SFN Day 3: Taste of Excellence

by | Aug 31, 2008

I spent Day 3 of Slow Food Nation at the a.m Taste Pavilion at Fort Mason. My day began at 11am as I sat down to the first Green Kitchen session, which was a cooking demonstration from chef Traci Des Jardins (see pic) of Jardinere, Acme Chop House and Mijita. The idea behind the Green Kitchen series is to provide low-budget YouTube videos (in conjunction with NPR) of simple recipes by expert chefs to de-mystify the art of cooking. I will post a link when the videos are available.

Let’s start by making it clear that Des Jardins is a one of my culinary heroes, and Jardinere is one of my favorite restaurants. To give you an idea, in 2005 she whooped Mario Batali on Iron Chef. Today she demonstrated a simple Italian-style salsa verde, which was actually more like a gremolata than your traditional Mexican salsa verde (tomatillo-based). She started by mashing garlic, anchovies and capers with a mortar and pestle, then chopped in shallots and added olive oil. She then finely chopped Italian parsley, chervil and tarragon, topped it off with salt, pepper and lemon zest. The salsa verde was served on a slice of hard boiled egg with a sprinkle of seasoned bread crumbs. Delicious!!
My day only got better from there. I was given a ticket with “Slow Dough” that I could exchange for tastings at the various booths. Represented were Beer, Bread, Charcuterie, Cheese, Chocolate, Coffee, Fish, Honey & Preserves, Ice Cream, Native Foods, Olive Oil, Pickles & Chutney, Spirits, Tea and Wine. As you can imagine I could not get through them all. But it was not for lack of effort, I can assure you.
I started at the fish station (I already had anchovie breath) and was given three amazing tastings of cold seafood salads. In retrospect I probably should not have finished all three of them, but they were so good I could not resist and I had no idea what I was in store for later.
Completely satisfied for the moment, I realized I had better devise an attack plan or I would either run out of room in my stomach or Slow Dough before I was ready. I decided to stick with the savory flavors and move my way to more sweeter fare, so my next stop was charcuterie. Three different cured, salty meats that melted in my mouth and I knew I was in for a long, delicious day.
Full of meat, I realized I needed a little help digesting or I would never make it through the entire four hours. I stopped at the wine pavilion and picked up a glass of nice rose to cut the heaviness and salt. Feeling better I was ready to start on carbohydrates and made my way to the pizza pavilion. The line was long, which was perfect. I sipped my wine, made a few friends and by the time I got to the front I was ready for a smallish (thank God!) slice of sausage and rapini pizza. It was a bit spicy and my glass was empty so I went back to the wine pavilion to wash it down with a fantastic grenache from Quivira (2006) in Dry Creek Valley.
No doubt I was approaching full, but I was not about to give up. While in line for pizza I had overheard a discussion about the pickle station. The guy in front of me was actually munching on a plate of them and oohing and ahhing after every bite. Pickles are not heavy but are still on the savory side, so when I was ready I headed straight there.
Pickles! Who knew there could be so many and they could be so good?! I am so unfamiliar with pickles and tried so many varieties that I do not know where to begin with my descriptions. Suffice to say they were amazing and my eyes were opened to a new world. While I was enjoying an incredibly crisp pickle-bite from Georgia, I walked to a new counter and started listening in on the conversation next to me hoping to learn about what I would enjoy next. When I looked a little closer I realized I was standing right next to Elizabeth Faulkner from Citizen Cake! I told her she was my hero and she was nice enough to chat and take her picture with me. She also informed me that Citizen Cake had provided some cupcakes for the event that were at the honey and preserves station, so that was my next stop.
The quarter-sized honey cupcake with pistachio was one of the most delectable bites of cake I have ever had. I have never seen these at Citizen Cake, but maybe they are on the menu now? I guess I will have to go check. I know it’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it.
Approaching capacity, I realized I was on the home stretch. Next up: gelato. I think this was my least favorite stop in the Taste Pavilion. Sure it was pretty good, but I lived in Tuscany for three months so I am kind of a tough critic of gelato. Then again, maybe it is just because I was so full. My flight included samples of Scharffen berger chocolate, molasses and pistachio gelatos. I really thought I would like them more.
To my dismay, I still had half of my Slow Dough left after gelato. How was I going to get through this? Coffee! The coffee pavilion was remarkable. Two lines led to either an espresso bar or a sampling of three different drip coffees. Each barista offered details of the origin and growing practices of each bean, truly some of the best coffees I have ever tasted (noticing a trend here?). I think the El Salvadoran espresso from Counter Culture Coffee was my favorite.
I had more Slow Dough, but I knew I was done. Cheese and olive oil tastings were very tempting, but just too heavy for me to enjoy in my state. Beer was out of the question. I went back to the wine station and had one more flight to round off the afternoon. Yet as full as I was, I never wanted to leave.
In my opinion, Slow Food Nation was a triumph of taste, culture and awareness. I encourage all of you to participate in the coming years.

SFN Day 2: Alice in Wonderland

by | Aug 30, 2008

I just returned from my second day at Slow Food Nation and it was spectacular! The sun was shining, the Market was bustling, people were smiling and I ate the most amazing sausage EVER from Fatted Calf (and an amazing pluot popsicle from Bi-Rite Creamery–it was an indulgent day).

I must confess that early in the morning I could not resist making a trip to the Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market because I remembered from the previous day that the Slow Food Market did not have Padrones (maybe I should start a 12-step program?). The wonderful woman at Happy Quail Farms told me they were in fact asked to be at Slow Food, but refused because they are just too small a farm to handle the load. Totally understandable.

The late morning I spent roaming the Victory Garden, eating with my friends and even making some new ones. At around 11:30 a.m. I accidentally bumped into Alice Waters and mayor Gavin Newsom doing a spot for 60 Minutes. It was really exciting! Keep your eyes open for me in my bright orange, Slow Food Nation t-shirt….

Later in the afternoon I attended the Food for Thought session “Edible Education,” presented by Alice herself, Van Jones, Founder and President of Green For All, Craig McNamara, President and Founder of the Center for Land-Based learning, and Josh Viertel, Director of the Yale Sustainable Food Project. The session was moderated by Katrina Heron, director of the Chez Panisse Foundation. Sadly, Dr. Tony Recasner of Green Charter and New Orleans Charter Middle schools was unable to attend the session as scheduled because of the evacuation status in New Orleans due to Hurricane Gustav.

The discussion focused on ways of building a curriculum of food and health into public schools. According to Waters, we all eat every day, and our food choices impact our health, the environment and our culture. She believes we must install a system to teach kids to make the right decisions when choosing what to eat, which means teaching a new set of values. The goal is to “bring children into a new relationship with food through pleasure.”

Panelists shared a number of inspiring success stories and also addressed some of the difficulties that still need to be overcome. There was general agreement that these issues must be addressed at the national level, but that change must first start at the local level. From my vantage point, however, they seemed to be at a loss for how to close this gap in a practical way. Despite this, the conversation was inspiring and raised a lot of critical issues facing the health of our youth, our country and our planet.

Tomorrow I will be visiting the Taste Pavilions and I hope to see many of you there!

What do you think of Slow Food Nation so far?

Slow Food Nation: Day 1

by | Aug 29, 2008

Today was the kick off of Slow Food Nation, the largest celebration of food in American history.

For many, the day began with the commencement of the Food For Thought seminar series at Herbst Theater. I would have loved to attend the talks, but the ones I was most interested in were sold out before I managed to get tickets. But from what I heard as people were leaving, the lectures were inspiring and the speakers did a fantastic job articulating the environmental and health challenges facing our nation and how Slow Food addresses these concerns. I have a ticket for tomorrow’s seminar, “Edible Education,” hosted by Alice Waters. Stay tuned to hear what I learn.

Today was also the first of three days of the Slow Food Market Place at Civic Center Plaza. The Market Place features a farmers market, Slow on the Go and the Slow Food Victory Garden (see pic). The Market hosts dozens of local farms and artisan vendors selling the best of what the season has to offer. The booths were small, but well attended. Samples of everything were available and the sense of community in the air was almost tangible. While not quite matching the bountiful selection of the Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market, the exquisite quality of the products and the spectacle of the event definitely makes this a must-do trip this weekend.

Nearby, Slow on the Go is a collection of restaurants and vendors selling sustainable prepared food, demonstrating that you can live Slow even when you are in a hurry. The vendors there represent a veritable all-star cast (The Slanted Door, Vik’s Chaat Corner, Fatted Calf, Blue Bottle Coffee, Bi-Rite Creamery, to name a few) and the options were beyond delicious and relatively affordable.

At the center of everything stood the Victory Garden, to “herald the era of self-sufficiency .” Though ornamental, the garden is a symbol of what Slow Food represents. There is an inextricable connection between us, our food, the soil and ultimately our planet. While wandering the grounds, Soap Box talks given by various “intellectuals of the earth” on a myriad of topics share ideas and concerns for our health and our food. These events are all free and open to the public.

As mentioned above, tomorrow I will be back at the Market and at the Food for Thought seminar. Sunday I will head to Fort Mason for the Taste Pavilion. I only wish I had time to attend everything, especially the Slow Food Rocks music festival and the various dinners occurring at my favorite restaurants around the city.

Slow Food memberships are discounted at the event (only $15 for students!), so if you were considering joining now is the time. T-shirts are available for $20.

Come to the table!

Tags:

Staying Healthy on a Student’s Schedule

by | Aug 28, 2008

Students are notoriously short on time. So too are doctors, nurses, residents, professors and, for that matter, just about everyone I know. And when time is limited, the last thing we are worried about is what and when we are going to eat or hit the gym. But neglecting our health is not a winning strategy in the long-term. Here are ten tips for staying healthy year-round on your busy schedule:

  1. Shop on weekends. It is impossible to cook yourself a healthy meal if you do not have any healthy food in your house. Make it non-negotiable to make your weekend grocery and farmers’ market trip. This will ensure that you always have fresh, healthy food at home that can be prepared quickly.
  2. Stock frozen vegetables. Though frozen vegetables do not always (but sometimes do) taste as good as fresh ones, they are just as healthy and can be stored indefinitely. They are also already cut up, which means a meal can be as easy as heating a pan with olive oil, opening a package and pouring it in the pan. A sprinkle of salt, pepper and fresh herbs and you have the basis for a quick, healthy meal.
  3. Cook grains in large batches. This is one to live by. Whole grains (and legumes) take a while to cook, I admit. But prepare a large batch (on weekends), wrap individual servings in plastic wrap and store them in the freezer. To thaw run under warm water briefly to loosen and remove plastic, put the frozen grain ball on a plate and microwave, partially-covered for one minute. This produces rice almost as good as when first cooked.
  4. Roast vegetables and meats. Roasting is one of the most delicious ways to cook vegetables and meat. It takes some time but can be done in large batches with a little olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper, and stores well in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Buying whole chickens also saves money. Put a few scoops of vegetables and chicken slices in the microwave next to your steaming pile of brown rice for a fast, delicious meal.
  5. Carry a healthy snack. You probably know how easy it is to be unexpectedly held up somewhere for hours without a proper meal, and in times like these it is impossible to break away and cook yourself dinner in the corner or hallway. Have a bag of nuts or dried/fresh fruit on you at all times to ensure you do not have to rely on the vending machine.
  6. Stock cans of soup. Canned soup is far from culinary brilliance, but it is frequently healthy. There are always reasons you cannot cook yourself a fresh dinner, but you can spare yourself a trip to the drive-thru if you have soup at home. Look for cans that have ingredients you recognize and less than ten grams of sugar. Also check the serving size.
  7. Take the stairs. Whether you have time to go to the gym or not, the stairs are a great way to get free exercise. Elevators are not always faster and stairs are not as bad as you think. For most people, the barrier to taking the stairs is more mental than physical.
  8. Subscribe to a CSA. CSA or Community-supported Agriculture is a program where a person commits to purchasing a weekly box of fresh, seasonal produce from a specific local farm. Boxes can usually be customized to the size and frequency of your needs, so you can get as much or little as you can handle. Such an arrangement ensures that you always have high-quality healthy food in the house, consume a diverse assortment of seasonal fruits and vegetables and learn to cook things you have never heard of. It is also great for the environment and community. Everyone is a winner!
  9. Carry water. Water is important, and you would be surprised at how often you mistake thirst for hunger and end up with a salty bag of chips instead of a cool glass of water. Carry a water bottle with you at all times and drink from it regularly.
  10. Get moving. The gym and stairs are not the only ways to get exercise. If you are having trouble squeezing in a workout, it is critical that you find a bunch of little ways to keep moving. Walking or biking to work is an excellent way to combat a sedentary job. You would be surprised at how little extra time and energy this takes, and it is almost certainly quicker than a trip to the gym. It is also a good idea to embrace the calls of manual labor: clean your room, wash your car, do the dishes. You need to do these things anyway, so you may as well burn some calories in the process.

This article is also available at:

http://synapse.ucsf.edu/articles/2008/August/stayinghealthy.html

Tags:

Slow Food Nation This Weekend

by | Aug 27, 2008

This weekend, August 29 – September 1, San Francisco will be host to the first annual Slow Food Nation event.

Slow Food is a movement that began in Italy in the late 1980s in response to the growing prevalence of fast food. According to their mission statement, Slow Food “envisions a world in which all people have access to food that is good for them, good for the people who grow it and good for the planet.” Thus the movement seeks to preserve cultural cuisines and encourage responsible, sustainable and local food production.

Slow Food USA was founded by local culinary guru Alice Waters of Chez Panisse in Berkeley. This weekend’s event “is dedicated to creating a framework for deeper environmental connection to our food and aims to inspire and empower Americans to build a food system that is sustainable, healthy and delicious.”

Spanning four days, Slow Food Nation is literally all over the place with its ambition. Events range from inspirational talks at Herbst Theater by food policy big shots like Marion Nestle and Michael Pollan, to Taste Pavilions featuring local artisans at Fort Mason, to dining events at dozens of local restaurants, to a three day farmers’ market at Civic Center Plaza. There will also be a two-day outdoor music festival at Fort Mason, as well as organized art events, hikes and farm tours. All this is crowned by the Slow Food Nation Victory Garden that has been planted in front of City Hall.

Slow Food Nation’s city takeover is a bit overwhelming I admit, but it seems like there should be something for everyone. I will be attending several of the events and I hope to see many of you there!

« Older Posts