“Trust,” as it pertains to the food system, has become an increasing concern for all of us.  As part of the ongoing research and planning for the James Beard Foundation’s annual conference over the last few years, a series of regional salons were conducted around the country on the subject of Trust.  A small group of diverse stakeholders in the local food system—including chefs, farmers, food producers, distributors, policy makers, urban planners, academics, and others—attended a salon at Color’s Restaurant in Detroit.  It was exciting for me to be a part of this and inspired me to revisit some principles I hold near and dear.

-Healthy food is the primary source of nourishment and a primary nurturer–the ultimate in holistic health and the key to longevity and quality of life.

-Creating and presenting food is an art form which can inspire us and awaken all our senses in the creative process.

-Food is a language.  Our personal tastes defining which dialect we speak.  It is  an important method of expression and reciprocal exchange between people.

-We feel better about ourselves when we’re cognizant of what we eat.  Whenever possible, eat plant based whole foods which are organic, unadulterated and unprocessed.

-Food connects us with others and cultivates natural satisfaction.

-Know where your food comes from and support local farmers.

-Discover local sources and how the food we eat is a direct connection to the earth we walk on.

-Be honest with your food

Trust is an expansive subject and individually intimate at the same time.  As a plant-based chef, every aspect of the ingredients I use are as important as the final dish.  Each one is chosen for its culinary contribution as well as healthful properties. The following recipe is one you can trust!

For this recipe, I used fresh cranberry beans at Food Field Farm’s stall in Detroit’s Eastern Market. Similar to pintos, they cook to a tender creamy texture.  This recipe is a simple medley of vegetables and beans.  If you can’t find fresh beans, cooked from dry or canned may be substituted.

Cranberry Bean Ragout

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 cup red onions, diced

1/2 cup Jimmy Nardello sweet peppers, diced (or red bell peppers)

1 cup yellow squash, large dice

1 1/2 cups cooked fresh podded cranberry beans* (dry beans**)

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon mild chile powder

In a twelve inch skillet on medium-high heat, cook oil, garlic and crushed red pepper until it begins to sizzle.  Add onions, sweet peppers and yellow squash.  Cook until the edges of the vegetables are seared.  Add cranberry beans and all remaining ingredients.  Turn down, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Serve hot.

Serve with rice or quinoa.

*To cook 1 ½ cups fresh cranberry beans, simmer for 30 minutes in 4 cups of water in a covered saucepan.

**With dry beans, soak in 4 cups water for 4 to 6 hours. Rinse well.  Simmer for 30 minutes in 4 cups of water in a covered saucepan.

The post In Food We Trust first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

The art of making chutney is a passion in India.  Cooks developed local reputations for their intense combinations of sweet, salty and hot.  Over the years I have heard a number of people mention the East Indian saying “too sweet to resist and too hot to eat.”  This recipe follows that model and is ideal for the end-of-summer plethora of ripe tomatoes.  Not only is it an excellent condiment for an Indian meal, but it can work as a ketchup, as a dip for crudites or a base for sweet and sour dishes.  

Serves 4

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds

2 tablespoons finger hot green chiles, minced

1/4 cup sweet onion, minced

1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ginger root, minced

1 1/2 cups tomatoes, diced

1 tablespoon molasses

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup water

In a medium saucepan in medium-high heat, cook canola oil, mustard seeds and green chiles.  When the mustard seeds pop, add onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, molasses, cane juice, sea salt and water.  Turn down to a simmer and cook 10 minutes or until tomatoes are well cooked and thickened.  Serve room temperature or hot.  

The post Sweet Tomato Chutney first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

For those of us who love sourdough, the starter lives and  breathes as a fixture on our kitchen counters. Each day, it is fed and then expands and bubbles with lively energy.  Like all naturally fermented foods, it becomes part of the household–like a guest to be cared for and appreciated.  

Fermented foods are a common thread in all the great cuisines of the world.  In addition to its nutritional attributes, fermentation was a form of food preservation and extended shelf-life long before refrigeration. 

My first experiences with fermentation began as a child watching my Yia Yia (grandmother) make yogurt.  She boiled milk in a stock pot, allowing it to cool to the point she could stick her finger into the milk for the count of ten (approximately 104 degrees). Then, a remnant of culture from the previous batch was folded in. She wrapped the entire pot in a blanket and placed it on top of her 1950’s refrigerator, which ran hot enough to keep the yogurt warm for four to five hours.  I remember my lips puckering over the distinctly sour flavor of the fresh yogurt.

At the time, I didn’t realize this was one of the secrets of Yia Yia’s delicious food.  In addition to Greek staples like strained yogurt with honey and garlicky cucumber tzatziki, tangy yogurt found its way into soups, stews, pies and sauces as a flavor enhancer.  It was one of the nutritious superfood ingredients in her Cretan cuisine.  

During my early years in India, I discovered that yogurt is used often in both savory and sweet applications.  At a 100 year-old stall in the old Delhi market of Chandni Chowk, the Old Famous Jalebi Walla would craft eight inch wide translucent sweet pretzels (jalebis).  These were made from yogurt and saffron sourdough batter, fried in ghee and dipped in a sugar syrup.  The pretzels were warm, sticky and sweetly-sour.  This is one of the many ways I learned to incorporate live cultures into foods during my time in India. 

In my kitchen, the sourdough starter on the counter has a respected presence.  This living food inspires many hours of hands-on preparation with excellent results.  I use it to prepare the traditional European loaves of bread, savory and sweet Persian and Indian flat breads, pizza crusts, crepes and turnovers.  They are fried on a skillet, baked on a baking stone in the oven or cooked outdoors in my birch-fired oven.

The following recipe, blini-style Sourdough Griddle Cakes, should be prepared on a griddle or skillet.  When making this recipe, I’ll often add cooked whole grains to the batter for texture and flavor, such as: quinoa, fonio, finger millet, sorghum or farro.  Below the Griddle Cakes recipe is an Easy Balkan Ajvar recipe to use as a condiment. 

Sourdough Griddle Cakes with Ajvar

Makes sixteen 2 1/2 inch cakes

Griddle cakes

1 1/2 cups Einkorn wheat sourdough starter

2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley leaves

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Mix all ingredients and let rest for 15 minutes.  Preheat a cast iron griddle at medium heat, lightly coat with oil. (use extra virgin olive oil, or organic sunflower oil).  Dollop small spoonfuls of batter onto the griddle, spread out to size if needed.  Brown on one side, then add 1 teaspoon ajvar and turn cake over, searing ajvar into the cake.

Serve hot with 1 teaspoon ajvar relish, a teaspoon of Vayo Mayo garnish and a sprig of cilantro.  

Easy Balkan Ajvar

2 red bell peppers halved, stemmed and seeded

2 bulb spring onions, peeled, cut in quarters lengthwise and sliced

1 Fresno red pepper halved, stemmed and seeded (optional)

3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Place all ingredients in a baking dish or a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, or until edges of onions and peppers start to brown. 

Remove from oven, cool for 10 minutes and process all  ingredients in a food processor to a coarse relish.  Serve warm or cold.

The post Sourdough Griddle Cakes first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

Featured in the Warrior Monk Conversations Podcast

Wheat and Grasses

Farro from Italy

Kamut

Einkorn, Spelt, Emmer

Freekeh- green wheat

Other Whole Grass Grains

Buckwheat groats

Barley- Staple grain of the ancient world and a precursor to wheat and rice. 

Rye

Oats

Seed Grains

Fonio- African grain native to Senegal with superfood characteristics

Sorghum/Millets-

Sorghum, proso millet, finger millet, little millet, blue millet

Little millet and finger millets

Amaranth- seeds and greens-Vleeta in Greece or Batwa in  India

Quinoa-high protein

Kaneewa

Sesame

Flax

Teff

Hemp hearts

Chia

Rices

Whole short grain brown rice

Black, red, basmati, jade, jasmine

Koda Farms – Traditional Japanese style growing- low in  arsenic

Treasures

Heirloom red corn- does not cross-pollinate with GMO corn

Job’s Tears- Hato Mugi

Resources from the Warrior Monk Conversations Podcast

Glenn Roberts https://ansonmills.com/products

Goldmine http://shop.goldminenaturalfoods.com

Eden Foods https://www.edenfoods.com/store/whole-grains/best-whole.html

Freekehlicious http://www.freekehlicious.com/products

Organic grains https://organicgrains.com/collections

Farafena Foods  https://www.farafena.com

Grains and flours https://centralmilling.com/store/

Heritage Grain Weekend Paul Spence  and Chef Greg Wade https://cktable.ca

The post Whole Grain Goodness first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

London 2019 Bread Camp Report

The post London Bread Camp first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

The event is geared toward chefs, food influencers and anyone who is passionate about what they eat. The event is geared to all skill levels, ranging from beginners to professional baker.

Attendees saw our amazing Michigan grains, met the farmers who grow them, interact with fellow chefs, participated in one of the largest Detroit urban farms and experienced the delicious flavors, textures and aromas of whole grain, naturally leavened and wood-fire baked bread!

Detroit Regenerative Grain Weekend was made up of four events, two of them were to gear up in the weeks ahead and two were held Sunday thru Tuesday.

Hampshire Farms Earth Day Open House that is held every year at the farm in Kingston, Michigan every spring. It was a chance for the team to get together, look at Shirley’s wood fired baking operation and to see the milling operation for the regenerative grain grown right there.

Bread Camp Parlor Event was held in a private home in order to introduce the Hazon community to edible applications of Regeneratively grown ingredients and the people behind them.

Breaking Bread Together community day at Oakland Avenue Urban Farm was a Sunday open house-style event held the day before Bread Camp to introduce wholesome, regenerative and a delicious pancake brunch to the local residents around the farm.

Detroit Bread Camp was a two day event held, on a Monday and Tuesday, presented as an extension to the London Bread Camp and Regenerate Heritage Grain Weekend held every autumn by Paul Spence and Chef Greg at Growing Chefs in London, Ontario.

The event was limited to 20 people to ensure Chef Greg has one on one time with each participant.

Oakland Avenue Urban Farm hosted the event. Hampshire Farms helped to construct a new wood-fired oven on site with reclaimed bricks. Regenerative Bread Camp and Community Day are all part of Heritage Grain weekend when area restaurant chefs and caterers bake with, 2019 James Beard Outstanding Baker Award recipient, Greg Wade. The community weekend kicked off with Breaking Bread Together on Sunday, June 23rd 12:30pm-3:00pm with Chef Phil Jones, Chef George Vutetakis [thevegetarianguy.com] , Hampshire Farms of Kingston, Michigan, Spence Farm from Ontario, CA and Hirzel Farms of Luckey, Ohio at Oakland Avenue Urban Farm. This day was part of a partnership with Hazon Detroit [hazon.org] . The public enjoyed the taste of heritage grains, fresh bread from the brick oven and pancakes hot of the griddle all from Michigan flours.

For chefs, bakers, and those with interest in baking who want to gain more knowledge in the versatility of using grains, join us next year to bake with Chef Wade.

Bread camp is educating and connecting growers, millers, bakers, chefs and consumers who are creating a rise in demand for local grains. This program increases a baker’s capacity to procure and utilize regionally grown whole grains to help build and develop the regional food-shed.

Workshop topics:

How a region is building its specialty grain food-shed from farmer to baker to consumer.

Compare commodity grains and specialty grains in baking and pastry applications.

Utilizing whole and processed specialty grains in baking and pastry applications.

Utilizing honey in baking and pastry applications.

How a farmer and baker collaboration is created.

Work with a wood burning oven.

Define heritage grains and fermentation.

Discuss nutrition of whole grains and fermentation

For information on upcoming Regenerate and Bread Camp events, click here.

Videos of past Bread Camps:

The post Regenerative Grains first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

During the peak of summer in August, when the hot Sahara-born Sirocco winds blanketed the countryside, Aloni-sites were where families gathering for the cool breezes coming off the sea from Kalathas. Men would sip on cafes, while women would sometimes bring a bowl of fresh-picked almonds to crack and catch up on the seemingly endless tasks of the day. 

During the extended late summers in Crete, often lasting into November, skordalia was a favorite afternoon condiment spread over crusty bread which was baked in the wood fired oven in the courtyard, or cistern-collected water-dipped crunchy barley rusk paximadia dipped in super green olive oil from the latest harvest.  Skordalia was often served with a horiatiki salata of fresh-picked sweet cucumbers, tomatoes, pungent red onions, tiny salt-cured Cretan olives and local sheep’s milk cheese, when it was available. 

Anthe adapted the recipe for her life in America, using a bit of cider vinegar to offset the different flavors of the local ingredients. Unlike Crete, the almonds in Canton, Ohio were not fresh from the trees, bread was not kissed by the lightly salted air and lemons were not from the trees in the fertile valley gardens (Kypo). Nevertheless, Anthe’s interpretation was a beautiful, delicious and an irresistible condiment designed for her American life. She would make the recipe as a special treat for my father, which he would not stop eating until the mason jar was wiped clean with bread.

My article from KPHTH magazine with the Skordalia recipe and family history from November 2018 is below

The post Skordalia with a history first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

Baklava is one of the hallmark dishes of Cretan heritage.

Originating in Ionian kitchens, it was adopted in every region of Ottoman rule and incorporated into each culture’s national cuisine because of its heavenly flavors and flaky, yet juicy, textures.  

I cannot recall any family gathering without Yia Yia’s, Anthe (Stratigakis) Vutetakis, deliciously sweet and delectable baklava. She crafted her recipe while growing up in the village of Plakoures in western Crete and passed it onto her children and grandchildren. My aunt Irene Laggeris inherited her mother’s culinary aptitude and, as most talented cooks will do, added her own memorable touches to the original recipe. 

My recipe takes inspiration from the original while using local ingredients and seasonal tastes. The authenticity is rooted in Greek tradition while paying homage to how so much in America is built upon, or influenced by, Greek foundations. 

This dessert was first introduced to the public in 1997 when I was chef and owner of Inn Season Cafe in Royal Oak, Michigan. It quickly became a favorite, especially in the Autumn when Michiganders share a collective passion for all desserts crafted with pumpkin, sweet spices and maple syrup. 

The post Inspiration from Anthe first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

The Italian word pesto is often used to describe a combination of ground garlic, basil and pine nuts, although the preparation method of grinding ingredients into a paste is universal and cross-cultural.  Ever since man discovered how to grind and pound food products with stone and wood, this method has been employed in traditional cuisines around the world to create sauces, condiments, bases and pastes which enhance flavor profiles. Every culture put their stamp on the method with the common denominator being a mortar and pestle or grinding stone and it is a superb way to add a savory and flavorful edge to a dish without frying or grilling.

A Sicilian version is pesto rosso which substitutes almonds for pine nuts and adds tomatoes with less basil.  In Mediterranean France, a cold sauce made from garlic, basil and olive oil is the base for the much-acclaimed pistou soup in Provence.

In India, I watched cooks deftly handle a flat grindstone with a rectangular pestle to create intensely flavored mint chutneys, robust masala pastes and pesto-like fillings for a variety of breads and savories.  The grinding stones would absorb the right amount of moisture and unique flavors would be developed by the grinding action.  I was so enamored by the amazing quality of these preparations that I carried two of these heavy stones home on a flight.

Central and South American cuisines have a long history of grinding spices, pastes and mole bases using a metate or mealing stone. Chimichurri sauce is one of the well known sauces to use this method.  One can imagine my pesto recipe being made on a metate grindstone in an adobe kitchen a hundred years ago.  Nutty toasted pepitas with crushed garlic, freshly squeezed lime juice, brightly flavored cilantro and smokey fire-roasted poblano chiles provocatively meld together to create an explosion of flavor in any dish that it is served with.  I particularly like it as a foil to corn dishes and often pair it with Quinoa-Corn Arepas and Chocolate Cherry Salsa from my cookbook Vegetarian Traditions.  The bright flavor of the pesto is the perfect companion to the natural sweetness of the corn and deep, dark anti-oxidant-rich salsa.

Today, I often make pesto with a food processor, which is a compromise for the sake of modern efficiency.  However, if you have a metate, or mortar & pestle and a little extra time, I encourage you to use it–not just for the earthly connection and romance of hand-working one’s food, but also for the flavor.

This easy-to-prepare recipe works well in sandwiches, as a mezzes-style dip, a quesadilla filling or a layer in a tortilla casserole.

Pepita & Fire Roasted Poblano Pesto

1/2 cup pepitas, toasted
1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 poblano chile, fire roasted, stemmed and seeded

In a food processor, grind pepitas to a meal, add all pesto ingredients and pulse to a coarse consistency.  Store in an air-tight container and keep refrigerated.

The post Pepita and Fire Roasted Poblano Pesto first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

After the winter freeze, one of the first signs of  life in the Midwest Farmers Markets are spring onions which are full flavor, extra sweet young shoots that only vaguely resemble a mature onion.  At this stage, even the sharpest tasting onion will easily compete with sweet varieties such as Vidalia, Maui and Walla Walla.  At this time of year I use them generously, raw in salads and roasted, as in this recipe.  This is an excellent easy to make side dish cum condiment that adds zest to a variety of dishes.  Make it ahead and use it as an impromptu garnish or a sandwich ingredient as well.  Enjoy!

Serves 6

6 spring onion shoots cut in half lengthwise and trimmed to four inches long

½ cup seedless raisins

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ cup diced Roma tomatoes

½ teaspoon coriander seeds

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

3 whole cloves

½ teaspoon whole peppercorns

½ teaspoon sea salt

Bake in a covered dish at 400º F  for 1 hour.  Serve as a side or garnish.

The post Roasted Spring Onions first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

A different version of Sloppy Joe which uses easily aquired ingredients.  Simple to create and ideal for making ahead, it is a good stand by when time is short.

Tofu Joe

Base
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 cup yellow onion, diced

1 cup celery, diced

¾ cup red bell pepper, diced

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

¼ cup cider vinegar

1 ½ cups tomatoes, diced

1 cup tomato salsa

½ cup organic ketchup

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon basil

In a saute pan at medium heat, cook the oil, onion, celery and red pepper until the onion starts to become clear around the edges.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer until tomatoes are cooked.  Transfer and reserve.

Tofu
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons fresh ground fennel seed

1 heaping teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon chipotle powder

¼ cup tamari

1 block firm tofu, mashed

½ teaspoon sea salt

Rinse the saute pan and reuse.  Heat with olive oil at medium heat.  Add the fennel seed, paprika, chipotle and tamari.  Mix together and add the tofu right away.  Let simmer until the liquid is gone, add 1 cup of the base with the sea salt and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add remaining base and cook again for another 10 minutes on a low simmer.  Serve over toasted buns, or bread.

The post Tofu Joe first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

“Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived”

Helen Keller

Aromas enchant us, molding images into the cerebral cortex which can be recalled at any moment with a familiar whiff.  With food, an attractive scent can trigger the desire to eat and cause a singular drive to eat something right away. 

The sense of smell is seventy percent of taste.  While taste buds receive input from salty, sweet, bitter and pungent receptors, olfactory input can recognize up to 10,000 different aromas.  This input is immediate and can bypass the normal processing to trigger memory in the cerebral cortex.  Imagine having a barbecue without the intensely sensuous aroma not wafting by.  A world without aroma is a sanitized and bland proposition.  Studies have confirmed that the olfactory sense triggers memories more than the other senses.  Mental imagery with the natural romanticized versions, adds immensely to the ‘theater of dining.’ 

Just as the chemical combination of food ingredients are medicine, food is also integral in aromatherapy.  To exemplify this, think of the scents that floated out of the kitchen as a child, baking cookies or a cake, baking bread, or the almost acrid aroma of food cooking over an open fire.  There is a sound reason for fast food restaurants to exhaust fumes onto the street.  Over the years, it was very common for passersby to eat at Inn Season Café after walking by and smelling the great cooking scents outside our building. 

It has been well documented that specific aromas encourage the body to function in different ways.  There are scents which cleanse nasal passages, a few aid digestion and some inspire passion, while others work with the psyche.  Scent is very much part of the ‘feng shui’ of food and old cultures have this built in to the cuisine.  

Setting a stage with scents

Scent is also very subjective.  What we like has direct correlation to our life experience and conditioning.  For one person the scent of a wonderfully aged cheese is mouth watering, to another it is revolting.  The audience is important when planning a meal.  Sometimes, we need to help educate a palate, so scents are orchestrated to enhance each other, framing the so called offensive aroma with more accessible and universally appealing scents.  When entertaining, it is good to plan an aromatic environment along with the rest of the menu.  Many times the aromas around the food have a profound effect on the flavors inside the preparations.  

Importance of smells in cooking

Without tasting, the scent of food becomes prominent as a tool for perfection.   In Vedic cooking, enjoying the smells of the food for oneself while cooking is the same as tasting it.  The cooking aroma can be enjoyed as part of the process of cooking for others and certainly may be used as a tool for creating culinary wonders. 

Manipulation of aromas during eating

Timing the drifting scents emanating from food and organizing them in a almost symphonic way can be as important as combining spices.  Complimentary aromas play off each other, dancing in the imagination, toying with our memories.  

The after dinner scents

After a fulfilling dinner, scent plays an important role in comfort and good digestion.  Some of the unpleasant things restaurants do which we can avoid in our personal lives are spraying tables with window cleaners to sanitize while customers are nearby; using heavy bleach  solutions to sanitize equipment and counters; have strong smelling food being served with delicate flavors; and allowing smoking nearby, or even at all.  

Fortunately in our own homes, we may create environments without these olfactory pitfalls.  To focus on the positive, candles create warm, cozy scents that are nice when extinguished too.  A flaming dessert or steamy hot fudge sauce can fill the air with deep sensual undertones.  Also removing the food from the table is a must before dessert and after the entire dinner when conversation may be heightened. 

The post About Making Scents first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

I first discovered the significance of food as a young child from my Greek grandmother, who tirelessly went out of her way to both nourish and nurture her family through the medium of lovingly prepared traditional dishes.  Memories in my Yia Yia and Papou’s house invariably are associated the times when our family gathered around the dining table, situated just outside of Yia Yia’s kitchen.  There I sampled exquisite hand made, tender dolamdakia, irresistible spanikopita, perfectly balanced moussaka and pastitsio to die for.  The memories were augmented with intense and creamy skordalia, almost sinfully sweet baklava and the melt-in-the mouth amigdalota cookies made from almonds and orange blossom water.  The food sparked conversation and familial bonding.

Eating this way, we knew what it was to be Greek.  The food was historically intertwined with cultural identity.  What, how and when it was (or is) consumed was a major portion of the Hellenic psyche.  Greece is a land that has witnessed the ravages of changing civilizations, occupations and political turmoil.  Often it was recognized as the center of the civilized world and the source of our modern political structures.  The unique and flavorful cuisine has been a consistent reminder of the greatness that Greece was…and still is.  Much of this glory was achieved over millennia at tables in homes and villages with foodstuffs foraged in the mountains, harvested from the land and caught in the sea.  The plant based food was so significant that the famous Greek Key pattern, found over millennia as a theme on temples, homes, fabrics and ornaments, was derived from the field plowing pattern used by farmers.  Ancient Greeks would also pour a small libation of wine on the earth before drinking, much in the way we toast today.  The Greeks have learned to live with the earth in a respectful partnership, where harmonizing with the energies of the cosmos became a goal in life.  Anyone who has spent time in Greece can still feel this incredible energy integrated into every aspect.  Often this translates into the Greek spirit of life.  Along with the Mediterranean sunshine, the sea breezes and the stark raw beauty of the land, it is unique and unlike any other place on earth.  No wonder so many Greeks return to their mother land.

The post Learning How to Eat first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

Maple Carrot Halava
Serves: 8 Preparation Time: 30 minutes

6 cups carrots, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon decorticated or ground cardamom
1 cup whole cashew nuts (optional)
2 cups maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons ground cardamom garnish

In a large skillet on medium low, while stirring frequently, slowly cook the oil, carrots, cardamom and cashews until the carrots start to break down. Add the maple syrup and vanilla, turn the heat up to medium and cook until the maple syrup is absorbed and starts to caramelize. Serve warm or cool in a fruit compote dish with a dusting of cardamom.

The post Maple Carrot Halava first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

The post KPHTH Magazine first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

Chefs witness this on a daily basis, but most of us disconnect from the notion that food influences us far beyond the digestive tract.  Eating is a multi-sensual experience and what we hear plays a significant role.  With food,  sound supports the other senses, placing us in a three dimensional experience.Even though it seems to play a background role, the influence of sound on our heart and mind is perhaps the most powerful sense.In Feng Shui and Vedic Vastu, sound is recognized as having the ability to create motion through vibration.What we hear inspires us to react and that is why the aural environment is important in all stages of the food experience.

According to Pythagorus, and confirmed by Plato, sound is the primordial element.This is also embraced by the Vedas from India, which are considered by many to be the oldest books in the world.According to these beliefs, sound is the original element that creates vibration, thus causing movement in the universe.If we could hear across the entire aural spectrum, everything would have a sound, including the silence we currently perceive.According to the Vedas, physical environments can change through sound and it is also an important tool for spiritual connections.Sound is a key part of our environment affecting our mind, body and spirit.Often, ancient Greeks spoke in song.This is still evident through Cretan spontaneous poetry known as Mantinades.Sanskrit is a poetic language, verbalized with meter and rhythm, often with melodious incantations.Sanskrit is called Deva Nagiri, because it is believed to be a heavenly language and is structured in a way that creates change and movement when enunciated.Vedic Brahmins maintain chanting specific Sanskrit mantras can change physical environments, mundane elements and alter the cycles of action and reaction they call Karma.

More accessible to everyday thoughts, music can change moods, evoke passions and greatly effect perception.  White noise and harsh noises can also make a difference.Cutting words, arguing, criticism and expressions of anger are vocal distractions which can  affect us in both subtle and gross ways.Abrasive soundscapes often create stress, adding clutter and distraction to thoughts and actions.  Sound affects our mindset, bodily movement and clarity of spirit.It is natural to see how an aural environment influences cooking.For me, cooking is an expression of what lies within, most often I see culinary actions as a conveyance, of knowledge, tradition and creative expression.As some people are eloquent speakers, the eloquence I rely on the most is in the language of food and all that goes with it.

Choosing sounds

Often, traveling to Crete with my father and son, we found simple tavernas where waves lapped in symphonic meter by our feet while feasting on a crisp cucumber salad glistening with the liquid gold of fresh pressed extra virgin olive oil. Local dialects epitomized the Greek word onomatopoeia, with mellifluous chatter beautifully decorating the aural landscape. Mixed with the scents of the sea and the olive oil basted grills we entered a meditative state, much like Odysseus and the Sirens, where a concentrated effort to extract ourselves from the hypnosis was necessary to accomplish tasks of the day.

A visual landscape is dramatically enhanced by sound.The transition from silent film to ‘talkies’ is one example of the difference.Sound gives depth and definition to sight.To create a fulfilling dining experience, chefs and restaurateurs sculpt the aural experience to compliment and enhance the sensual experience.In dining, sound is a compliment to the meal, a background enhancement that soothes and excites indirectly. Anticipation and salivation are encouraged with the sight of food cooking uttering companion sounds like crackling, spurting, bubbling, puffing and sputteringSound also plays a direct part as an accompaniment to taste, touch and aroma as food is consumed and we sense such things as crunching, slurping, chewing and swallowing.In some old cultures, a good belch at the end of a meal signifies a cook’s success.Listening, and becoming sensitive, to the sounds of cooking and eating is a very important part of the world of cooking.Just as a spice can change the nature of a preparation, so what we hear when cooking and eating alters the food and how we digest it.

Cold preparations in particular seem to produce more sounds due to brittleness enhanced by the temperature.  While eating, these dishes produce a mellifluous combination of crunches, snaps and juicy sound bites that are intriguing, fun and fresh.

The snack food industry is testimony to the human addiction to crunch. Thinking about it, if we take the sound away from crunching, the feel alone is not enough to satisfy. It is the sound, inside and outside the jaw, which pleases our senses and creates the moment of satisfaction until the next bite. Crackers, chips, nuts, apples, corn, celery, carrots and many other foods are crunch worthy. In a dinner, a light, delicate crunch from a garnish or integrated crispy pastry provides a surprising and very pleasant addition to the sensual experience. A salad is an ideal course for exploring crunching with fresh, crispy greens, delicately cut vegetables, toasted nuts and the snap of fresh cherry tomatoes.

Dessert can turn into an extravaganza for all the senses by adding the crunch factor with a sweet pastry or candied nut.

The post Sounds first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

In India, nation culinary treasures such as Idli, Dosa, Jallebi and Dahi (yogurt) all depend on fermentation for unique flavors and health giving enzymes. Dosa has very ancient roots in South Indian Tamil culture that are at least 6,000 years old. This original “crepe” has maintained popularity and is one of the most recognized and cherished dishes in greater Indian cuisine. Thirty years ago, Indian dahi-walla shops were frequently a stove, a pot and a cook (sometimes with a couple of cows out back) who worked among clay vessels of all shapes and sizes made to hold yogurt as it cultured. Down the street, one would usually find a potter sitting on the ground with a throwing wheel, a pile of clay vessels and a pit for firing. For yogurt, the clay would insulate as well as remove whey from the yogurt as it turned to curd over a four to five hour period. Turning milk into yogurt, butter and sweets were a method of preservation before refrigeration and was practiced wherever cows, sheep, goats and buffalo were kept. I remember my Yia Yia (Greek grandmother) making her own yogurt, keeping a string of cultures from one batch to the next. She would culture the yogurt on top of her refrigerator wrapped in towels where it would stay warm enough to transform the milk into a very tangy yogurt.

India also has a long history of pickle making, using sea salt, mustard, fenugreek, chillies and oils. I learned the craft from a Gujarati family and, over the years would make salty, hot, sour and often sweet pickles during the growing season. Pickles from eggplant, green beans, green mangos, lemons, limes and chillies accompanied the regional Indian cuisine we were preparing daily at the time.

Garum, a fermented fish sauce, was used throughout the ancient Roman Empire, much the same way fish sauces are used in Korean, Thai, Cambodian, Fillipino and Vietnamese cuisines. Soy sauce, shoyu and tamari in Chinese and Japanese cuisines are rooted in similar traditions. Asian cuisines are full of fermented products, like Tempeh, Natto and Kimchee.

Commonly acknowledged, products with long traditions of fermentation are beer and wine. The ancients became masters of wine and beer making, not just for the pleasing effects, but also because water could not be trusted. The armies of Alexander the Great marched to India using beer and wine instead of water. Bread baking as we have come to know it also started from the process of making beer and wine. The white coatings we sometimes see on grapes are a yeast that is also used for sourdough bread. Brewers yeast, the by-product of beer making, is also an old source of traditional bread yeast. Beer making is perhaps one of the oldest known fermenting traditions with archeological evidence from 9,000 years ago. Since it is made with grains, beer has kept a close relationship with bread. Ancient Egyptians had massive bakeries at the base of the Great Pyramid, capable of providing up to 30,000 loaves of bread a day and were conveniently located next to breweries. Up until the last 60 years, many people kept crocks with yeast starters in their kitchens to make bread with. With the exception of Prohibition, yeast was readily available from breweries throughout America. Packaged, and especially, active dry yeast are relatively new in the world of food.

With the arrival of dependable refrigeration, many of these foodstuffs were relegated to the realm of cultural identity as they were no longer were necessary. Commercial manufacturers took over more difficult tasks such as bread baking, wine and beer making, yogurt and butter as well as anything else they could sell back to the public in order for to time to be saved in the kitchen. 19th and 20th century kitchens evolved so fast that many of the time honored culinary traditions have become very rare or even lost.

Growing up with my Greek Yia Yia’s cooking helped me to appreciate the deep connections between food, culture and environment. For this reason when the current culinary revolution recognized these same connections, I found a natural kinship with those who embraced it. Over the years, I have also discovered the remarkable role vegetarianism has played in human history. Often, it is associated with the visionary brilliance, notably such souls as Gandhi and Einstein. Every cuisine has some form of plant based food in it and I promote that every culture has vegetarian traditions. Commonly, fermented dishes and condiments are prominent in such repertoires.

Beyond obvious refrigeration issues, both ancient and modern medicinal wisdom recognize the potent nutrition and life giving value in fermented foods. Modern science has also recognized the hazards of improperly fermenting, requiring sterile environments and standardized cultures. While this has undoubtedly increased food safety, we have also lost many organic hand-crafted traditions. Often, much of the health benefit is diminished as well. I include as many of these dishes as possible in my culinary stable and even find that once a cultured product is made, it facilitates quick and easy meals while, at the same time, adding the depth of slowly developed flavors.

The post Artisanal Fermentation first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

Makes 12 pieces

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 (14 ounce) block firm tofu, drained and cut into twelve ¼ inch thick triangles
2 tablespoons tamari
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper

Heat a 10 to 12 inch saute pan on medium heat.  Add oil and tofu.  Cook one side until slightly browned and then carefully turn each piece.  Add tamari and turn heat down to a simmer, then grind half the fresh pepper onto the tofu.  After a minute, turn the tofu again and grind the rest of the pepper.  Continue to cook until the tofu is firm and the pepper is cooked in.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

The post Black Pepper Tofu first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

“Iconic cuisine” could describe the food of Bengal. Among their many influential dishes, sweets are perhaps the most famous.  Yet, there are many preparations which have come to shape Indian cuisine as a whole.  Charchari is not merely a single dish, but a cooking style unique to Bengal.  Essentially, vegetables are cooked in a pan and covered without stirring until a close-to-burnt caramelized crust forms on the bottom of the pan, which is stirred in to finish the dish.  Unlike many vegetable dishes in India, spicing is simple, often only turmeric, chillies, salt and hing (onion-like asafetida powder).  The result is a deliciously rich tasting subji (vegetable) which can be used as an appetizer with crackers and bread, or as a show-stopping part of a bigger Indian meal.

One of my favorite cookbooks is The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Jamuna devi. She is to Indian vegetarian cuisine what Julia Child was to French home-cooked cuisine.  Her book is an easy-to-understand look at Indian kitchens.  It was written a number of years ago and is a timeless must-have resource for those who wish to cook and enjoy Indian food as it is supposed to be.  Jamuna presents a number of charcharis in the book and her description and recipe is excerpted as follows:

“Charcharis are Bengali vegetable dishes that combine three cooking procedures: boiling, steaming and frying.  Though other cuisines of the world use the same procedures, and in a similar sequence, to my knowledge only charcharis are brought to the point of charring.  During the entire procedure, the vegetable is never stirred—not even once! They are succulent vegetables, often rich and served as side dishes, but take little attention while cooking and are really delicious.

The dividing line between the cooking procedures is blurry.  In the first stage, large pieces of vegetable are gently boiled in a seasoned liquid.  Sometimes sugar, tomatoes or lemon juice is added to provide a glaze, flavor or zest in the finished dish.  In the second stage, the vegetables are steamed by the concentrated liquids barely boiling in the bottom of the pan.  Srila Prabhupad described the final stages of cooking: ‘When the liquid is absorbed, there will be a little noise, a hhhzzzz sound, and then, just as the bottom crust browns, turn off the heat and it is done.’ The pan is covered and allowed to sit off the heat for a few minutes, until the crust softens and can be easily folded into the moist vegetables.

Since this final stage of cooking delicately borders on burning, it is important to convey that it should not come to that.  No one wants to serve or eat burned vegetables.  It is essential to use a very heavy, thick bottom pan such as enamel on steel, stainless steel or, better still, non-stick Silverstone on heavy aluminum.  With good non-stick cookware and attention to heat control, perfect charcharis are possible even the first time around.”

Here is a recipe I adapted from Jamuna’s cookbook by mixing it with my own experiences of charchari.  Many years ago I was able to sample some of her cooking and the exquisite flavors of her beautifully crafted dishes have inspired me ever since. I dedicate this recipe to her and the amazing foods that roll out of her kitchen.

Baigan Aloo Charchari

Serves 6

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, peeled and minced

2 finger hot green chilies, minced

1/4 teaspoon hing (yellow asafoetida powder)

6-8 fresh neem leaves

5 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into one inch cubes

1 medium sized eggplant, cut into one inch cubes

1 2/3 cups water

1 cup spinach leaves, stemmed and coarsely chopped

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 inch piece of cinnamon stick

3 cloves

1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, freshly ground

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, fresh ground

1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy-bottomed 4 quart pan over moderate heat.  When it is hot, but not smoking, add the black mustard seeds, ginger and chilies and fry until the mustard seeds sputter and turn gray.  Sprinkle in the hing and neem leaves and within 5 seconds, stir in the potatoes, tossing with a wooden spoon for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and cook about 30 minutes.  From time to time, check to see if the vegetables are drying up, and adjust the heat or liquid accordingly.  When the vegetables are fork-tender, all of the liquid should be absorbed and the vegetables left sizzling.

Raise the heat to moderately high and fry, without stirring, until a slightly charred crust forms on the bottom of the pan.  Turn off the heat and keep covered for 5 minutes.  Stir the crust into the soft vegetables before serving.

The post Bengali Charchari first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.

Toward the end of the harvest season chiles, tomatoes, onions, garlic and cilantro can be found in abundance. Inspired by the vibrant colors and pungent flavors of Mexico, I particularly like grilling the salsa vegetables to give them a rustic and earthy taste and feel. Easy to prepare and full of flavor, this is a salsa that stands out in a crowd.

Grilled  Salsa

Serves 4

3 hatch or Anaheim chiles, stemmed, seeded and halved lengthwise

2 torpeo or cipollini onions, peeled and trimmed

3 three inch diameter tomatoes, sliced in half

Cook the chiles, onions and tomatoes on a medium heat grill. When lightly blackened on one side, carefully turn the vegetables and use a flat spatula to turn the tomatoes. Blackened again and place in a bowl. Place ingredients on a cutting board and coarsley chop, then return them to the bowl.

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup fresh lime juice 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced

Mix cilantro, lime, sea salt and garlic together in a bowl. Add grilled vegetables. Serve after 1/2 hour to give time for the flavors to integrate. Serve at room temperature or hot.

The post Grilled Salsa first appeared on The Vegetarian Guy.