Skip to main content

The Foodie Edition with Nancy, Ruth, and Evan

Last week I had the chance to attend "The Foodie Edition", a benefit for the Carmel Public Library Foundation. Through work, but not for work, it was nice to be there just for fun. Though, truth be told, I did whip out a notepad and pen because these gals were such a riot and I wanted to be sure to remember some of their comments. The speakers were Nancy, Ruth, and Evan.


That's Nancy Silverton, Ruth Reichl, and Evan Kleiman. I jokingly only wrote their first names in the title of the post because there was a point when they joked about some chefs needing only a first name: Alice (Waters) and Wolfgang (Puck), for instance.

The format of the event included an hour of wine and mingling, a cooking demonstration, and a panel discussion. I didn't take any photos because (1) I wasn't working and (2) didn't have a press pass or explicit permission to photograph in the venue. That didn't stop many people in the audience from snapping away on their phones, but I always feel odd about pulling out a big Nikon for a point-and-shoot moment, especially when trying to capture a moment surreptitiously.


Just thought I'd post some of the gems they shared. While I didn't find their recipes or sentiments earth-shattering, it was an entertaining evening. It was like peeking into one of their dining rooms for a private party as they have been friends for four decades. There was a familiarity there that made for a casual - almost silly - atmosphere. While they each created their own dishes, the phrase "too many cooks in the kitchen" did pop into my head a couple of times.

Evan made a ricotta gnocchi colored with beets. That's one of D's favorite recipes already; check out his Roasted Beet Gnocchi with Wilted Beet Greens that he made for Valentines' Day. Instead of rolling the dough into ropes and cutting them, Evan simply dropped spoonfuls onto a floured tray and rolled each gnocchi by hand. We might try that next time.


I do plan to try the recipe Nancy demonstrated, Egg Salad with Anchovy Toasts. Soon! 

And Ruth shared her Cochinita Pibil. That is another recipe I'll have to try because, I agree, anything roasted in banana leaves is magical. I did learn that I should toast the leaves. Even from the audience, you could watch the leaves change color as she toasted them. I bet that would enhance the flavor even more.

Okay, just a few soundbites from the evening...

Evan: "Food is not just about the taste. It's about the sound."

Nancy: "Eveything tastes better with eggs and anchovies."

Ruth: "I like tasting menus. I think they show me the chef's vision. It's their personality on a plate."

But the single thing that stood out for me was the discussion of the "new" foodies. I am not sure if they were talking about GenY, Millennials (Wait! Are those the same thing?), or whatever they are calling my kids' generation. GenZ?? But they were hopeful. They commented on how this new generation is one of the most informed about sustainability and conscious eating. 

Where my generation, GenX, was all about fast food and convenience, my kids are well-entrenched in the slow food movement. My kids read labels. They ask questions about our food sources. They cook. They give me hope. Obviously they give others hope, too.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Quick Pickled Red Onions and Radishes

If you've been reading my blog for even a short amount of time, you probably know how much I love to pickle things. I was just telling a friend you can pickle - with vinegar - or you can ferment - with salt - for similar delicious effect. The latter has digestive benefits and I love to do that, but when I need that pop of sour flavor quickly, I whip up quick pickles that are ready in as little as a day or two. I've Pickled Blueberries , Pickled Asparagus , Pickled Cranberries , Pickled Pumpkin , and even Pickled Chard Stems ! This I did last night for an upcoming recipe challenge that requires I include radishes. Ummmm...of course I'm pickling them! Ingredients  makes 1 quart jar radishes, trimmed and sliced organic red onions, peeled and thinly sliced (I used a mandolin slicer) 3/4 C vinegar (I used white distilled vinegar) 3/4 C water 3 T organic granulated sugar 1 T salt (I used some grey sea salt) 6 to 8 grinds of black pepper Proce

Aloo Tiki {Pakistan}

To start off our Pakistani culinary adventure, I started us off with aloo tiki - potato cutlets. I'm always game for tasty street food. I found a couple of different recipes and incorporated those together for this version. Ingredients 6-8 small red potatoes, scrubbed 1 T cumin seeds 1 T fresh chopped parsley 1/2 t ground coriander 1 t minced garlic Procedure Boil the potatoes until they are tender. Drain and let cool. Mash the potatoes. Traditionally they are mashed without their skins. I left the skins on. In a small pan, toast the cumin seeds on high heat until the begin to give off an aroma and begin to darken. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate to keep them from cooking any more. Blend all of the spices into the mashed potatoes, then shape into small patties. If you wet your hands, the potato mixture won't stick to them. Heat a splash of oil in a large, flat-bottom pan. Dip each patty into beaten egg and carefully place in the oil. P

Hot Chocolate Agasajo-Style {Spice It Up!}

photo by D For my Spice It Up! kiddos this week, I was looking for an exotic drink to serve while we learned about saffron. I found a recipe from food historian Maricel Presilla that mimicked traditional Spanish hot chocolate from the 17th century where it was served at lavish receptions called agasajos . When I teach, I don't always get to shoot photos. Thankfully, D grabbed my camera and snapped a few. Ingredients serves 14-16 1 gallon organic whole milk 3 T dried rosebuds - or 2 t rosewater 2 t saffron threads, lightly crushed 3 T ground cinnamon 3 whole tepin chiles, crushed 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise 1 C organic granulated sugar 1 lb. bittersweet chocolate Procedure In a large soup pot that can hold a gallon plus, combine milk, dried rosebuds (or rosewater, if you are using that), saffron threads, ground cinnamon, chiles, vanilla beans, and sugar and warm over medium heat till it steams. Whisk to dissolve sugar, then lower heat an