Welcome to the blog for Colgate University's interdisciplinary course on food. This is the place to keep up with what students in the course are experiencing in their work at Common Thread Community Farm and through their everyday encounters with food.

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Common Thread

My friends never have to remember to bring a camera anywhere because I'm always the one documenting every moment whether it be on my iPhone or SLR. Of course, my time at Common Thread (and Bruce Rivington's dairy farm, Kriemhild!) provided the perfect opportunity to take some amazing pics! I'm using this particular blog post to share the pictures I have taken (or instagrammed!) throughout the semester. Enjoy and feel free to use any of my pictures as you wish :)









  




Friday, November 28, 2014

My Favorite Vegetable...Brussels Sprouts

Yes, this miniature cabbage that makes every child cringe happens to be my favorite vegetable.  Every thanksgiving I am responsible for cooking brussels sprout. The secret is to roast them at 400 deg. in a little bit of olive oil. Throwing in some bacon never hurts either.

Here is a list of things you may not have known about brussels sprouts.

1. Who knew that there was an 's' at the end of 'brussels' sprout? I sure didn't.

2. Brussels sprouts were made famous by Belgians. Yes, 'Brussels' is a reference to the Belgian capital. Brussels sprouts were first cultivated by the roman empire but were made famous by belgium's affinity of the vegetable.

2. People hate brussels sprouts. Ok, you may have already known this, but did you know that a 2008 poll solidified brussels sprouts as the most hated vegetable in the US and the UK? That's a lot of hate.

3. Brussels sprouts contain a sulfur-rich compound which lends to their distinctive, sometimes unpleasant, smell. This same compound gives brussels sprouts cancer fighting qualities. It's a win/lose.

4. Brussels sprouts are very good for you. I won't list all the fancy chemical names, but brussels sprouts are chock-full of things that make your body happy.

5. They can also kill you. Brussels sprouts are a great source of Vitamin K. In high doses, vitamin K can cause blood clots. So enjoy your brussels sprouts responsibly.



6. Brussels sprouts grow on long tough stalks.


7. These bad boys are resilient. It's 19 degrees outside and the brussels sprouts are still kickin'.

 Source: http://www.foodrepublic.com/2013/02/19/11-things-you-probably-did-not-know-about-brussels

Australian Food, Part 2: Backpacking Food

For study abroad, I went backpacking in the Australian Outback in an area called the Kimberley. Food is a big part of backpacking trips and requires meticulous planning. For my trip, we carried 2 weeks of food and were given another ration at the end of each 2 weeks. While backpacking, you can burn over 4,000 calories a day so you have to adjust what you’re eating so you aren’t calorie deficient. Lightness is also a significant factor because you carry everything on your back. Lastly, foods can’t be refrigerated in the wilderness so longer trips require nonperishable foods. Even though this sounds limiting, you can actually make a lot of good food while backpacking. During my backpacking trip in Australia, the most surprising foods I made on my trip were pizza and fish tacos. 

To make pizza, we packed flour, yeast, sugar, and salt for the dough and cheese, pepperoni, and tomato paste for toppings. We made the dough, put it in a plastic bag, and put that inside a sleeping bag in order to let it rise. About an hour later, we put it in the pan with oil and added the toppings. To cook, we used a backpacking stove. These stoves are light and collapsable and come in two parts: a small metal stove connected to a fuel bottle. We placed the covered pan on the lit stove and about five minutes later we had pizza.

We also made fish tacos using tortillas we packed with us and fish we caught fresh from the ocean. We were able to catch a Spangled emperor and Common Dart after we spent most of the day fishing.  This way of eating is so different from how most people get their meat because we caught and prepared the meat ourselves. After we cleaned the fish, we fried it in the pan and wrapped it in tortillas. One of my instructors also caught an octopus, so we were able to make calamari as well.  

Tofurky?

I always was entertained by the concept and the name of tofurkey, but never bothered to consider it as a serious aspect of Thanksgiving. However, with the number of vegetarians in my life on the rise by the week, I thought I'd do a little internet research regarding how it came to be.

Apparently, the tofurkey was invented in no place other than Portland, Oregon (Portlandia anyone?) 20 years ago. According to this article: http://6abc.com/food/the-history-of-tofurky/413860/
it started off as mostly a joke, but now more than 3.5 million tofurkys (plural?) have been sold in the US. However, the whole concept is confusing because apparently Tofurky (without the E) is a brand name, where as Tofurkey is just the name of a turkey-shaped tofu product.
Here are a few more articles about the history of Tofurk(e)y and how vegetarians are taking over the holidays.

http://www.thelittleredjournal.com/2013/06/interview-with-tofurky-founder-seth.html#sthash.2lAh2ONj.dpbs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofurky

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofurkey

http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-20-years-tofurky-20141114-story.html

How to Use Your Thanksgiving Leftovers

It's the day after Thanksgiving and I'm ready for round two of the feast! Here is the best way to use your Thanksgiving leftovers.

What your sexy self will need:

1. Spin Blend or Mayonnaise

2. Turkey!

3. Whole Wheat bread or white bread if that's what you're in to

4. Cranberry Sauce
ENJOY!

Grandma's Famous Sweet Potato Pie…well sort of

Earlier this semester I posted about how the only type of potato I eat are sweet potatoes. While I will not bore you again with the story as to how this happened, I will share with you my favorite holiday dish starring this vegetable: Sweet Potato Pie!

The photos below depict the Sweet Potato Pie recipe from a cookbook that was passed down from my grandmother. To be truthful my family does not strictly follow this recipe. There are some key secret ingredients that I cannot share with you for obvious reasons. However, if you choose to use this recipe your pie would come out a close second to this Smith family holiday staple.

Grandma's Famous Sweet Potato Pie…well sort of:









Zanzibari Cuisine

When I studied abroad in Tanzania and Zanzibar, I lived with multiple homestay families in both urban and rural settings. I had the opportunity to learn to cook several Zanzibari dishes that were typically served in the households! I learned how to make pilau (rice cooked with a mixture of seasoning, vegetables, potatoes and meat), ndizi na mafuta (sweet fried bananas), mandazi (coconut donuts) and passion fruit juice. Unfortunately, I do not currently have the recipes with me, but I do have pictures!

Here's what my typical day looks like through Zanzibari cuisines:

Breakfast - Chakula Cha Asubuhi:
1. Chips and Eggs - Chipsi Mayai 
2. Passion Fruit Juice

3. Coconut Donuts and Flat Bread - Mandazi and Chapati
4. Milk Tea - Chai ya Maziwa

Lunch - Chakula Cha Mchana:

Chapati World
We never found out the name of this food deli, but we called it Chapati World. We went to this local deli quite frequently to purchase cheap and traditional Zanzibari food for lunch. They sold a variety of food including: mandazi (coconut donut), chapati (flat bread), samosas, kachori (spicy potato balls), katlesi za samaki (fish cutlets) and others.
  
Kachori

Mandazi

Chapati

Dinner - Chakula Cha Jioni:

Pilau
In Zanzibar, they are known for cooking pilau with spices such as cardamon, cinnamon sticks, cumin, pepper corns and cloves.

Forodhani Garden Night Market
Often, after dinner we would still go out to this night market barbeque for more food. It is always very busy with locals and tourists and rows and rows of food vendors ready to cook the raw food you to choose to purchase! 

  
Desserts

Sweet Fried Bananas - Ndizi na Mafuta
 Fruits - Matunda 
We ate a variety of fruits including: mangoes, bananas, watermelons, coconuts, passion fruits, papaya, lime, orange grapefruit and more!


Sweet Dinner Rolls!

Every year for Thanksgiving it is my responsibility to make bread for the feast. This year I decided to make Sweet Dinner Rolls using a bread maker. Below you will find the recipe along with pictures documenting my process making these delicious rolls.

What your sexy self will need:

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)



Place water, milk, egg, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough/Knead and First Rise Cycle; press Start.


Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half.


Roll each half into a 12 inch circle


Spread 1/4 cup softened butter over entire round


Cut each circle into 8 wedges.


Roll wedges starting at wide end; roll gently but tightly. Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.


ENJOY!


Link to recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sweet-Dinner-Rolls/

From the farm to the table!

   

After the day my class spent on CommonThread Farm harvesting butternut squash, I could not wait to figure out a way to incorporate this vegetable into my diet! Here's the recipe I used to make THE BEST butternut squash soup!

What your sexy self will need:

  • 4 pounds whole butternut squash (about 2 medium), halved lengthwise and seeds removed
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick)
  • 1 medium Granny Smith apple (about 8 ounces)
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion
  • 2 teaspoons of sage
  • 2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
  2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the squash pieces cut-side up on the baking sheet. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and brush all of it over the tops and insides of the squash halves (alternatively, you can rub it on evenly with your fingers). Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast until knife tender, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.
  3. Meanwhile, peel, core, and cut the apple into medium dice. Cut the onion into medium dice. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the apple, onion, and sage, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
  4. When the squash is ready, set the baking sheet on a wire rack until the squash is cool enough to handle. Using a large spoon, scoop the flesh into the saucepan with the sautéed apples and onions; discard the skins.
  5. Add the broth, water, and measured salt and pepper, stir to combine, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking up any large pieces of squash, until the flavors meld, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream.
  6. Using a blender, purée the soup in batches until smooth, removing the small cap (the pour lid) from the blender lid and covering the space with a kitchen towel (this allows steam to escape and prevents the blender lid from popping off). Alternatively, use an immersion blender. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve garnished with the pumpkin seeds, if using.


Edible Landscapes

This TED Talk delivered by Pam Warhurst describes how the community of Todmorden in England decided to build resilience and recreate a community in the town through the language of food. This movement serves to take unused, dull and rundown land areas to create edible landscapes such as vegetable gardens, herb gardens and fruit trees in an urban setting. The purpose of this movement aims to promote an inclusive environment to encourage community engagement and empowerment by re-imagining our living spaces and the way we live. By creating edible landscapes, Warhurst hope to place local food producers at the center of the community rather than the outskirts, encouraging younger generations to recognize the organic processes of where their food comes from.

Community gardens and creation of edible landscapes fosters a sense of of engagement within communities across cultures, age, gender, class and abilities. In contemporary living spaces, there seems to be a natural reoccurring notion embedded in society that promotes and encourages the idea of individualism, competition and certain perceptions of success. These ideals hinder advocacy for community action and devalues particular aspects of society, while supporting current power structures and rewards those in compliance with the system. Edible landscapes serves to challenge societal norms and give community members a new way of interacting with one another through the language of food.

TED Talk: "Pam Warhurst: How We Can Eat Our Landscapes"

Food in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico


            This Thanksgiving I spent in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. San Miguel is considered a “culinary destination” in Mexico, however I have mixed feelings about such a label. The city has plenty of options for international foods; however, it is extremely difficult to find good Mexican food in restaurants.
Most restaurants cater to the foreign palate. One night we had dinner in a hotel restaurant that served no Mexican food. This would be understandable if the majority of guests were foreigners; however, our waiter told us about 80 per cent of guests was from Mexico City. Most likely, this is because wealthy Mexicans from the capital either go to San Miguel looking for an international food experience, or given their wealth, are already accustomed to dining internationally. San Miguel has a large American and European expat population, who further generate wealth and prosperity in the community, and who probably seek out food from their own countries. San Miguel offers more in terms of foreign food than traditional food.
Thanksgiving dinner we ate at a restaurant with an American chef. Everyone in the restaurant was American and had come for the Thanksgiving menu. The food was excellent! The last time I spent Thanksgiving in Mexico was several years ago at my aunt’s house. We had no turkey, but sent two large chickens to be cooked at the bakery in the ovens normally used for baking bread.

Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and brussel sprouts from The Restaurant.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Happy Thanksgiving from the Panepinto's!!

The Panepinto family wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! We hope it was filled with lots of food, family, and fun! 

Here's a quick look at what our holiday dinner looked like:

"Thank you Lord for the food we are about to eat and all the family we are about to share it with!" -Nana Panepinto 

We started off the day with some pickies! We had pepperoni, cheese & crackers, shrimp, and olives! (All which came from the supermarket--something we are very thankful for.)

To go along with the appetizers above, mom and sister enjoyed some special-made wine from a Panepinto family friend! He runs his very own winery called Chateau Winery. 

While the women enjoyed their wine, some of the guys geared up to eat some spicy stuffed peppers!

 After appetizers, Uncle Chuck cut up the turkey! 




Everyone contributed in cooking a side dish to go along with the turkey. We had green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, cooked zucchini, broccoli, squash, stuffing, cranberry, and rolls.

After stuffing our stomaches with turkey and more, we saved just a little bit of room for dessert--three type of pie (apple, pumpkin, and chocolate) and ice cream! Yum!!