At the persuasion of my co-worker, Justin, I began reading Dr. Steven Pratt's "Superfoods Rx." So far I've been pretty inspired by what I've read and will probably comment more on the book later.
I also found this recipe online for Rosemary Lemon Rhubarb Spritzer. I thought it seemed to be quite an eclectic mix of flavors to come together in one drink, so if I can garnish some time, I might give it a try. Could be quite the accompaniment to a mid-summer meal.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Monday, September 10, 2007
Sci Fi Grocery Shopping
I've kind of been slacking in my updates, but I wanted to throw out a quick comment about my recent trip to Sunflower Market, a certified organic grocery chain found in the Midwest. Not only is this store nutritionally in tune with it's customers, it's technologically in tune with them as well. Perhaps I don't get out much, but this is the first store I've seen that lets customers pay with their thumbprints. You sign up for an account with the store and it directly links your thumbprint to your checking account. Forget your pocketbook at home? Not a big deal at Sunflower.
I'd like to hear others' comments on this topic as well. Do you think it's creepy? Cool? Smart? Let me know.
I'd like to hear others' comments on this topic as well. Do you think it's creepy? Cool? Smart? Let me know.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Double Venti Carmel Macchi-what?
Little did I know that when I applied to Starbucks, I would also be enrolling in a foreign language course. The language of the caffeine-buzzed coffee extraordinaires is complete with it's own special vocabulary and perfect structure. I don't want to upset the privacy of this mega coffee empire so I can't go into too much detail, but let me clue you into how complicated this new dialect that I'm learning is.
Words I must learn include a certain ethnic ring such as macchiato, americano, con panna, cappuchino and the like. These drinks can take on a number of different attributes (adjectives if you will) that at this point have absolutely no meaning to me. Short, skinny, wet, dry, tall, grande, venti, double, triple, quad. Raspberry, Juicy Raspberry, Mint, Orange. Vanilla Bean and Cafe Vanilla. (Is there a difference?)
The native speakers who appear to be on a diet tend to have a pretty negative vocabulary. No whip. Non-fat. And those with a hearty appetite load on the descriptors. Iced double grande triple pump extra hot ... blah blah blah.
And if you don't order the adjectives correctly, good luck in getting the drink you want. At this point I'm not even going to attempt to let you know what that order may be.
Now mind you, I took 5 years of French and can barely be considered conversationally fluent. Best of luck to all those early risers coming to me looking for a morning perk.
Words I must learn include a certain ethnic ring such as macchiato, americano, con panna, cappuchino and the like. These drinks can take on a number of different attributes (adjectives if you will) that at this point have absolutely no meaning to me. Short, skinny, wet, dry, tall, grande, venti, double, triple, quad. Raspberry, Juicy Raspberry, Mint, Orange. Vanilla Bean and Cafe Vanilla. (Is there a difference?)
The native speakers who appear to be on a diet tend to have a pretty negative vocabulary. No whip. Non-fat. And those with a hearty appetite load on the descriptors. Iced double grande triple pump extra hot ... blah blah blah.
And if you don't order the adjectives correctly, good luck in getting the drink you want. At this point I'm not even going to attempt to let you know what that order may be.
Now mind you, I took 5 years of French and can barely be considered conversationally fluent. Best of luck to all those early risers coming to me looking for a morning perk.
Name change
As you will see, I have changed the name of my blog from "Eating Uniquely in Athens" to simply "Eating Uniquely." I will soon be updating my "unique food" commentary from a broader coverage area. Enjoy and bon appetite!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Movin on...
My "tastes" as you may call them have developed in my four years in Athens. I grew up from the point of having a so-called interest in food to learning how to transform what I eat into part of my lifestyle. The food we put in our bodies is something more than a substance to fill us up. It gives us nourishment, but it also can represent our views on larger social issues.
My stint in the Southeast region of Ohio has taught me that what we eat can be a much bigger reflection on who we are. Look at the Hare Krishnas, for example, who don't eat meat as a symbol of their faith. Or the worker's at Casa Nueva who believe that the food they prepare should support the local economy. The people around here make food to represent their history. The sushi at Happy Kobi and the chicken curry at Star of India can transport their customers from this small Appalachian town to a place halfway across the world. And the decision to consume organic or fair trade products may not make a difference to your tastebuds, but can make a whole lot of difference to a family halfway across the world struggling to make a living.
This might be cheesy to say, but I've learned that buying groceries is more than picking out a box or a bag of whatever tastes good. More than deciding between store brand and name brand. Family, culture and society all revolve around cuisine. I thank my mom for teaching me to eat a well-balanced meal complete with fruits, vegetables, starches and proteins. But I thank this college town for teaching me that food can be a way of life.
I hope that when I leave Athens in less than two weeks to pursue new ventures that the passion I have for the food I eat doesn't diminish. I hope to continue to find that hole-in-the-wall joint that serves up a delicious home-cooked meal or meet that farmer who grows a rare variety of crop. And that the produce I come across is not just food but the gateway into learning about a new culture.
I plan on continuing this blog, not as "Eating Uniquely in Athens" but eating uniquely around Ohio, the United States and the world. Please feel free to drop me a hint of where I can find something unique and delicious because I'll always be waiting to expand my palette and try something new.
My stint in the Southeast region of Ohio has taught me that what we eat can be a much bigger reflection on who we are. Look at the Hare Krishnas, for example, who don't eat meat as a symbol of their faith. Or the worker's at Casa Nueva who believe that the food they prepare should support the local economy. The people around here make food to represent their history. The sushi at Happy Kobi and the chicken curry at Star of India can transport their customers from this small Appalachian town to a place halfway across the world. And the decision to consume organic or fair trade products may not make a difference to your tastebuds, but can make a whole lot of difference to a family halfway across the world struggling to make a living.
This might be cheesy to say, but I've learned that buying groceries is more than picking out a box or a bag of whatever tastes good. More than deciding between store brand and name brand. Family, culture and society all revolve around cuisine. I thank my mom for teaching me to eat a well-balanced meal complete with fruits, vegetables, starches and proteins. But I thank this college town for teaching me that food can be a way of life.
I hope that when I leave Athens in less than two weeks to pursue new ventures that the passion I have for the food I eat doesn't diminish. I hope to continue to find that hole-in-the-wall joint that serves up a delicious home-cooked meal or meet that farmer who grows a rare variety of crop. And that the produce I come across is not just food but the gateway into learning about a new culture.
I plan on continuing this blog, not as "Eating Uniquely in Athens" but eating uniquely around Ohio, the United States and the world. Please feel free to drop me a hint of where I can find something unique and delicious because I'll always be waiting to expand my palette and try something new.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Casa Nueva: In the Kitchen
Here's my slideshow about Casa Nueva's kitchen and bodega. The main kitchen and appetizer kitchen work as two separate entities but maintain constant communication while in business. Check out the slideshow to see some sneak peeks behind the scenes and to learn more about how the restaurant operates.
If you're having trouble viewing the slideshow, try viewing it in a new window.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Casa Nueva : Culinary Chatter
On Tuesday afternoon I sat down with Michelle Wasserman, a cook at Casa Nueva, in a cozy booth on the bodega side of the restaurant. As soon as we began talking, her cheery smile and giggly personality opened the doors for a great conversation about food, motivation and how she has benefitted from being a part of Casa's worker-owned environment. When I met her she seemed right at home, clad in a comfortable peasant skirt and Birkenstock sandals. Her maroon tank top complimented the deep red walls of the restaurant and her dreadlocks kept with the bohemian feel of her work environment.
Michelle is Casa's food coordinator, which means she has the dream job of putting together their ever-changing menu and experimenting with the local produce and organic foods that enter her kitchen. I asked her about her favorite food to incorporate into her dishes. Expecting her to say something very Athens-esque - like paw paws - I was surprised when she said cottage cheese.
"People are really resistant to baking it into a burrito, but I love cottage cheese," she told me with a prideful grin.
She said the cottage cheese, which Casa receives from the Ohio Organic Family Farm, is full of protein but low in fat, so it's ideal for their vegetarian customers. To enhance the flavor, she added her own special blend of spices to the cheese. She highly recommends that I try the cottage cheese pancakes, which she boasts as her own special concoction.
Cottage cheese is one of the "trinity" ingredients for Casa's Spring '07 menu. Each season, Michelle and her culinary team devise a trio of items that they incorporate into all their seasonal dishes. This spring, the trinity consists of a mushroom medley, green onions and cottage cheese, but will change in the summer to feature three new peak-season foods.
It's easy to tell that food is Michelle's passion. Her body tensed with excitement and her eyes glowed as she chattered about the robustness of this season's green peppers and how black beans are a fabulous addition to any salsa. She seemed so comfortable talking about the food she works with, yet she said she's had no formal culinary training.
"My grandma was a good cook, but my mom never let me in the kitchen," she laughed. "I don't know, I guess she figured I'd make a mess."
When Michelle moved to Athens in 1998, she worked at the Burrito Buggy for 5 years before she joined the Casa co-op. It's her work at Casa and the amount of time she spends reading about cooking that has taught her to be more creative when experimenting with her own recipes.
"I'm the baby here," she said. "There are people here who know much more than me. But that's OK."
Michelle said she has learned the most about food preparation and restaurant operation from a 9-month inventory project she overtook during her first year at Casa. She thoroughly explained to me the complicated process she went through of creating an Excell workbook of the restaurant's produce and costing everything out. I had a hard time understanding all the detail that went into the project, but it sounded like tedious work.
"It's the biggest thing I've ever done," she told me with the same enthusiasm and pride she revealed throughout our whole conversation. "I love it!"
Through the spreadsheet, she linked information to recipes, food cost and waste, storage spaces and even a shopping list that's available to the Casa employees. While telling me about this, she constantly referenced her schedule and laptop - because not only is she an enthusiast of all things gourmet, she is tech savvy as well.
But everything she has done at Casa has been supported by her co-workers.
"It's a great environment for learning how to run a business and getting paid at the same time."
And a true business woman she is. As we talked, co-workers broke into the conversation to pass along little updates to her.
"I triple-booked myself today," she told me.
Grateful for her generosity in taking time out of her day to give me a behind the scenes look into her life as a cook, I wrapped up the conversation. However, I will return on Thursday to see the cooks in action.
Michelle is Casa's food coordinator, which means she has the dream job of putting together their ever-changing menu and experimenting with the local produce and organic foods that enter her kitchen. I asked her about her favorite food to incorporate into her dishes. Expecting her to say something very Athens-esque - like paw paws - I was surprised when she said cottage cheese.
"People are really resistant to baking it into a burrito, but I love cottage cheese," she told me with a prideful grin.
She said the cottage cheese, which Casa receives from the Ohio Organic Family Farm, is full of protein but low in fat, so it's ideal for their vegetarian customers. To enhance the flavor, she added her own special blend of spices to the cheese. She highly recommends that I try the cottage cheese pancakes, which she boasts as her own special concoction.
Cottage cheese is one of the "trinity" ingredients for Casa's Spring '07 menu. Each season, Michelle and her culinary team devise a trio of items that they incorporate into all their seasonal dishes. This spring, the trinity consists of a mushroom medley, green onions and cottage cheese, but will change in the summer to feature three new peak-season foods.
It's easy to tell that food is Michelle's passion. Her body tensed with excitement and her eyes glowed as she chattered about the robustness of this season's green peppers and how black beans are a fabulous addition to any salsa. She seemed so comfortable talking about the food she works with, yet she said she's had no formal culinary training.
"My grandma was a good cook, but my mom never let me in the kitchen," she laughed. "I don't know, I guess she figured I'd make a mess."
When Michelle moved to Athens in 1998, she worked at the Burrito Buggy for 5 years before she joined the Casa co-op. It's her work at Casa and the amount of time she spends reading about cooking that has taught her to be more creative when experimenting with her own recipes.
"I'm the baby here," she said. "There are people here who know much more than me. But that's OK."
Michelle said she has learned the most about food preparation and restaurant operation from a 9-month inventory project she overtook during her first year at Casa. She thoroughly explained to me the complicated process she went through of creating an Excell workbook of the restaurant's produce and costing everything out. I had a hard time understanding all the detail that went into the project, but it sounded like tedious work.
"It's the biggest thing I've ever done," she told me with the same enthusiasm and pride she revealed throughout our whole conversation. "I love it!"
Through the spreadsheet, she linked information to recipes, food cost and waste, storage spaces and even a shopping list that's available to the Casa employees. While telling me about this, she constantly referenced her schedule and laptop - because not only is she an enthusiast of all things gourmet, she is tech savvy as well.
But everything she has done at Casa has been supported by her co-workers.
"It's a great environment for learning how to run a business and getting paid at the same time."
And a true business woman she is. As we talked, co-workers broke into the conversation to pass along little updates to her.
"I triple-booked myself today," she told me.
Grateful for her generosity in taking time out of her day to give me a behind the scenes look into her life as a cook, I wrapped up the conversation. However, I will return on Thursday to see the cooks in action.
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