Scarola e fagioli, or a lesson in eating Pittsburgh-style

Before moving to Pittsburgh, the only local food specialty that I was aware was the famous overstuffed sandwich from Primanti Brothers.

People kept telling me I had to try it when I got here. On top of the generous portion of meat, you will find coleslaw and French fries on this sandwich. One of the stories of how this story came to be is that local truckers needed a meal they could eat with one hand but will also keep them full for a long day of work. The cook had the idea to throw all the usual fixings, plus all the usual sides onto this mega sandwich and send the truckers on their way.

While I love the humble beginnings of this sandwich, those who know me know this isn't really my schtick. We are still navigating the strange beer/wine/liquor laws in this state and exploring our neighborhood joints, and I want to share one of my most surprisingly enjoyable discoveries... Beans and greens.

My first encounter with Beans and Greens almost didn't take place. We were walking around the Strip District, being shown around the city by a knowledgeable transplant who has called Pittsburgh home for the last several years. She suggested we go to Colangelo's for a quick bite before I had to go back to work. When we got there, I wasn't sure what to expect. Pastries dominated the display case, and the lunch menu seemed limited and not terribly exciting. The smell of garlic and coaxing from my host urged me not to give up on the place before I even tried it.

Though it didn't sound very exciting, I almost ordered the roasted vegetable panino. It seemed like a solid vegetarian option. But I was urged to try the Beans and Greens. Really? I questioned this recommendation. That sounds even more droll than the sandwich. Something that wouldn't be filling or even that flavorful. I don't eat meat, but I don't eat "rabbit food" either. But ultimately I conceded to the suggestion. And I'm sure glad I did!

The Beans and Greens were flavorful and comforting. The vegetables (mostly spinach, some roasted tomatoes and potatoes) brought enough variety and a "healthy" factor that met my basic needs. The beans and broth were richly flavored, with just the right amount of cheese on top, plus a slice of in-house-made bread to sop up the remnants. Did I mention the garlic? The wonderful garlic aroma that had been wafting from Colangelo's to the street must have been my Beans and Greens in the making.

While I didn't know it at the time, Beans and Greens was not a unique dish to Colangelo's. In retrospect, Colangelo's set a high bar for Beans and Greens and I'm thrilled to say my next experience gave the first dish a good run for its money.

Upon discovering it on the menu at the newly opened Della Terra in Harmony, I knew I had to make  Beans and Greens mine for a second time. While different from the earlier version in so many ways, this Beans and Greens experienced tickled my senses in all the right places. This time, the greens, a more traditional escarole, were the sole vegetable star of the plate. The scent of fresh rosemary played a lovely duet with the garlic. This dish was slightly less brothy and served without the lovely bread companion, but still wonderfully comforting and leaving more wanting more at the end. While a trek from the city, I can promise that I will make it back to Della Terra for their Beans and Greens.

The Della Terra version

As I wonder where my next encounter with Beans and Greens will be, I also ponder the history of its presence in Pittsburgh. Due to the rich history of Italian immigrants in the area, this traditional peasant food has found its way onto menus around the city for years. I'm excited to try as many variations of the dish as there are chefs with Italian nonnas in this Paris of Appalachia. Perhaps I'll even try my own hand at making it during a blustery winter evening with one of the recipes found below.


Related links:

• Greens and Beans the Dynamic Duo (a piece from the Post Gazette with two recipes following)
• The Balls and Whistles version (a recipe)
• Lunch a la Popeye (suggestions of where to eat Beans & Greens around town from the City Paper)

Bargain food shopping... you get what you pay for [?]

For unknown reasons, after moving to Pittsburgh, I was excited to visit the local Aldi and see if the savings were as good as the chatter.

We decided to try out some food items, so here's the verdict:

• Garlic Hummus -- tasty, extremely garlicky. Good value, but would try the Red Pepper flavor next time. 
• Frozen Dinners -- Purchased an Asian Stir-Fry and Southwest Fiesta flavor. The Asian Stir Fry one smelled good when microwaving at work. Even received unsolicited comments about the nice smell. However, it was not very tasty. The noodles were mushy and falling apart, and the sauce was just lacking. Not looking to eating the second one I already purchased. 
• Butternut Ravioli -- Sounded like a good idea. But, oh boy. Way. Too. Sweet. Mr. RY stopped halfway through dinner and said he would have to finish the rest later. In addition to being too sweet for dinner, it just didn't taste like a pumpkin anymore. Not to mention the pasta was too thick and chewy. Even at $1.99 for 16 ounces, I will never buy again. Totally makes the $5.99/8-ounce pouches at Whole Foods seem worth it.   
• Kettle Chips -- Yummy! Best thing about Aldi. Good value. Not as delicious as Kettle brand, but the Salt & Pepper, Barbeque, and Jalapeno flavor have been happily consumed in the Random Yummies household. Don't know why we haven't tried the plain (salted) ones yet, but I am sure they are tasty as well. And the price was $1.69 for an ounce bag. 

Non-food items.

• Had been excited to see that Pumpkins (the Jack O'Lantern variety) were only $2.99 each. Alas, when I located a big crate of moldy (and smelly! rotten!) pumpkins in the store, that was a no-go. 
• Resealable Food Bags -- Bought resealable sandwich size and quart size freezer bags. Both worked out to be cheaper than Target brand bags. I haven't noticed a difference between the brand name products--certainly nothing affecting their utility. 
• Aluminum Foil -- Mr. RY thinks it's a bit thinner, but it gets the job done. 

Conclusions
The non-food items seemed like a good value and generally were low risk to purchase. The food items turned out to have a 50/50 chance of being something that seemed decent enough to purchase again. Curious to try their cheese and produce (those things are hard to mess up, right?). Where do you shop when you're looking for the most value?

Salted Fudge Brownies

I had planned to make cupcakes for bookclub, but a combination of procrastination & laziness changed the plan to brownies. One of the many great things about brownies is that you're likely to have everything in your pantry that you need to bake 'em.

There were no regrets about changing the plan today [from cupcake-making]--these were some of the best brownies I've ever had! If you've never had salted brownies, you must go to your kitchen and make up a batch immediately!

Here's the recipe, from Food & Wine Magazine.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
  
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
  
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
• 3 large eggs
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon Maldon sea salt

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 9-inch square metal cake pan with foil, draping the foil over the edges. Lightly butter the foil.
  
• In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the unsweetened chocolate over very low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Whisking them in one at a time until thoroughly incorporated, add the cocoa, sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the batter. Using a butter knife, swirl the salt into the batter.
  
• Bake the fudge brownies in the center of the oven for about 35 minutes, until the edge is set but the center is still a bit soft and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out coated with a little of the batter.
  
• Let the brownies cool at room temperature in the pan for 1 hour, then refrigerate just until they are firm, about 1 hour. Lift the brownies from the pan and peel off the foil. Cut the brownies into 16 squares. Serve at room temperature.
  

According to the original instructions, these brownies can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, and frozen for up to 1 month. But chances are they'll be gone by the end of the first day! I recommend making a double-batch.

Unlike my usual self, I followed the recipe pretty accurately. For the chocolate, I used Endangered Species brand Intense Dark Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs, which has 75% cocoa content. The brownies are sweet, and not overly so. They are gooey and moist (fudey, if you will), with firmer crust & lovely saltiness in each bite.

Hooray for Pizza Day

Homemade pizza is incredibly easy to make, yet pizza-focused restaurants are still a multi-billion dollar industry. While not everyone has 800 degree ovens at home, the pizza that comes out of a standard household kitchen is still a cut above the mass-produced variety.

Making pizza dough is pretty simple, especially with an upright mixer. What's even more simple is that to make a double batch every time--That means every other time you make pizza, all you have to do is remember to take a ball of dough out of the freezer to defrost in time for dinner! In our household, we've found homemade dough to be a lot tastier (not to mention cheaper!) than the crusts you can buy in the grocery store.

When you make your own pizza, your choices for toppings are unlimited! In college, when I would buy frozen pizza, I usually added my own toppings to plain cheese pie to customize to my own tastes. Homemade pizza is like having a blank canvas in front of you! It's easy to accommodate multiple tastes--pineapple and light cheese on one side, mushrooms only one slice... whatever combination/s you can think of can be created at home!

I also find that homemade pizza can be healthier than the store- or restaurant-bought varieties. It's no more difficult to make a whole wheat crust, you don't have to explain to a server that you only want half cheese, can buy better quality ingredients for less, and you can put as many veggies or other healthy toppings on top without the extra fees for each one. I'm not saying homemade pizza is like spa food, but it can certainly be lower in the bad stuff than the processed kind you may otherwise be consuming.

And since some of you were wondering, my homemade pizza pictured above had a base of (veggie) sausage in marinara sauce topped with a layer of sauteed spinach then several dollops of goat cheese and caramelized onions for the finishing touch.

Related Links:

• The Simple Dollar's Guide to Making Inexpensive & Delicious Homemade Pizza
  
• Wikipedia History of Pizza
  
• Michael Ruhlman on Homemade Pizza Including detailed instructions/tips for pizza & dough-making, and a recipe for his fabulous "Spring Is In the Air Breakfast Pizza" (Homemade Pizza with Bacon, Egg and Asparagus)
  
• Asylum's list of Ten Weirdest Pizza Toppings Some are weirder than others...
  
• TLC's Favorite Pizza Toppings, by Country Eel, anyone?
  
• LA Times list of Gourmet Pizza Topping Combinations They probably wouldn't like my topping-dense pizza, but I could go for some of these.
  
• Serious Eats' Grilled Pizza Guide Perfect for outdoor eating this summer!
  

It started with a cupcake...

Actually, it started with a chocolate chip cookie. My love for the Dessert Gallery, that is.

The Dessert Gallery is a local MBE/WBE (pronounced "Me-Be-We-Be", means a Minority or Woman-owned business enterprise) in Houston that makes the most divine chocolate chip cookies. They aren't really chocolate chip, but more like chocolate slivers. Don't let me fool you into thinking these cookies are skimpy on chocolate because I say they contain "chocolate slivers". In fact, I think the sliver allows for a higher ratio of Chocolate to Cookie than most ordinary chocolate chip cookies. Furthermore, these delights are half-dipped in chocolate for even more sinfulness.

In my 2+ years living in Houston, it's certainly a shame that I didn't try their cupcakes sooner. Well, probably not a shame for my waist or wallet. If you're in H-town and in the mood to satisfy a sweet tooth, check out the Dessert Gallery. If your conscience is too guilty to just have dessert, you can start with one of their sandwiches, which I can also vouch for.

Related Links:

• Dessert Gallery
  
• MBE/WBE Info

What's a Dutch Baby?

It seems like a self-explanatory question, but who knew that a Dutch Baby is also baked deliciousness?

I was lucky enough to find out thanks to Gourmet magazine and J's impulsive cooking. Usually, I get up with barely enough time to get ready and make it to work on time, so I'm certainly not one who eats hearty breakfasts on weekdays. After discovering the Dutch Baby in Gourmet, J decided he needed to try it, and I got to partake in the goodness. Someone making you a fresh breakfast is indeed a fantastic thing to wake up and discover.

So, what is a Dutch Baby, anyway? Gourmet describes it as "a crossover between a pancake and a popover", and I think they pretty much hit the mark with that description. The crust is hearty, slightly crispy, and sortof durable like a good popover. The center of the Dutch Baby is the pancake portion, but a very dense pancake that's a close cousin to a custard tart or even some cheese pies. The Dutch Baby in question had a wonderfully refreshing lemon flavor, and just the right amount of sugar. And in addition to its tastiness, this breakfast treat is a sight to see as it expands in the oven!

If you haven't experienced a Dutch Baby first hand, now's a good time to spice up your breakfast routine and try something new!

Related Links:

• The Recipe in questionfrom Gourmet
  
• Dutch Baby Wiki
  
• Dutch Baby Pan(Comes with free Dutch Baby mix, for those of you who prefer convenience)
  

Presidential Snacking

The Kitchn featured a short post about food at the White House. A fabulous picture of President Obama's afternoon snack plate here. You will see that for such a simple snack, the amount of cutlery and china is quite amusing.

Here's the full post.

Homegrown strawberry dreams...

While I do have a small patio space, there unfortunately isn't enough sun exposure for much gardening to be conducted. When I move next, I will definitely put more effort into finding Southerly windows or patios. In addition to growing more herbs and attempting some sort of container potatoes, these strawberry planters look like a must-do. The thought alone of homegrown berries has my mouth watering!




{Photo Credit: Stephen Duckworth}

Realisic Dinner Previews

Thanks once again to Lifehacker, I stumbled across this great comparison of Fast Food Advertising pictures compared to real-life photos of the food product being marketed. While it makes sense that food is styled (and often, not even real food) for photographs in ads, it is amazing to see the contrast between the ads and reality.

Check out this contrast of the Arby's Beef n Cheddar sandwich. The real one just looks so sad. Imagine if food marketers/advertisers had to use actual food products, like what is made in the restaurants. I think a lot more people might make the effort to eat at home!

Grow 100 pounds of potatoes on your balcony!

My gardening skills are at the level that would require the purchasing of an AeroGarden if I want to sustain green life for a period of time longer than a month. I am always impressed with those who have the ability to care for plant life in a way that results in getting to eat fresh produce (opposed to the greenery dying in the garden or being eaten by critters, which would happen to me).

Since I live in an apartment, I thought I had a pretty good excuse for not attempting any gardening of my own. This article on Lifehacker, however, puts me to shame. Someone with a lot of ingenuity came up with an idea to be able to grow 100 pounds of potatoes in 2 X 2 foot space. It reminds me a little of the upside-down tomato garden that I always seen in the SkyMall catalog on planes. But way cooler because 1) it's homemade and 2) it's friggin 100 pounds of potatoes!

It's not too late to plant some tomatoes or herbs on my patio, so maybe if I start small and have success this summer, I can work on growing potatoes next year. But probably not 100 pounds of tubers (though that does sound quite delicious). We'll see what happens! This is something I need to try with baby steps!







{For the planting instructions, see the Lifehacker article or the original article from the Seattle Times}

One a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns!

As I've mentioned before, I love eating my way through London. On almost every visit, I manage to procure Hot Cross Buns from the grocery store. While this is not gourmet by any means, they're something I enjoy thoroughly for breakfast or a snack or just because. I can easily justify this layman's indulgence to myself with knowledge that even the grocery store variety of Hot Cross Buns in England is far better than any I've had in the States. Furthermore, in the US, these flavorful delights are only available a few weeks in the year (which might actually be part of the problem).

Since it has been two years (gasp!) from my last trip across the Atlantic, I have been eager for Hot Cross Buns to start showing up in my local grocery stores for Easter.

I try to have a grounded perspective on my expectations of US Hot Cross Buns by having clear memories of previous disappointments. However, I do get sad when I eat Hot Cross Buns in the States, and they simply don't taste as good as their name implies they should.


Central Market has a great bakery and is also my Houston source for many hard-to-find grocery items. Unfortunately, I don't think their bakery makes their Hot Cross Buns because they certainly don't live up to Central Market's usual tasty standards. While I will admit, they did satisfy my Hot Cross Bun craving to some degree, I found them lacking. The texture was dry, and there weren't enough pieces of fruit. It was disappointing that the only fruit were raisins, especially because they were also overly dry. While non-traditional (and not necessary for well-made Hot Cross Buns), the icing was the only saving grace. The iced crosses provided a nice level of sweetness and needed moisture to the buns.

Will I buy them again next year? Chances say that I will. But maybe I'll grow enough courage to try making my own instead. Only time will tell...

Related Links:

• Hot Cross Buns Wiki
  
• History & Symbolism of Hot Cross Buns & other Easter traditions
  

Eating meat leads to... global warming?

If you call yourself an environmentalist, why do you still eat meat?

That was a slogan I commonly heard during college that was tossed around by the well-intended veggie lovers in attempts to convert omnivores that were otherwise fairly "like-minded".

So, while it's clearly not a spanking new idea, I am glad that it's getting more press again. I don't want to get into ethical debate about whether it's wrong/right/inhumane/human-nature to eat the flesh of other animals, I think it is important for the public to know that the choices we make about eating are just as important (if not more important!) as the decisions we make about the cars we buy or the light switches that we turn off.

If we were to have a dialog about eating meat today, it would not just a health discussion or a debate about animal rights, as it may have been years ago. It would also be a conversation about environmental consequences that have great impact on the earth we live. Case in point: It is said that reducing your consumption of meat by one day a week has the same amount of impact on reducing CO2 emissions as driving a care 1000 miles fewer per year. I paraphrased this from Mark Bitten's recent book Food Matters. Please forgive my lack of preciseness (I don't have the book in front of me), but you probably get the point about the picture Bittman is trying to paint. The resources that go into modern meat production, such as water and oil, could be used more sparingly if instead they went into growing vegetables, grains, and legumes (thus, feeding more mouths).

Given the amount of resources needed to produce a pound of meat, it is not sustainable for humankind to continue eating meat at the rates we do. (Think about it: Over 5000 gallons of water are need to produce a pound of beef, while only 25 gallons are needed to produce a pound of grain according to California Soil and Water specialists.) What's scarier to think about is that meat consumption is increasing as less-wealthy countries become both more wealthy (in terms of good ole cash money) and more Westernized. We are literally eating ourselves to death, in the literal sense for many individuals (due to health consequences like diabetes and heart disease) and in a metaphorical sense as we tip the world's biological equilibrium further away from being balanced.


Post your thoughts below--whether you agree or disagree. I have a feeling this will be an increasingly hot topic, as climate change because a greater concern to the public. It will also be interesting to see how the Obama administration addresses this part of the issue (if at all).

Related Links:

• Meat vs. Climate: The Debate Continues (Green Inc Blog, NY Times)
  
• World Hunger and Meat Production (World Hunger and Poverty Blog)
  
• Why Veg? For the Planet (Animals Australia group)
  
• Rethinking the Meat Guzzler (Mark Bittman, NY Times)
  
• Feeding Livestock vs. People (older article, but the science and main message haven't changed)
  

Cheap Chomps at Barnaby's

Though I've definitely heard about various "Recession Specials" (and Recession Gimmicks, under the same guise), the best one I've personally experienced are the $1 brownies at Barnaby's Cafe in Houston. I thought the brownies would be small or taste mass-produced, but they are delicious and certainly worth more than the four quarters for which one can be procured. They're only $1 until the Dow goes back up to 11,000 points, so act quick (or take your time if you aren't confident about the stock market bouncing back to life any time soon).

These brownies are amazingly chocolately. They would go well with a creamy beverage or warmed up and served with some ice cream. Or simply devoured straight off the plate, which is my preferred plan of attack for today.


Additional Recession Specials at Barnaby's include $1 coffee, $2 cappuccinos, and $7 steak plates for a limited time. Help stimulate the economy and fill your belly with deliciousness!

Related Links:

• Barnaby's Cafe
  
• Seattle Restaurant Specials (Seattle Times)
  
• Restaurants Stop Playing Hard to Get (NY Times)
  

Homemade Tortillas: Simple!

For the past week I've been hosting two very welcomed, yet somewhat unexpected out-of-town guests. G & R were two of my college roommates and are still two of my favorite people. We have similar interests in food. Cooking and eating together have always been two of our common pastimes.

One of the simple, but amazingly yummy things we made this week was a "Mexican" feast. Homemade tortillas & guacamole made it even better.


It's amazing how simple tortillas are to make. I confess that they are something I made for the first time only recently. In addition to being easy to make, homemade tortillas taste superior to practically any store-bought kind, and cost substantially less, other than a bit of time and elbow grease. I wonder why I hadn't try to make tortillas sooner!

Easy as Pie Tortillas Recipe

• 2 c. AP flour
  
• 1 tsp. baking powder
  
• 1/4 tsp. salt
  
• 2 T. non-hydrogenated shortening
  
• 3/4 c. water
  
  Directions
  Mix dry ingredients, then cut the shortening into the mixture with your fingers until smooth. Add water slowly till a non-sticky dough is formed by kneading. Let dough rest for at least ten minutes, then divide into balls the size of large gum balls (about an inch in diameter). Flatten dough balls with your hands, then roll out with your rolling pin. Let dough rest another ten minutes, then roll a second time.
  
  To cook, simply place dough on your pre-heated cast iron pan for about 30 seconds on each side.

Happy Happy Hour at Tafia

With its dim lighting and hip decor, Tafia looks and feels like the place to be for happy hour in Houston. What makes it even better is the tasty and free food that comes with your happy hour drink. Did I mention it was free? And tasty.

I went with a decent sized group, and we tried the Macaroni and Cheese, Chickpea Fries, Edamame, Chili Noodles, Truffles, and Maple Marscapone-stuffed Dates. I feel like I'm forgetting something (or somethings?), but you get the picture. There is quite a selection to choose from, especially considering it's free and unlimited. It's undoubtedly some of the highest quality "free" food that you can find while drinking.

Since it was happy hour, I should speak about my beverage, too. I tried my very first Ratafia tonight. In some ways, it reminded me of a sangria, but less fruity and more better. I had a vodka-lime flavored one, so it was pretty much meant to be. Me, vodka, and lime are a pretty awesome triad of fun. Next time, I might get the flight of Ratafias, so I can try the more traditional cherry one and the pineapple one that sounded pretty good, too. The other ladies' drinks all looked very good, too. Next time, I might try the Square-Oh (to feed my basil love) or the Cherry-Key Lime Caipirihna, which also sounds pretty unique.

Tafia is definitely a place I want to go back for a full meal. I hear it's a bit pricey, but it may just be worth it. The food was innovative, tasty, and fresh. Plus a fun atmosphere, which is like the icing on my cake when it comes to dining out.

Related Links:

• Ratafia Wiki
  
• Tafia's free lounge food menu
  
  

mm, Squirrel?!

Of all topics vegetarians blog about, dining on squirrel probably does not come up very often. Today, this post may be the exception to that rule (this is Random Yummies, afterall).

In college, I met a guy who actually had eaten squirrel. At the time, I think he was the only person who had tried this little creature. Now that I think of it, I'm not sure that I've met anyone since him who has admitted to trying squirrel meat. That's mostly beside the point. I think this chap came from a poor family and ate squirrel meat that they hunted themselves, when they weren't able to feed themselves from a grocery store.

Vegetarianism aside for a moment, I don't think I could eat squirrels for their cuteness factor alone. To me, eating a squirrel wouldn't be that far off from eating a cat or dog. And while I know a lot of people will disagree with me on that point, I think the fact that squirrels come from the rodent family is enough to turn off a lot of Americans from eating the furry little guys.

The British, however, have stronger stomachs than Americans. They are not above eating their share of rodents. And it seems that eating squirrel is becoming an act of patriotism.

What I mean is that the British are trying to save their darling species of Red Squirrel... by culling the invading North American Gray Squirrel species. Apparently, the Gray Squirrels carry diseases harmful to the Red Squirrels in addition to destroying their natural habit and eating more than their fair share of the food supply. So, the people have stepped in on this turf war in support of the Reds. And suddenly, it is trendy, lest forget Patriotic, to eat the pesky Grays.


I am curious to see if this is just media hype, a temporary trend, or an eating habit that will actually gain in popularity. Only time will tell.

Related Links:

• Saving a Squirrel by Eating One
  
• Squirrel Wiki
  
• Field & Stream Squirrel Recipes
  
• Chef Goes Nuts for Squirrel
  

{Image Source: NYT}

Adventure in Parsnips

The parsnip is not a vegetable that made a common appearance in my household growing up. In fact, I can't remember a time when we ate parsnips at home. Maybe I had parsnips when we went to grandma's for dinner, inside a stew perhaps. During a visit with cousins in England nearly two years ago, I found myself eating--and thoroughly enjoying--parsnip "fries".

Sometime during the chewing of tasty parsnip fries, I think I told myself that this was a vegetable I needed to eat more. Back in the States, however, I did not encounter parsnips in my regular grocery store haunts. Whether they were truly non-existent or I simply did not look well enough could be a point of discussion. However, it may be a moot point, since I did pick up some parsnips on my latest trip to the grocery store.

There were some potatoes on hand that I needed to use up, so I decided that they could share the spotlight and mash together with parsnips. I cooked the parsnips and potatoes together, and mashed them into a good consistency. Surprisingly, the flavor of the parsnips took over the dish. I only used a couple parsnips and six medium sized potatoes. Luckily, the mash was to accompany another strong flavor, Buffalo Tofu Triangles. If it had been anything else, the parsnips would have definitely stolen all of the attention.

While I do like to try new foods and am an advocate of getting variety in one's diet, I am a stubborn lover of mashed potatoes who will be not be tainting my mash with parsnip again. Perhaps next time I should try homemade parsnip fries next time, because I'll at least have a better idea of what I'm getting myself into!

More on Parsnips:

• Parsnip Nutritional Data
  
• Parsnip Wiki
  
• What the hell is a parsnip anyway?
  

Food News Roundup

I've seen a lot of food-related things in the news lately (or maybe I've just been paying attention to it more?). Either way, here are some fun, some serious, mostly random links for you to catch up on your food-related news reading:

• Salmonella-tainted Peanut Goo If you haven't heard enough about this yet.
  
  
• Maple Syrup Smells Invades NYC Amazed that people knew who to call to file a complaint. And amazed that their comments were not only documented, but also acted upon.
  
  
• Food Legislation waiting for Obama Support Sad that it takes such a public cock-up to get people to pay attention to food safety.
  
  
• Girl Scout Cookie-Pushing Ethics
  
  
• Go Red Day Okay, so this article isn't really food-related itself, but it's a timely reminder of a good cause that actually does have a lot to do with the food we eat.
  
  
• Starbucks Value Meals? Article should really be titled something to the likes of "McCafe Packs the Heat [for Starbucks]"
  
  
• Trashing the Fridge Interesting approach to living a "greener" lifestyle.
  
  
  

More farmers' market goodness!

I visited Houston's Midtown Farmer's Market (MFM) today. It is a lot smaller than my usual Farmer's Market. Since knew that I'd be able to find the few things on my list that week at MFM, I decided to go for a change of routine.

Soon after arriving, I thought it had been a bad decision to go to MFM when I discovered there had apparently been a run on mozzarella cheese earlier in the morning. The Dairymaids' stash of mozzarella had already been exhausted and it was one of only two things that I was in search for! Who knew that 18 pounds of mozzarella could disappear in only a few brief hours. The Dairymaids' Hoja Santa tempted me with its smoothness that carried a subtle kick to it. I had been on a mission to procure cheese for lasagna, however, and settled for a cave Gruyere that had a better Italian fake ID.

Next, I went to find eggs. Alas, I found a bunch of empty egg palates at a table that was being cleared. Luckily for me, the vendor at the table next to this one asked what I was looking for and also had what I needed! Luck was turning around! While her neighboring farmer had indeed been cleared out of eggs, she had one last dozen. One of the eggs was actually broken, so she gave me a discount that sounded pretty good.

As I began to head out, I was distracted by the most ugly sweet potatoes that ever existed. Perhaps I was suckered in by the friendly charm of the weathered-looking farmer who convinced me to "just come take a look." I decided to buy two of the ugly sweet potatoes and he gave me a free white sweet potato and bunch of baby bok choi for free, so it ended up being a good deal for me.


All in all, I spent only $12 for a decent amount of yummy goodness! While Farmers' Markets are not always as convenient or consistent as your big box grocery store, they are fun and good deals can certainly be found.

Related links:

• Midtown Farmers Market
  
• Utility Research Garden (ugly sweet potatoes)
  
• Houston Dairymaids (Gruyere)

Will the Obamas grow a Whitehouse Victory Garden?

I love the idea of a Victory Garden at the Whitehouse. Therefore, I find it exciting to see that growing an organic Victory Garden at the Whitehouse was the winning entry for ideas at On Day One! (On Day One is a project to collect ideas on how to improve America's image in the world.) We will see if the Obamas will follow in the footsteps of the Roosevelts.

In addition to simply promoting edible home gardening to the American public, the Victory Garden would put focus on both nutrition and food security. These are definitely topics that America could benefit from focusing.

Rather than make this a rant, I'll simply suggest that you read some of the links below for more information!

Related links:

• On Day One
  
• Eat the View
  
• Michael Pollan's letter to President
  
• Revive the Victory Garden
  
• History of WWII Victory Gardens

{image from Eat the View}