|
News from North Pond April 2008
|
|
|
|
News from North Pond
- Earth Day happens on the 22nd of this month. Try to do something green - if not for the rest of the year, then at least for the day. Consider planting something you'll be able to harvest and eat later in the summer or perhaps cooking something truly seasonal, something y
 ou've never prepared before. If all else fails, walk or bike to somewhere you'd ordinarily drive.
- There's an interesting lecture series taking place this month at the Chicago History Museum, all about food in Chicago. I'll be part of a panel on Tuesday the 29th. Find out more about this and the other Chicago History Museum Tuesday programs by clicking here.
- I'm proud to announce that I've been nominated for a second straight year by the James Beard Foundation for Best Chef: Great Lakes Region. Awards will be announced in earl
 y June at a ceremony taking place in New York City. I am flattered also to have been asked to be part of a select group of chefs nationwide to cook at the event at Lincoln Center. For more information on the event, check out the James Beard website.
- And last, but hardly least, my beloved Cubbies kick off their centennial World Series quest this month - actually, on March 31. Let's all believe!
|
|
News from the Green Market
Artichokes - Not the way Mama Made Them
This is a great time of year to consider this thistle. And while I know it's neither local nor native, (unless you're somewhere in the Mediterranean reading this) artichokes are a fabulous (seasonal) spring product. They are delicious prepared and eaten many ways, not just boiled to death the way our mothers and grandmothers prepared them.
 When artichokes are super-fresh - very tight heads and leaves which snap off easily, cleanly, and audibly - they are delicious raw, with lemon, olive oil, parmesan and other complementary dips and spreads - aioli for instance.
The miniature or baby artichokes so common in Europe are delicious braised, marinated, or even grilled. And what about fried? (Though, what's not delicious fried?) Next time you're in the produce aisle, mosey on over to the artichokes - small or large - and fill a bag to take home and try cooking in a NEW way. For yet more info on the bud, check out Gourmet Sleth's website.
|
Recipe of the Month
Radish Butter
1/2 lb butter, soft
5 ea large radishes, small julienne
1/2 ea lemon, juiced
¼ c fresh mint leaves, chopped
2 Tbl fresh chives, chopped
2 Tbl fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
touch of Tabasco
S & P
- Beat butter on medium speed in a countertop mixer, using the paddle attachment.
- Add in lemon juice, salt, and pepper, to taste.
- Beat in the chopped herbs until well-distributed.
- Take bowl off the machine and carefully fold in julienned radishes.
- Correct seasoning and serve.
|
Farm of the Month
Anson Mills
(803-867-4122)
 Anson Mills came about 10 years ago, as Glenn Roberts searched his native home for white Carolina mill corn, the basis of authentic Southern grits. Glenn became frustrated when he could no longer find the grains and ingredients traditionally stocked in the Southern larder, grains with which his mother described cooking during her childhood.
With painstaking care and attention to historic detail, Glenn undertook rediscovering the grains the growers and the mills to supply chefs and cooks everywhere. Today, Anson Mills supplies us with unparalleled grains, heirloom varieties or conventional ones, all artisanally crafted from seed to sale. Check out the delicious products at the Anson Mills website. |
Drink of the Month
Mango Monsoon
 3 oz mango juice
(100%)
1 oz Tahitian vanilla
vodka
1 Tbl coconut milk
squeezed lime juice
smoked paprika (opt.)
- Combine mango juice, vodka, and lime juice. Shake well.
- Pour over ice in 6 oz. tumbler of choice.
- Float coconut milk on top.
- Sprinkle with smoked paprika and serve.
|
Another Pithy Article/Think Piece
One Iowa family, the Stiegelmeiers, is "going against the grain" - eschewing commodity crops and government subsidies for a "multifuntionality," approach to farming. Sam Hurst tells their story in this month's Gourmet, and explains why supporting farms like the Stiegelmeiers' should be a central part of the United States' Farm Bill.
Gourmet's "Betting the Farm"
| |
Tips from the Fish and Meat Market
Offal? Awesome!
 Because offal knows no specific season, it's delicious any time of year! Although many Americans think "awful" when considering this whole category of product, as (French) trained cooks, it's our responsibility - as the adage goes - to utilize every part of the animal but the moo and oink.
We try and do our part here on the pond, primarily because the v ariety meats, as they are also known, are delicious and under-appreciated. Most of you might be familiar with iron-rich liver or intensely smooth and luxurious oxtail, but in the past we've been prone to cook and enjoy tongues (including those miniatures of duck), snouts (in some of the best sausages), feet (wonderfully gelatinous), gizzards (supremely tender and juicy) and tails (marvelously flavorful).
Of course, many and most other organs and parts are cooked and used somehow, someway, too, but we'll leave that up to your imagination. Just know that in most of the world beyond our borders, organ meat preparation is a testament to one's resourcefulness and necessity in the kitchen. We're currently offering succulent prosciutto-enrobed sweetbreads with frik and wild herb salad. Mmmmmmm. Click below for a tasty tidbit on the topic.
The Guardian's "The Way to a Man's Heart Is through his Kidneys"
|
Watch Our Garden Grow
Early Growth
Early Rhubarb
More Early Growth
Early Chives
|
Charity of the Month
Chicago's Greening Network
(773-251-7515)
Each year, we accumulate donations through our wine program for four deserving organizations. Their inclusion on our list is based on their work to help preserve diverse food choices, contribute to the local community, support local farmers, and help commit to a more sustainable future. This month's selection is not currently on our list but certainly worth your consideration.
Chicago's Greening Network is comprised of non-profit and public organizations looking to share resources and information related to green and sustainable issues, including land use and community gardens. The Green Net serves as a wonderful resource to link local organizations with shared concerns and publicize interesting on-message events. Learn more at the Greening Network's website. |
|
