Archive for the ‘Food + Recipes’ Category
Wild Culture: A New Column Devoted to Fermentation
I am excited to be launching a new column over on Paste Magazine, all about one of my favorite subjects: fermentation!
The first column is devoted to the subject of SCOBYs, the gelatinous looking organism that you have to have in order to brew kombucha at home. Amongst those who brew their own kombucha, I have found that many people have stories about their SCOBYs, as well as a sense of emotional attachment to them. One friend of mine even named his.
An excerpt:
Today we have a renewed appreciation for this old tradition, and people are taking to fermentation with fervor. Some of us get into baking sourdough with a starter and others launch into the world of pickling. But whatever kind of fermentation you do, there’s a high chance that you’re adamant about it.
Kombucha is the perfect example.
For many, kombucha has become a gateway drug into the world of fermentation. Fueled by an increasing interest in the health benefits of probiotics, the sales of kombucha have grown exponentially. Kombucha sales for 2015 are projected to be upwards of $500 million. But at one point or another we realize that our addiction to the bottles at the grocery store is becoming an expensive habit, and it’s high time that we brewed our own. This is the moment that we turn from kombucha fan to kombucha fanatic.
You can read the column here.
Image: Iris
Preorder a Copy of the Book ‘Paris Coffee Revolution’
For the last two years I have been covering the specialty coffee scene in Paris. For a long time, Paris was a place that was known for bad quality coffee and not much else. But in the last few years, this has changed, and nowadays there are a handful of local specialty roasters and a long list of cafes where you’re sure to get served a good cup.
Last year photographer Jeff Hargrove reached out to me. He had been bitten by the coffee bug and as a portrait photographer, he wanted to self-publish a book with portraits of the “coffee entrepreneurs” in Paris – the people who helped to change the coffee scene. But he wanted more than portraits, he wanted a story. And so I came along to help write that story: Paris Coffee Revolution.
Make Your Own Fruit Bars
I am excited to have my latest recipe up over on Adventure Journal!
It’s a recipe for Blueberry Rye Bars, perfect as a packable snack, and a recipe that takes full advantage of summer berries. In fact, you can switch out the berries in this for whatever you have on hand. I’ve even made them with dried figs.
Most fruit bar recipes are heavy on brown sugar and butter, but this one uses honey and olive oil instead. You can catch the full recipe here.
Video: Coffee Outside
Surrounded by a lot of talented filmmaker friends, I have always been attracted to the power of visual storytelling. But enjoying visual storytelling is one thing. Making it yourself is another thing entirely.
A little over a year ago I told a couple of filmmaker friends that I wanted to invest in a camera so that I could try my hand at filming. “Do it!” was the resounding response.
Sure, I had played around with iMovie a few years ago, putting together a few clips into something coherent, but nothing more than that. Maybe it was time I challenged myself. So I got the camera, and took a lot of nice photos with it, entirely intimidated, in fact, nearly paralyzed, by the thought of trying to do video. Where would I even begin? What if I failed?
Having talented creative people around you is a really good thing. Imagine if you were surrounded by a bunch of boring, mediocre individuals? No thank you. But there’s a flip side to being surrounded by all this talent; while they’re happy to encourage you, you also have very high standards to live up to. And so, I found myself unable to jump into the world whose waters I wanted to test. I was nervous, stricken by the idea that I might make something that wasn’t up to par.
And then it struck me: this is your first film. If we all listened to the voices in our head that told us we were going to fail before we even started, we wouldn’t get anywhere. Failure is just another form of fear. Because what is failure? The definition is up to us entirely, and in the case of wanting to try something new, the only failure I could really come up with, was not doing it at all.
So I set out to make a short film. Super short. Turns out, it’s hard. But it’s also fun, and I can see why all my filmmaker friends are so addicted. There is power in storytelling, whether it’s a short love letter to something we love, or if it’s a feature-length documentary tackling important subjects that we believe the world should know more about.
This video came out of a love of coffee and the outdoors. At the end of July, I spent two weeks hiking in Northern Sweden, and I knew that with a place so visually stunning, I should at least get something on film. This is what it became. This short video isn’t going to change the world (that will be a film later down the line, thank you very much) but maybe it will change how you think about your coffee routine. And maybe this story will inspire you to try something new, something you have never done before and that you’re scared of. Because quite frankly, there’s nothing better.
Recipe: No-Bake Blueberry Cake
Did you know that if you mix honey and yogurt you can make a super simple frozen cake? Like ice cream cake, except way better for you.
I made this last summer and recently threw it together with a batch of blueberries that I had on hand. It’s the perfect cold summer treat. The crust is flourless too; made with almonds and hazelnuts, and a dash of whiskey for those who dare.
Preorder the Second Edition of The Culinary Cyclist
Two years ago, my first book, The Culinary Cyclist, was released. When I first started writing it, I wasn’t really sure if anyone would be interested in the topic of bikes and food. Turns out they were. So much so that the book is coming out in a brand spanking new edition, with all the recipes updated in both volume and weight measurements (that means it’s user-friendly for anyone measuring in cups, ounces or grams), and a few tweaks here and there, as well as a new cover.
It’s my first book, so maybe it will always be my favorite. Even now I keep a copy in the kitchen and reference it regularly. Sometimes I’ll flip through and read a few passages. They still make me happy. And they make me want to get out on my bicycle.
“The rules for living well, if you can call them that, are simple and a pleasure to follow. Eat local and mostly plants. Ride your bike, even on rainy days. Say yes to dinner invitations. Always bring your signature dessert. Invite people on picnics. Bike in the sunshine. Follow a morning ride with a strong French press.” -The Culinary Cyclist
The new edition will be released on September 15, 2015, and you can preorder your copy here. All the recipes are gluten-free and vegetarian, and there’s a whole lot of vegan stuff in there too. In other words: lots of healthy, real food.
Of course, if you want the original, they’re currently 40% off over on Microcosm Publishing, the lovely independent publishing company that is behind the book (while you’re on the site, check out their other titles too). A fantastic deal for the original print of a cookbook, wouldn’t you say?
Why Shouldn’t You Microwave Your Coffee?
Microwaves and coffee, that’s this week’s topic over on my coffee column at The Kitchn. Short conclusion: it’s better to make a fresh cup!
Want to know why you shouldn’t be microwaving your coffee? Read the full article here.
Image: Louis
Are Women the Solution to a More Sustainable Food System?
I have been very inspired by the work of Audra Mulkern and her Female Farmer Project. She recently inspired me to write an article about women and farming over on Foodie Underground, titled “Gender Equality and Sustainable Food: The Power of Women Farmers.”
Here’s a little excerpt:
In the U.S., while between 1982 and 2007, the USDA’s Economic Research Service found that the number of women-operated farms had more than doubled, there’s still a gender gap. According to the U.S. Census of Agriculture, 86 percent of the 2.1 million people responsible for day-to-day operations of farms are men. But there are more women coming to the farming world, and in a time when the total number of farms is declining, the number of women-owned farms and women farmers is on the rise. Today women make up about 30 percent of all U.S. farmers – and often, they take a more sustainable approach. Which means that when we think about a more sustainable world of food, not just at home, but globally, we have to be thinking about women.
And if we are going to think about women, then we have to start seeing them too. Audra Mulkern of the Female Farmer Project knows all about that. A talented, self-taught photographer, a couple of years ago, Mulkern decided to launch a projected devoted to documenting the world of women farmers. Inspired by the women farmers in her local Snoqualmie Valley, Mulkern has set out to tell the stories of female farmers. “I noticed over a couple of seasons of visiting farmers markets and farms that there was a marked increase in female interns. I started asking around and decided it was a story I needed to tell,” says Mulkern. Since launching the project, she has photographed women farmers in five different countries, becoming a big advocate for sustainable agriculture and food justice along the way.
You can read the full article here. And I encourage you to give Audra and the Female Farmer Project a follow!
Image: Audra Mulkern
Delightful French and Scandinavian Fare at Måurice Luncheonette in Portland
When I was recently in Portland I finally got the chance to eat at Måurice, and I was utterly charmed. So much so that I wrote about it over on Foodie Underground.
It’s a sweet space with French and Scandinavian influences, in both the decor and the food. I think I liked it so much because it felt so authentic; nothing was forced, it was all done simply out of love. And of course, everyone wears stripes and they serve fika, what’s not to love?
How to Twist Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar)
When my friend Marissa asked if I might like to have a recipe from Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break featured on FvF, I immediately said yes. I like Marissa’s photography and since I rarely spend any time styling or photographing my own recipes I thought it would be fun to have someone come and do it for me. See, I am lazy in the kitchen!
Get a photographer in your (tiny) kitchen and you immediately realize how hard food photography and styling really is; I have a lot of respect for the people who make it look easy. But let’s be honest; there is nothing like someone doing the hard work for you. And it’s even better when you want to do a series of how-to photos. Instead of playing the awkward Tripod in the Kitchen with Self Timer Camera game, all you have to do is go through the steps and have the photographer shoot it for you. This is perfect for Swedish cinnamon and cardamom buns, which people often ask me how they should twist. Now I finally have a visual guide to share.
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