Inclination

I continue to be astounded by the generosity of people from the East - they seem inclined to be hospitable...this evening we stopped to pick something up from a member of the community.  They asked if we would wait to have tea after sundown.  We felt compelled to oblige. 

The next thing I know, the husband and wife began scurrying around the kitchen preparing all kinds of stuff.  They seemed to be in a race against time, opening and closing cabinets, desperately looking for food to feed their "guests."  That was the kicker - technically we weren't guests...but I suppose that's the difference - for this Indonesian family, once we crossed the threshold, no matter what the reason, we were guests.

This reminded me of a similar situation in Wadi Bani Kharoos in Oman when we visited a family we were meeting for the first time that shared everything until their cupboards were literally bare.  I remember the women slicing oranges, making bread, tea, fish soup, and insisting that we eat while they just sat watching us.  That kind of generosity is hard to come by in these parts.

As they served us the "tea" - the husband kept apologizing, saying that they weren't prepared and that they were so sorry that they could only offer us a small appetizer.  In 15 minutes, they had prepared a spread - dates, roti, honey, ful, pita, and of course tea. The roti was delicious - very flaky and the ful had a had an Indonesian twist.    

As I sat eating, I just kept thinking that there's a lot we could learn from the "third world."  People that we harldy knew, graciously welcomed us into their home without hesitation. 

Gone bananas

My son loves bananas.  Sometimes he'll eat several in a day but somehow we ended up with a banana overstock.  As the bananas continued to ripen day after day I was beginning to worry.  I prefer bananas as they're just beginning to ripen...I don't like the texture or the excessive sweetness of a totally ripe banana.  I actually prefer the Brazilian banana (aka Hawaiian apple banana) to the common Cavendish variety. 

Bananas are quite similar to tomatoes in that they are picked green, transported, and ripened with ethylene...the result is a product far inferior to that which ripens in situ.  It makes you wonder why a tropical fruit that travels half way around the world can be purchased for 39 cents per pound.  Political economy.  But, this widespread availability of what should be a rare fruit is actually leading to its demise.  Enough about banana blight. 


This afternoon the bananas were looking a bit past their prime - brown with yellow spots.  I knew I had to do something but I wasn't quite in the mood for banana walnut bread so I made a banana cake (modeled after hummingbird) with a pseudo vanilla glaze.  The moist, flavorful cake was a great way to end the day. 

Repackaged

When we ate the turkey wings I had a feeling that I had made too much...last night it was clear that no one was interested in leftovers so I made a seafood chowder but those turkey wings were still lurking in the fridge.  Tonight we were going to have no choice but to eat the turkey wings so I thought about camouflaging them in a turkey noodle soup. 

That seemed kind of lame, so I tried to think of ways to jazz it up, but beans were the only thing that came to mind.  That's when I remembered that I've been wanting to make a pot pie for ages but wasn't confident that I could do it. 

Pot pie is the ultimate comfort food - I remember how happy I was when the boxes were developed allowing you do cook a pot pie in the microwave in just 13 minutes instead of 45.  However, there's a huge problem with pot pies - sodium.  Of course TJs (my favorite purveyor of frozen food) offers an alternative but the filling isn't quite right and the crust never browns properly - a pot pie is a total disaster if the crust isn't right. 

Tonight I decided to give it a go.  I sauteed onions and celery, cleaned the meat off the bones, and cut the potatoes into smaller cubes.  I added frozen mixed veggies to the saute, simmered in just a little liquid, added the potatoes then made a roux with butter, the gelatinous jus from the turkey, and flour - stirred in the turkey and heavy cream, then added that to the veggies.  I had enough filling for two pot pies. 

There's no comparison between a homemade and a store bought pot pie.  Those turkey wings were recycled into a very satisfying meal - it's amazing what a little pastry packaging can do.

Chesapeake cake

Yesterday, I must have called every market in a 30 mile radius looking for jumbo lump crab meat. I looked online for local purveyors of Maryland crab meat but was hard pressed to find one. I did however locate plenty of pasteurized canned meat from Vietnam. I kept wondering why crab meat from Vietnam is cheaper and more accessible than crab meat from a bay just a hundred miles or so from here.

I located the meat at two grocers, Whole Foods Callowhill ($34.99/lb) and Wegman's Malvern ($24.99/lb); needless to say, my husband went to Wegman's after work.  My plan was to make the crab cakes last night but I forgot, so this morning it was a race against time as I mixed them up (as I was mixing, I realized that I normally use back fin or a combination). 

I crumbled two slices of bread and soaked it in milk, added seasoning, the huge lumps of meat, mayo, dijon, worcestshire, and egg.  Fried them in butter and got started on the cabbage. I sliced some pepper, carrot, then added shredded cabbage and braised. 

Our suhoor was quite yummy but given the expense, probably not in the spirit of Ramadan.

Against the grain

I'm stuffed.  I think it's mostly liquid but I can hardly breathe.  We had turkey wings tonight - I did them a little different, added tomatoes and green peppers, along with carrots and potatoes - quite flavorful.  I was thinking about dessert earlier and the kids said no more pies or cobblers...they wanted carrot cake - not likely. 

I wanted to use the peaches that were in the refrigerator on their last legs and remembered purchasing a loaf of bread about a week ago that was never opened and was not likely to get eaten, so bread pudding seemed like the best solution.  My main concern was that I usually use challah or french bread, and all I had was Vermont Bread Soft 10 Grain. I wondered if the texture would be ok, or the taste too strong, but I went for it figuring it would at least add a healthy twist to a high-carb dessert.   

I went with my typical formula and just added a bit more liquid - sugar, cinnamon, salt, eggs, vanilla, butter, half & half.  I considered making a vanilla sauce but didn't feel like the effort, so I whipped up some cream instead.  You can truly taste the difference between cream made with carrageenan (shelf stabilizing seaweed extract) and cream that's just cream. 

Less is more

This morning we had a traditional suhoor - cucumbers, tomatoes, feta; lebneh with honey; and ful medames.  Imagine, no meat, yet we were sustained throughout the day. 

The kids have been looking forward to this - my husband makes the ful:  sauteed garlic, onions, and fava beans drizzled with olive oil.  It is filling and quite flavorful.

This all day orientation is killing me...I am not accustomed to working an 8 hour day.  My son had soccer practice tonight so I had 2 hours to prepare dinner. We have some quiche left but I thought I'd take a stab at the Ethiopian style shorba.

Of course I totally deviated from what I suspect is my friend's recipe.  I was thinking along the lines of alicha (the mild, yellow stew) so I sauteed an onion, added garlic ginger paste, a bit of green pepper and four seasoned chicken thighs (I couldn't resist).  I added the liquid and then 1 cup of oatmeal, sprinkled in some zataar and kurkum.  I simmered that and added some peas and carrots and continued to simmer for about an hour. 

The oatmeal gives the soup a creamy consistency but my shorba had a more robust flavor (probably due to the zataar) and actually served as our main course, along with some lumpia I found lurking in the freezer. 

For around $10, our family of 4 had two filling meals - it's amazing what you can do with a little creativity.  It's also tragic for so many, even these simple meals are out of reach.

What came first

I know I've already ranted about this but I just can't help myself.  This egg scam is killing me.  I was in Shop Rite and got all excited when I saw natural eggs on sale for $1.69/dozen.  There were several varieties of these 4Grain eggs - cage free, omega 3, brown, etc - according to the packaging the hens are fed a vegetarian diet of corn, milo, flax, and wheat - enriched with soy and vitamin E. 

I kept reading but couldn't ascertain the differences between the varieties...they all seemed to say the same thing.  I bought the eggs but something was unsettling; that's when I remembered the chickens I saw at River Run Farm.  These chickens had shade, access to sunlight, fresh air, and exercise - but they were eating grass (free from chemicals) and truly roaming free.  They're not getting a ticker tape parade but I keep seeing this vegetarian (grain) diet prominently displayed on egg cartons.  Feeding grain to animals that were designed to eat grass, is nothing to brag about. 

Ode to Al Khaleej

I think what I miss most about the gulf is the food.  Other than shopping; eating and visiting are my primary activities while I'm there.  Whether it is with dinner guests, as a guest, at weddings, or wherever - there's an abundance of food.  UAE's port makes it a hub for an eclectic blend of flavors from exotic corners of the world; everything is delicious but my staple meal is baba ganoush and reyash (grilled lamb chops), and my beverage of choice is limon bil nana (lemon with mint).

My friend's mom is an excellent cook and has hosted many dinners where she has served an array of vegetables (tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, olives, etc) and meats (lamb, chicken, fish).  I suppose tonight's dinner was a microscopic homage to her.

I took six 4oz lamb loin chops and rubbed garlic, olive oil, lemon, and of course 'mom's powder' (bizaara) and let that marinate.  I cut up onions, garlic, carrots, yams, peppers, and eggplant - tossed that with lemon, olive oil, kurkum, and zataar and let that sit.  I covered the dish with foil, put the lamb on a rack, and convection roasted for about 30 minutes. 

As an appetizer we had pita with lebneh and zataar and recalled the wonderful combinations of lebneh and toppings we would have for breakfast.  All we needed was a good beverage - fresh mango, strawberry, or watermelon juice would suffice; but there's nothing like lemon with mint...so that's what we had.

There was only one problem...I forgot the formula...it took several iterations before I got it right...but eventually we had that refreshing thirst quencher. 

The real deal

Our Ethiopian friends invited us to iftar at their house tonight.  I wanted to bring something so I decided on dessert - my daughter was pestering me to make carrot cake but of course pie is much easier - I thought about key lime but ended up making chocolate chip cookies. 

I need to figure out what kind of dessert goes with that food...or if dessert is even traditional.  Perhaps something with yogurt (to balance the spice) or even honey (since white honey is one of their exports and tej is a popular drink).  I can envision something akin to labnah and honey or even a combination of grains and honey. 

In addition to the cookies, I needed to plan for suhoor so I made spinach quiche with crabmeat and tomatoes.  I used my same base - eggs, heavy cream, cheese - but decided to go with extra sharp cheese and seasoned with worcestershire sauce and vidalia hot sauce.

Of course my friend made samboosa (fried triangular shaped patties stuffed with ground beef) and shorba (chicken soup with oatmeal) - I have to learn how to make that soup.  When she served the main course my daughter said "get ready for the real deal."  My friend and her husband assured me that they enjoyed the food I served, but this was definitely different.  She served siga wot (qulwah), alicha lentils, mixed vegetables, rice with green peas, and salad. 

The color and flavor of the wot was deeper and more intense (the Ethiopian berbere is a a brick red whereas the Eritrean berebere is more of a rust color) and it was a much thinner consistency.  I suppose I make it heartier (American style) - loaded with meat (over 2.5 lbs), onions, and tomatoes.  The food was very ample. When I think of the quantity of food that I prepare regularly, it almost seems gluttonous. 

Americans guzzle more resources per capita than anywhere on the globe - oil, water, meat, etc.  However, we're unaware of the hidden costs of consuming animal products, particularly if it originates in the agribusiness sector of food production - first grain has to be produced (this requires huge inputs of water and takes land out of direct food production), then it has to be fed to animals, then the animals have to be processed for either their meat, milk, or eggs.  A natural system only requires land for grazing. 

We regularly consume goo gobs of animal products, yet a significant portion of the world's population is malnourished.  If there's anything that I learned from ethnic cooking, it's that I need to reduce my dependency on meat.

Great expectations

I'm starting to think that I'm a has been.  It seems like an eternity since Lazeez Goodeez was outputting dessert on a regular basis.  Every now and again someone brings up the ghost of Lazeez past...and they always seem to do so with longing - remember when...

We had two of my biggest supporters over for iftar tonight, one of whom recalled the blueberry carrot cake that I used to make (I totally had forgotten about that cake).  The problem with these two is that they have come to expect a certain caliber of meal and I feel obliged to comply. 

When my husband suggested having a small iftar I didn't really feel up to it so I tried to think of a simple yet satisfying meal.  I decided on qulwah.  I'm not in South Carolina anymore so I went to Wegman's yesterday and picked up a grass fed chuck roast, Jersey tomatoes, peaches, and peppers,  Whoa, back to reality...although the local produce is relatively inexpensive because gas and tolls aren't incorporated in the price, it's not comparable to what I found in SC in terms of price or ripeness. 

This morning we dashed out for injera and some last minute odds and ends.  Then I got to work in the kitchen - fortunately my husband chopped all onions fo the qulwah so I was able to start the sides - mixed greens, okra rice, and cucumber tomato salad (with samak).  Then got to work on the peach pie, put the beans in the coffee maker, and waited for the guests to arrive.

Alhamdulilah, everyone enjoyed their meal (including the Ethiopians!).  Although my back is killing me, it was certainly worth the effort and it was great seeing everyone.

Apples n' cream

We arrived back home around 1230pm and of course I had to figure out an dinner plan.  I wanted to use the grass fed beef - spaghetti seemed like a good option, so we went to TJs and picked up a few things.  I saw a frozen pie crust so I thought I might try to make an apple pie with granny smith apples. 

Since the peach pie was a success, I decided to use the same formula - only adding a little vanilla and a little half and half.  I also wanted to add something else - pears, cherries, something to give it a kick - I only had walnuts, so I threw those in as well.  I then had the urge to make ice cream, but I am totally out of vanilla paste and the mixing bowls aren't frozen...so I made whipped cream instead.

Although I love apple crostata, I am not a big fan of apple pie - either it's too sticky, too much cinnamon, too crispy, too dry - so I wasn't sure what the consistency of the filling should be.  The crust was flaky and delicious, the pie had a good consistency, and there was a nice balance of sweet/tart...but there was one problem - my husband was not expecting nuts and said it was weird; of course this didn't stop him from having several pieces. 

Good eats

I was ecstatic when I looked on the Eat Wild directory and found River Run Farm just 15 minutes from us in Vance.  I contacted the farmer and set up an appointment for this afternoon.  This knowledgeable soon-to-be retired dentist owns a home that abuts Lake Marion (the bass were jumping out of the water to get the mayflies) and 400 acres on which cows graze on a variety of native grasses, in addition to grass hay and mineral salt. 

When I saw these gorgeous, shiny, meaty Angus cows, I fell in love.  God has created a perfect system - cows convert solar energy (grass, etc) into milk and meat for human consumption.  Not only do the cows not receive hormones or antibiotics, but the land is also free from chemicals...good soil produces good grass which subsequently yields good meat.  These animals don't even get fly repellent ointment; if they did, then the decomposers (dung beetles, etc) wouldn't survive to complete the cycle.  Capitalist motivations have caused us to intervene in this system and God only knows what the ultimate ramifications of this will be.  There's absolutely no reason that cows should be subjected to a feed lot when they could be out to pasture.

As we left the farm, I longed for 1-5 acres on which we could do some subsistence farming and keep a dairy cow so that we truly can connect with the land.  Our next stop was the Vance Farmer's Market; at the clamoring of the kids I bought tomatoes, and then swung by a roadside orchard for some peaches for a pie.

I got started peeling and slicing peaches; squeezed a lemon over the slices and mixed up the flavoring - flour, sugar (brown and white), apple pie spice (didn't want to buy separate nutmeg and cinnamon); tossed that with the peaches then covered that with another crust.  Then I got to work on the tomato casserole (this time I cooked it in a square glass dish instead of a pie crust).  The boys were swimming so I had my daughter peel and devein the shrimp while I started the grits.  We had a wonderful dinner followed by an excellent dessert.

I'm sure gonna miss South Carolina.

What's cookin'

I've been walking around all day in my Piggly Wiggly's shirt thinking about food.  Although we're not in Low Country, we have been eating our favorites - shrimp and grits, fried whiting and tomato pie (the pie I made today was a toe tapper).  Yesterday I did a spinach and vidalia quiche for breakfast (inspired by King's).  We've been having some good eats...tomorrow we will swing by a farm to get some beef and then we'll start winding down our vacation.

I've eaten enough key lime pie to make my lips pucker, but I haven't had enough so I decided to try my hand at making one.  I enlisted my daughter to separate the eggs and then whipped up the pie in just a few minutes, using my new favorite dessert ingredient - sweetened condensed milk.  The pie was quite nice, a slightly different texture than the pie from King's but it received rave reviews from the family - I only wish I'd cooked the crust a bit longer.

I took the whites and made a quiche for breakfast - spinach, shrimp, vidalias, peppers, and tomatoes.  It smells real good.

Roadside attractions

It seems that this road trip has been all about food.  We left Myrtle Beach and made a major diversion to Edisto on the way to Lake Marion - why - key lime pie! While there I also picked up some almost local (North Carolina) tomatoes and some pickling cucumbers.  There were a couple of things that caught my eye at Kings Market - vidalia onion quiche, breakfast quiche, shrimp and crab casserole, and of course tomato pie - but I figured I could make those things.  On the way to Edisto we made a pit stop to the Fishernet in St. Johns to grab lunch and then made a screeching stop at Baker's Seafood in Walterboro to pick up some fresh wild shrimp (I chuckled at the sign on the door "friends don't let friends eat imported shrimp" - ain't that the truth). 

Now we're lakefront and our vacation has officially started - other than some potential watersports, there's absolutely nothing on the agenda for the next couple of days (except a research proposal that's looming over my shoulders).  I made tomato and cucumber sandwiches for lunch (buying bread is such a chore - checking for HFCS and a decent fiber count - I ended up with Earthgrain's 7-grain).  The kids went to the pool and I got started on my tomato pie. 

Sliced tomatoes layered with seasoning, onions, peppers, and garlic; topped with a cheese/mayo combo and crushed crackers.  While that was baking, I thought I should do something with the fresh okra that I bought, so I made okra rice.  Sauteed onions and peppers, then simmered the okra, added rice and simmered. 

That's good eatin'.

Chesapeake fare

As I walked to the Potomac, National Harbor struck me as a social construction – sprawl masquerading as faux urban living for folks of a particular SES. I looked around and saw restaurants featuring American fare – what exactly is American fare – burgers, fries, ribs? But I kept thinking, while in the Chesapeake Bay watershed one should be consuming seafood, and not from McCormick and Schmick.

As luck would have it, there was a power outage around 330p that totally disrupted my planned frozen TJ ethnic cuisine. I scoured the DC guide for interesting eats and finally at 7, we headed to Pruitt, on the DC waterfront. Although Philips was huge, the entire wharf was full of little seafood places – fresh seafood by the pound that could also be cooked to order…so many choices.

I asked a passerby and she said that Jimmies was the best but we needed seating so we went with Captain White - $75 for ½ dozen crabs, ½ dozen clams, 3 platters (shrimp, oysters, scallops), Maryland crab soup, sides, chicken, and drinks – not bad at all.
Of course I had to try Jimmies so I ordered the strawberry lemonade, ½ pound of shrimp, crab cream soup, and a huge piece of lemon pound cake - $18. The shrimp were absolutely delicious…all I kept thinking was in the 10 years that we’ve been making annual visits to the area, we had no idea this place even existed.