-cheese-consuming dreams were described as colorful, vivid or cryptic but fortunately horror-free.

Just in case you are silently doubting the existence of The British Cheese Board, you can find them on Twitter! It's true! Recent Tweet: Cornish Yarg, a cheese coated in nettle leaves, came from a recipe book found in a farmer's attic-his name was Mr Gray (Yarg spelt backwards!) 11:57 AM Sep 30th from web.

I'm so happy right now. :)

Anyhoo, if you are as old as I am, you may remember the sheer joy and excitement you would feel upon shuffling, bleary-eyed into your 8th grade history class and having your teacher announce you were going to have a film that day. That's what they were called back then - films. And they really were too - films wrapped around a real-live-reel that that would sometimes break or otherwise go awry and would often sputter and skip and crunch along, but still. There was nothing so awesome as knowing you'd soon be sitting in darkness - no lecture, no notes - just you - with your head resting blissfully on your folded arms watching flowers blooming in fast motion or insects mating in slow motion or, maybe, one time, this.

'd' is for dill

2009-09-19T13:11:00.024-05:00

You may be thinking, 'hey, that's not dill, it's a dill pickle!' I know. But I really wanted to draw a pickle for Mimi, so there you have it. Dill is a member of the parsley family and is indigenous to southern Russia, the Mediterranean, and western Asia. The word “dill” comes from the Old Norse “dylla”, meaning “to lull," which may be why dill tea calms colicky babies, soothes insomniacs, and is thought to have been effective in ridding ill-willed witches of their desire to harm. Dill tea was also known as a cure for hangovers. Not that I would have any use for that sort of thing.

Which brings us to the dill pickle. Oh how I love big-city delicatessens and their giant dill pickles! The more vinegar, garlic, spices and salt the better. I'm particularly fond of the ones fished out of big glass jars and wrapped in paper. And don't even get me started on the deep fried pickle. I'm certain there is a vigorous debate raging somewhere regarding the sanctity of such a thing, but could there be anything more spectacular than a dill pickle spear clad in a coat of golden, crunchy, deep-fried goodness? No. I didn't think so.

My first pickle memory involves a McDonald's cheeseburger. Not a particularly highbrow food memory, but still. When I was young, I was a plain cheeseburger girl. Meat. Cheese. Bun. My heels were dug in on the matter. This used to drive my father crazy because 'fast food' establishments back in those days (a really really long time ago) were not used to customizing orders. Their food came one way and that was that (until later). If you wanted something different, you could order it, but were then required to pull out of line into the parking lot and wait say, 20 minutes, for your special, annoying little order to be executed. This pulling-out-of-line-waiting-in-the-parking-lot-experience was super awesome for my family on our driving vacations and was typically accompanied by a sea of rolling eyes and harumpfs. One time (I was probably about 6 or 7) the cheeseburger I received in the parking lot was not plain, but the garden variety standard cheeseburger. It had ketchup and mustard on it. And two pickles. Doom! But since we had already pulled out of the parking lot and there was no chance of returning, I decided to give it a try. I will never forget how good it tasted. I was transformed! I felt so grown up and sophisticated. Please stop laughing, I was 6. Anyhoo, the pickle encouraged me to become a more adventurous eater, which was a very good thing indeed!

Have you ever heard of the Dill Pickle Club? Far from an association of pickle-lovers, according to Marc Moscato in his essay The Tradition of Non-Tradition: The Dill Pickle Club as Catalyst for Social Change, its members were academics, social workers, hobos, prostitutes, socialists, anarchists, and con men. The club was formed in 1914 by John A. "Jack" Jones in prohibition-era Chicago and its members gathered weekly to share plays, poetry readings, and dance performances (and probably a good deal of forbidden spirits too - let's hope they had some dill tea on hand the next day!). The club was part of a bohemian social movement at the time that combined art, intellectualism and activism. A sign inside their meeting place read "Elevate Your Mind to a Lower Level of Thinking." I think I would have fit in just fine there.

In closing, I would like to leave you with this uplifting and delightful ode to the dill pickle. Enjoy!

'c' is for champagne

2009-09-10T11:15:00.025-05:00

I drink champagne when I'm happy and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I'm not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it - unless I'm thirsty. ~ Madame Lily Bollinger

Hooray for Champagne! My love for the bubbly substance began early and runs deep. You should know that my mother's parents were my favorite people in the universe. My grandfather was a former opera singer and larger than life. Always dressed up (ascots, cuff links, starch), he made grand entrances and meaningful friendships with everyone, especially waitresses and cab drivers. My grandmother had a wicked sense of humor and was very smart and glamorous (leopard skin, red lipstick, big sparkling rings). My grandparents used crystal and sterling silver every day and had large oriental rugs and decorative porcelain things. Vats of champagne flowed freely and fancy cheeses were served on fancy little plates made specifically for such purposes. They had interesting, smart, lively conversations until the wee hours and were perpetually joyful and elegant. I later discovered this whole display of extravagance took place in a tiny little apartment in Los Angeles after my grandfather had lost his fortune (not that substantial really, nevertheless lost). But to me at the time, it was the most vast, wonderful, magical place in the world.

It's hard not to love the fizzy stuff of engagements, mergers, marriages, bon vivants, bon voyages, and new beginnings - everything all hopeful, romantic and full of promise. But the beverage that so often accompanies joy arose from a history of sadness and strife. Champagne vines grow in France near the city of Reims, which was plagued by invaders and clashes over the centuries from Attila the Hun to the Napoleonic wars to World War II. By the 17th century, the city had been destroyed at least 7 times. While champagne as we know it originated with Benedictine monks, it flourished at the hands of grieving widows. Veuve (or 'widow') Cliquot, Madame Lily Bollinger and Madame Louis Pommery were widows who, upon the death of their husbands, stepped in and took over their champagne houses. They proved to be hard-working and extremely savvy business women, and their brands flourished under their guidance and leadership. Viva les Veuves!

Guess what? The bottle opening technique called 'sabering', is thought to have originated during Napoleon's time. Soldiers on horseback were sometimes given congratulatory bottles of champagne and, in lieu of fiddling with the cork and so on, they would simply lop the top of the bottle off in one fell swoop with their swords. I know! Could there be anything more swashbuckly or romantic? For surprisingly dead-pan, matter-of-fact, flourish-free instructions on how to do this at home (although I'm officially advising you against this) see here.

Maybe it is the combination of grief and joy, hardship and hope, that gives champagne its revered place in my heart. All I know is when I think of champagne (and all of its sweet promises) I think of this. :)

'b' is for blackberry

2009-09-09T17:58:00.000-05:00

As we get to know each other, you'll learn I'm not much of a dessert person. If a dessert cart rolls by in a restaurant I'll think 'how beautiful!', but won't necessarily want to eat any of it. A little chunk of dark chocolate here or there, or maybe another cocktail, but not a triple-layer, syrup-soaked, coconut-coated piece of cake. Especially if it's on fire. Lest you think I'm all high-horsey about the evils of high-calorie foodstuffs or about any particular food category, let me assure you if the same cart rolled by with bread, cheese, a shot of alcohol (even if on fire), or anything deep-fried on it, I'd be beside myself. So I suppose the "sweet" in my "sweet. bitter. tart" blog name is more applicable to my disposition (okay now stop that snickering!) than my gastronomic leanings.

I'm actually a little ambivalent about certain types of fruit too, with the primary exception being berries (in general) and the blackberry (specifically), which is far and away my favorite fruit in the whole entire world. The lore surrounding the blackberry is intriguing and poetic. In literature, it is associated with “remorse.” That alone is enough to endear me to it for life. The devil is said to have fallen from the sky smack-dab into a blackberry bush after having been booted from heaven. I'm not a big fan of the devil, but have fallen from grace into far less desirable places. The Greeks are believed to have used blackberries as a cure for gout, which may take on increasing significance for me down the road. The bush itself is rather thorny and the idea of risking personal injury in the form of scrapes and cuts to obtain its sweet bounty is nice (see: ‘rose’ or ‘worthwhile things in life’ or 'artichoke hearts' or 'cute, rough boys clad in leather jackets who smoke and mumble incoherent responses to enthusiastic inquiries and seem really awesome in the beginning but then later, no'). Okay maybe not that last one. But still.

Blackberries are full of contradictions. They are regal in appearance with their lush purple coats and little golden crowns. But they are also incredibly low maintenance, which is a good and infrequent combination – fabulousness and ease. Just ask any girl who has ever tried to apply false eyelashes or wrangled with that bra you are supposed to be able to wear 100 different ways but if you try to wear it more than say, two ways, ends up in an unfortunate tangle of straps around your neck. Blackberries grow in the wild, sort of helter skelter, and can be picked and enjoyed straight from the bush by unruly, barefoot children. But, they can also be made into elegant sorbets or provide perfect toppers for the meringue napoleans and fluffy panna cottas served to people in ascots or gowns. See?! They really do have it all!

Since they ripen on the vine, blackberries are perfect right out of the gate and can be devoured when the mood strikes (within a day or two). Other fruits like plums or peaches are more demanding and problematic. They are so delicious when they're just right, but are often either too juicy or too dry. To ripen properly, they must be placed in brown paper bags and the ripening almost never happens on cue and many times happens while you are at work or visiting your Aunt Helen. So you are inevitably confronted with a Green Hard Inedible Thing or a Black Oozing Inedible Thing. Either way, boo. Pitted fruits provide their fair share of obstacles for those of us who don't live near trees with pitted fruit on them or know people who live near trees with pitted fruit on them. And, alas, I am one of those people.

You may be relieved to know I have much warmer feelings toward citrus. :) But that's a story for another letter of the alphabet, dear readers!

'a' is for artichoke

2009-09-07T14:50:00.001-05:00

Greetings dear readers and welcome to my little project! It's called a:z. In my effort to become a more educated and, hopefully, more skilled cook, I plan to learn about the history, lore, and characteristics of as many individual ingredients as possible - vegetables, spices, fruits, etc. - from 'a' to 'z'. Which is why the project is called a:z. Clever, no? Ultimately, there will be more than one food item featured for each letter of the alphabet, but I'll try to be somewhat consecutive in the beginning so we don't all get confused and dizzy. All original drawings will be by yours truly. :)

It's fitting that as my culinary journey begins, the a:z project begins with the vexing and perplexing artichoke. First, let me just say there is nothing I love more than artichoke hearts. Whether they are grilled, sauteed, fried, pickled, or marinated, I love them like wild. But when presented with a whole artichoke, I freeze. I've read, scratch that, painstakingly studied the step-by-step instructions and understand the process for peeling an artichoke in theory. I'm just completely unable to execute. I choke. Or I guess in this case I arti-choke. :) More than once I've ended up with a huge pile of artichoke leaves at my feet and nothing else. Well okay the wounded pride. But still. Before we arrive at the letter 'z', my dream is to confidently and skillfully whittle one of these guys down to its delectable little heart. (Oh, and I also want to be able to make my own pasta, but thankfully we are not discussing the letter 'p' today or I'd probably just give up right now and start drinking wine.)

Anyhoo, the artichoke is native to the Mediterranean. One of the oldest known cultivated plants, it is actually the edible flower bud of a thistle-like plant of the sunflower family. The sunflower is the state flower of Kansas, which has nothing to do with anything but since I live in Kansas City, I felt compelled to point this out. My address is in Kansas City, Missouri, though, not Kansas City, Kansas, which confuses everyone and is a longish story so perhaps this little tidbit of Midwestern geography can be addressed in another post.

Okay so where was I? Ah yes, the artichoke!! The artichoke was introduced to England in the 1500's. According to Elizabethan folklore, the artichoke was born when a beautiful, ill-tempered woman made the gods so angry that they turned her into a prickly thistle, which they believed more appropriately aligned her looks with her disposition. Wouldn't it be interesting if this happened to people in real life? And there's even more racy lore! Considered a powerful aphrodisiac, the artichoke was available only to men. If a woman ate an artichoke it was considered uber-scandalous. Some believe Catherine de Medici may have introduced the artichoke to France when she married Henry II at the tender age of 14. Catherine was thought to have eaten artichokes right out in the open and in substantial quantities. But since Henry II was rumored to have many mistresses and was evidently not even the tiniest bit keen on Catherine, she clearly wasn't thinking things through.

Did you know that Castroville, California, is the artichoke capital of the world? It's true! Every year they hold an artichoke festival, which has a queen (or a king). And in 1947 (or 1948, accounts differ), their very first artichoke queen was none other than Marilyn Monroe. I know! But before you get too excited, the king a couple of years back was that guy from American Idol who sang 'She Bangs' off key and was famous for like a week and then, evidently, became an artichoke king in Castroville where he continues to reign today (okay I made that last part up).