Uncategorized – Page 4 – Grow. Cook. Eat.

That's what I tried to do when I wanted to switch from Blogger to TypePad. I thought I could make the switch in small steps, but at some point I crossed the point of no return, and I had to take the big leap.

I'm here now, but I still need to move-in, unpack and get to know the neighborhood. I'm working on bringing all my old posts over here (I was only able to transfer about 30 out of 300 posts). And I need to fix many of the old links.

If you previously subscribed to Grow. Cook. Eat. in Google reader or other RSS feed, please resubscribe. Alas, in the transition, all feeds were canceled.

Happy Gardening, Happy Cooking and Happy Eating! I look forward to seeing you here more often.

September 28, 2009

Have Your Chocolate and Eat It Too!

Do you remember the girl scouts that came knocking on your door? Every spring, I waited with bated breath for them to appear with their fold out catalog, and color coded order forms that brought promise of thin mint and peanut butter cookies. I couldn’t wait until I was old enough to be a girl scout too!

Every Fall they still come, like pilgrims, with menus of cookies, candy bars and magazines we never read. While the cause of supporting our children and their education remains important, I’ve become more aware of not only my food choices (have you read the labels of the girl scout cookies??) but also of issues surrounding sustainability and fair trade.

Today, fortunately, we have a new choice. We can support the neighborhood kids’ without sacrificing our interest in quality foods and goods. Equal Exchange is paving the way for better fundraisers, one even a foodie could love.

Dark chocolate bars with real cocoa butter, even 71% cocoa, Arabica coffees roasted by Equal Exchange, healthy snacks (almonds, roasted pecans & sweetened, dried cranberries) from US family farmers, and teas from DarJeeling & South Africa and a rooibos that heals! And for the bottom-line parents, the profits for the school from this fundraiser are competitive with conventional fundraisers. You can do well by doing good (or is it the other way around?), and eat better chocolate, too!

If you’re a teacher or have kids in school, be sure to check out the fundraising opportunities at Equal Exchange.

Equal Exchange is committed to the learning in addition to the taste. You can check out their free downloadable educational tools for teachers or parents who want to help bring the challenges of being a player in a global marketplace to kids in age appropriate ways. Learn more about the: why, what, who, so what of our global marketplace. See, hear, taste the Equal Exchange story, one that aligns well with foodies, aggies and fair traders out there.

September 20, 2009

Gnudies (Recipe: Ricotta Kale Dumplings)

An old client Tina first introduced me to “gnudies.” She recalled enjoying them on a vacation to Italy, and then trying them at home, unsuccessfully. We talked about making a batch together, but she couldn’t imagine how they would be easy enough to justify the effort.

As I work on recipes for Restoration Farm’s CSA cookbook, I scour for ideas that use chard, kale and other cooking greens that seem to baffle so many home cooks yet make regular appearances in CSA boxes. In my recipe folder of dishes I want to try is a recipe for Gnudies. I clipped it out many years ago with thoughts that I’d make it with Tina… and then with thoughts that I would try it on my own. Now, when I scan the folder for new ideas, my eyes glaze past this one.

Until now.

Gnudies are Italian dumplings, a variation on gnocchi, made with ricotta and wilted greens. The kale in my garden continues to produce enough to try out this recipe. The flavor is wonderful – a masterful blend of light and rich, filling without being heavy. I served them with Bolognese Sauce.

Ricotta and Kale Gnudies
In the future, I would puree the greens finer than I did on my first test-run.

1 pound swiss chard or spinach, or 1/2 pound Tuscan kale to make 1 1/3 cups squeezed cooked greens, washed
1 tbs. olive oil
2 – 3 chopped garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt, plus extra for the cooking water
1 cup ricotta, drained in a metal sieve if watery
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 eggs
½ cup flour
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
pinch of nutmeg, cinnamon or chili flakes (depending on your mood)

FOR THE SAUCE:
1/4 cup melted butter or 1/2 cup tomato sauce (mixed with pinenuts and raisins) or 1/2 cup homemade tomato-meat sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add olive oil and garlic. When garlic becomes fragrant, add greens. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until bright green and wilted. Remove the greens and place them in a colander. Let cool. Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to cook the greens in several batches

Divide the cooked greens in three parts and squeeze between both hands to form balls and remove all excess water. Squeeze hard! Reserve the liquid to add to sauce.

Measure 1 1/3 cups of the cooked greens. Coarsely chop the greens with a knife, and then finely chop in a food processor. To the greens, add the ricotta, Parmigiano, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, nutmeg and lemon zest and process to form a smooth paste. Fold in flour.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt. Transfer the paste to a pastry bag with a large tip or a medium-sized plastic bag with a 1/2-inch corner cut off. Pipe out ½” dumplings. Alternatively, use two spoons to form dumplings and drop into water.

Poach 8-9 dumplings at a time, for 2-3 minutes or until they float to the surface of the water. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large baking dish.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Drizzle the nudies with melted butter, or tomato or meat sauce, and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned and cheese has melted and serve.

Note: Dumplings can be made a day in advance, up to step 6, and heated with the melted butter or sauce and cheese before serving.

September 2, 2009

Grow Your Business

This summer, I introduced a new course, Financial Accounting for Food Professionals, at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts. The class was highly successful and well received. As such, I’ll be offering it again in this fall. The four week course is open to the public, and is designed to give the food professional a deeper understanding of financial statements so that they may make better business decisions.

We will offer two sessions starting the week of September 14th:
Wednesday, 10am – 1pm
and
Thursday, 6pm – 9pm

Click on the links to register for the class. And please forward this to anyone you think may be interested in this class.

Here's the course description:

The food industry experiences razor thin profit margins. Owners and managers can increase their profits by effectively analyzing their financial statements. The income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement are primary sources of information about a restaurant or catering company, and using that information in decision-making is an essential, everyday dimension of running a business.

The objectives of this course are for you to achieve a thorough understanding of the concepts and mechanics that underlie financial statements and to develop the skills needed to analyze and interpret financial statements effectively. Topics include the preparation of the three basic financial statements – income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement – and understanding the fundamental structure that connects these three statements. We will also discuss financing your business and creating financial projections for potential investors and lenders.

Using a variety of financial statements from actual food businesses, you will develop your knowledge of financial statement and ratio analysis to evaluate a restaurant or catering company’s financial performance.

Mastering financial accounting does not require sophisticated mathematical skills, but it does involve the kind of analysis you would bring to a simple solving-for-x algebraic problem or a crossword puzzle. At the same time, it requires the practice and flexibility needed to achieve fluency in a language—the language of business.

July 30, 2009

In My Summer Garden

In the spring, I'm a little jealous of all my neighbors' gardens and the big burst of colors. I enjoy theirs, and then wait for mine. This week, with the onset of the ripe tomatoes, cucumbers and eggplant, comes my color burst.

April 24, 2009

The Color of Spring

I don't grow many flowers, not because I don't treasure them, but because they take up valuable vegetable real estate. I do, however, have lots of tulips planted in the front yard. And my favorite time of spring is when they bloom along with the yellow daffodils. I love the cacophony of color.

March 31, 2009

Share Your Strength

All across the country, cities organize tasting benefit events as a way to raise money for local charities. My favorite event is Taste of the Nation which supports Share Our Strength.

Never been to a tasting event? Imagine walking into a conventional hall – upon entry you are given a plate and a wine glass. As you walk down the aisles, your favorite chefs await you with samples of their signature dishes. When you get thirsty, someone appears to fill your wine glass with a vast array of reds, whites or beer. Feeling full? Bust a move on the dance floor in the front of the hall. Donating to charity has never been so delicious or intoxicating!

Taste of the Nation, Boston, will be this Thursday, April 2nd at the Hynes Convention Center. Over 75 restaurants will participate including some of my favorites: Upstairs on the Square, EVOO, La Morra and Hamersely's Bistro. Each restaurant sets up a table and their staff will offer samples. In between tables of restaurants are 50 tables of wineries and breweries. And, of course, Pellegrino (Nestle Waters) will be on hand to refresh us.

The VIP reception starts at 5.30pm (general admission is 6.30). It costs a bit more, but to me it's worth it: you get an hour jump on the crowds to taste the best dishes. And the VIPs get access to special champagne and caviar tastings.

Why do I love this event especially? Share Our Strength is my charity of choice, and I have volunteered in some capacity for the last 15 years. Operation Frontline (their direct service program) recruits chefs to go into their local communities to teach about cooking and nutrition to families in danger of hunger and malnutrition. I taught classes for 10 years, and sat on their advisory board.

I especially value non-profits that mobilize communities. Instead of giving hand-outs (which obviously are a very important part of the process) they teach and empower people to help themselves.

Taste of the Nation events are organized all across the US. Find an event in your area… click here.