Fair Cuisine

 Below are some outtakes of photos from the Minnesota State Fair showing the various cuisine options:

and finally, the Fair French Fry Fairies with Fairbourne, the State Fair Mascot:



Ice Cream Science

     Tucked back in the corner of the food pavilion at the Minnesota State Fair was a small booth.  Behind it were 3 young men selling ice cream under a sign simply stating "Nitro Ice Cream."  It was a hot day and I had eaten my fill of deep fried everything and was looking for something to soothe my palate.  Ice cream seemed like a natural choice.  But Nitro ice cream?  Somehow to me that seemed explosive, given the name.

     So as I ordered up a cup of vanilla with chocolate sauce I inquired about the name behind the process.  It was an interesting story that began with two Iowa State College students who in 1999 invented a new way to flash freeze ice cream.  T. J. Paskach & Will Schroeder were the "mad scientists" who used liquid nitrogen to freeze the ice cream mixture in less than 1 second.  Doing so creates a very smooth and dense consistency to the ice cream since there is practically no air whipped into the mix and minuscule ice crystals.

     The Iowa State Fair was the first proving ground for the new process.  Then in 2002 the concession operation expanded to the Minnesota Fair and was on its way to international fame.  The Blue Sky Creamery now has mobile franchises located from Miami to Las Vegas and from Columbus to Calgary.  It's even available on-line and can be shipped directly to your door!

     I'm just another happy and satisfied customer...



Butterheads

     Each year at the Minnesota State Fair a Dairy Queen is named along with her court.  This is a 61 year tradition, beginning way back in 1954.  Another part of the tradition is that the queen and her court receive the coveted (and unique) title of Princess Kay of the Milky Way.  The first recipient of that moniker was Eleanor Maley Thatcher of Grand Meadow.  That distinctive and tasteful title is bestowed annually by the Midwest Dairy Association.



   It was in 1965 that another feature of the year long reign commenced.  Each member of The Milky Way has the honor of having her likeness carved out of a block of butter, a 90 pound block of butter.  The skilled artist is Linda Christensen who has been carving butterheads for the past 44 years. It's all done in a rotating glass enclosed studio, a giant walk-in cooler set at a constant 40 degrees.



     It's a cool job, to be sure, since it takes anywhere from 6-9 hours to complete each head.  They then remain on display for the duration of the fair.  And when the fair is over each woman gets to take her likeness home with her, all 192,000 calories of it!



Factoid: It takes 21.8 pounds of whole milk to make 1 pound of butter.

Fair Fare

     For 12 days prior to Labor Day the Minnesota State Fair is up and running.  It's an annual event for me and I look forward to it with eager anticipation.  Apparently so do a lot of other folks as well.  On the first weekend of the Fair nearly 180,000 people passed through the gates on Saturday alone.

     As I perused the  list of new foods at the fair for 2014 with my daughter there were a few that looked very appealing.  And others, not so much.  We decided not to waste any time (or calories) on the bacon wrapped turkey leg or the beer gelato.  The chocolate dessert salami also did not appeal to us and neither did the Korean BBQ collar with kimchi pickles. And we questioned the s'more flavored beer.  Some things are just better left by themselves and not co-mingled.  Chocolate porter beer with marshmallows floating on top?  No thanks!  But there were several interesting new items that we put on our "must do" list.

     The iron range pierogies sounded interesting in the description: "...deep fried dumplings stuffed with potatoes and cheddar cheese stopped with crispy onion strings and served with a zingy horsey sauce."  But we came away disappointed after sampling them.  Too pedestrian and no zing to the horsey sauce.  So we moved on to the deep fried lobster on a stick.  That, too, was a disappointment.  Too much deep fried taste and not enough lobster flavor in the claw meat with a crunchy crust.  

     Undeterred, the next visit to the fair I ordered the breakfast juicy LuLu, an American cheese stuffed sausage patty, a terribly overcooked sausage patty, I might add, served up in between two very dry pieces of toast, not the English muffin that was advertised.

     After enjoying some of the tried and true favorites like garlic fries, fried mashed potatoes on a stick and fried cheese curds (picking up on a fried theme here?)  We finally hit paydirt with two newbies that will become favorites from now on.  The deep fried buckeyes were fabulous!  After all, what's not to like about 6 peanut butter balls coated in chocolate, dusted with confectioner's sugar and served with strawberry sauce on a stick?

     Another winner was the deep fried walleye mac n' cheese.  Creamy, gooey and crunchy all at the same time.  Dubbed North Shore Pasta it was a tasty combination of smoked walleye, sweet corn kernels and roasted red pepper atop a bed of cavatappi noodles, smothered in smoked Gouda sauce and sprinkled with Parmesan parsley bread crumbs.

     But perhaps our blue ribbon favorite was the shrimp dog.  Baby shrimp combined with cream cheese then batter dipped, deep fried and served on a stick.  It was so good that I wasn't able to get a photo of it. I ate it too quickly!

Twins

     One of my favorite summer vacation destinations is coastal Maine.  We enjoyed breathing in the fresh salt air as we sat having dinner at one of the many lobster pounds that hugged the coastline.  The Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound near Acadia National Park always had a special that I looked forward to each season.  Two "twin" lobsters with corn on the cob and fries with applesauce on the side.  It was a maritime feast!  As my younger daughter watched me down the luscious crustaceans she looked up at me and asked, "Dad, how do they know they're twins?"

     The Twin Lobster tradition is once again alive and well in Philadelphia, sort of.  For the month of August on Wednesday nights The Oyster House is offering 2 lobsters for $26.  The restaurant located on Sansom Street is listing on their menu a "Twin Lobster Dinner" that includes 2 one pound lobsters, an ear of corn and drawn butter.  All that is true.



     But what they didn't say was that the ear of corn was stone cold and almost inedible, looking more like one of those wax imitations that decorates store fronts.  And sadly the lobsters were disappointingly soggy and at the same time undercooked.  I must admit it wasn't the meal I was anticipating.  There were no rolls or pats of butter, no applesauce either.  In hopes of reliving those glory days in Maine I ordered some hand cut fries for an additional $7.  They came to the table hot and tasty with several kinds of dipping sauces that included an Old Bay aioli and a Cajun caper remoulade.  I tried to eat them as quickly as possible while they were still warm.  But when I had extracted all the limp lobster meat I could from the "twins" and consumed the fries I was still hungry.  I didn't even attempt more than a solitary bite of the corn.  Looking over the dessert menu I settled on a peach and berry slab pie with brown butter ice cream which sounded good.  But what came to the table resembled a galette that had been steam rolled.  Instead of juicy slices of fresh peaches there were flattened dried out miniature door stops.  And for the life of me I couldn't identify a single berry anywhere on the plate.  While the ice cream was good it wasn't enough to redeem the rest of the dessert.

     I realize that I wasn't sitting at a picnic table overlooking Southwest Harbor.  But maybe if I want the real thing, a bonafide Twin Lobster Dinner, that's where I will need to go.

Editor's note:  I will be on the road for the next few days doing extensive culinary research on the food on a stick being offered at the Minnesota State Fair.  Look for my commentary on my findings sometime next week.
                                                                                                       Vinny Garette

Get Out of Town!

     Not far to the north of The Big Apple lies the verdant and bountiful Hudson Valley.  And recently it has become the destination for rent weary New Yorkers to find not only affordable living, but also good food.  It seems that experienced chefs are also making the migration north and retrofitting their culinary skills to the tastes and demands of rural communities there, whether it be comfort food or sophisticated fare.  And it is a locavores delight!  Nearby farms provide an abundance of vegetables, meats, milk and cheeses to establishments with names like Baba Louie's, Ca'Mea, Swoon Kitchen and the Berkshire Mountain Bakery.  One restaurant, Fish & Game,  is located in a 19th Century blacksmith shop and serves a set menu that changes weekly, serving locally sourced food.

     The Hudson Valley has undergone some significant changes, from whaling, to mining, to lumber to agriculture.  Perhaps the next thing to drive the economy there is dining.  Sounds to me like some culinary research on my part will be necessary!

In a Jam

     About now my cherry tomato porch plants are producing more fruits (yes, tomatoes are technically a fruit) than I can consume.  The Sweet 100 variety is aptly named!  But I have found a wonderful and creative way to use those diminutive ruby orbs by turning them into Tomato Jam.  It's a great condiment to have around and is versatile enough to slather on steaks, corn, toast or even a slice of scrapple in the morning!  Here's the recipe for you to try:

Tomato Jam

4 lbs cherry (or grape) tomatoes                       1 tsp salt

1 cup chopped fresh basil                                    1/2 tsp coriander

1 cup sweet onion, chopped                                1/4 tsp cumin

1/2 cup brown sugar                                           1/8cup cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar                              1/8 cup balsamic vinegar

                                                    juice of one lemon

     Cut the tomatoes in half (quarter them if larger).  Add all the ingredients into a non-stick pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer.  Cook the mixture until it reduces to a thick jam, making sure not to let it burn.  The cooking time varies depending on the amount of liquid in the variety of tomatoes used.  The finished product will be about 4 cups.  Ladle into glass jars and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.



Porch Pot Peppers

     Back in the Spring I was deciding what to grow in my porch pots.  I seem to choose the same things year after year: herbs and spices, some little grape tomatoes and maybe a larger heirloom variety.  It's all pretty predictable.  But this year I decided to add a poblano pepper plant to my assortment even though I wasn't sure how I would use the dark green fruits that are wide at the stem and taper down to a sharp point.



     This weekend I picked my first harvest of those peppers and realized I had to come up with a creative way to enjoy them. So I did some research.  Poblanos are one of the most popular grown in the fields of our neighbors directly to the south.  They are a mild variety of chili pepper and are so named because it is thought that they originated in the Mexican state of Puebla.  They have a dark thick skin and are considered to be on the mild side as far as chilis go, with a rating of 1,000-2,000 units on the Scoville heat scale.  Although when ripened and bright red that number increases significantly.  And even from the same plant 2 poblanos can have a surprising difference in intensity.  When the ripe poblano is dried it becomes an ancho chili and can be ground to create chile powder (note the difference in spelling there).  Poblanos are best when roasted over an open flame.  That brings out the flavor and also permits the tough skin to be easily removed.

     So with that knowledge I began to search for recipes.  One of the most popular ways to prepare poblanos is in a dish called chile rellano.  But that seemed like too much work, having to not only roast the peppers but then to stuff them and dip each one in an egg wash and then dredge in flour before cooking.  I wasn't that ambitious.  But I did find an interesting recipe in an unlikely place.  In the official on-line student newspaper of McNeil High School in Austin, TX, The Trailblazer, Nicole Meeks wrote an article about salsa made from roasted poblano peppers that delivers what she termed "a smoky rich kick."  That's just what I was looking for!

     The salsa (the Spanish word for sauce) would be my contribution to a party the next day. I roasted the peppers on my grill for a few moments until the skin became charred and blistered, then put them into a bowl and covered it for about 15 minutes to loosen the skin making it easier to remove.  Meanwhile I added some chopped onion, garlic, tomato (my own from a porch pot), and cilantro to my food processor.  After peeling away the skin I chopped the poblanos and added them to the mix and pulsed everything together.  The only thing it needed was a squeeze of lime and a couple turns of freshly ground pepper and it was ready to mellow in the chill chest overnight.

The result was well received.  The heat from the poblanos was just enough to make the salsa interesting.  As one guest said, "It doesn't punish, it just reminds."

Living in DC

     Our nation's capitol is reputed to have the highest cost for goods and services ahead of all the other 50 states.  Now while that may be true, the numbers are somewhat skewed since DC is a single metropolitan jurisdiction.  The expense of the Big Apple is offset by what goods and services cost in Chittanango, thus creating a lower overall average for the entire state of New York.

     Nonetheless, it is very expensive to live among our nation's lawmakers and politicians.  Take a case in point with a lunch eaten there last weekend.  Sweetgreen is a sort of health food customizing salad bar.  It began with humble origins but lofty ideals back in 2007.  In their advertising they state, 

     "Sweetgreen is a destination for delicious food that's both healthy for you and aligned with your values.  We source local and organic ingredients from farmers we know and partners we trust, supporting our communities and creating meaningful relationships with those around us.  We exist to create experiences where passion and purpose come together."

     Their core values and their effort to maintain a level of sustainability enforces their mission. They source organic & local food at their 27 locations in Boston, NYC, Philly, Maryland, Virginia and DC.  Their packaging is all compostable, as is their bowls, cutlery & beverage cups.  Even their bags, napkins and menus are 100% PCC.  All of their locations are constructed with FSC certified materials and utilize energy efficient LED lighting.  The furniture is made from reclaimed wood. 

                           



     I really do appreciate all that.  But 2 salads and 2 lemonades set me back $30!  So much for dining out in DC.



Something new from something old

     One problem that with our sedentary lifestyle is that we don't have an opportunity to as they say, "get the blood flowing."  Many of us sit at a desk during the day and then come home to sit some more.  In addition to finding time in our busy schedules to get in a walk there are some easily available items on our kitchen shelves that can help.

     Have you ever considered including a spoonful of molasses in your oatmeal in the morning, or perhaps sweetening your coffee or tea with it?  Molasses is the thick syrup that is produced when the sugar cane plant it processed to make refined sugar.  The irony of that is that the toxic, unhealthy refined sugar is sold to us in 5 lb bags while the highly nutritious molasses which contains all the minerals and nutrients absorbed by the plant is more likely destined to be sold as feed for livestock.

     Blackstrap molasses is the highest and most nutritious grade of all the types of molasses sold.  It has many healthy benefits, among them being that it is rich in iron and minerals that helps the body produce red blood cells that carry much needed oxygen throughout our circulatory system.  That boost of iron combats anemia as well.  In addition it rebuilds the skin structure, resulting in improved hair quality and color.  It is also a safe sweetener for diabetics and a good sugar substitute besides being a natural laxative.  Blackstrap molasses is high in calcium and magnesium.  Those two valuable minerals guard against osteoporosis and aids in the growth and development of bones.  Unsulfured molasses reduces swelling with its anti-inflammatory properties.



     Perhaps we should re-write the Mary Poppins song about "a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down" and for our general health and well-being be singing about a spoonful of molasses being healthy medicine all by itself!

Driven by Food

     "The color options for new cars this year sound more like grocery items than showroom offerings."  That's the word from the editorial staff at Food Network Magazine in their most recent issue.

     "According to executives at Toyota, Mazda and Cadillac, food-themed colors often rank among the bestsellers, a trend they attribute to America's growing food obsession.  The 2015 Nissan Murano, which comes out in late 2014, will be available in Java Metallic and Cayenne Red.  The Chevy Spark hits dealerships this month in Fresh Lime and already comes in top-selling Salsa.  And Toyota just released the Scion FR-S in Yuzu, a yellow shade named after the Japanese fruit.  They decided not to call it Lemon, for obvious reasons."



The Science of Food

     While researching Ice Cream Month in July I was introduced to a 37 year old Spanish physics professor named Manuel Linares.  Being a physicist was his career but cooking was his passion.  So he hung up his lab coat and donned an apron and enrolled in Barcelona's Hotel Business School to pursue what he dubbed a "Masters Diploma in Creating Artisan Ice Cream."

     His inspiration came from Charlie Francis, a Brit who invented glow-in-the-dark ice cream.  But Prof Linares had a different goal in mind: to invent an ice cream that changes color when you lick it.  Putting his knowledge of science to use he developed a formula in which ice cream changes hue from periwinkle to pink to purple based on fluctuations in temperature and acidity levels.  One lick and a person's own saliva triggers the reaction.  And foodies can rejoice.  It's all natural!  Xamaleon (that's Spanish for chameleon) is made from strawberries, cocoa, almonds, banana, pistachio, vanilla and caramel.

     What next for the physicist turned cook?  Prof Linares is planning Xaman, an ice cream that acts as an aphrodisiac made from plants grown in Peru and Africa.

Better than Beef

     Remember when bison was the exotic red meat of choice on the menu in certain high end restaurants?  It replaced the mundane cuts of beef that we've all been accustomed to.  Now there is something new to try.  Called Himalayan Beef, the Yak offers a sweet and delicately flavored red meat that isn't gamey or greasy and lighter tasting than the standard cut of beef.

     And it's healthier, too.  Healthier in fact, that skinless chicken and most fish.  Yak is 95-97% fat free and contains a high percentage of heart healthy Omega 3 oils.  It's higher in protein, minerals and vitamins while being lower in saturated fats, cholesterol, triglycerides and calories that beef.



     They are easier to raise than beef cattle.  Yaks don't need much attention.  They can forage in places where most cattle cannot.  They consume 1/3 of a cow and do less damage to the environment.  They are smaller and more nimble with hooves that enable them to move over mountainous terrain. Yaks are disease resistant and need no antibiotics.  They are docile and easy to maintain on the open range.  In the winter they thrive in the cold with no need for shelter, eating ice instead of drinking water.  They are also efficient, consuming less grass per acre/animal than a cow.  Currently there are more than 30 Yak ranches in North America.

     So when you peruse the menu during your next dining adventure don't be surprised to find Yak pot roast, fillet or steak listed there!

Something New

     There's a new fresh fusion of sweet and nutty that's about to hit our grocery store produce aisle this Fall.  Kalettes are the combination of kale and Brussels sprouts.  The two healthy vegetables have been crossbred into one new superfood.  Kalettes have all the nutritional benefits of kale, yet taste milder and sweeter than Brussels sprouts.  They are the trendiest new produce item to hit since the development of broccolini back in 1993.  

     Kalettes are a hybrid vegetable.  That is significantly different from a GMC (Genetically Modified Crop).  There has been no tampering by scientists with the DNA of kale and sprouts, simply a cross breeding of compatible plants.  We all know from shopping at farmers' markets that Brussels sprouts grow on thick stalks.  But instead of little cabbages appearing, Kalettes have small kale leaves.

     They are already appearing in markets in the UK under the name of Flower Sprouts.  You can read more about them by clicking on to the Modern Farmer webpage.

     

     

Simple Summer Sides, part 2

     Here's another quick and easy recipe that includes some of the most common garden delights of the Summer.

Bell Pepper-Tomato Salad

2 Tbsp EVOO                                             1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1 tsp hot sauce                                            1/2 tsp Kosher salt

Juice of 1/2 lemon                                     freshly ground pepper

1 garlic clove, grated                                 2 green bell peppers

                                   3 plum tomatoes

     Whisk the olive oil, hot sauce, lemon juice, garlic, parsley,and salt in a bowl; season with pepper. Thinly slice the bell peppers and cut the tomatoes into wedges; toss with the dressing.

 



Simple Summer Sides

     About now all of our gardens are burgeoning with fresh and delicious veggies.  (I know, technically tomatoes are a fruit.  But would you put them in a fruit salad?)  So now what to do with all these home grown wonders?

     They July/August issue of Food Network magazine contains some quick and easy recipes that can put your prize crops to good use.  Not only are they easy to prepare, they taste good, too!!!  Today and tomorrow I will provide you with these healthy side dish recipes.  All you have to do is think up what to serve with them.

Summer Green Beans

with

Bacon Dressing

1 lb wax and/or green beans                             2 Tbsp cider vinegar

3 slices chopped bacon                                       parsley, chopped

1 shallot, chopped                                               salt & pepper

     Boil the beans after they have been trimmed and halved, until tender, 4 minutes; drain.  Cook the chopped bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp.  Add the chopped shallot; cook 2 minutes.  Stir in the cider vinegar.  Toss in the beans, some parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm or at room temperature.  (my suggestion) Vinny

 



Don't cry over melted ice cream

     Last month I posted on several occasions that July was National Ice Cream Month.  I hope you had the opportunity to celebrate that noteworthy event with something cool and creamy.  Mrs. Christine Watson did by purchasing some ice cream sandwiches for her children at Walmart, that bastion of savings for the American cost-conscious consumer.

     Her son didn't finish all of his and left it sitting outside for at least 12 hours on a hot day.  Mrs. Watson was surprised to find that it had hardly melted at all.  She was perplexed as she wondered how something that was supposed to be the genuine article, ice cream, could stay solid for such a length of time.  In a test of various name brands like Haagen-Dazs, Klondike, and Blue Bunny she discovered that they all melted within 30 minutes but the Walmart Great Value ice cream remained in a nearly solid state.

     So how is an "unmeltable" ice cream sandwich possible?  It all depends on 3 things: temperature, ingredients and science.  "The warmer the temperature, the more energy an object has and the faster it absorbs energy," according to Laura Van Wert.  Once an object, like ice cream, hits its threshold of energy it starts to melt.  "Likewise, ingredients--creams, sugar, eggs and such fixings as chocolate chips--affect how quickly ice cream melts.  For example, low-fat ice cream melts slower because cream is replaced with water and more whipped air, which require more absorption of energy to melt."

     But there is also another explanation.  Preservatives and gum stabilizers such as guar gum, corn syrup and cellulose (that's wood pulp added to thicken products) along with a lack of real cream and buttercream keep Great Value ice cream sandwiches from melting.  

     So I guess moms all over the country can thank Walmart for ice cream that doesn't melt.  If you want to call it ice cream...

Really Getting Ugly

     Last year Katherine Martinko wrote an article for the website treehugger.  In it she relates an interview that she conducted with Lea Brunsack and Tonja Krakowski.  They are the co-owners of Culinary Misfits, a Berlin, Germany catering business that exclusively utilizes misshapen fruits & vegetables in their company.  

     It's part of a new trend to find ways to avoid wasting oddly conformed produce.  Lea and Tonja had this to say:

     "We don't present the vegetables as waste, because they're not waste.  It's good food that's even more interesting because it doesn't exist in the usual supermarket and restaurant range.  These vegetables are more like pieces of art."

     Ms. Martinko concludes her essay with these words:

     "Fortunately perceptions can always shift, so the more people who opt for misshapen produce, the more normal and accessible it will become, saving money and cutting back the excessive waste.  You might start to think, as I have, that strange-looking vegetables are more beautiful than the blandly monotonous spectrum of options in the supermarket."

     To that I can only add a loud and enthusiastic "AMEN!"

And if you'd like to hear the sounds of ugly fruit, click on the highlighted phrase to watch and listen to a video clip created by 3 German students to illustrate their "Ugly Fruits" campaign.

A Problem of Global Proportion

     Ugly Vegetables (and other produce) are not the problem.  We, as consumers, are.  Visual appearance aside, they're all the same inside.  But at least one third of all food produced worldwide, worth about $1 Trillion dollars annually, gets lost or wasted in food production and consumption systems.  That's a staggering amount!  The marketing program reported on yesterday to sell blemished produce by the French Intermarche grocery franchise is but one attempt to curb this growing problem.

     Several other groups have also taken up the cause, among them the UN Environmental Program.  Their governing council recently held a zero waste reception for its executives in Nairobi.  The banquet was created solely from less than perfect produce,  3,500 pounds of Kenyan fruits and vegetables that were rejected for cosmetic reasons by UK supermarkets. The remaining food was then donated to local charities, including a community based organization that runs a school with a meal program that feeds 580 children.   

     Tristam Stuart, food waste author and founder of Feeding the 5000 was recently quoted as saying, "It's a scandal that so much food is wasted in a country with millions of hungry people.  The waste of perfectly edible 'ugly' vegetables is endemic in our food production systems and symbolizes our negligence."  He further states that European supermarket rejection of produce due to cosmetic reasons causes Kenyan farmers to waste 40% of their harvest.

     Consumer food waste soon follows.  A study released in 2013 by the British Institution of Mechanical Engineers estimates that between 30% and 50% of food produced in the world is wasted.  Another group involved in resolving this crisis in wasted food is the Think. Eat. Save. campaign.  Their numbers indicate that the total quantity of wasted food would be sufficient to feed the estimated 900 million hungry people in the world.   Americans alone waste 150 billion pounds of food a year (worth $240 billion).  That's enough food to fill the Rose Bowl to the brim every day.
  



     With such a global crisis what can we as individuals do?  There are some easy solutions that we all can take.  Reuse leftovers before they become refrigerated "science projects."  Asking for a doggie bag when we are dining out is another way.  And being aware of grocery store marketing gimmicks that get us to buy more food than we'll use is one more way that we can be a part of the solution and not the problem.

     While we can't do everything, we can all do something.