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jeudi 13 septembre 2012

Vegan Folie's: Organic! Vegan! Local! Cupcakes!

I can't think of a cheerier way to commemorate an otherwise rough rentrée than with adorably named (Choc Norris? Sid Delicious?) and organically baked vegan cupcakes!

Vegan Folie's , which has been serving Paris' Mouffetard neighborhood since December, uses local flour and organic ingredients to create a variety of baked goods, including cheesecake, brownies, cookies, and of course cupcakes.

All ingredients are 100% vegan- even the cleaning products used in the kitchen are non-animal tested and vegan certified- which makes this place a must for vegans and animal activists of all sorts.

But Vegan Folie's isn't only for the veggie-minded- the bakery serves a wide range of clients from the lactose intolerant to the veggie curious, from neighborhood kids to dessert seeking tourists. Their creative cupcake varieties, include blends of apricot & lavender, ginger & lemon, vanilla & almonds and, obviously, chocolate & more chocolate (an organic version of Nutella, actually). Every day the bakery is host to a "Cupcake du Jour"- follow their blog for updates on the daily special.

The bakery also puts a new spin on cupcakes (as if being the only vegan cupcake shop in Paris didn't already distinguish them) introducing savory cakes such as "L'Italien" a basil cake with sun-dried tomato frosting and "Le Libanais" which is a falafel cake with hummus frosting.

Cupcakes are priced at 4€/each, with the 6th cupcake free if you're ready to buy bulk. The bakery can also do personalized cupcakes or larger orders if you contact them in advance- all the information is on their website.

Vegan Folie's

53 rue Mouffetard
75005 Paris
m° Monge
Hours:
Tuesday-Sunday 11h-20h

Libellés : 75005, bio bakeries, organic, vegetarian

mardi 15 mai 2012

Yannick Alléno's Terroir Parisien

Yannick Alléno's new bistrot Terroir Parisien is pretty cutting-edge for the Paris scene. Its menu is solely sourced from the Ile-de-France region and its prices (contrary to Alléno's other address, Hotel Meurice) remain reasonable- despite the fact that diners could likely be cajoled into paying higher prices for Alléno's reputation and ingredients.

When I went to lunch at Terroir Parisien on a recent Wednesday afternoon, I expected the restaurant's vibe and décor to match the exceptional aims and exuberant reviews surrounding this new addition to Paris' dining scene. I figured the revolutionary (to Paris) mission of locavore cuisine would be accompanied by an equally radical interior design.

Happily, the bistrot's style is about as unembellished as a dining establishment could be. Function and utility are key to the backdrop of Terroir Parisien, which provides a stage for the real stars: fresh and seasonal ingredients raised in the Ile-de-France.

The walls are adorned with chalkboards and shelves, the chalkboards announce where each ingredient comes from and the shelves stock examples of the locally grown vegetables. Large windows allow for ample light- a scarce commodity in this dreary Paris Springtime- to enter into the dining space and further illuminate the natural beauty of the whole foods.

A reassuring mix of classical and modern- this restaurant is comfortable in its location cuddling up to the historic Maison de la Mutualité and would be equally at ease nesstled somewhere along the Northern California coastline.

My second worry about dining chez Alléno was that, as a vegetarien, I would be sipping on soupe à l'oignon for lunch, while lamenting an otherwise meat-based menu.

Once again I was happily surprised when I saw that the menu not only offered veggie options, but is also organised so that you can go wild with side dishes and "plats de résistance" à la carte to get your veggie fix and pair these sides with a large selection of main dishes.

I imagine that the selection for vegetarians will only get better- and more varied- as the Summer approaches and we see tomatoes and eggplant arriving on our plates.

The locavore movement is safe in Alléno's hands and Terroir Parisien is the proof. The chef adheres to the Ile-de-France rule (the wine being the only exception) with laudable dedication all while making eating local fun. Really fun.

As someone who scours markets for locally-grown produce and cherishes every treasure that I find along the hunt, it was a thrill to have the opportunity to order local gems- champignons de Paris, asperge d'Argenteuil, épinards Montfermeil- all off of one menu.

For lunch, I settled on the champignons de Paris stuffed with escargot, accompanied by a side of spinach that was grown a mere 17 km South of Paris.

Everything was delicious- but that was no surprise. I'm a convert to the locavore lifestyle and I think that anyone who has a meal at Terroir Parisien will quickly convert, as well.

One more piece of advice- stay for dessert! My lunch date ordered the house specialty "Niflette Feuilleté" and it was to die for. Served with an artilery of cutlery, the pastry bursted with across-the-board flavors from sweet to citrus- a pleasure to tackle at the end of a thouroughly enjoyable meal. (Thanks Christy for taking a picture of the desert- and for sharing both with me!)

Terroir Parisien
20 rue Saint Victor, 75005
m° Maubert-Mutualité (line 10)
Open everyday 12h-15h & 19h-23h

Libellés : 75005, local, seasonal, vegetarian

vendredi 30 mars 2012

Miss Green: Bio Cantine

What sets Miss Green apart from its counterparts in the world of workday lunch break choices is that all the ingredients are gauranteed to be 100% organic. This is not to say, however, that all the menu items are bio. One can still grab a "Coca" with their lunch menu, but other than that all entrée, plat, and dessert options are organic.

While I would prefer to lunch at a more unique and entirely organic fast-food option, such as Bio Burger , Miss Green does offer an alternative to the run-of-the-mill lunch spots that serve the bustling and business-oriented Ternes neighborhood in the 17th arrondissement. Instead of paying a similar price at a chain bakery like Paul, here one can grab an organic alternative. The spot also offers a wide selection of salads and hot dishes, such as pasta and gratins.

Vegetariens won't have to settle for a cheese sandwich at Miss Green, making it a worthwhile address for herbavores to keep in mind. Every offering on the menu, from sandwiches (3.90-5.40 euro) to salads (5.90 euro), tartes (6.40 euro), and plats chauds (6.90 euro) includes a filling vegetarian option. When I visited, one of the plats du jour was a vegetarian lasagna.

Miss Green, which has been open for just under a year, may not benefit from it's location on a side street off the busy avenue des Ternes- it was very quiet the day I visited early on a Monday afternoon. However, the location is well chosen in the sense that it is right across from the Marché des Ternes. On market days (Tuesdays-Sundays) I imagine the airy and welcoming dining area of Miss Green fills up with shoppers and the quartier gets livelier.

The restaurant is also working on a system where locals can order their lunch on-line and have it delivered. The online ordering system will make it hard to find an excuse not to opt for organic even on the busiest of work days.

While the menu is basic and doesn't stray from traditional lunch options in content, Miss Green offers an upgrade in quality to anyone looking to integrate more organic into their life.

Miss Green

11 rue Lebon

75017 m ° Ternes

Open: 11h30- 16h

Marché des Ternes

8 bis rue Lebon

75017 m ° Ternes

Open:

Tues.-Sat. 8h-13h & 16h-19h30

Sunday: 8h-13h30

Libellés : 75017, markets, organic, organic restaurants, vegetarian

dimanche 11 mars 2012

Bio Burger: A Welcome Player in Paris' Growing Burger Buzz

Burger joints abound in the capital at the moment, with the mobile Camion Qui Fume and the "Gourmet" burger restaurant, Blend, popularizing the plat among French diners. Each address attempts to distinguish itself by putting its own particular spin on this American classic. DEspite all these choices, many of which offer (or plan to offer) a vegetarian option, it should come as no surprise that I am particulary partial to Bio Burger's all-organic menu.

Bio Burger is incredibly well organized and the servers represent the concept of the store with aplomb, all the way down to their "Bio Burger" brand shoes. The organization of the staff helps keep the growing line moving as locals flock to the covered Passage Choiseul for their lunch break.

The restaurant succesfully serves its clientele, providing swift service at a reasonable price. The only disadvantage of this lunch spot is that there is not enough room to seat all the people its serves. I would suggest stopping by when the weather is nice, so you can take your burger to go and find a spot outside in the sun to enjoy it. Palais Royale, for example, is not too far away.

If you are lucky enough to find a spot to sit- which should be easy enough if you are able to stop by during off hours- the dining areas are comfortable and the restaraunt offers free wifi to clients, with the network name and the password printed out on every receipt- another nice little touch of orgnization.

Lunch menus range from 10- 12 euro and are comprised of a burger + salad/fries + desert/drink (12 euro gets you both a desert and drink). A hamburger alone costs 6-8 euro, with the tofu-based veggie burger being the least expensive choice on the menu and the ever changing "Edition Limitée" burger being the 8 euro option.

I was happily surprised by my veggie burger which was not, as I feared it might be, a dry patty of processed soy products and a few dehydrated corn kernals, but rather a fresh mix of silken tofu with onions and spices served on a fresh baked bun with lettuce and ketchup. I wasn't overly impressed with the fries, probably because the reastaurant was too packed for me to get to and add a few shakes of much-needed salt, but home-made fries from quality pommes de terres trump the McDo version any day.

As advertised, everything is organic at Bio Burger. Even the beverages are bio, which means instead of washing down your organic lunch with a corn-syrup stuffed industrial soda, you can enjoy a bottle of organic fruit soda or lemonade.

I wish the team of Bio Burger much succes in their endeavor, they are well suited to expanding this first location into a larger chain of organic diners that could give their contemporaries a run for their money.

Following in the footsteps of America's Northwest burger chain, Burgerville, Bio Burger provides an ethcial, sustainable fast food alternative to the pink slime slingers of our day.

Bio Burger

46 Passage Choiseul

75002 Paris

M° Quatre Septembre (line 3),

Pyramides (line 7)

Hours:

Mon.-Sat: 11h30-16h

Libellés : 75002, organic, organic restaurants, vegetarian

mercredi 23 novembre 2011

Local in the Lone Star State: East Side Show Room

Austin is weird- or at least the Austin you are most likely to see on your first night in Austin is weird. Walking down the booze soaked strip of 6^th Street is, unexpectedly and kind of unfortunately, a common and baffling first visit stop for the Austin tourist.

I spent my first night in Austin wandering this rue of revelers, wondering how all these bachelors and undergrads could be so drunk before 10 pm, what bartender meant when they offered “triples for 5 dollars”, and if the two were connected.

On my stroll down the block, a bikini-clad cowboy donning a confederate flag as a cape crossed my path and my first impressions were confirmed, Austin is really weird.

Austin is also amazing. This is what I discovered on my second night, when my path led off the beaten path and eastward to the East 6th Street neighborhood. This newly cool-ified neighborhood houses a DIY Drive-In, a parking lot turned food truck court, and some dive bars that brought me back to my days in the Northwest.

My final destination was 1100 East 6^th Street, which will from now on be known as my favorite Austin address. This is where you will find East Side Show Room a cocktail bar and restaurant that emits an upscale ambience while embracing local Texan flavor.

The blackboard menu boasts daily specials along with the promise that all ingredients are 100% made in Texas, and you can't mess with that.

Upon arrival, I settled into the mood-lit bar with my book and a Tequila Ocho Margarita and looked over the dinner menu. Grilled Gulf Shrimp were a given for the starter. I can't get enough of the local seafood and am I little disappointed that I didn't get to cash in on crawfish season while in town. But the main course was a little more difficult to settle on.

While carnivores had a wide (free) range of choices on the menu- grassfed veal burger, pork loin, and goat chop, to name a few- I had narrowed the vegetarian options down to a delicious sounding acorn squash with a sweet and savory stuffing and the (maybe vegetarian?) Black Drum served with olives, fennel, and seasonal veggies.

This is how seduced I was by this place- I didn't even care what the Black Drum was- animal, mineral,vegetable whatever- I ordered it and was going to eat it no matter what.

It turns out Drum is fish (Southern friends can laugh at me at this point- but Californians, have you ever heard of this?) and it is also delicious.

Everything was delicious, actually. I'm not a food writer and I don't have the vocabulary to convey how great this food was, but here are some of my favorites flavors as I ate, while sipping on a glass of chilled Picpoul (what?! This is my favorite little white wine-you had me at hello, East Side Show Room!):

-Crispy polenta with wilted spinach crowned with GIANT (Texas, right?) shrimp that was grilled like they should be.

-A thick filet of Drum with snow peas and just enough salt from the kalamata olives and sweetness from the end-of-the-season tomatoes to make the dish perfection on a plate.

-The sweet taste of success one relishes upon having one of those meals you will never forget.

Thank you chef Sonya Cote, keep doing what you're doing and also thank you awesome bartender, who took care of this goofy traveler as she geeked out on great food and occupied and candle-lit corner with her book and the best night out she's had in a long time!

Libellés : local, organic restaurants, seasonal, slow food, Texas, travel, vegetarian

mercredi 12 octobre 2011

October Unprocessed 2011- Potage

In honor of October Unprocessed and in the spirit of this sniffles and soups season, I thought I'd throw a whole food and wholesome recipe up on the blog.

I can't take credit for this recipe, as it comes straight from my Frenchman and his culture- both of which ceaselessly surprise me with their ability to create delicious and simple dishes with whatever seasonal (and more often than not inexpensive) ingredients on hand.

The French love their potage- a simple blended vegetable soup that they believe makes you grow stronger and taller.

While an increased growth rate isn't immediately evident upon eating potage, the health benefits seem instantaneous. A wave of warmth runs over you as you soak up all the nutrients from these earthy vegetables, fortifying your immune system for the cold weather to come.

This soup meets the Unprocessed October challenge by using only whole ingredients and I encourage you to pick these ingredients up from your local producer, being both seasonal and easy to grow in any region in France, the ingredients will be both abundant and inexpensive.

So prepare yourself for the seasons changing and a cold front coming in by applying this brothy bandaid. This recipe yields a bunch of soup, so you'll have plenty to save and share with others!

French Potage

Ingredients:

3-4 carrots

2 leeks

2-3 potatoes (2 for a soupy soup, 3 for a creamier version)

1 small onion

1 large clove of garlic

Water

Salt & Pepper to taste

Crême fraiche (optional)

Directions:

Step 1: Thouroughly wash all your veggies. Take particular care with washing the leeks, loose dirt often hides in the folds of the leeks and so you should go through all the layers of the legume, rinsing with cold water and rubbing away at any hidden dirt.

Step 2: Chop up the veggies, onion, and garlic. Cut them up in cubes throw them in a big pot.

Step 3: Fill the pot with just enough water to cover the vegetables.

Step 4: Return pot to stovetop, turn heat on to medium and cover. Leave on medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Step 5: Use a handheld mixer or transfer veggies to a blender (if you are transfering, be sure to transfer all the water as well, this contains tons of good nutrients and also is necessary for blending). Mix until you reach the right consistency- no big chunks, but not to watery.

Step 6: Season with salt and pepper and serve. You can serve with crême fraiche, which can be mixed in to create a creamier potage.

Bon Appetit!

Libellés : October Unprocessed, recipes, seasonal, vegetarian

mardi 13 septembre 2011

The $5 Challenge

This Saturday, the Slow Food movement is asking eaters everywhere to take the $5 Challenge. In response to the fast food "value meal", Slow Food is asking participants to make meals that cost only $5 per person.

As Slow Food argues, this challenge is important in proving that "slow food shouldn't have to cost more than fast food."

Leading up to the event, the organization is asking people to share and creat $5 food recipes, offering inspiration to the frugal gourmet chefs who will flock together on Saturday the 17th to sit down amongst Slow Foodies to enjoy their own home-made versions of happy meals.

Intrigued by the idea, I decided to take the challenge a little bit early. Keeping in the $5 spirit, I even converted my 5 euro to USD, setting a $3.65 budget for my thrifty, nutritional lunch.

I left my menu to the whims of the coop, making decisions based on what they had in stock. While very veggie-centric, I ended up with a delicious meal that covered the nutritional bases and left me feeling full and satisfied, even after a grueling session of boxing that afternoon!

Here are the euros and centimes of my meal, broken down (all food was purchased at the biocoop in the 17th, rue Legendre):

Heirloom Tomatoes: €1.12

Sweet Potato: €0.87

Lemon: €0.15

Sunflower Seeds: €0.45

Fennel Bulb €0.72

Whole Grain Coucous €0.33

Total: €3.54

And here's what I made:

It was super easy and nice and slow- I roasted the fennel bulb just like my friend Terresa taught me to do (and used the special olive oil brush she gave me just for this very purpose!)

The fennel was accompanied with a lemon juice dressed couscous, heirloom tomato and sunflower seed side and baked sweet potato (this was the slow part). Yum!

It was so good and I couldn't even finish it- I have couscous and a half a sweet potato to spare!

So now it's your turn to take the challenge! What can you make for $5?

Libellés : biocoop, slow food, vegetarian

lundi 8 août 2011

Biodynamic Bulk Wine at La Cave Café

I hesitate to write about this biodynamic bonne adresse, because it has managed to remain a well-hidden wine bar that benefits from getting less attention than it deserves.

However, after trekking around the nearby 9th arrondisement with friends Kim and Stacey, struggling to find a spot to sit and sip, I decided that I needed to share this spot for all those weary Parisians daunted by their overcrowded city.

Located in this awesome, off-the-beaten-track area of Montmartre, La Cave Café, is always full enough to feel lively but never so packed that you can't pull up a bar stool or a chair (on a recent evening I witnessed patrons squeezing and sliding, making room for two American tourists at their table- always room for one more!). The café is as welcoming as it is weathered and worn-in, keeping its old-school French bistrot style and mixing in Multicultural mélanges.

I suspect the jolly anglophone who I often see enjoying a glass of wine at the bar to be the owner (which might explain why the bar has a surprisingly great whiskey selection for a bistrot) and I applaud his dedication to keeping the authenticity of the bistrot and the spirit of French Café culture alive, capturing the joie de vivre of the French external living room.

When you take into account the friendly staff, incredibly reasonable prices (4 euro pints at the bar, 4.50 at a table, wines from 3-4 euro a glass), and the high probability of seeing impromptu live music, reggae sessions, or just spontaneous dancing, and you'll find its hard to not become a habitué of this local hangout.

The Cave's large chalkboard wine list proposes a wide variety of natural and biodynamic wines. Most of the wines are low-sulfur, making them just about as organic as wine can get- with the added benefit of reducing your nasty wine hangover risk.

La Cave sells wine by the glass or in carafes and this is because all the wines are on tap and sold in bulk- no bottles here, so you'll have to either be sage and order a 25 or 50cl carafe or just go for it and order a liter of vin naturel (nasty wine hangover risk is greatly increased once you've started down this path-there's only so much a low sulfur count can do).

I'm a big fan of pairing your evening liter of wine with a meal and if you share this lifestyle choice, La Cave Café has got you covered. Their food menu is made up of standard bistrot fare and tastes exactly how you would expect it too- like pretty good bistrot food. To it's credit, they have a vegetarian option, a few pescatarian options, and for partners of vege/pescetarians there are some healthy portions of meat.

My guy loved his entrecôte and I was pretty pumped about the generous portions of my entrée- the salade fraîcheur composed of cucumbers (have I mentioned how much I love cucumbers this Summer?), beets, and red onions.

We were also pleasantly surprised when we took our two forks to the dessert- the cheesecake was delicious, with everything done right, from the crumbly crust, the velvet cream cheese to the raspberry coulis tying it all together.

Finishing off our meal, with the end of our liter (or "shitloads of wine" as Clem kept referring to it- where does he learn these Americanisms? Stacey??) in sight we realized that we had spent 2 hours à table without even noticing it.

All told, including the shitloads of wine and the two glasses of kir we started out with, our 2 1/2 course meal came to about 68 euro.

Not at all eager to leave our second living room we siddled up to the bar, where the volume of a Blondie album got steadily higher and we succumbed to the temptation of a Scotch on the rocks.

La Cave Café

134 rue Marcadet

75018

m° Lamarck-Caulaincourt

Open:

Mon-Fri: 8h-2h

Sat & Sun: 10h-2h

Sunday brunch from 12h-16h

Live Music Apèro Sundays from 18h30

Libellés : 75018, Bulk, organic booze, vegetarian

jeudi 16 juin 2011

Chez Anne: Organic in the 18th

Every once in a while, when a special occasion or impulse arises, I look for a nice restaurant where I can splurge a little and treat me and my guy to some fancy plats.

Since these are rare occasions, I usually spend the entire après-midi scouring Paris food blogs like John Talbott's Paris, David Lebovitz, or Girl's Guide to Paris looking for the perfect spot to dine the night away.

Oftentimes while scanning restaurant reviews I am a bit slighted by the fact that the 18th, my home for the past 4 years, is snubbed and considered a trek for many not-so-intrepid foodies. While a few restaurants will be noted by reviewers who have the courage to make it up the hill, the collection of haute cuisine addresses remains concentrated in central Paris.

Les grands restaurants may be more likely to make their home in arrondisements 1 through 7, but I'm just as happy dining in the 18th and contrary to popular belief, one can find pretty fine dining for half the price in the charming streets near Montmartre. In fact, that's something I really love about this quartier. Even after living here for a few years, I'm still finding new bonnes adresses, many of which are bio.

My newest discovery, which fits under both bonne adresse and bio categories is Chez Anne, a friendly neighborhood restaurant which offers organic fruits and vegetables and a wide selection of biodynamic wines as well.

While the chalkboard invites vegetarians by name ("Vegetariens Bienvenue"), omnivores of all types are welcome.

The menu is varied to include several strictly vegetarian options mixed in with French carnivore classics like Canard and Boeuf Tartare.

Chez Anne may be more well known for its brunch (served every Sunday from 12h-16h) but when I stopped by for a weekday lunch I found the place subtly abuzz with small groups seated at every other table.

The lunch menu is very reasonably priced, with three prix fixe options; 13 euro for the tarte du jour and a coffee, 15.50 euro for entrée + plat or plat + dessert, and 18 euro for all three courses.

I opted for plat + dessert once I saw that Pasteis de Nata was an option. I love this portuguese pastry and hadn't had one since I visited the Marché St. Quentin in February.

But before I got to the dessert, I was pleasantly surprised with a large serving of pesto pasta served with fresh organic mushrooms and accompanied with roquette.

Done in a way that would make any Mediterranean proud, this Summer dish was lovingly soaked in olive oil and a perfect pick-me-up on an unseasonably chilly afternoon. Stacey got the tarte du jour (spinach and chevre) which was accompanied by a large salad and was sprinkled with roasted sesame seeds.

For dessert, the pasteis lived up to my expectations (I ate it with my hands- is that rude?) and was served with nature-sized strawberries (does anyone else get creeped out by the unnaturally enormous strawberries that are sold in stores today?) and a slice of kiwi.

We didn't try the wine- this was a business ladies lunch, we are very serious business ladies- but at this point in the meal I felt a bit inebriated on good, organic and seasonal food. So thanks for that, Anne! I will surely be back for brunch and I suggest all readers to take a hike to the 18th and to Chez Anne!

Chez Anne

41 rue Ruisseau

75018 Paris

m°Jules Joffrin (line 12)

01 42 23 42 03

Libellés : 75018, organic restaurants, seasonal, vegetarian

mercredi 12 janvier 2011

Day 137: DIY Sauerkraut

The combination of the abundance of cabbage this time of year, the mouth-watering suggestions tweeted by FarmhouseKraut, and the fact that I received a brand new 2.75 liter Marmite for Christmas has inspired some pretty steady DIY Sauerkraut production in my household. I've made a few batches so far this year, each time experimenting with new ingredients and the length of fermentation.

Sauerkraut is amazingly simple to make. At its most basic, Kraut requires minimal ingredients (cabbage and salt) and can be used in a variety of ways (favorite suggestions include kraut and tuna sandwiches, bloody marys spiked with kraut juice, and Choucroute de Poisson).

Here is a recipe that I took from Sandor Katz's book, Wild Fermentation . I highly suggest you pick up his book and check out his other fermentation recipes, as well as his suggestions for what you can add to your kraut. Thus far, I've included juniper berries, apples, brussel sprouts, and black radishes in my concoctions. If any of you have any interesting spins on Sauerkraut I'd love to hear them! Until then, here's the super simple recipe to get you started:

Ingredients:

Cabbage- the amount depends on your fermentation vessel. I used 4 cabbage heads for my 2.75 liter marmite. Keep in mind that the cabbage will reduce greatly in size as it secretes its juices and ferments, so you can really fill up whatever crock you're fermenting in.

Sea Salt- 3 tbsps for every 5 lbs (2.2 kilos) of cabbage.

Optional: apples, radishes, different types of cabbage, juniper berries, whatever you think might work.

It's also nice to drink a glass (or two) of white wine during the process. For those of you who like cooked kraut, you can bring the whole thing full circle later when you heat it up with a cup or so of white wine.

Sauerkraut

Step 1: You can either chop your cabbage by hand or use an electric grater to get really finely shredded cabbage. I slice it by hand because it's easy and I like a chunkier kraut.

Step 2: As you chop your cabbage, throw it in a bowl and sprinkle it with salt as you go. Introduce your fruit or other veggies into this process.

Adding the salt gets the cabbage and oter additions to release their liquids, which make up the brine that your kraut will ferment in.

Step 3: Once you've chopped all your kraut ingredients and added all the salt, spend some time hand mixing it all up and getting some of the juices flowing. You can rub the salt in more and keep at it until your mixture gets a little liquidy.

Step 4: Put the cabbage, salt, etc. mixture into your crock/glass jar/fermenting container, packing it down really hard as you go. Packing the cabbage will get it to release more and more liquid.

Step 5: Add your weight to the crock so the kraut is submerged in its brine. I place a plate on the cabbage and weigh it down with glass jars filled with water.

Step 6: Don't worry if you're kraut isn't super briney to begin with, it can take about 24 hours to get enough brine for the kraut to be submerged in. I usually make my kraut in the morning or afternoon so that I can periodically apply more pressure to the weights throughout the day.

Do this whenever you walk by your Kraut and once there's enough brine, you can just let fermentation do its thing. I didn't grow up on kraut and the taste is pretty new (and strong) to me, so for now I'm stopping my kraut young- after about a week- but for stronger tasting kraut.

I hope you enjoy this easy seasonal recipe- send photos or recipe ideas if you feel inspired. Until then, happy fermentation and bon appetit!

Libellés : DIY, fermentation, organic, Paris Paysanne, recipes, Sandor Ellix Katz, seasonal, vegetarian

mercredi 5 janvier 2011

Day 131: Organic in Italy: Part Two

In an attempt to drag out the beneficial effects of holiday taking, the sequel of my "Organic in Italy" series will take us to the sun-bathed Southern region of Italy, more specifically Naples and Capri.

Naples was our New Year's destination, and an ideal destination it proved to be. Every year, the city dwellers (Napolitans? Napoleans seems strange...ideas?) buy ample amounts of fire works in the streets and prepare to provide the city with a personalized pyrotechnic extravaganza, as the city prepares no official New Years celebration or fireworks display.

A mixture of celebration of the new year and indignation against the government, the events of this year were particularly à propos as Naples' "waste management issue" (as its referred to in a this Wikipedia article) was particularly noticeable. The trash that piled high around the city's trashcans during our visit was a sign of the poor organization and lack of foresight on the part of the city and it's complicit partners (i.e. the mafia) with regards to this fundamental issue.

I do not have anywhere near an extensive understanding of this situation, but from talking to people about the "waste management issue" the horrific reality was hard to believe. For years, the Italian government has been shipping trash to the Naples region, without any sustainable plan for getting rid of it- the result is, as I said, horrific. Trash, including some radioactive and other toxic waste, has been buried under grounds where cows and buffalo used to produce mozzarella (the region's speciality) graze daily. The result is inedible local fare and the governement's response is no less disappointing- consisting essentially of the production of new incinerators and landfills, actions that barely even band-aid the situation.

Before we left Rome, a newspaper article reported Berlusconi's promise to have the trash cleared out of the streets before the 1st of January. That was on the 30th of December and we were doubtful of his capacity to follow through with such a promise.

Upon arriving in the city of Naples, which is a lively and enchanting city, we saw that the piles of trash that both marred and accentuated the charm of the city didn't seem to be going anywhere fast.

So, it is in this state of frustration with an inattentive government and a hope for good things to come in the future that Naples prepared to ring in the New Year. For our part, we prepared by seeing the sites and, of course, eating.

Our first culinary delight took place in Capri, where we spent the afternoon visiting a friend of our gracious host. This local Caprisian (?) gave us an insider's tour of the island, a place that would otherwise be rather offsetting with it's overabundance of weekenders wearing sunglasses despite a complete lack of risking direct sunlight in the eyes.

Our kind guide immediately dispelled any cynicism we may have approached the situation with, taking us first to Edivino (Vico Sella Orta, 10/A, Capri), a house-turned restaurant that is cosy and welcoming. Once inside, you feel like you've walked into everything a Pottery Barn store ever wanted to be. As we waited to order, a woman came out of the kitchen and grabbed a bunch of apples our of the shallow bowl that was on our table, "for a tart for tonight," she explained, reminding me that we weren't in a catalogue, but a real place, in Italy.

While waiting for our food to arrive, we took a tour of the house and its small gardens, which consisted of citrus trees and a fully functional vegetable garden with lettuce and rhubarb and celery just waiting to be plucked and eaten. Among the New Years Eve commotion and preparation, the team at Edivino prepared and served our lunch which, I am sorry to say, I don't have any pictures of, so you'll just have to take my word for how delicious looking it was.

The pasta dish was a simple mixture of a chunky tube pasta with olive oil, hints of garlic, steamed broccoli and white fish. It was absolutely amazing and the sign of good things to come.

Back in Naples after a stroll around Capri's Marina Piccola, we had a few drinks at the must-visit activist library/music & photography lovers HQ/bar Perdi Tempo and then set off for more food, this time right around the corner at the neighborhood Vegan and Organic Restaurant, Un SorRiso Integrale (Vico S. Pietra a Maiella 6, Naples).

The food at Un SorRiso Integrale was good, particularly the entrée of fried veggies in a paper cone. I had my first cheese-free meal in a while (a nice lactose break) with some good local organic white wine to wash it down.

As is often the case with vegan restaurants, the biggest pleasure may be just knowing that they exist. You could probably be more blown away by food in Naples, but I would still recommend Un SorRiso Integrale for any veggie voyager looking to order anything off the menu, instead of a macgyvered veggie option in a more traditional restaurant.

The next evening, we were invited to spend New Year's Eve at the home of a friend, celebrated photography and barkeep at Perdi Tempo. I was looking forward to seeing the infamous fireworks from their rooftop terrase while ringing in the New Year with my guy and our amici. What I didn't prepare for was the feast that our hosts had prepared for at least 30 people.

The plates consisted of Pasta, an amazing bell pepper salad (the bell peppers in Italy are the best I've ever had), lasagne, a huge plate of tiramisu, and, at midnight, the traditional plate of lentils and tripes which is meant to bring anyone who eats it money in the New Year.

Standing on the rooftop overlooking Naples and the dozens of fireworks showering the sky, I was overwhelmed by the little lights shining everywhere, reminders of a presence that couldn't be ignored, at least not that night. In the darkness all we could see were sparks and flashes, and for awhile no one saw or thought about the trash or the streets, we were all looking at the sky.

The next day, the main squares had magically been cleared of trash, but as we made our way back to the trains station, snaking through smaller side streets, we saw that Berlusconi still hadn't done anything to help those parts of the city.

Libellés : artisanal, Capri, local, Naples, travel, vegetarian

mercredi 8 décembre 2010

Day 105: Winter Pesto

Keeping in the spirit of my autumn Fallsa, this recipe is a seasonal spin on a Summer classic. Unlike traditional Pesto recipes, which use basil as a main ingredient, this version uses spinach instead. Good and good for you (it contains tons of calcium and iron- vital especially in vegetarian diets), spinach is abundant in the Winter months and an important leafy green to include in your diet as the cold, and cold season, set in.

This is an incredibly simple sauce to pull together and throw on a pizza or pasta. Essentially you do everything you would do for normal pesto, treating your spinach as basil. Just to refresh your memory, here's a guide to making Winter Pesto:

Ingredients:

A bunch of fresh spinach- get as many handfuls as you can fit in your bag of fatty, elephant eary spinach leaves

A nutty element- as I've said before, pine nuts are traditionally used- but those can be pricey, so feel free to use peanuts or walnuts as a replacement

2-4 Tbsps. Olive Oil

2 Garlic Cloves

Salt and Pepper

Opitonal Ingredients: You can throw in some grated parmesean cheese or a dash of white wine to perk up your pesto

Winter Pesto

Step 1: Take your spinach leaves one by one and cut away the stalk using a fancy trick my belle-mère told me about. Simply hold the leave from it's stalk, letting it dangle upside down, then take your knife to it, cutting in a downward motion and seperating the lovely leaf from it's less appetizing stalk.

Do this to all of you spinach leaves and put them in a colander. Wash thouroughly to be sure to get the parts of the farm we don't want to eat off of them.

Step 2: Throw your spinach in a blender, and then pile the rest of the ingredients on top. Start slow with the olive oil, you can always add if you need more liquid (or complement with the wine). Same goes for the salt and pepper, start slow and adjust for taste later.

Step 3: Add parmasean (or not, for a vegan or poor man's pesto), some salt and a pinch of nutritional yeast, if you've got it.

Step 4: Start blending! I noticed that Winter pasta is a lot more liquidey than it's basil buddy, probably because spinach retains more water. Don't be surprised if your pesto seems a bit watery, its supposed to and it's in some ways preferable because it coats pasta really well that way.

Step 5: Enjoy the fact that Winter has great things to offer, and that you don't have to wait until next Summer to have fresh pesto!

In my home, we're pretty much subsisting on soups and stews and other hearty Winter fare, so this was a nice change to our menu. If you are having fun and being creative with cold weather cuisine, please share your recipes, advice, and pictures of finished products on the "Cuisine d'hiver/Winter Cooking" discussion on our facebook page!

Libellés : DIY, Iron, recipes, seasonal, vegetarian, Vegetarian Nutrition, Winter

vendredi 12 novembre 2010

Day 77: Salon Marjolaine

This weekend will be the last opportunity to go visit the Salon Marjolaine , Paris organic and sustainable living exposition located in the Bois de Vincenne's Parc Floral. I made my way through the crowds and took in some sights at the Salon yesterday, and I think the event has something to offer everyone, except maybe claustro/agoraphobes, who may find the small aisles and massive crowds a bit off-putting.

As a HUGE fan of Paris' annual Agricultural Exposition, I looked forward to visiting a new agricultural event with fellow organic appreciators. While the Salon Marjolaine is sorely lacking in the animal part of the get drunk+hang out with farm animals equation that makes the Salon de l'Agriculture such an awesome event, Marjolaine has its own particular charm.

It was great to see associations like the Confédération Paysanne, the Faucheurs Volontaires, and Greenpeace, and I learned about a new association called the Sea Shepard conservation society which takes on the threats to sea wildlife and their natural habitat.

The members of Sea Shepard showcased an interesting and inventive product called the Moulibox (35-40 euro), a mini composter that can be kept inside and used to recycle food and other organic waste. The box comes complete with 150 worms to get you started. This 100% made in France wonder product was invented with the intention of getting people involved not only in composting but, as their site says, "an act of citizenship....that could become a way of life".

I would be remiss in writing anymore without bringing up organic booze. The Salon Marjolaine has plenty of it, from organic and several sulfar free wines to an extensive collection of microbrews that I have never seen on the shelves of biocoop. We particularly enjoyed Natural Mystick, which is made from hemp and sold by a dude who looks like he knows what to do with hemp. The beer is brwed in Brittany, with home-grown hemp replacing the standard hops.

With the exception of the beer and probably some other home products that I didn't get to because I had to break from the crowds at some point, I'm not sure that you can find a ton of things at the Salon Marjolaine that you couldn't just find at your local biocoop, but it was nice to see the masses come out and celebrate organic living. If I were to urge someone to go visit the Salon, it would be because of the food vendors. You should definately go on an empty stomach and most certainly taste freely of all that is offered.

I love it when vegetarian food is the norm and not the exception and that is certainly the case at the Parc Floral for the next two days. I noshed on vegetarian spring rolls (with tofu) and salivated when I saw seitan pot roast on the menu. There were also lovely looking pumpkin fries and soups and all kinds of veg-friendly sandwiches with veggie paté and tofu spreads. Yum!

I'm still looking forward to getting tipsy and hanging out with some huge bunnies when the Salon de l'Agriculture rolls around, but I found the Salon Marjolaine to be satisfying in that it validates a lifestyle choice and brings it's followers together to eat, drink, and all the rest...

Salon Marjolaine

'Til the 14th of November

10h30-19h30 (open late -until 21h-on Friday 12

Parc Floral Paris 12th

metro: Chateau de Vincennes

contact@salon-marjolaine.com

Libellés : compost, Confédération Paysanne, Faucheurs Volontaires, Greenpeace, organic, organic booze, Salon de l'Agriculture, Salon Marjolaine, Sea Shepard, vegetarian

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