Remember "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp" the song from Hustle and Flow?

When the news broke of the NH Sportswriter (Go Manchvegas!) who supplemented his dwindling journalism salary by starting a prostitution ring, my first thought was his 'hos were probably freelance writers unable to procure even dime-a-word job. Couple the gray days of the a**-end of winter with the challenge of wringing some pennies from prospects who'd rather offer you "exposure" and maybe you could give a girl a break? I mean, you can't even buy root veg on ten cents a word. Call me cynical.

This is the time of year in New England when even the most stalwart seasonal eaters begin confessing they've cheated on Winter. I'm all for seasonal and local eating but there does come a time when a body needs something fresh, crunchy and colorful. We crave it. Once you get a taste, you want more.

Recently, we've added a couple dishes to the rotation that are, on balance, sensible and delicious, if not totally local or completely seasonal. They involve choices I make with care, but that might raise a few eyebrows. They're not lock-step with the whole eat local, seasonal dogma. So sue me.

Food writers can sometimes find themselves in the enviable (or unenviable, take your pick) position of pushing product. Root vegetables are our winter "local" food. We try to seduce you with new ways to combine, mash, roast or even "braise" them. Don't get me wrong, I love me some root veg. I think rutabagas and celeriac are unsung heroes. While not root veg, winter items include roasted brussel s sprouts, kale chips, too. Parsnips in my chicken soup always get a smile.

I've been trying to incorporate more grains and expand our "starch" list. Quinoa has become a steady friend. Packed with nutrition, quick-cooking and adaptable, it is a great place to start. Yay! Victory! Then, the NYTimes runs this story about how Bolivian quinoa farmers are no longer able to afford their staple grain due to increased demand by all those damn locavore Norte Americanos. See how hard it is to do the right thing?

Just now when winter refuses to release its grip, there are a few foods that punctuate the cold, gray days with a tempting taste of sunnier days ahead. One thing I'm very grateful for is the steady stream of Meyer Lemons from the in-laws. I LOVE these guys. (And the lemons are sweet, too). Another thing that helps are the occasional hothouse cherry tomatoes. This week, sugar snap peas appeared at the market and who could resist? Not I.

So, begging your indulgence, and remembering that it can be hard to serve up a fly and seductive meal with yet another root veg combo in the last days of March, I invite you to...

PIMP YOUR SALAD.

Start with some small organic Yukon Gold potatoes, scrub and peel if you like or not. Boil or steam, till tender.

Rinse some beautiful Red Quinoa like this one:

Alter Eco red quinoa can be found at Whole Foods. It supports the Anapqui Cooperative in Bolivia. Seals on the bag tell us its USDA Organic, Fair Trade, Objective Carbon Zero.

According to other info on the bag:

• 1,500 farmers benefit from this project and a tree is planted in the Amazon to offset every 465 packages sold.
• 1/4 C (roughly the amount in the photo above) has 160 calories, 2 gms fat and provides:
• 3 gms dietary fiber
• 6 gms protein
• 2% calcium
• 20% iron

It's nutty, crunchy, quick-cooking and a one pound package is less than $6.00. At eleven servings per bag, that's about 50 cents per serving of good protein.

Cook it in a ratio of 2:1 water:seed. Bring to boil, reduce, cover, steam.

Make a pistou with herbs and greens on hand - parsley, baby spinach, a bit of steamed kale, couple good sized cloves of garlic, rough chopped, small handful of pine nuts, (some parmigiano reggiano would be good and more authentic in place of pine nuts, but my dairy allergy prevents it.) Buzz up in the food processor with good light olive oil or canola.

Zest and juice one large or two small of those gorgeous Meyer Lemons.

Chop any other fresh herbs you may want to add to s alad. I grabbed some fresh dill, chopped up a couple tablespoons worth.

Rinse a handful of Upland Cress, Baby Organic Spinach. Spin dry. Chop sugar snap peas in bite sized pieces. Chop half a shallot.

When potatoes are done, toss with lemon juice, olive oil and shallot.

Add greens, peas, quinoa.

Toss in pistou and gently fold all the green goodness, the crunchy quinoa, zest. Taste. Add more Meyer Lemon juice, kosher salt and pepper to taste.

There you go B*******! That is one satisfying, vitamin and protein packed salad. Almost guilt-free. Your body will thank you, your pocket book will thank you, and somewhere in Bolivia a farmer is eating better, too.

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Don't you love a grain with with a good back story?

Kamut - King Tut's Wheat

Diving into the DIY granola craze, I've discovered a new grain with a great history. Okay, so I've made granola at home three or four times and inspired a few Twitter followers to make their own with this Homemade Granola the DIY Delicious Way with a Touch of Chocolate. In my book, we now officially have a "craze."

I noted that the fabulous DIY Delicious: Recipes and Ideas for Simple Food from Scratch author, Vanessa Barrington was marvelously "flattered" by the New York Times who ran a DIY Cooking Handbook piece w/nary a mention of the woman who, literally, wrote the book. They should know better. So maybe they were inspired, too. See? It really is a trend!

So what the heck is Kamut? I have to admit, when I saw this at Whole Foods:

I had to buy it! Roasted, good. Cooks in three minutes, good. Eden Organic. Good!

I enjoyed my first bowl as an oatmeal stand-in. Made simply and mixed with some leftover bulgur, and a drizzle of this insanely good maple syrup aged in Bourbon barrels.

Wheat on Wheat - proving that have no issues with gluten.

Yes, I said Bourbon barrel-matured maple syrup. A real treat, if ever there was one. Honestly, I could eat King Tut's dessicated foot with that maple syrup and be happy.

Back to our mysterious ancient grain...

The legend is that someone brought back some grains appropriate from some Egyptian tomb and grew it out back here in the states. Originally named "King Tut's Wheat" it is now registered to the enterprising farmers who nurtured it back to a crop we can now all enjoy. Several things make Kamut a great grain for your table.

First, it was most definitely enjoyed by ancient Egyptians, and who wouldn't want to dine like Cleopatra and Tutankhamun? What this really means for us is that this is a wheat that was not bred for modern agriculture, making it nutritionally superior and able to be grown without artificial fertilizers and pesticides. A sustainable super grain! Modern wheat varieties were bred for higher output, resistance to pests, etc. but had to sacrifice nutrition along the way. (See what Nature does? Mess with her and you get something inferior that causes digestive problems and necessitates more and more chemicals, depletion of the soil...well you get the picture.)

Interestingly, there is some evidence that this is better tolerated by those with gluten sensitivity, too. Kamut has 20–40% more protein, is higher in lipids, amino acids, vitamins and minerals than our modern varieties.

Another great grain with a good story is Quinoa. Unfortunately, it seems that we Norte Americanos have grown so fond of this nutritional powerhouse, that indigenous peoples can no longer afford it. The grain (it's actually a seed, but that doesn't sound as nice) that sustained them against all odds, including marauding Spaniards, is now too dear for the locals to buy. I'm hoping we have a nice fair trade operation step up to the plate and fix this unfair situation. I really would like us to enjoy quinoa with out guilt.

One thing I've learned via my support of the Joslin Diabetes Center's Spoonful of Ginger event, is that a bowl of white rice has as much sugar as a can of soda. Asian-Americans are at a much higher risk of diabetes, it seems that our physiology cannot tolerate the influence of the American diet as well as Caucasians can (and let's face it, the standard fare of most Americans could use a little help no matter who the consumer is.)

Since we are definitely kids who grew up loving our bowl of white rice, we have a hard time imagining living without it. As you know I'm a big fan of small steps. Rather than banish our beloved Ba Fan or Gohan - I'm trying to add other grains to the rotation so that we enjoy a broader, healthier variety. A recent experiment cooking white rice mixed with quinoa in the rice cooker, was a hit.

Look at this beautiful bowl:

This even worked well in fried rice the next day.

This is really easy and delicious. By adding 1/3 C of rinsed quinoa to the rice, you add protein and replace sugars. It's not perfect but you know what? It's a step in the right direction.

If ancient Egyptians joined the DIY craze...

My Kamut granola is cooling, scenting the house with Arvinda's Chai spice blend and Neilsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla. I can't wait for breakfast!

Granola fit for a Pharoah

• 1 1/2 C Kamut flakes
• 1 1/2 C Oats
• 1 C flaked coconut
• 1/4 C crushed cocoa nibs
• scant 1/2 C pepitas
• 1/4 C sunflower seeds
• 1/4 C pistachios
• 1/2 C chopped peanuts
• 1 C chopped dates, dried cherries
• 1/4 C wheat germ and ground flax
• 1 tsp Arvinda's Chai spice
• 1/2 tsp Neilsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• scant 1/3 C hexane-free expeller-pressed canola oil
• 1/3 c honey

Everything but the honey and dried fruits gets mixed up and spread out over two cookie sheets. Bake at about 330 for about 10 minutes and toss to ensure it toasts evenly. Bake another 7-10 minutes and remove from the oven. Toss with dried fruit and warmed honey. Cool and resist picking out the toasty coconut flakes.

Here's a tip: make any hot breakfast grains sing by dropping a couple drops of really good vanilla in the bowl first. When the hot grains hit the vanilla it's magic.

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Not Just Pigs & Fish

Many of you know me through Teach a Man to Fish/Teach a Chef to Fish sustainable seafood events or through my Pig Tales: a Love Story saga. But I really like to talk about all sorts of sensible sustainability. What are choices we can all make, each day, to lessen our impact on the planet but also to increase our enjoyment whilst here? As my friend Meg says, "it's about sensual sustainabilty!" Holla!

I'm so excited to be offering this class at the Boston Center for Adult Ed, the oldest, nonprofit adult education center in New England. We'll be cooking in one of their new state-of-the-art kitchens (Thermador or Gaggenau, be still my heart) at 122 Arlington Street (near Smith & Wollensky.)

We're going to explore what makes our proteins more or less sustainable and we're going to roll up our sleeves and cook! I'm sharing resources, tips and recipes and there will be chickens from Pete & Jenn's Backyard Birds, Bison from Wild Idea and local, probably Halal goat. You will leave the class with new friends, a resource guide, recipes and an appetite for more.

People ask if I cook with wine. The answer is yes. Sometimes it even goes in the food. (Parrump pump. I'll be working this room all week.) But seriously folks, we'll have a chance to learn about what makes a wine more or less sustainable, too. Let's get cooking, and talking, and eating! And come have a glass of wine on me.

Here are a couple of links to get you in the mood:

• Old World Meats Make a Comeback
• Executive Chef Joseph Margate's Summer Braised Goat
• Buffalo - It's What's for Dinner Tonight

Please sign up today, mark your calendar, and spread the word!

And thanks to Rich who posted this even before I did.

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? We're going to do a live "TweetChat"! Thanks to Traca Savadogo the incomparable @SeattleTallPopp - I've just been introduced to to this tool. To make it easier to tweet - I'm going to use #TFT

3 PM  EST - 4 PM EST - this is our first time at bat so let's see how it goes. I'll be using the questions, concepts within this post to guide the discussion and Traca is going to help me moderate.

If you're on Twitter - and even if you're not - I invite you to join the conversation about what I'm calling "True Food." I've started a hashtag #TrueFoodTuesday on Twitter. For civilians, that's simply a way to track all comments in Twitter related to a theme or topic. Tomorrow, Tuesday we'll post tweets and links and comments here about #TrueFood we're eating, buying, growing, thinking about.

.

It's growing, it's not in a box, I can talk to the person that grew it...these are hallmarks of #TrueFood.

These came from a package but were only dried, still #TrueFood.

So what is "True" food? And why start this conversation?

Many of us are already talking about true food. Whether you're an omnivore or vegan, whether you like CSAs and CSFs or usually eat from a box but are exploring new ways to eat healthier food, you can participate.

You may have heard about the obesity epidemic? The rate of diabetes? The recent suggestions that pesticides on fruits may be linked to higher ADHD in children?

You may be concerned about disappearing farm land and the aging of the farming population, or the vanishing heritage breeds and loss of biodiversity? Or, thinking about the struggles of local fishermen and the threats to their survival.

Perhaps you're reading Michael Pollan's Rules - see his post on Huffington Post here. And two examples of Pollan's rules:

#19 If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't.

#36 Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk.

These Brussels Sprouts don't need a label to tell us what they are. They are #TrueFood.

Why the #Hashtag topic?

These are the kinds of topics I want to talk about and I want to get others sharing their questions and tips, recipes and photos.

By creating this topic, I'm hoping to catalyze people's thinking and energy, focus it for a day on what we eat and where it comes from.

• Is it a local fisherman that's doing hook and line haddock or shrimper with by-catch reduction or Alaskan salmon that's carefully monitored?
• Are you buying or trying or thinking about sustainable meats like Old World Meats Making a Comeback as Sustainable Choices?
• Sometimes people get tired of thinking about what they can't have. I want to celebrate the good food that we are enjoying, without worry. Local produce, organic grains, sustainable seafood, heritage breeds.
• Maybe someone will post a Tweet with a recipe or favorite farmer or a photo that shows what they ate that day.

How to Participate

1. Drop a comment here with your favorite True Food you ate on Tuesday.

2. Tweet using the hashtag #TrueFoodTuesday. Or if you use Facebook, drop a link there to your favorite post, recipe or photo of #TrueFood.

? There will be a drawing for a new book Cider Beans, Wild Greens and Dandelion Jelly: Recipes from Southern Appalachia.

Maybe you have a question about how to choose more sustainable foods? Maybe you have a tip to share?

Have a favorite fishmonger, farmer or Farmer's Market?

Jennifer Hashley is both director of Tufts Friedman School's New Entry Sustainable Farming Program and a farmer herself. Her pigs are #TrueFood.

Have a favorite book to share - like Lisa Hamilton's Deeply Rooted, or Langdon Cook's Fat of the Land? Both those books talk about #TrueFood.

Proud of something you baked from scratch or made for dinner from #TrueFood? Share it!

Some links to get you started:

? Nourish Network has a whole section of articles, recipes and tips on Eco-friendly eating, called Eco-Bites. Check it out here.

? Kim O'Donnel on Culinate - these Thursday Table Talk chats are filled with good, True Food.

? Did you see the film Food, Inc.? Thought-provoking film about false food, and True Food.

The Canvolution is all about #TrueFood!

Chef Rick Moonen's Catfish lettuce wraps are #TrueFood.

Laying hen at Pete & Jen's Backyard Birds. Her eggs are #TrueFood.

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I wake up to fresh coffee brewing and Doc beaming. Then the words I fear "Do you know what today is?"

I don't try but secretly I know I've forgotten something big. Turns out it's 8 years ago today that we had our first date. That was the first date I'd had that lasted for hours without my once looking at my watch.

So he went out this morning while I slept and put together this lovely brunch:

Little Pearl American Caviar, Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon, Crème Fraîche, blini, pumpernickle, organic red onion.

I made a perfect hard-boiled egg, snipped some fresh chives from our garden, then made him wait while I chopped, arranged, and photographed.

And photographed:

This is my perfectly lit caviar service courtesy of McGyver lighting system (there's natural light, a shower curtain and some other things involved...)

Close up of the Caviar... isn't it gorgeous?

Thanks to Tom for bringing us together and thanks to Caleb for keeping me laughing all these years later. Here's to many more!

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Here are my slides from this afternoon's panel discussion at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. Along with the Tufts University Alumni Association, the Food for Thought: Tufts Food, Wine and Culture Series has included famous alumni like Dan Barber. Tonight's panel discussion on Sustainability was a thought-provoking and fun event. We were billed as "leaders from the restaurant industry and local farms" who (would) explore the challenges and opportunities of bringing sustainable practices to what we eat."

For my part, I was delighted to participate and scribbled notes while my co-presenters spoke. Peter McCarthy spoke of his commitment to whole animal utilization, to Pete & Jen's Backyard Birds (and bunnies and pigs) as well as his progress toward LEEDS certification at EVOO.

Jennifer was entertaining and managed to cover a lot of information on the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project. What a terrific program they have at this school!

Panelists:

I look forward to continuing the discussion started this evening, and I really enjoyed the lively chats with many of the attendees during the reception.

Please email me or drop a comment here if you want more info on the slides, the books we discussed or if you have any further questions!

All photos are mine except for the gorgeous fish dish on slide three, that's Matt Wright's entry into last year's Teach a Man to Fish event, and the NASA photo on the Issues to Watch slide.

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Food, Glorious Food: Our Palate vs. Our Planet- is this the choice we must make or a false dichotomy? Three experts lead what is sure to be a terrific discussion.

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Chefs Collaborative and Organic Valley Family of Farms will commemorate the 40^thanniversary of Earth Day with Earth Dinners at restaurants around the country.  Developed in 2004, the Earth Dinner provides diners with an opportunity to reconnect with their food, its source, and the memories and traditions associated with it.

“We’re really pleased to have more than 50 member chefs and restaurateurs participating in this year’s dinner series,” says Melissa Kogut, Executive Director of Chefs Collaborative. “Earth Dinners highlight the commitment to sourcing ingredients responsibly and talent of our member chefs. The dinners also educate the public about the importance of eating food that is locally grown, in season, and sustainable.”

Participating chefs have developed special Earth Dinner menus to be served during the week of April 18-24, 2010. “It’s great to be part of a national initiative like this that promotes my philosophy as a chef,” says Chef Paul Virant of Vie Restaurant in Chicago, Il. Chef Virant will offer a special Earth Dinner prix-fixe menu featuring regional favorites like local ramps and wood-grilled rainbow trout.

Join me in Portland!

IACP's Annual Conference will coincide with these Earth Day events. Our theme this year is The New Culinary Order. Ever heard "what's old is new again?" Well, in many ways the nature of being a responsible gourmet means looking back and celebrating traditions that sustain us. We've got many sessions doing just that and highlighting the leading edge of the Farm-to-Table food movement including a full day "Pork and Pinot" event, local Willamette Valley producers, growers and brewers are hosting sessions, and of course there are Pacific Seafood sessions, Carrie Oliver is offering her "Provenance of Beef" workshop, and we have Butchery classes hosted by the brand new PDX meat.

For those of you coming to IACP here are the Chefs Collaborative members hosting special Earth Day dinners or featuring special menus. If you're meeting a friend for dinner why not pick one of these spots?

Grand Central Bakery
Portland, OR
April 16-30, 2010 during regular business hours
Call 503-232-0575 for more information!

Lucy’s Table
Portland, OR
April 22, 2010 from 5:00 PM to close
Call 503-226-6126 for more information!

Oregon Culinary Institute
Portland, OR
April 20-April 23, 2010, noon lunch and 7:00 PM Dinner
Call 503-961-6200 for more details!

Paley’s Place
Portland, OR
April 22, 2010 5:00 pm – close
Call 503-243-2403 for more information!

Chef Twillia Glover of the Liberty Elm Diner will serve up a “Farm-to-Diner” dinner in a historic, lunch car located in the Elmwood neighborhood of Providence, Rhode Island. "One does not need to dine at a high end restaurant to receive a local, sustainable, and delicious meal," says Chef Glover who also owns her own catering business.

The proceeds from the Earth Dinners will support Chefs Collaborative and its continued educational programming for chefs. Restaurant contributions up to a total of $10,000 will be matched by Organic Valley Family of Farms. “We’re extremely grateful for the generous participation of our members and the support of Organic Valley,” says Kogut.

Click here for a full list of participating restaurants.

Founded in 1993, Chefs Collaborative is the nation’s leading network of chefs fostering a sustainable food system through education and collaboration with the greater food community. For more information, visit the Chefs Collaborative website: www.chefscollaborative.org.

• Mark your calendars for the 2010 Chefs Collaborative National Summit: Redefining our Culinary Traditions. Octoboer 3-5, 2010 Boston.

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Exciting news here: I'm now a contributing writer at the Nourish Network site recently launched by my friend Lia Huber. I'm thrilled to be in such good company (just look at the contributor bios!) and my first article is on Demystifying Umami.

Along with the article, I contribute a recipe for Umami Stuffed Mushrooms -Here are a few shots taken during preparation.

Parmigiano-Reggiano is one of the most umami-dense foods there is!

After researching the article, I decided to do a pictoral essay of Umami anyone might have in their pantry or refridgerator. Picture This: Umami is Everywhere also launches a new feature. From time to time you'll see a picture-by-picture food story.

Hope you enjoy these posts and look for my next post on Nourish Network on my Thanksgiving traditions. The site is full of great content about how to have more mindful meals, how to nourish yourselves while eating in eco-friendly ways. It's a great group and the conversation is growing. Join in now (before Dec. 31) and you'll automatically be entered into a contest for a trip to wine country!

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In planning the recent Chicago Teach a Chef to Fish workshop (see Radhika-ly Good Meal of Sustainable Barramundi), I was reminiscing with Mary Smith of Plitt Seafood about Alaska and our fond memories of the Reluctant Fisherman's deck and the town of Cordova. Imagine my delight when she extended an invitation to the James Foundation dinner taking place the night before our workshop.

As much as I love the James Beard Foundation and the work they do, as an independent writer the ticket for these dinners is still out of reach. Now I was being invited to share a meal with a new friend - Score! And what a meal it would turn out to be. The Publican (not "Republican" as my hotel staff insisted, "there's no Republican restaurants around here.") is one of the hot tables in Chicago. Blackbird, avec, and The Violet Hour are all part of the same restaurant family, all noted in their own right.

The Publican, Photo credit: Bob Briskey, Publican Website.

Amidst delightful company, we swooned and squealed over course after course, pairing after pairing. Classical guitar, travels in Greece, lamb, goat, pigs and fish, of course...conversation ranged far and wide. We sat in one of the booths with doors like old Puritan church pews. Note the pig artwork. Was I in the right place, or what?

Bob Briskey Photographer, courtesy Publican website

James Beard Foundation Dinner

Executive Chef Paul Kahan - formerly of Blackbird and avec, and now The Publican, Kahan has been honored by selection as a James Beard nominee for Outstanding Chef in 2007 and winner of James Beard Best Chef of the Midwest in 2004.

Each of the courses were outstanding. And each gave us a new talking point, an interesting pairing, a new ingredient, a favorite item.


Sweet Delicata Squash - Koren Grievson
heirloom apples, sicilian pistachios, fiore sardo*, baby chard
2008 Blackbird Vineyards “Arriviste” Napa Valley (deep rose)

*Fiore Sardo is a cheese from Sardinia that predates Pecorino Romano.

Turbot & crispy sweetbreads - Paul Kahan
golden turnips, orange & lucques olives
Sophie, Goose Island Brewery, Chicago, IL

*Goose Island Brewery was new to me, this Sophie had complex citrusy notes and a clean crisp taste that was perfect with the richness of the sweetbreads and the turbot.

Slow roasted goat and crispy goat prosciutto - Mike Sheerin
Crab apples, dates and hazlenut oil
2006 Blackbird Vineyards “Arise” Napa Valley

*Goat was rich and prosciutto was like chips.

Suckling pig - Brian Huston
canadice grapes, matsutake mushrooms, cavolo nero & verjus
2006 Blackbird Vineyards “Illustrator” Napa Valley

*Not surprising that this dish was a standout. The Publican has a reputation for good porcine treats.

"Coldbox" Photo Credit: Sam Rosen, The Publican website.

Sweet potato panna cotta - Becky Broeske
Smoke cider, milk chocolate & bourbon ice cream
Conquistador de la meurte, Three Floyds Brewery, Munster IN

*This dessert and dark beer pairing was really tremendous. A dark cookie shortbread underneath a light but richly flavored panna cotta little cocoa nibs and the cider and ice cream all complemented the chocolately, smokey notes of the brew. Really a surprising and delicious pairing. Our server asked another server how many Floyds were at the Three Floyds Brewery: answer: three.

The atmosphere is bustling and congenial, warm saffron walls and shared tables encourage the friendly atmosphere. Servers were knowledgeable and attentive. I would highly recommend this delicious and funky spot for your next trip to Chicago.

The Publican

837 West Fulton Market
Chicago IL

312-733-9555

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