Foodtopia for the People

Asheville has a strong history of living off the land and celebrating it. "Asheville" evokes images of the mountains, arts and crafts, natural beauty and folk music. Set at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers and resting in the central area of a high plateau bordered by the Blue Ridge, Craggy and Black Mountains on the east and the Great Smokies on the west, it is no wonder that Asheville's first permanent settlement in 1785 was known as Eden Land. Foodtopia is a movement that celebrates food, drink and traditions, showcasing the pleasure of food with a respect for community and the environment.

At the Taste of Asheville: Meet the Foodtopians dinner on April 27th I fully embraced the localism, authenticity and conviviality that is Foodtopia. With 135 independent restaurants, natural beauty, farmers markets, breweries, artisans and organic farmers, Asheville can center tourism on their iconic foodstuffs. The Foodtopians are great ambassadors for this culinary scene. Their dedication to fresh, sustainable and locally sourced ingredients combined with the geographic distinctness of Asheville puts the city on the map as a gastronomic destination.

I was greeted with huge smiles when I entered Bradford's on Bishop. I slipped in with the crowd and wanted to make them my friends and neighbors. I have been to a lot of these events but never has the vibe been so joyful and full of genuine warmth and festivity. I met the chefs, the farmers, the cheesemakers, the brewers. Each one brimming with lively enthusiasm for their craft.

First stop, Craggie Brewing Company for a glass of Burning Barrel, a bourbon chipotle porter that was smoky, spicy to the nose and a finish smooth as a sip of Pappy. In other words, yum. I tried another that was really hoppy (I like hoppy. I believe it was the Antebellum Ale. Brew master Bill Drew was nice as can be. I was lucky enough to clink glasses with Ale Sharpton and he seemed to like the brews too. I also tried the signature drink of the evening, a jalapeño mojito. Loved the comingling of hot peppers mixed with cool mint.

Laughing Seed Cafe presented a spring green pesto bechamel lasagna accompanied by tasty kale with pine nuts. Here I met owner Joan Cliney-Eckert who owns a 3 acre farm where she sources much of her cafe's produce.

The charming Michel Bandouin of Bouchon made me a plate of French comfort food Asheville style. I swooned over the plate of Lapin a la Moutard with creamed turnips and a salad of roasted beets and goat cheese. Michel spoke of the local rabbits, the mustard he seasoned with and the goat cheese from a local creamery. It was at this moment that I began to latch on as a Foodtopian.

At The Corner Kitchen station I met owner Joe Scully and snacked on his hangar steak with molasses and mustard infused olive oil. Standing next to him was Jamie Agar of Hickory Nut Gap Farms. Scully sources from this local farm that raises grass fed beef and goat, pastured pigs, chicken and turkeys.

Lucia of Ultimate Ice Cream Company was close by to cleanse my palate. I had such a difficult time choosing from the listing of flavors but settled on one of the star ingredients of the evening with roasted ramp and goat cheese sourced from Spinning Spider Creamery. What a great flavor and interesting combination! Throughout the evening I came back to try Brown Sugar Bacon and maple, Blueberry Honey (yum, the local honey) and my favorite, Rielsling Sorbet.

My next taste dazzled all my senses. Zambra put forth one of my favorites of the evening, local trout cakes with micro greens, trout roe and a topping of crispy trout skin. Gorgeous, creative and so inspired. I also sampled a spread of spinning spider goat cheese with leeks on toast.

Jason and Peter of Posana handed me this oh so tender and delicious braised pork with celeriac puree. They explained how it was rubbed with local grainy mustard first. I ate each composed bite with the puree an wanted more.

I spent much of the evening around the cooking station of The Red Stag Grill. Chef Adam Hayes and crew had so many mouth watering local offerings. The pork pate paired with Lusty Monk mustards was a great start. I moved on to a braised bison short rib that had been encased in caul fat and then to goat sausage. Knowing the ingredients were fresh and locally sourced only added to the intense flavors.

Drunken pork livers were intense with the infusion of bourbon. I loved the rabbit rillette on a piece of crusty toast and topped with chef Hayes' pickled rhubarb. This was such an authentic local dish that I didn't think it could be topped. I inquired about other seasonal offerings since I had seen ramps in abundance. Fiddleheads? No. Morels? This illicited a big grin on chef Hayes' face as he handed me a slice of toast with a smear of chicken liver mousse blended with morels. Hands down my favorite taste of the evening--delicate, smooth and composed umami. Seconds later he plated for me a dish of strawberries, Looking Glass chevre, local honey (sourwood) and shave truffles. Yowza. The Red stag is my first stop this summer when I visit Asheville.

French Broad Chocolate Lounge had the most beautiful spread of chocolate truffles and cakes. When I visit I want to try them all, especially the lavender and honey. Dan and Jael Rattigan, look for me.

Bistro Restaurant on Biltmore Estate served up a pork belly cooked in bacon fat then cooked in duck fat. The first bite melted in my mouth. The second I dipped in their ancho cherry sauce. Wow, just wow. A friend saw my food daze and brought by a Mongolian braised bison taco from Lexington Avenue Brewery. So tender and delicious wrapped in a super flavorful corn tortilla. As I walked away from the table Jeff from Luella's Bar B Q handed me a cup of mac and cheese with bacon and offered me pulled pork slider. A friend nearby tried the sliders and proclaimed them delicious.

Last stop was the Blue Ridge Dining Room at the Grove Park Inn where chef Jack Melson was cooking up Anson Mill blue corn meal encrusted Sorrell Creek trout topped with manque choux. Perfect!

I couldn't get out the door without more good coming at me. The Foodtopians told me to make sure I collected a parting gift. I chose a bar of Black Mountain Chocolate but it was a difficult choice with the gorgeous jars of Imladris Farm jams. I did not want to leave such conviviality.

Foodtopia, I get you and I embrace you. I have made my plans to take a foodie trip to Asheville and I already know it is going to be a good time. Hope the Foodtopians come back for The Atlanta Food and Wine Festival so we can return the comity of a shared love of food, libations and gathering.

*Thank you to Spravka Imaging for the photos!

Destination Morocco via The Imperial Fez

Now you say Morocco and that just makes me smile. I haven't seen Morocco in a long, long while..." I hummed this tune during rush hour traffic on my way to a favorite refuge of mine, The Imperial Fez. Upon entering Rafih and Rita Benjelloun's restaurant one is transported to Morocco, its sights, sounds, scents and traditions. Chef Benjelloun takes great pride in all aspects of the meal and reminds us that eating together is more than sustenance. He takes us to exotic Morocco without need of a passport.
The salon is saturated with exotic colors in the form of tapestries, carpets, pillows and cushions. Ornate lanterns hang from the ceiling and framed traditional Moroccan knives and swords flank the walls. Its tented ceiling and low tables that can easily be grouped together are designed for communal gathering. After a hospitable welcome I have left the stress of traffic and have arrived in exotic northern Africa.

The succession of courses begins with ceremonial hand washing. The tass is brought over to your table and warm water is gently poured over your hands and a soft towel is draped over your left shoulder to dry your hands and keep your fingers clean throughout the feast. First dish to be delivered is a cup of harrira lentil soup and Moroccan bread of whole wheat and honey. I drank it and dipped my bread into it. It was so delicious and savory for such a simple ingredient as a lentil, kind of umami.

As food begins to arrive family style at our table, I am enchanted by the emanation of aromas from the kitchen. Moroccan cuisine is characterized by its rich spices: cumin, chiles, paprika, coriander, saffron, ginger and cinnamon. Chef Benjelloun sees cumin and preserved lemon as signature Moroccan flavors. He explained to me just how easy preserved lemons can be created. Perhaps this could be his next how-to video demonstration.

Plates of various salads are set before us. Sweet and sour carrot salad looked benign but was bursting with fresh flavor. It accompanied a cool and crisp shredded cucumber salad with fresh oregano. Also unassuming was the cauliflower salad and the shredded pickled veggies which were heightened by the side of harissa, a paste of garlic, chiles, olive oil and salt. What really stood out for me was eggplant zaalouk. Chef Rafih calls it "poor man's caviar" for a reason. It is savory, tart and satisfying. You can learn make it at home with Chef Rhafi after viewing the first in a series of cooking demonstrations by Chef Rafih produced by Thomas James Photography and Video Productions.

Proof that food does not have to be savory OR sweet arrives in the form of a b'stella, crisp phyllo dough rolled thin and filled with cornish hen (tradition places squab inside), toasted almonds, eggs, dates and raisins minced together, cooked crisp and dusted with powdered sugar. The b'stella has that "made with love" quality that makes a father's food stand above others' to a person. For foods are not just inert objects. They are alive; alive not only with their own transmittable qualities of taste and smell but also alive with essence of their manufacturer. The b'stella was alive with the dynamism of chef Rafih. Watch him create it here.

Quickly our table was covered in dishes with tender, marinated chicken kebabs, a seafood platter and incredibly perfect couscous. Couscous with nuts, raisins and spices is central to Moroccan cuisine just as lamb is a principle meat. Both are expertly developed at Imperial Fez. The grilled lamb chops were delectably smokey and lightly seasoned. The lamb shank seemed roasted for hours into a so-tender, falling off the bone tastiness of garlic, cumin, paprika and cilantro along with a blend of mushrooms.

"And I've just had a taste of something fine..."

The evening began to come to an end with pastries similar to baklava made with honey and almonds. The tass was presented to us once again, this time along with drops of fragrant rosewater. Glasses of mint tea with fresh mint leaves were delicately poured for each guest. As we sat smiling about our shared experience I thought of how a meal goes beyond a nutrative need to survive. There is a significance to "breaking bread." It reminds us of our connection to other human beings.

Chef Rafih will take his feast on the road next month (March 15) when he is the featured chef at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas for a Moroccan dining experience. Each month on the 15th The Cosmopolitan will feature an acclaimed chef for a unique culinary experience. The Cosmopolitan is an incredible destination resort for foodies. The third floor is a mecca filled with inspired chefs surrounding a shimmering three storied chandelier. Chef Rafih will bring authenticity to this Moroccan feast for the lucky few who will be able to attend before it sells out.

"Something fine.."

Spring Fever

This cold winter full of "wintry mix" has me yearning for spring unlike any year I remember. As much as I love comfort food, I have had enough. I want to plant my garden, dig in the earth and eat those foods that only springtime brings. I want to stroll the farmer's market and come home with fresh pea shoots and asparagus. I want to forage for wild ramps and fiddleheads or simply purchase the finds of others.


My hankering became visibly evident as I worked and dreamed at my desk and noticed that my doodling had a theme. Who doodles asparagus? My shopping bags and baskets are ready for the return of the outdoor markets filled with the spoils of Georgia! Why eat local, seasonal food?

• local food is good for the environment: less of a carbon footprint


• local food supports your local economy


• local food is fresher, tastes better and is higher in nutritional value which declines over time. Local foods have ripened on the vine, not in transit.


• buying local gives you a personal connection to your food <----- my favorite!


• buying seasonal, local food follows what nature has intended, when it is fresh, abundant and least expensive.


• local food has more variety. Local farmers play with their crops more and change it up. Ever seen a watermelon radish at your grocery?


• buying local helps preserve green spaces. Your support helps keep those lovely farms and pastures from being developed.


• Buying local helps someone living their dream. I live vicariously through many local entrepreneurs who are happily pickling their way through life.

I am really looking forward to the new Grant Park Farmer's Market on Sundays in addition to these:

Decatur Farmer's Market

Dunwoody Green Market

East Atlanta Village Farmer's Market

Morningside Farmer's Market

Peachtree Road Farmer's Market

Maybe not a farmer's market per se but it is a pretty cool collective of local talent and yumminess. The Irwin Street Market's community kitchens helped many of my favorite entrepreneurs live their dream.

Oh my darlin, oh my darlin...

This box of sunshine is sitting on my counter full of nectarous possibilities. Shall I make something sweet, something savory or enjoy them after peeling away nature's wrapper? If apples are the fruit mascot of winter and watermelon the mascot of summer, then clementines are certainly my talisman of winter. Packed with about the same high amount of vitamin c as a navel orange but remarkably more flavor, clementines are a delicious snack choice. First one out of the box eaten as nature had intended. But what to do with the peel? Zest!


Wait, before I get to zesty stuff I need to share a creative clementine concoction from my favorite mixologist, Jeff Jackson, who is now GM at Rosebud. An homage to Jackson's love of plaid, the Tartan is a checky mixture that softly channels the sweetness and zing of clementines. As this tall beautiful glass is set before you, you will be enchanted by the citrusy aromas that are heightened by its ingredients. The Tartan begins with clementine infused vodka (he likes that they are sweet but retain acidity in the vodka). Jackson is adept at transforming a neutral tasting liquor like vodka into an intense infusion that lends itself to his creations. Add to clementine infused vodka a cranberry shrub. Shrub, you ask?

shrub: a shrub is a drink concentrate/liqueur/cordial

made with fresh fruit vinegars and sugars.

Many are based around berries. Shrubs recipes

date back to colonial times and are similar to grog.

Here the tartan gets tarty. Jackson's last component is prosecco, whose bubbles lighten the heaviness of the sugary shrub and he mentioned something about the mineral quality (have I mentioned his discerning palate?) while I was thinking "yum." If you were lucky enough to spend an evening or afternoon at the bar chatting, eating and drinking with Jeff, you know how good this tastes. And luckily for us he will be starting Drink with Jeff again soon. I have had some wonderful adventures with wine and cheese on the patio with this outgoing oenophile. Check it out. I guarantee you will learn something.

Chicken with Clementine shallot sauce

Here is what I did:

• salt, peppered and allspiced (just a tad) a few chicken breasts




• sauteed both sides in olive oil




• set aside and cover with foil to keep breasts warm.


• deglaze pan with 1/2 or so of white wine (dry, oakey, stale, leftover from last night)



• add chicken broth (about 1/2 cup?), finely chopped shallots, 1/2 the juice from the clementine and zest



• boil and reduce. Whisk in thyme, a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, remaining clementine juice and any needed spice.



• cut chicken into slices, place and spoon sauce.
  
  

Easy and scrumptious! Now what to do with the leftover peel?

Here is what The Lilliputian Baking Company does with clementine peel. They candy it and sell it in cute lil jars at The Irwin Street Market.

You could either eat these sweet treats as is or dip in dark chocolate. Extra pieces would make an excellent garnish for the following recipe I found on Epicurious.com.

Chocolate Tart (photo from Epicurious.com)


Ingredients:
For crust
Vegetable oil for greasing pan
5 ounces wheatmeal biscuits such as Carr's whole-wheat crackers, finely ground (1 1/3 cups)
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For filling
2 large egg yolks
1 1/3 cups heavy cream
10 1/2 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped


Special equipment: a 9- or 10-inch fluted round tart pan (1 inch deep) with a removable bottom; an instant-read thermometer


Make crust:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil tart pan.

Stir together biscuit crumbs, sugar, and butter in a bowl, then press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom of tart pan. Bake crust 10 minutes, then cool completely in pan on a rack.

Make filling:
Lightly beat yolks in a small bowl. Bring cream to a simmer in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and remove from heat. Add about one third of hot cream to yolks in a slow stream, whisking constantly, then pour yolk mixture into remaining cream, whisking.

Cook custard over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it is thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 170°F on thermometer, 1 to 2 minutes (do not let boil). Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate, whisking until smooth.

Pour filling evenly over crust and chill tart, uncovered, until firm, at least 2 hours. Remove side of pan and serve tart chilled or at cool room temperature.

Sprig

"There is not a sprig of grass that shoots uninteresting to me."
— Thomas Jefferson

Unpretentious but upscale is what comes to mind when I think of Sprig and to me that is the best of both worlds when dining. This new local restaurant comes to us via owner Daniel Morrison and executive chef Robert Elliott both alums of the James Beard winning restaurant Watershed. Juxtaposition is a delightful theme that carries on throughout your experience at Sprig. The decor is chic yet rustic; very leather and lace but in this case Stevie would be singing barnwood and polished steel. The atmosphere is cool and hip but at the same time friendly and warm. It is sophisticated but takes the time to thank farmers on a chalkboard above the bar: Moore Farms & Friends, The Turnip Truck, Crystal Organics, Springer Mountain, Dillwood farms, Eden Farms, White Oak Pastures, and Sweetgrass Dairy to name a few.

I have tried the restaurant many times. I have been there during the week, on a crowded weekend night, for lunch, with one friend, with 10 friends and with a foursome. I have had tables in the front, back and even the bar. I haven't had a dish I didn't like and I had excellent, welcoming service each time. On each visit my table was visited either by Mr. Morrison or Chef Elliott, a treat.

The chef-driven menu is built upon scratch regional cuisine that is staunchly local, seasonal and simple. appetizer favorites of mine include the steamed mussels with Sweetwater Sch'wheat beer, tomato, basil, orange & shallot sopping sauce, the fried pickles with beer cheese sauce, the local cheese plate and the crusty cornbread shmeared avocado butter. Standout entrees are the Venison with rosemary-lemon risotto and the pan seared chicken breast with ham bread pudding. Chicken, you ask? This chicken is perfection. It had me wondering if Thomas Keller was in the kitchen. It arrived at the table piping hot, tender, juicy, salt and peppered with crispy skin and pan juices. It was gorgeous, delicious and I knew the chicken was from Springer Mountain and the tasso from a local Berkshire hog. Spreading the local love feels good and tastes even better!

Come for the food and stick around for the drinks. Morrison's attention to the drink menu stands out. There are creative, seasonal cocktails, many craft beers and a delightful wine list that does not exist at any of the restaurants nearby.

No detail was spared in the creation of Sprig. I can't wait to see the Spring menu when local farms give us there best goods. Think fiddleheads will make it to the menu?

Jelloware

These Jelloware cups are amazing on so many levels. They are edible, compostable, vegan, colorful, tasty and neat-o. Throwing them in the grass after a party would only nurture growing plants because they are made from agar agar (a gelatin derived from algae). For me the greatest thing about these new jello cups is that they will satisfy the urge I always get when drinking from thin stemware- to bite it. The more delicate the glass, the more I want to take my teeth to it. Weird, I know but now I have an easy solution in Jelloware. The Way We See The World, a New York-based design consultancy developed this idea with incredible flavors like lemon-basil, ginger-mint, and rosemary-beet. Act now to kick start this idea by going to The Way We See The World. Click on the kick start link to add to the dreamers' goal of $10,000.

Meyer lemons

Friends of mine just received their first shipment of Meyer lemons from lemonladies.com and they are thrilled!. Meyer lemons are a cross between a lemon and a Mandarin orange. They have an edible peel and a much sweeter, less acidic flavor. Wish I could have tasted this menu item from Hugh Acheson's New years dinner at Five and Ten:

seared scallops with meyer lemon, radish, mache, fennel and fennel pollen
Vouvray, Clos le Vigneau, Loire, France, 2008

yum and yum!

I am going to order from the Lemon Ladies and as soon as they arrive I am making these sunny cupcakes.

This recipe comes from Mattbites.com
Meyer Lemon and Ricotta Cupcakes with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting makes 12

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups sugar
2 egg whites lightly beaten
½ cup part-skim ricotta
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 Meyer lemon, zested and juiced

Frosting:
3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
4 ounces Scharffen Berger white chocolate, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish:
1 ounce Scharffen Berger white chocolate, shaved

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer beat together the sugar and egg until light and
fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. With the motor or speed on medium-low add the ricotta, melted butter and buttermilk
to the sugar mixture.
5. Begin adding the flour mixture to the sugar mixture in thirds, scraping the bowl down
after each addition until fully incorporated.
6. Gently fold in the lemon extract, zest and juice. Stir.
7. Line each cup with paper liners and fill each about 2/3 of the way with batter.
8. Place cupcakes in the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until light golden
brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cupcake.
9. For the frosting, place the sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and begin
beating on low speed until just combined. About 2 minutes.
10. Add the cream and turn the speed to medium-high and continue beating the mixture,
until smooth.
11. Reduce the speed to medium and slowly drizzle in the melted chocolate.
12. Fold in the vanilla until fully incorporated.
13. Once the cupcakes have cooled, place the frosting into a piping bag with a star tip and
pipe a small amount of frosting onto each cupcake.
14. Top each cupcake with a sprinkle of white chocolate shavings and serve