Steam Magazine

STEAM M A G A Z I N E

ISSUE03

Food in Mind

What we eat eventually become what we think‌

Table of Contents The Preparation “How” to Start?

03 Intro

intro

04 How to Blind Bake a Pie Crust Aimée Wimbush-Bourque 08 The How and Why of Dal Karsten Moran 13 How to Prepare Dumpling Jim Tobler

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17 How to Choose Fine Tea Leaves Linda Richards The Appetizer Food For the mind 21 Notes from the book ”Cooked” Michael Pollan 24 Secret Behind the Door of Kitchen anthony bourdain 31 The Dinning Tools for Crabs Kim Berin

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35 The Food in the Organic Market Jim Tomson

The Main Dish

The Last Order

The Food We Should Know

Words Behind the Food

42 Know More About Meat Jim Tobler

60 An Inspired Lunch Puts Brunch to Shame David Tanis

48 Eat More Onions Chen Chung Yu 53 The things you don’t know about pie Tim Black

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59 The Role of Tomato

by Miya Lin

62 The Knife and the Cutting Board Chen Chung Yu 64 Beef Noodle Soup Chen Chung Yu 66 Stew Linda Richards

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The Preparation 01. How to blind bake a pie crust 02. The how and why of dal

03. How to choose fine tea leaves 04. How to prepare dumplings

“Cultivation to the mind is as necessary as food to the body.”

— Marcus Tullius Cicero

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How to Blind Bake A Pie Crust

A easy way to make dessert at home

by Aimée Wimbush-Bourque

Strawberry season is nearly upon us and that means fresh strawberry pie needs to be on your weekend brunch menu, as well as mine. To do so, we need to know how to blind bake a pie crust.

Read on for the tutorial! Don’t worry, it’s a cinch.

1

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3 Ingredients disc (1/2 recipe) of Rich Pie Crust all purpose flour, for rolling tin foil or cheese cloth dried beans, any variety

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Aimée’s notes Begin with chilled pie dough. I use a Rich Pie Crust, which has a bit of egg in it and holds up very well during the prebake. You can use any pie dough recipe for this method, but I can’t guarantee your results, as I can with my pie crust.

My favourite pie plate is tempered-glass because it disperses the heat well and allows for even browning.

Also, it’s handy for checking if the bottom is already browning. One peek under the bottom and you’ll know whether or not to leave it in the oven for a few more minutes or not.

I roll the dough to about 1/4 -inch thick. I also set the pie pan on top of the dough and make sure I have at least an inch of overhang on all sides. The dough goes in the pan (the marble slab has helped it to stay cold) and I trim the edges. I tuck the edges of the dough over (some turn the dough under, which looks prettier) and press it down. I do a quick crimp; nothing too fancy.

Next, the pie crust goes into the freezer for a minimum of one hour. You can wrap it well with plastic wrap when it is frozen and store it for up to two months, if needed. Chilling the dough like this prevent shrinkage when the dough is baked. “Shrinkage” is one of the dreaded culinary conditions when the edges of the pie slump inwards and slide down the sides of the pan.

In the words of my former pastry instructor.

6 1.

2.

3.

Sprinkle a little flour on the

Transfer the dough to the pie

Freeze the pie crust for a

rolling surface and roll disc

pan. Trim and crimp the edges.

minimum of one hour.

4.

5.

6.

Line the pie shell with tin foil

Remove the tin foil and the

Bake for an additional 10

and fill it with dried beans. Pre-

beans. Prick the bottom of the

minutes or until the crust is

heat to oven to 425F and bake

partially cooked pie with a fork

lightly golden. Cool completely

pie shell for 15 minutes

and return it to the oven.

before filling.

of pie dough to about 1/4 inch thick.

Preheat to oven to 425F. Putting cold dough into a very hot oven also helps the dough to keep its shape.

I line my pie shell with tin foil and fill it with dried beans. I have a jar of “pie beans” that I reuse over and over. You can use pie weights, if you like; most baking supply stores have them. Lining the pie crust with parchment paper also works, as does a cheese cloth filled with beans.

Bake pie shell for 15 minutes, then remove the tin foil and the beans. Prick the bottom of the partially cooked pie with a fork and return it to the oven. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the crust is lightly golden. Cool completely before filling.

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The How and Why of Dal Explore Various Dal in Indian Cuisine

by Karsten Moran

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4 1. The wonderful world of

4. A trio of finished dishes.

dal, with a rainbow of varieties

Clockwise from top: a serving

to choose from. Clockwise

of yogurt; kichri with massour

from top left: whole red lentils,

dal; buttery moong dal with

whole mung beans, urad dal,

garlic and cumin and chana

moong dal, a rice and dal

dal sundal .

mixture, and masseur dal.

6 Iwent to my local Indian grocery the other day looking for dal, but I couldn’t decide

which dal to buy. There were so many kinds to choose from, all enticing — bright orange massour dal, canary yellow chana dal, ivory hued urad dal and straw-colored moong dal, among others. In the end, I bought 10 one-pound packages, each a different color.

Dal is as common in India as mashed potatoes are in Minnesota. The word means dried legume, as in lentil or pea. Or chickpea or fava bean. An edible seed that grows in a pod and is hulled and split. Dal is also the name for the thick purée, stew or soup made from these legumes. It may be a nutritious, humble meal served with rice, or it may be just one of several dishes served as part of a more complex meal.

It is found on every Indian table every day, rich or poor, rain or shine.

As a lifelong lover of all dried beans, I completely understand the attraction; the word dal, for me, is synonymous with delicious. I could easily imagine eating it daily.T he simplest version of dal is a breeze to make. Put split lentils in a pot with water, salt and a little turmeric and simmer them. It doesn’t much matter which kind of dal you use — most cook in an hour or less, some in as little as 20 minutes.

If making dal becomes a habit, you may consider using a pressure cooker, as most Indian cooks do. It cuts the cooking time in half. But I don’t mind waiting for the dal to be done because I’m usually puttering around the kitchen with other projects.

2. Preparing the tarka. Here,

5. Clockwise from upper right:

cumin seeds, cardamom and

split red lentils, common green

cinnamon cook in ghee.

whole lentils, and Le Puy lentils

3. An assortment of colorful,

6.

aromatic spices

and whole mung beans.

Red lentils, masseur dal,

You want to cook the dal until it is completely soft and thick and collapses into a rough purée. For a velvety, creamy texture, whirl it in the blender. If you prefer a bit more texture, beat it with a whisk for a minute to a porridge-like consistency.

At this point, the dal is edible but bland. It’s time to amp up the taste with a technique all Indian cooks know: sizzle a handful of spices in hot ghee to make a tarka.

(Compare this to the western technique of adding garlic and parsley to a skillet full of sautéed green beans or potatoes for a final blast of seasoning. Not exactly the same, but you get the idea.) The spice blend varies depending on that The word dal, for me, dish, but it can include mustard seeds, is synonymous with delicious. fennel seeds, whole coriander or dozens of other aromatics. The only spice featured in this dal is cumin seed, known as jeera, along with chopped garlic, chiles and finely diced onion. These are heated in a small amount of ghee or oil until lightly browned and fragrant.

The ghee and spices are stirred into the dal, transforming it into something sublime.

The tarka has done its work; now we have a buttery, cumin-scented dal shot through with flavor. The process is not much more complicated than making a pot of split pea soup, but the result is far more tantalizing.

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T F W S 09

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THE FOOD WE SHOULD THE MA I N D ISH Know More About Meat

by Jim Tobler

Eat More Onions

by Linda Richards

The Role of Tomato

by Miya Lin

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Know More About Meat A story of Cioffi’s Meat Market and Deli

by Jim Tobler

Some come by it by chance, but the overwhelming majority of customers who crowd (and we do mean crowd) the aisles of Cioffi’s Meat Market & Deli any day of the week come there forearmed with a shopping list, and with room to be inspired by the plethora of culinary delights on display.

To shop at is to be inspired, really. Inspired to cook, to explore, and most of all, to eat. And even though a second door has opened, just a few steps away, be prepared to nudge your way through, methodically, slowly. Rino Cioffi presides over it all, his working day a blizzard of calls, texts, and e-mails from customers ranging from a nonna down the street to the University of British Columbia, with plenty of restaurants and large groups thrown in.

It is all about taking and filling orders, some with more advance notice than others, with emergency requirements coming daily. Sergio, Rino’s brother, is a fixture also, making the entire operation, including his wife, Kristy, a steadfastly family affair. There is now a warehouse, complete with a fleet of 10 delivery vans, huge walk-in freezer, and meat locker, along with vast volumes of such things as San Marzano canned tomatoes; arborio rice; Italian bottled waters; pastas of all sizes, shapes, and colours; and the most amazing array of meats to be found anywhere.

C IOF F I’S B U TC H ER ( P.43)

Their talented butcher are resposible forproviding the freshest meat to the customers.

R IB EYE

The most famous part of the beef in Cioffi.

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There are several white-coated butchers working here, each with a world of knowledge and each with a loyal following. And there is, with a nod to Bruce Springsteen, a chicken man, too. But Cioffi’s is also accommodating to special orders. As Rino says, “Almost everyone has their own recipe for stuffing a veal roast, for example. Some want pine nut, raisins.

Others think it is sacrilege to put anything but herbs and cheese in there.”

It is all part of what makes this place so vibrant, bustling. Everyone can feel like somewhat of an expert and yet be guided by the sure hands of the staff—Rino himself one moment in the coffee aisle (“I like to change

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S T E A M . Food in Mind

Eat More Onions

Between the tears they cause and their smell, onions just might be good for you.

By Linda Richards

Onions are not just flavoring to your favorite dishes.

They are low in calories, and have virtually no fat and are loaded with healthful components that fight inflammation in arthritis.

Onions are also one of the richest sources of flavonoids antioxidants that mop up free radicals in your body’s cells before they have a chance to cause harm.

One flavonoid found in onions, called quercetin, has been shown to inhibit inflammation-causing leukotrienes, prostaglandins and histamines in osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), reduce heart disease risk by lowering low-density lipoprotein ( LDL) or “bad” cholesterol and help prevent the progression of cancer.

Help for inflamed joints, heart disease and cancer aren’t the only benefits neatly wrapped in an onion’s layers. One of its powerful compounds may also give a boost to bones. Known as GPCS for short, gamma- L -glutamyl-trans- S -1-propenyl- L -cysteine sulfoxide was shown to inhibit the breakdown of bone in a study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. Researchers at the University of Berne, Switzerland, speculate that GPCS might work the same way as alendronate (Fosamax), which is used to treat osteoporosis and reverse corticosteroid-induced bone loss.

SA LA D S Sliced or diced, add a healthful and colorful splash to any salad.

STRONG SMELL = STRONG POWERS

All onions are healthful, but not equally so, according to a study from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. Disease-fighting chemicals are highest in shallots and yellow and red onions, and lowest in white and sweet onion varieties.

Shallots, and yellow and red onions also have a stronger flavor than white varieties, suggesting the more pungent the onion the more powerful the health-promoting properties, says Rui Hai Liu, MD, PhD, associate professor of food science at Cornell.

ON ION FA RMER(P48) Encourage us to smell the onion to know how fresh it is .

5 WAY S T O A D D O N I O N S T O YO U R M E A L S

Raw or cooked, onions make a healthful addition to any dish. Here are a few suggestions: Salads. Raw, red onions, sliced or diced, add a healthful and colorful splash to any salad. Stir-frys. Add strips of yellow onions to a vegetable medley. They cook quickly in four to five minutes in a stovetop skillet on high heat and increase your vegetable-rich dish’s antioxidant boost.

STIR-FRY S Add strips of yellow onions to a vegetable medley.

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4 The Last Order

01. An Inspired Lunch Puts Brunch to Shame 02. The Knife and the Cutting Board 03. Beef Noodle Soup 04. Stew

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AN I NSPI RED LU N C H PUTS B RUNC H TO S HAM E

Some thoughts to make you re-consider your lunch.

By David Tanis

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“I don’t do brunch, or not if I can help it. Does that make me a traitor, or simply a curmudgeon ?”

— David It’s not breakfast, it’s not lunch — it’s a misbegotten relic. What’s to like? Another run-of-the-mill Bloody Mary or all-you-can-drink mimosa? More leaden eggs Benedict? Factory French toast? A guilt-free egg white frittata? Really?

The sad part is that most restaurants think they must supply these same dreary goods because they believe customers expect them. Perhaps they do, and perhaps it’s not the end of the world, either. Some restaurants with adventurous chefs are able to steer around the typical menu, but even they may be constrained by a need to supply something at least remotely brunch-like, or they risk losing business.

I understand the appeal even if I don’t feel the attraction. Brunch fulfills social obligations in a reasonable time frame. Meet for brunch (not too early), wait outside chatting for an hour, then settle in to a comfy old blanket of a meal, ask for the check and bid your companions goodbye. Still, wouldn’t you rather have lunch?

Lunch is much more sophisticated. Which is not to say more formal — particularly if you prepare it at home, instead of going out. The meal is just served at a more civilized hour, and organized in a different way, with distinctly separate courses.

For lunch, three courses are plenty, and none of them need be complex.

Years ago, when I was invited on a Saturday to the rather humble home of some expat academics for just such a meal, it became clear to me how brilliant it could be. The experience was leisurely; we were at the table for hours. We drank a crisp Italian white with homemade fettuccine. There was animated conversation. Coffee was served at the end of the meal. And we parted company long before the sun had set.

A weekend lunch should somehow celebrate the season. In summer that might mean fish on the grill, fresh herbs and vegetable salads; a cold-weather lunch will surely feature a long-simmered hearty braise. For this almost-but-not-yet spring weather, I wanted a menu with bold flavors that could raise the spirits of those who were weary of winter. (Read: all in attendance.)

Tanis

fun, a splash of sparkling Italian prosecco. If this reminds you in some small way of a standard brunch drink, so be it. Inspiration must come from somewhere. It makes a bracing beginning. We drank prosecco throughout the meal, actually. (In another context, the same dish might be a refreshing dessert.)

For the main course, there were several goals. I wanted to spoil people a bit, so I chose crab meat, the cost of which makes it a luxury. Next, I wanted it to be utterly simple to execute, so I paired the crab meat with linguine and crème fraîche. This

The sad part is that most restaurants think they must supply these same dreary goods because they believe customers expect them. rich combination needed some tempering and a bit of kick, hence mustard and a little hot green chile along with fresh herbs and scallions. It’s not a traditional pasta, but no complaints. And dead easy.

Dessert took the form of frozen espresso zabaglione, the best gelato imaginable from an ordinary home freezer, no ice cream maker required. To make it, you whip egg yolks, sugar, espresso and Cognac over a double boiler for a few minutes, until the mixture becomes a thick and frothy custard. Frozen and served in demitasse cups, zabaglione always satisfies, even in small portions. I find that friends take well to this kind of dining, at least occasionally. Skip brunch and try lunch someday soon.

You might like it.

The first course is colorful salad of all kinds of seasonal citrus, sliced into big bright polka dots: pink and white grapefruit; blood oranges, navel oranges and Cara Cara oranges, and sweet Meyer lemon. They just get a slight sprinkling of sugar, and, for

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Stew

by Chen Chung Yu

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Stew for me is a real love/hate relationship. It is a wonderful dish that I can just spend one time to cook and then enjoy it for several days.

However the time and patience it takes drive me crazy every time.

To me, it is a two-way street dish; a lot of culinary work, but in the end a very rewarding experience. And I think stew is not just food, but more of a philosophy, especially in the process of preparing it.

The most attractive things begin as a story when you start to prepare it. Every ingredient needs to be cut into the proper size in order to let them work the best in next step. The cutting process is the step that takes the cluttered raw food and makes it into organized soothing piles. Meat is fried together with vegetables and as the they are stirred around the flavors start to blend together, very similar to one getting new ideas from others through a conversation. Seasoning is the interesting part in stewing because there may not be a fixed recipe; you have to find the better balance through trying, just like couples need to do some romantic tricks to keep their long-term relationship. A little bit of spice may increase the emotional feeling and the tasting experience, a slight amount of vinegar can trigger the sense of hunger and desire, and the leverage of salt and sugar is a task for balancing the backup sound of the orchestra in the cooking pot.

The food is then put into the pot and slowly stewed. The toughness of food starts to loosen and its stiffness also relaxes when it is cooked with a gentle heat for a long time. At this very moment, impatience is what ruins the whole process. The food would be burned and release an irritating smell if you pushed the heat too much or tried to cook it in a rush. An impatient bite would give you nothing but a great disappointment. All you need to do is be patient and look forward to the finish meal. It always takes a while for a delicious stew, and how long it should take fully depends on the ingredients and the taste you like. To know the features and the preference between food and yourself turns into a way of self-understanding way through making the stew.

The most interesting thing about a stew is that no matter how well the flavors mix together between the various ingredients, you can still tell the difference between them. Their own characteristics will never disappear after a long-time cook. It presents a sense of harmony that every ingredient tastes better after having some different flavors from others and becomes a completed delicacy of food. As such, the relationship between people sometimes works the same.

A little bit of spice may increase the emotional feeling and the tasting experience, a slight amount of vinegar can trigger the sense of hunger and desire.

At the end, you will finish the dish but the wonderful memories will be left, just as in a relationship. In the process, many unexpected things will happen, but somehow the pleasing thoughts will last longer than the disapointment and you will not dispute them that much at all. At the end of the meal, you always know you have already refreshed yourself, and start to look forward to the next meal.

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The Knife and the Cutting Board

by Chen Chung Yu

I

like cutting uncooked food, meats, vegetables, and any ingredients you could name. Regardless of the cutting method, and the shapes to cut the food into, if you give me a little time, I will merge myself in the joy of the cutting process and turn the ingredients into appetizing dishes in the end.

The combination of the movements and the sound works like they are shooting a dancing shot.

When there are scenes of cutting food in a movie, the director alway uses a close-up shot for picturing the movement of the hand in great detail, and the chopping sound from the cutting board also becomes clear and full of rhythm itself. The combination of the movements and the sound works like they are shooting a dancing shot.

That is the scene which I can’t help but find beautiful and there is nothing that can be compared with it.

What I enjoy the most is the time when I am cutting on my own; all I need to do is repeat the routine actions for a while. There are no complicated things that exist on the cutting board, the knife seems to cut off the tangle not only between the ingredients but also in people’s thoughts. With the knife and the cutting board, no matter how messy the ingredients are, you can always find a way to cut it in order.

How nice it could be if we could always deal with messiness in such an easy way.

There is an old saying in Chinese about this the kinfe and the cutting board.

It describes that most of the time people are the fish on the chopping board, and reality is the knife which is ready to cut them off. It means that most of the time, we don’t have the power to control our fortune, but sometimes I think when I stay in the kitchen cutting the ingredients, I can neglect all the crazy stuff in the world for a while and get a little bit of peace.

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At the end of the meal, you always know you have already refreshed yourself, and start to look forward to the next meal.

S T EA M M A G A Z I N E

ISSUE03

Food in Mind