Foie Gras & Flannel

I drove up to Sacramento on Monday for a meeting with a potential client. It’s just shy of three hours each way, so I figured I’d make the most of the day by filing papers with the state (they’re processed two and a half months faster if you submit them in person) and exploring the food scene. By 3:30 p.m., I still hadn’t eaten lunch, so I took Nate’s recommendation and headed to Shady Lady Saloon for a couple of drinks bite.

(A quick note about those papers I filed: details are still unfolding, but I’m working on a commercial kitchen/community eatery in downtown Fresno. Fingers crossed, we’ll have a legal entity a couple weeks from now.)

Back to Shady Lady. Fliers posted around the room announced the launch of Moonshine, and a special menu listed drinks featuring the clear corn whiskey.

I don’t usually order mixed drinks, but they came on good recommendation…so I tried the Swamp Fire. It was surprisingly balanced in flavor–that’s dangerous when mixing hard alcohol. Better soak it up with some food.

Up first, stuffed squash blossoms, fried:

An amazing combination of flavor. I practically licked the plate, but I was still hungry, so for dessert I ordered the Niman Ranch burger with bleu cheese, bacon and whole grain mustard:

Nothing like a full stomach and a long drive home.

The more I explore the concept of “food culture,” the better I understand how that’s defined in the Central Valley. For example, if you’re ordering from a mobile food vendor here (save from Dusty Buns), you’re eating tacos—maybe a burrito, if you’re feeling frisky.

Outside of the valley, food trucks are trending. They provide all of the necessities, like a sink to clean utensils and wash hands, but where’s the fun in that? If you want to be truly mobile, food carts are the way to go; just bring an ice chest for your ingredients, and leave the sink at home.

Saturday night I toured about eight carts (I lost count after the first few) with taco enthusiast connoisseur Mike Oz. I learned a few things:

• Don’t take pictures, unless you’re ready to assure people that you don’t work for the City or the Health Department.
• The Tupperware used for the toppings doesn’t come with a sneeze guard, but that’s okay because the salsa’s hot enough to burn through anything harmful.
• The chances of seeing a kid inside behind the counter are high; some carry their weight, though.
• Bring cash.

Mike and I will map out Saturday’s journey for those in and around Fresno—the stands aren’t exactly legal, so don’t be surprised to find that one’s moved.

More about our favorite spots is also coming with the launch of Fresno Tacos; more on that, and more photos, later.

Tuesday night was the second installment of Local Bites, a partnership between TasteFresno (a project I started several years back) and Fresno mayor Ashley Swearengin. Limón is usually at the top of my list of recommendations when people are looking to try something new in Fresno, so I was excited that we could introduce the mayor to the family and cuisine (Peruvian).

I’ve posted “official” photos recapping the event, but want to share some of my personal favorites. This may be my first post without food…

If you invite Anna Larsen to a picnic, you can be sure of one thing: she’ll bring oysters.

I met Anna at Eat Retreat a few months back—she brought oysters. A few weeks back, Kimberley (from The Year in Food) and I joined Anna for a tour of the plant where she works, followed by a tour and tasting of Hop Kiln Winery—she brought oysters. We were camping in Capay Saturday—she brought the…well, you see where this is going.

A few weeks back, Anna announced the launch of new project, Siren SeaSA. (Yep, she’s bringing delivering oysters!) From the website:

Siren SeaSA is an obsessively curated seafood subscription service that sources only the finest sustainably caught local seafood.

I tried to convince her that shipping to Fresno fits within the definition of “local” (hey, it works with produce), but Anna’s limiting the first round to Bay-area folks, and only 100 of them. The first fish ship this week: wild king salmon (filleted). Color me jealous.

To get a taste of what’s being offered in the subscription, I joined Anna for a tour of Mussel Cove Farm in Tomales Bay—that’s the farm pictured above. Here’s Anna with oyster farmer Scott Zahl:

Note that they’re both in boots; Kim and I, on the other hand, were in flip flops. Flip flops do not protect you from jelly fish.

A few of my favorite shots from the day:

Also, if Kim ever runs for office, this will be her campaign photo:

Thanks for the adventure, Anna! (I’m seriously considering a series of trips to the city over the next six weeks so I can subscribe.)

I’m not a picky eater, but there are two things that I usually try to avoid: canned meat and mayonnaise. Don’t even think about trying to mix those two around me.

I take exception on occasion, like business luncheons or situations where refusal may offend someone. Also, when it looks so tasty that I can’t resist:

That there is a fried egg hugging a tortilla full of chilorio, a slow-simmered, spiced pork that’s sold canned or in pouches here in the States.  The taco was our entree for dinner last week when Kim and I joined Tracy, Nyeland and Katie for dinner.

But first, gazpacho shooters with pickled zucchini chasers:

A little wine, a cool summer evening…

…and a table full of tasty eats.

Yep, that’s mayo on that corn. I’ll admit, it worked.

Now, about those eggs—those were courtesy of these lovely ladies. Who knew that chickens were such fans of corn on the cob?

I discovered Slow Food Madera‘s Organic Stone Fruit Jubilee last year, as an assignment for the radio show I hosted at the time. I couldn’t believe the variety of peaches and nectarines on display (and apricots, plums, and more)—all of them sliced and set out for sampling.

This year’s event was even tastier, and included not only fresh fruit, but prepared foods from Dusty Buns, Gus’s Meat Locker Chase’s Chop Shop, La Boulangerie, Chicken Pie Shop and La Reina de Michoacan (mmm…paletas).

The event is by far one of my favorites. In case you missed it:

I met Amanda several years back, when we both served on the board for Creative Fresno (Amanda still serves). Her husband, Steve, went to high school with Kim.

When I first started talking about the Legacy Project with Kim, she mentioned Amanda’s affinity for baking—what we didn’t know at the time was her deep connection to her Danish ancestry. I sent an initial email to small group of friends to test the waters, and Amanda was one of the first to respond:

I was brought to tears just remembering how much I loved cooking with my Grandma. Those were such sacred moments and always made me feel connected to my family.

The history that Amanda outlined for me traces her mom’s side of the family. Her mother’s grandparents, both from Denmark, immigrated separately to America at the turn of the century. “My great-grandfather worked as a servant and then in the gold mines, finally making his way across America to San Francisco where he met my great-grandmother, another Danish immigrant working as a house maid. Together they had nine kids, including my grandma.”

Amanda flipped through a recipe binder, each plastic page protecting a hand-written recipe.

There are quite a few traditional Danish foods that have been passed down (almost all involving copious amounts of butter and cream) but the one that stands out the most is aebelskivers. Aebelskivers, round pancake like concoctions laced with cardamon, are the central dish at all of our family gatherings.

With her ingredients arranged on the counter, we she started cooking. Though aebelskivers start with common ingredients—flour, eggs, sugar, vanilla—the cardamom adds depth of flavor, and the whipped egg whites keep the batter light and fluffy.

Growing up, my job was to mix the dry ingredients. Only the senior members of the family were allowed to actually cook the aebelskivers (it is quite a technique).

As the baby of the family, Amanda’s still not allowed to cook the aebelskivers at family gatherings. If her family’s reading this, I hope they’ll reconsider—she made it look easy!

The family recipe book contains two recipes, side by side—one for aebelskivers (below), and one for ebelskivers. By trying both, “We’ve determined [the former] to be authentic.”

I asked how often she made these: “It’s something that’s always been for special occasions—we usually make them for Christmas and birthdays.” But Amanda believes that aebelskivers may have started as a traditional breakfast dish in Denmark. The flavor and texture work well for breakfast, though they’d work just as well for a light dessert.

One thing I learned about Amanda through our time together is that she’s a bit camera shy, though to be fair, I’m not sure I gave her fair warning about how close I like to get when I’m taking pictures. Still, she couldn’t hold back a smile as she cooked. Whether this was from fond memories of her grandmother, or from the satisfaction of not having to hand over the pan to an older sibling, I’ll never know.

Thanks for sharing, Amanda, and for agreeing to go first!

Aebelskivers

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. cardamom
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tbsp. melted butter
• 2 egg whites, whipped

Instructions

Blend dry ingredients. Add egg yolks and buttermilk, mix. Fold in vanilla, butter and egg.

Butter wells of heated pan before each aebelskiver is poured 2/3 full. Cook until bubbles formed; turn and cook until golden.

Note (at bottom of card): “temp between med and med low”

(Also, if you’re going to try these, you’ll need a specialty pan—they’re pretty easy to find, though.)

This is Amanda’s cat, Rufus—I couldn’t resist.

It started with berrocks.

Since that dinner, I’ve been fixated on tradition, and on understanding the role it plays in establishing or reinforcing “food culture.” I’ve also been reflecting on the impact of living at such a fast pace—in a society that’s reliant on fast food and microwaves. I wonder, what will happen to the recipes that were penned by our grandparents and great grandparents, or to the traditions that were familiar to them?

To better understand tradition—better yet, to celebrate it—I’ve asked friends to cook for me, and to let me follow them around in the kitchen as they cook the recipes of previous generations.

I’m calling the collection of these stories the Legacy Project. The exact format and purpose may shift along the journey, but rest assured there will plenty of food and photographs.

Have a story you want to tell? Talk to me.

I don’t like to brag¹, but I really do have an awesome job. Thursday night I was working late, and I received a text from Chris (sommelier and co-owner of Trelio):

You want to be a professional wine judge tomorrow…had a judge drop off…

I received the same invitation last year (also the night before, I believe), so I couldn’t decline again.

Now, I’d label myself more of a wine enthusiast, but Chris knows my palette. I showed up at 8:00 a.m. to start tasting, and was placed on the expert panel—there were six panels, two each in three categories: Expert, Millennial and Hispanic.

By 2:00 p.m., we had each judged over 60 wines. Sure, we took a lunch break, but I think I coined a new term: wine fatigue. My taste buds still hurt.

Still, not a bad way to spend a Friday! (Also, the comments were quite positive about that box.) Results will be published by the competition host, San Joaquin Valley Winegrowers Association.

¹ Okay, I really do like to brag.

By now you probably know that Kim and I celebrated our anniversary a week or so ago. And I’ve mentioned in the last few posts that we actually have two anniversaries; the friend that we asked to marry us was not able to obtain the proper credentials from the county, so we faked the formal ceremony. Tomorrow marks the anniversary of our visit to the courthouse to make things legal.

Anyway, I’ve been outlining all of the food stops on our anniversary trip to San Francisco (see previous: Cutija, Tartine, Brindisi Cucina di Mare and Cotogna). But the trip started with Hot City Barbecue in Los Banos. We brought some friends along to share the experience with TasteFresno, which will air on NoNetwork later this week.

This place is not to be missed. Honestly, it’s worth the drive, even if that’s your only destination (right, Nicole and Phillip?). So don’t even bother looking at my photos—just go. I highly recommend the pulled pork.