brazilian indulgence • Locanomics • Deep South Tailgating
MATTERS
PHOTOS BY: ASDFAS
Spring 2011
the food issue
THE FOOD ISSUE
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the food issue
Feedback 7 Edible American comfort 8 Death by cake 9 Smith Magazine 6-word memoirs 10 Food porn: red velvet
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14 Ask the Experts
PHOTOS BY: ASDFAS
12 Q&A with Seth Resler 13 Q&A with Elizabeth Jarrard 14 Who nose?
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Spotlight On 16 The Panera effect 18 Locanomics 22 Let them eat bread 24 The truth about Groupon
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Extras 37 The finish 38 Breakfast poem 39 Quoted
Worldly
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Photography of front and back cover, table of contents, masthead: Ellen Silverman
25 Southern tailgating 101 29 Gelato 30 My Brazilian spring break 33 Family recipe 34 Tapas
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Editor-in-Chief Katherine Brooks Creative Directors Brian Cantrell, Erin Lynch Staff Writers Rachel Leah Blumenthal, Sarah Burns, Chandler Burr, Elizabeth Fineberg-Lombardi, Alissa Greenberg, Elizabeth Jarrard, Jordan McConnel, Amanda Milad, Seth Resler, Lindsay Tucker, Andy Webb, Elysia Wong, Michelle Zippelli Contributing Photographers Pedro Bastos, Rachel Leah Blumenthal, Daniela Edburg, Lyndsey Fagerlund, Amanda Formaro, Justin Ide, Kirbie L, Amanda Milad, Michael Piazza, Ellen Silverman, Taylor Takes a Taste, Lynne Webb, Christina Whitlock
PHOTOS BY: ASDFAS
ege oll s and C s t on f Ar ial imm ge o nanc S g the lle s fi lty to he Co erou facu lowin the s k rt n t l , e n e a n on for tha fo a g tme or ial Dean iding epar oki f m day ers ative c e h sp the prov ics d ato A fro rap cre ord f g ra t e s Ext fice o s for onomd Ma rojec hoto nd th and W Of ience n, Ec h an his p and p rk, a tos zine. Sc natio Basc ing t ters t wo e pho aga do nald port wri ellen som ged m Do d sup uting r exc ning -fled an ntrib thei r tur full co aring rs fo nto a sh ecto nts i dir cume do
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CONTRIBUTOR’S BIOS Writers: Rachel Leah Blumenthal is a science and food writer, musician, and photographer based in Somerville, Massachusetts. By day, she works as a content editor at a video marketing start-up. Sarah Burns is passionate about beans. Baked, stuffed in a burrito, pureed, or straight from the can, she’ll eat ‘em. And what better place for a bean binge than Brazil? Sure, Corcovado was divine, Ipanema’s white sand beaches were beautiful, and the men were buff—but nothing came close to the beans in all their juicy glory. Chandler Burr is the scent critic for The New York Times and the host of international scent dinners. He insists his sense of smell is no more acute than yours, but we think he must be kidding. Elizabeth Fineberg-Lombardi is as passionate about food as she is about travel. Throughout her travels, she has learned that food brings people together all across the world. Alissa Greenberg is a freelance writer and ESL teacher with an almost unhealthy love for diners and American-style breakfast. She is a regular contributor to New England’s bilingual Chinese-English newspaper The Sampan and in 2009 she completed a yearlong trip around the world.
PHOTOS BY: Jessica Leibowitz (jarrard)
Elizabeth Jarrard is a nutrition student, to-be-dietitian, and lover of all things involving food, fitness and fun! She believes strongly in the power of laughter, adventure, and kale. She hopes to remove all guilt from the kitchen table, one delicious bite at a time! Jordan McConnel has always been passionate about food and is now pursuing her love of cooking in New York City as both a student at the French Culinary Institute and an intern at Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food Magazine.
Amanda Milad’s first food memory is from age three when she sat at her plastic children’s table rolling stuffed grape leaves. She has (figuratively) not left the kitchen since. She graduated from Simmons College in 2011 with a BA in Public Health and Economics. Seth Resler has fifteen years of experience working for alternative rock radio stations and is now a social media marketing expert specializing in arts and entertainment. He graduated from Brown University with degrees in political science and philosophy. Lindsay Tucker is a Bostonbased media and music junkie who loves hiking, snowboarding, and all things New England. As a freelance writer and photographer, she has contributed to Boston magazine, New England Travel, ONE New England, and was the editor of wers.org. She holds a Master’s in Publishing and Writing and a BA in Journalism. Andy Webb was born in Richmond, Virginia and graduated from Virginia Tech with a history degree. He then received a Master’s in Sports Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University. Andy now resides in Columbia, South Carolina and works with the University of South Carolina Athletic Department. Dan Whalen has been creating original recipes at thefoodinmybeard.com for over three years. He started the blog while working in Bermuda creating business databases for one of the world’s largest banks. He has since put his computer science life behind him to go on food adventures. Elysia Wong recently graduated from the University of South Carolina with degrees in marketing and management. She currently enjoys working in an allnatural health foods store and with the USC Athletics Department in Columbia, South Carolina. Michelle Zippelli recently graduated from Northeastern University. She is an online marketing professional by day and an aspiring food writer by night. Michelle cowrites JustAddCheese.com, which chronicles her favorite restaurants and gastronomic adventures.
Photographers: Justin Ide is an award-winning photographer and currently shoots for the Barbara Lynch Gruppo and Harvard University. His work has appeared in Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, and many other publications. Taylor Mathis is a food photographer based in Charlotte, North Carolina who covered 16,000 miles in thirteen weeks to shoot the best tailgates in the country. On Fridays in 2011, he is honoring a different national food day and has already celebrated blueberry pancakes, empanadas, and glazed spiral ham. Michael Piazza’s artfully crafted photographs regularly appear in Boston magazine, Edible Boston, and Yankee magazine. He photographs cookbooks and has employed his fine visual art skills for restaurants in both Boston and New York. Ellen Silverman’s stunning, easy on the eyes photographs come out of her NYC studio. She has taken photos for Real Simple, Anthropologie, Target, Whole Foods, Cooking Light, and many other publications and businesses. Christina Whitlock is The Velveteen Baker. Her blog’s tagline is fitting: “A girl with a little bit of passion and a lot of red food dye.” If you’re not already an addict, Christina’s drool-worthy red velvet photos will turn you on to the sweet flavor with one glance. Designers: Brian Cantrell is a born and raised bostonian, growing up outside the city. He’s a graphic design major at northeastern University and currently an intern at boston magazine. His interest in art brought him to italy and its delicious food for a photography study abroad trip. He is also an avid music fan and concert goer. Erin Lynch is currently a senior at Northeastern University where she is working towards her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Graphic Design. She has assisted in designing for Boston Magazine, and its branded publications. Traveling is high on her priority list, and she is always ready to embark on a new adventure and try new foods. THE FOOD ISSUE
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Toddling into neighbors’ homes at a young age in search of their refrigerators, then experimenting with recipe invention in elementary school (apologies to those brave enough to taste my curiously gray-colored “mystery muffins”) set the stage for my lifelong fascination with what we eat. A pack of boys in the opening number of the musical Oliver! state it well: “Food, glorious food! Why should we be fated to Do nothing but brood On food, magical food, wonderful food, marvelous food, fabulous food, beautiful food, glorious food!” These lyrics are apt to introduce the debut issue of Matters, a diverse series of visual and textual articles centered on a specific subject. With my past and present enthusiasm for edibles, devoting the opening number to food was a perfect fit. Today, the topic spans globally to political, economic, and health-related spheres and locally to our own kitchens and farmer’s markets. The influence in media is hard to ignore with food-themed television networks, blogs, podcasts, radio shows, and even magazines being some of the fastest growing in their respective industries. The Food Issue takes us through the many facets of our eating culture. Amanda Milad’s brainy commentary on wheat prices in post-revolution Egypt reminds us of the critical rebuilding efforts yet to come (page 22). The New York Times’ fragrance critic Chandler Burr answers my questions about his intriguing Scent Dinners (page 14). Andy Webb gives a lesson in the art of Southern tailgating, complete with recipes to delight even the truest Yank (page 25). Generous contributions from remarkably talented photographers, writers, and designers took this school project from a one-woman show to a full-blown compilation of creative works. I could not be more excited to display their efforts in these pages. Ladies and gentlemen, I present the debut issue of matters magazine.
Like what you see? Let us know! Kbrooks5657@gmail.com 6
MATTERS | SPRING 2011
PHOTO BY: Lindsay Tucker
Peace and a hearty appetite. Katherine Brooks
FEEDBACK
PHOTO BY: flickr
Edible American Comfort The buzzer rang early on a Monday, reverberating through the cold stone apartment and shaking me from my small wooden bed. I threw on my wool socks, grabbed my set of keys, and charged down four flights of stairs to the front door, my echo racing me the whole way down. I buzzed myself through the steel gate and struggled to open the large wooden door. A tall, dark-haired Italian man handed me a small brown package, then disappeared out of sight without a word. I had spent the last two months stuffing my face with Italian delicacies: gnocchi, tiny pillows of potato coated in the finest hand-pressed olive oil; hand-rolled pizza, fresh from the wood-fired oven with
sliced mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes; and panini, grilled sandwiches stuffed with fresh prosciutto and mozzarella. I had sampled gelato of all sorts, from cold and icy to rich and creamy, and every Italian pastry imaginable. Yet a few months later, I was craving something different, something doughy and light, something surprisingly absent in Florence, the extraordinary food mecca where I resided. I was craving pancakes. My roommate and I ripped through the package to reveal a bright yellow plastic bottle, a simple, yet meaningful present from my dad: Bisquick. We tiptoed into the cold kitchen, as to not disturb our sleeping housemother, and began pulling bowls from dusty cupboards. We grabbed two brown
A Memoir by Jordan McConnel
eggs from the small icebox and the carton of warm milk—heavy refrigeration seemed far less important in Europe—and began mixing. The smell of flour swirled around the kitchen as the batter started to bubble and hiss in the bowl. When the skillet was hot, we threw in a cube of cold butter, causing the pan to sizzle and reminding us of home. We spooned in the batter and cooked the hotcakes until the centers bubbled and the edges began to curl. We stacked them high until finally, we ran out of batter. Our hot American breakfast went best with a glass of milk and smears of Nutella, the perfect blending of two cultures.
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DEATH BY CAKE
by Daniela Edburg
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feedback
Smith Magazine 6-Word Memoir Project Musings on Food in Exactly Six Words
“I left a trail of breadcrumbs...”
-Contemplative
“When in doubt, add some wine.” -JSW
“I will never share my dessert.”
-missmolecule
“Honey, sugar, shortcake, pumpkin. Babe.” Bologna.
“Just put some cheese on it.”
-withtwors
“You are what you eat. Onions?”
-lgp120
-BelowTheCitySleeping
I love discussing dinner over breakast. -TaylorBrooke
Good friends are like essential condiments.
-denise616
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FEEDBACK
FOOD PORN: RED VELVET By Katherine Brooks
PHOTOS BY: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT) The Velveteen Baker(2); Su-Lin; The Velveteen Baker; www.tasteandtellblog.com
No longer restricted to the South or to cakes, red velvet has climbed its way north in the baking world and left its sweet-toothed fans with stained tongues and rounder bums along the way. Shout outs in James Beard’s 1972 culinary bible American Cookery and in the tear-jerking 1989 chick flick Steel Magnolias refer to the flavoring as a cake. However, the cocoa-accented, deep maroon color now makes appearances just about anywhere carbs are socially acceptable. Waffles, fried chicken, cookies, fudge, ice cream, pancakes, whoopee pies, milk, yogurt, and martinis have recently seen shades of red. With a devoted following and in-your-face hue, the flavor deserves to take center stage. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s red velvet XXX-POSED.
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PHOTOS BY: PHOTOS BY: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT) www.tasteandtellblog.com; redvelvetcake; tasteandtellblog.com; The Velveteen Baker (2); tasteandtellblog.com
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Q&A with Seth Resler
founder of Mystery Meet BY KATHERINE BROOKS
Seth Resler is in the know. He founded Mystery Meet, a super secretive gathering of food lovers in Boston who come together monthly to try a new dining experience. Eaters buy tickets without knowing what the evening’s meal will feature. Just twenty-four hours in advance, guests receive word on the specific experience for the night. Past Mystery Meetups have been excuses to try new restaurants, says Resler, but each one offers a creative touch. In October of 2010, Hampshire House in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood hosted Dining in the Dark based on a concept from Swiss restaurant Blindekuh. Diners ate wearing blindfolds to ignite the olfactory and gustatory senses by removing the visual component of eating. The event was a hit, so the next Mystery Meet experience needed to be even greater. Flavor tripping seemed like the perfect concept.
MM: How did you find the chef who created the menu? SR: Without revealing my idea, I posted a message on Facebook seeking an adventurous chef who might be interested in helping me with the event. Someone recommended Elianna Hussain, a chef instructor at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts and the
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owner of catering and culinary education company Saffron and Cinnamon. She was on board immediately. MM: When was the first time you tripped? SR: The first time Elianna and I flavor tripped was in my dining room several months before the event. She and her sous chef, Jeanette, joined me for an evening of research for the Mystery Meet gathering. We obtained the Miracle Berry in pill form and were surprised to find that the nearly tasteless tablet that dissolved on our tongues would have such a remarkable effect. The assortment of fruits we tasted took on extraordinary flavors. Out-of-season strawberries became summer’s ripest crop. Pomegranate seeds transformed into cloyingly sweet bursts of succulent crunch. Vinegar went down like fruit juice. Miraculin truly is a miraculous substance. MM: What happened after you came down? SR: Elianna spent the next several months playing with tastes on her own. She perfected the Mystery Meet menu based on findings from our initial test. The end result was a perfectly-crafted eight course menu for nearly thirty guests.
MM: Tell me about the Mystery Meet gathering. When the evening of Mystery Meet #8 arrived, we hosted nearly 30 guests at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts. We ate a full berry to kick off the evening of oral hallucination before digging into Elianna’s expertly crafted menu. The courses became progressively less sour as the effects of the berry waned. The menu was notable for the strange pairings (seafood and fruit!) and particularly sour recipes. MM: So the guests enjoyed the psychedelic experience? SR: Our guests were astonished to find such an extreme change to their sense of taste after eating just one berry. Fruit slices wowed, unusual food combinations amazed, and the first audible gasp in reaction to tasting the citrus salad amused. Odd flavor combinations and dishes so sour that they would repel the taste buds under sober conditions struck a chord with diners’ tongues. PHOTOS BY: ASDFAS
Matters Magazine (MM): What an interesting idea! How did you decide to get your guests’ tongues high for Mystery Meet #8? Seth Resler (SR): “Flavor tripping” sounds like the after-effect of licking a psychedelic lollipop. I first learned of the culinary high when a friend sent me a link to a 2008 New York Times article about parties based around the Miracle Berry. The West African berry contains a substance called miraculin, which binds to the taste buds, causing anything sour to taste sweet. Lemons taste like lemonade, sour cream like yogurt, and vinegar like apple cider. Food enthusiasts around the country host flavor tripping parties, which kick off with a bite of the berry, then include tasting gluttonous amounts of typically sour foods. Traditional “tripping” activities are optional.
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Q&A with Elizabeth Jarrard positive body image activist BY KATHERINE BROOKS
Elizabeth Jarrard is a superhero. Everyday she helps and heals the world with kind words on her two acclaimed blogs “Don’t (White) Sugar Coat It” and “Guiltless.” Follow her on Twitter @ElizabethEats for doses of kick in the pants advice like “The number on the scale does not represent you. Go find something that does.” and “B.A.R.B.I.E. Banish All Ridiculous Body Image Expectations.” I sat down with the healthy living blogger and positive body image pusher to better understand her take on the female relationship with food.
Matters Magazine (MM): “Guiltless” is a positive body image blog. How do you relate the topics you discuss on your blog to food, a source of internal conflict for many women? Elizabeth Jarrard (EJ): Food can be both a source of pleasure and taboo in our society. The media reports superficially on the subject. We want to know the hottest restaurant in town and whose body is rocking the latest awards show, yet too often we avoid probing deeper into the meaning of each.
MM: Why did you start your blog “Guiltless?” EJ: I’m a proponent of being guiltless in both eating and relationships, particularly the most important relationship—that with one’s self. Personally, I’ve come to realize that if I am in tune with my own desires, I am far more attractive and happy than
when I’m trying to conform to external pressures. When I feel confident about my food choices, I feel confident about myself. Projecting confidence to the world is far healthier than bemoaning the state of my body with self-deprecation, and worrying about what others will think if I order fries with dinner. MM: What is the best advice you have to offer about body image? EJ: Be confident and get to know your body, even if it takes time. Eat healthy without denying your cravings. Take care of #1- you! Allow yourself to feel self love and take joy and delight in food. MM: So it’s ok to order a third round of poutine? EJ: Be guiltless. Own your own decisions. Love yourself and others will too!
PHOTOS BY: ASDFAS
MM: How do you see the women’s relationship between food and her body? EJ: For women, the tie between food and their bodies runs particularly deep. The ultimate question, though, is how food, and the amount a woman eats, can change her appearance.
MM: Too many of my friends- and I have dealt with it, too- face the issue of being insecure about our bodies. How does this relate to food? EJ: Many girls learn from a young age that their bodies are not deserving of love and pleasure. How often do women deny ourselves the foods we crave as we try diet after diet to fit a thin ideal? We too easily cultivate dark and twisted realities where food is an enemy standing between happiness and ourselves. In reality, food exists to nurture and support.
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ASK THE EXPERTS
Who Nose? Q&A with Chandler Burr, The New York Times perfume critic By Katherine Brooks Scent is the new sexy, proves The New York Times perfume critic Chandler Burr. Between authoring a novel and two books on the perfume industry, curating the Center of Olfactory Art at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City, and writing for numerous glossy publications, Burr hosts interactive Scent Dinners around the world. His website states that the sensory experiences combine “fine dining with a stimulating interactive master class in scent and perfume.” I caught up with the acute nose for some questions about smelling one’s food.
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impressions to the same scent quickly open relaxed conversations that draw the group together. Guests learn about one another as they learn about the fragrance. Brooks: What sparked your interest in hosting Scent Dinners? Burr: My growing fascination, as I started writing The New York Times Scent Notes column, with perfumes created not with flowers or incense or wood absolutes or grasses and roots like vetiver and iris but with food raw materials. I love Ananas Fizz, this fresh green pineapple; the hazelnut chocolate Missoni; the amazing Menthe Fraîche, fresh mint; Sel Marin, marine salt; the apple-banana-vanillic tobacco of Ambre Narguilé. It seemed so obvious. Four years ago I proposed a parallel olfactory/culinary
PHOTOS BY: Justin Ide
Katherine Brooks: How do you lead your Scent Dinners? Chandler Burr: With each course I have guests enjoy professional-grade gourmand perfumery raw materials such as essences and absolutes of French mint, Brazilian cacao, Peruvian pink peppercorn, Indian saffron, and the great culinary perfumes that began with Guerlain’s 1925 Shalimar (whose heart is vanilla), Angel (its key molecule is ethyl maltol, the molecule you taste when you eat cotton candy), Tom Ford’s Black Orchid (powered with a chewy, dirty absolute of rum), and the great new chocolate floral Missoni. I pass around these scent raw materials and perfumes on blotters, interacting throughout the evening with guests, taking them behind the scenes of the perfume industry and it’s history. Personal
dinner to Jimmy Sakatos, the Executive Chef at The Carlyle on Madison Avenue in New York City, and we did it. That was the first one. Brooks: Before you began planning formal Scent Dinners, did you ever play around with scents at the dinner table? Burr: No, never. I smelled the gourmand scents, and I spent time in the perfumery labs with perfumer friends and scent industry friends smelling absolutes of cocoa and Japanese shiso leaves. I just started learning how they smelled. Brooks: Can anyone smell what you can or do you have a particularly acute nose? Burr: I have no more a particularly acute nose than any art or architecture critic has particularly acute eyesight. Completely normal. Brooks: For having such a refined sense of smell, do you also have a very sensitive palette? Are you a supertaster?
Burr: Again, absolutely not. It’s very weird that people ask me this all the time; my response is the above. But I realize why they do. Unlike painting or music or movies, scent is an artistic medium that is virtually unknown as such. We never think of perfumes as art. But we know certain movies are total commercial product–nothing wrong with that–and some are art. I’d argue Toy Story and Collateral are both. I’d argue J’adore and Gucci Envy are both commercial successes that happen to be excellent works of art. Two of the most underrated works of olfactory art: Kelly Calèche and Rose Barbare.
Brooks: What excites you about the future of your Scent Dinners? Burr: I just did a scent dinner at Le Bernardin in my capacity as GQ’s scent editor. GQ invited Chanel, so the chef, Lea Linster, who flew in from Luxembourg and borrowed chef/owner Eric Ripert’s upstairs kitchen, and I decided to do all the courses using Chanel perfumes. To my astonishment, we arrived at a Lobster Chanel No 5 that was astonishing. I showed Lea the (extremely expensive) Rose de Mai, a beautiful synthetic molecule called heliotropin–dryness, almond-like chewy straw scent–and molecules called aldehyde 8, 9, and 10 that are cilantro/lemon zest/orange zest. We worked on it all afternoon. Lea finally assembled a
single spoonful of almond, tonka, cilantro, the zests, and rosewater, and I put it in my mouth, and for a single second I had an edible, delicious version of a culinary Chanel No 5 in my mouth. Insane.
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SPOTLIGHT ON
The Panera Effect By Michelle Zippelli
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PHOTOS BY: ERIN LYNCH
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he corner of Gainsborough Street and Huntington Avenue near Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts is home to two locally owned eateries that have peacefully coexisted for five years. On Gainsborough, Espresso Royale Caffé (ERC) serves freshly baked bagel sandwiches and thoughtfully prepared macchiatos. On the Huntington side, Temptations Café offers fresh and convenient lunch options to those in search of a salad or pressed sandwich between classes. Both market toward the large populations of students, business employees, and pedestrians in the area, but varying specialties and menu offerings give each eatery a unique competitive edge. Temptations had been on the upswing since opening in March of 2006. The Lutfi family purchased the original Brookline location in 2001 and expanded to Northeastern University’s Huntington Avenue campus in 2006. The family opened a third location closer to the original in 2010. Each of the five family members contributes to the business. One of three brothers manages each store location and both parents help with kitchen prep work and deliveries. Word of mouth marketing and foot traffic-friendly locations are the business’ main growth tools. Loyal customers report stellar service, fresh ingredients, and a gourmet sandwich menu. Business has grown consistently since opening five years ago. The line out the door for a bagel sandwich on weekend mornings is telling of ERC’s prowess in appealing to the local demographic. Twitter polls from restaurant guide Hidden Boston rated the bagels—from Bagel Rising in Allston—the best in Boston earlier this year. ERC also relies on its convenient location and word of mouth to fuel business growth. A run-down Burger King was the notorious oddball on the Huntington and Gainsborough corner. The burger giant closed its doors in the summer of 2010, offering up five thousand square feet of prime commercial real estate. Rumors about the next inhabitant spread quickly when a construction firm began work on the space shortly after. Finally, national bakery and café chain Panera Bread confirmed its occupation of 289 Huntington Ave. Six months of construction and a complete renovation later, Panera Bread opened in January 2011 as students trickled back to campus from winter break.
SPOTLIGHT ON
Panera offers it all: a gourmet lunch menu, hot breakfast sandwiches, full coffee bar, and a stocked bakery counter. Edible offerings aside, Panera’s two floors tempt passers-by with generous seating and free wifi. Both local chains are inevitably concerned with the bakery/ café empire’s presence on the relaxed street corner. Both local businesses faced a significant and immediate drop in business when Panera Bread opened. In January 2011, Temptations experienced a 20% revenue decrease from the same month in the previous year. Panera’s initial effect on the family business was more severe than the Lutfis expected, but other key factors in the revenue drop include particularly harsh weather, late return of students from winter break, and initial excitement for the new dining option. The Lutfis watched revenue fall another 10-15% in February and March compared to the previous year. Michel Lutfi, store manager at the Gainsborough and Huntington location, said the typically packed lunch rushes are nowhere near the volume they were before Panera entered the scene. ERC manager Laura Webber noticed a drastic decrease in the number of customers coming through the door in January. She notes that the busy weekend breakfast rush is noticeably less crowded since the chain moved in across the street. The most popular food options are changing, she adds. A chicken salad, bacon, and honey mustard combination called The Ike was the most popular sandwich on the menu before the neighborhood business landscape changed. Specialty options like bagels with soy cream cheese, which Panera Bread does not offer, are now the most regularly ordered menu items. With determination to survive, Temptations and ERC are making menu adjustments to compete against the new player who comes armed with an astounding budget. The Lutfis have begun to enhance the in-store experience by adding new specialty items to the menu and updating the café’s interior. Knowing their inline presence is important, they are dutifully enhancing Temptations’ website and pushing social media marketing. ERC is making similar changes by building a website, making in-store updates, and exploring loyalty programs. Both businesses are confident that they can make changes necessary to stay competitive and that loyal customers will continue to spread the word. The corner of Gainsborough and Huntington now houses a classic American small business-versus- corporation rivalry. Boston residents are hoping for a happy, local ending.
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SPOTLIGHT ON
Locanomics BY RACHEL LEAH BLUMENTHAL
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PHOTOS BY: Rachel Leah Blumenthal
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t 4:30 on a gray November afternoon, I stood alone in a parking lot near Central Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, warily waiting for a van. When it arrived, the driver swung open the back doors to reveal a refrigeration unit filled with coolers. Inside, I saw pork butts, lamb chops, liverwurst, pig legs—meat of all kinds, neatly packaged in airtight plastic with printed labels. My apprehension lessened as others arrived and began purchasing. This was a “Meat Meet,” a sporadic, unofficial version of a CommunitySupported Agriculture program (CSA) organized by JJ Gonson, a Boston-based private chef and locavore, and Katie Stillman, owner of Stillman’s at the Turkey Farm in Hardwick, Massachusetts, a tiny town twenty miles west of Worcester. Throughout the winter, a Stillman’s van arrives at a pre-determined drop-off point, and anyone can come buy meat. Word spreads by mouth mainly; I learned of the Meat Meet that very morning thanks to a vague message posted by Gonson on Twitter. It was the first Meat Meet of the season and only five people, including me, showed up. The others stocked up on several meals’ worth of meat, but I bought just four lamb chops to prepare for dinner that night. They were the most delicious lamb chops I have ever eaten. Eating local food is all about the chase (read: foraging). From farmers markets to Meat Meets to CSAs (programs to buy shares of a farm in exchange for produce), finding, purchasing, and cooking exclusively local products can take time and money. The local food movement has earned the reputation of being elitist due to consistently high prices. However, we must keep the bigger picture—including production and labor costs—in mind. As Boston’s local food movement grows, the issues of affordability and accessibility will become more complex. However, policy changes, education, and cooperation between producers and consumers can lead to a better food system that benefits everyone and the environment. Eating locally is certainly not a new idea. At the time of the United States’ birth, 90% of the labor force was made up of farmers. Since nearly everyone lived and worked on farms, local food was commonplace. Shipping food across the country or world was wholly unnecessary. New England was largely food self-sufficient in the 17th and 18th centuries, although a larger Atlantic trade economy did exist: sugar, rum, coffee, and tea were major
imports, while salt cod and other fish were important exports. Then, the end of the Civil War brought about a radical shift as people moved to the rich farmlands of the Midwest. New England still had a booming dairy industry, but grain and other products started coming in from across the country. Grain was an important crop to feed growing populations across the country and the increasing numbers of farm animals. The total number of farms in the United States skyrocketed from the 1880s through the 1930s. By then, the U.S. population exceeded 100 million, and the country boasted over 6 million farms. But the number of farms began to decrease in the ‘40s. World War II took farmers away from the land, sending them off to war or into the cities to work industrial jobs. By the war’s end, new technology facilitated long-distance food shipments. Refrigeration units were first installed in trucks in the middle of the century. Fruit and vegetables could now be shipped from one side of the country to the other. Cheap oil and transportation coupled with increasingly expensive land in New England led to a sharp farming decline in the Northeast; it was easier and cheaper to import food from other parts of the country. Pioneers like Alice Waters, founder of the famed Berkeley, California restaurant Chez Panisse, brought local food back into the spotlight in the 1970s. Slowly, consumers started to seek out local, seasonal produce over mass-produced food from thousands of miles away. Local food has emerged as a larger trend in recent years, due in part to books like The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals (Michael Pollan, 2006) and Fast Food Nation (Eric Schlosser, 2001). Pollan, Schlosser, and even First Lady Michelle Obama have turned our attention the negative effects of the corporate food system. Large-scale health scares in the last few years, including tainted milk in China, salmonella and E. coli outbreaks in the United States, and a listeriosis outbreak in Canada, have scared consumers into demanding to know where their food is produced. Finally the White House has caught on. First Lady Michelle Obama is a vocal supporter of local food, and the White House chef uses ingredients grown right on the lawn. Journalists, restaurateurs, and policy makers are reminding us to focus on food as “something other than what you eat to stay alive,” says Dr. Tim Griffin, Director of the Agriculture, Food and Environment program at Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.
Massachusetts is an ideal place for an active local food movement: with nearly 200 farmers markets, four distinct seasons, and a wide variety of native crops like corn and cranberries, the conditions are ripe for consumers to build nutritious and satisfying diets. Although living off the land has been connected with an earth-loving hippie movement in the past, eating fresh and healthy food is universally beneficial. “Something tastes better when it’s most recently taken from the plant,” said Jim Ward, farmer and co-owner of Ward’s Berry Farm in Sharon, Massachusetts. “A tomato is completely different when it’s harvested green and ripened somewhere along the way.” Eating locally has incredible environmental advantages, a big sell in today’s “going green” trend. Local food produces less greenhouse gas emissions because it travels a shorter distance. Some scientists, however, argue that “food miles” are an inadequate measure of local versus non-local food production’s impact. Griffin explained to me that food miles do not account for method of transport: boats are more efficient than trains, which are more efficient than trucks when you consider emissions per pound of food per mile. Secondly, measuring food miles leaves out the consumer miles traveled. Produce from a farm in western Massachusetts may travel just one hundred miles to a downtown Boston farmers market, but hundreds of consumers travel from across the state by car and train to reach the same market. Griffin also noted that the food mile metric is based on research from fifteen to twenty years ago; very little recent data is
available to prove the usefulness of the food mile measure. A better metric, according to a 2008 review in Trends in Food Science and Technology, is carbon labeling. With this method, produce would bear labels, much like a nutrition label, detailing its carbon footprint. Greenhouse gases have many sources beyond consumer and farmer transportation to market: on-farm processes in addition to retailing and consumption activities after transport of the produce also add to the carbon footprint. Despite the many boons of eating locally, none matter if the average consumer cannot afford to buy what is growing around her. Dr. Charlie French, a Community and Economic Development Specialist at the University of New Hampshire has completed extensive research on local food systems and local economic development. Large corporate farms, French explains, receive more financial support from federal government subsidies than do small-scale farms. Smaller farms must keep prices high just to stay afloat. Economies of scale also weigh in on the problem of cost: large farms save money on supplies and transportation with bulk production, whereas small farms cannot often take advantage of wholesale discounts. Small farms are also unlikely to have manpower for every business need from marketing to producing to shipping. “I hate to use a Darwinian term, but in a way it is survival of the fittest,” said French. “The best managed, the best run enterprises, the people with the most skill in both marketing and production will be the ones to survive.” The subsidy problem runs deep, and consumers have little sway power to fix it, but
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the 2008 U.S. Farm Bill is a first step. “[The bill] is scratching the surface,” said French. “It is starting to address some of the inequities between small farm versus large farm, but we are still not there yet, and that is something that really needs to change if the economics of local foods are going to have a fair advantage.” The 2008 bill includes money earmarked specifically to expand aid for local, organic, and small farms. A new program called Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) is beginning to reform the subsidy system. Under the previous bill, farmers’ prices were protected, but loss in crop yield was not. The new bill protects revenue, which multiplies yield times price, rather than evaluating price alone. ACRE is meant to be a safety net: farmers receive help only when they need it, whereas older subsidy systems wasted money by paying out regardless of profit loss. For prices to decrease on a consumer level, demand must increase. “Growing the market share for local foods is critical,” said French. “Right now there are estimates out there that somewhere around 5% of food purchases are local purchases.” Even increas20
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ing that amount to 10% over the next ten years could help local food prices decrease, according to French. “Building awareness in local food, building interest in local food, is the critical element to making it financially viable.” Let us consider the producers. “As we have put in place effort after effort to make the system more efficient, one of the direct results is that it keeps driving the cost of the food down, which is great if you are buying it. It is not so great for the person who is growing it,” said Griffin. “So where is the balance point?” A good deal of consumers buy local food with the stated intention of wanting to support their communities, while still complaining about a high price, the very price that directly supports the community farmers they aim to support. Our mindset needs to change, not the price. Farmers determine prices through a wide range of factors including labor, transport of materials, and production costs, among others. “Price-wise, there is no going back,” says Ward. “I do not think it is a justified complaint. Look at the cost of production. We have to pay real wages and provide health
benefits and have all the costs of production of a developed world and we would like to also make a living.” Whether or not the price is justified, the majority of the American population cannot currently afford to buy local food. “We need to be addressing the problem of why that is, not necessarily trying to lower the cost of food,” said Donahue, who guesses that Americans could afford to pay more for food if they have a disposable income and are willing to put some of it toward buying locally. “What is really important about farming is not just producing the commodity in the cheapest way,” said Donahue. “We ought to reorganize it around greater benefits we take from farming: an attractive landscape, protecting the environment, engaging people with our practices in a variety of ways. Those things are at least as important as the price of the food itself.” But for those who cannot afford to take the other benefits into account, there is still hope. Many farms set aside a few CSAs, paid for by donations from shareholders, to be shipped to food banks in the area. A Concord farm, Gaining Ground, operates as a non-profit and
PHOTO BY: Michael Piazza
SPOTLIGHT ON
PHOTOS BY: Michael Piazza; RACHEL LEAH BLUMENTHAL
donates 100% of its produce to food banks and meal programs within the Boston area. Food stamps are now accepted at many farmers markets. The Boston Bounty Bucks program gives a 50% discount on farmers’ market purchases up to $20 to consumers utilizing their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. While issues of affordability could take years to address through government initiatives and the work of non-profits, the accessibility of local food can change much quicker. Committing to eating locally takes effort. Thanks to local food activists like Gonson, events and programs are sprouting up throughout the Boston area providing would-be locavores with more opportunities to eat locally. As word spreads about Meat Meets, “underground” dinner parties that bring strangers together to eat local foods, and other unconventional dining options, the movement will continue to grow for those who can afford it. Over time, we can only hope that the extra attention will result in donations of time and money to programs that help everyone enjoy local food. Increased press coverage is already convert-
ing new locavores. “At any given moment, there are a lot of causes that are vying for the attention of the media,” Gonson told me. “When it’s your group having that moment, you ride it. You grab it and hold
onto it tight and use it, because work gets done when the media pay attention. And the exciting thing is that there is work being done.”
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SPOTLIGHT ON
Let Them Eat Bread! Food Prices and The Egyptian Revolution
Imagine: You wake at 5am to the sound of prayers singing from every minaret in Cairo. Quickly you get dressed and leave your apartment in a hurry. Down the street you pass the vegetable seller, the spice man, and the butcher with his precious lambs and goats hanging in the storefront without a glance. As you approach your destination, you see a crowd and pick up your pace. You draw nearer and hear some shouts from the same woman who complains about the vendor every day. You have reached the storefront of the man who sells subsidized bread. These cheap, warm loaves will feed your family today; if you can afford them, you will get a piece of salty feta or some deep-fried falafel as an accompaniment. Without the bread subsidy, your children would know hunger. The Egyptian Arabic word for bread is aish, the same word as “life.” This relationship between a simple pita and the survival of one of the world’s oldest cultures helped fuel the Egyptian revolution in the winter of this year. 22
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Egypt’s food access crisis falls at the heart of a five-way intersection with no stop Signs in sight: Population growth, availability of land, price of wheat imports, high poverty, and bread subsidies. Since 1980, Egypt’s population has doubled to eighty million. Of this huge population, over 40% lives on less than $2 a day states BBC News. A majority of poor Egyptians do not live on land that they can farm for subsistence; large families are most often crammed into small apartments in the urban centers of Cairo and Alexandria. Feeding the eighty million is an international effort. Egypt is the largest importer of wheat in the world and the country’s imports continue to increase as the availability of farmable land decreases. An increase in non-agricultural manufacturing and the growth of service-based industry has resulted in high-rise buildings and manufacturing plants where fields of beans and wheat once grew.
PHOTOS BY: Lauras Eye; Amanda Milad (next page)
By Amanda Milad
SECTION TITLE Cue the revolutionary youth. The food crisis did not begin on January 24, 2011, the day before the masses gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. A notion of empowerment and strength combined with social network forces allowed Egypt’s voices to finally and meaningfully reach across the globe, and through former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s front door. The cries for freedom from an oppressive government were simultaneously cries for justice in food accessibility; the two are one. The topple of the Mubarak regime was not the end, but the beginning of a path towards food justice in Egypt. It will take more than the Egyptian economy to recover food prices as the country continues to import increasing amounts of wheat each year. Adjusting food subsidies so those in need have priority access to the least expensive food must be a priority in building a new democracy.
Now imagine the future: You go to the market after breakfast. You have dropped the children off at school, and you meet your neighbor to do some shopping. There is extra money available because you have been able to get a part-time job working at a bank (before the revolution, women faced difficulty in finding a job). You stop first at the fruit stand and buy three mangoes for your children because they love the sweet taste. You then stop at the butcher and buy a lamb shank for Saturday lunch with your extended family. The butcher knows you well now and gives you a few extra meat scraps so you can filling meals throughout the week. You continue talking with your friend, not about fears, but about hopes for you and your family. As you approach the bakery, you continue at your unhurried pace. Now you can buy the bread from the regular non-subsidized bakery. You are free. You can finally afford your aish, your life.
PHOTOS BY: ASDFAS
With food prices rising, the amount of farmable land decreasing, and a population of impoverished citizens growing, how does one put food on the table? In the wake of World War II, the federal government began subsidizing bread to be affordable for all Egyptians. Distributors sell flour to bakers at very low prices because they must turn around and sell their finished product for just pennies a loaf. While the bread subsidy helps millions receive adequate calories each day, a black market in flour is growing because corruption rules the government’s distribution of the precious ingredient. Bread availability becomes slim as ingredient costs increase because bakers cannot afford to sell their products at the mandated low price. As more flour goes into the black market, instead of the oven, people go hungry. At the mercy of the government, people starve.
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SPOTLIGHT ON
The Truth About
Groupon By Lindsay Tucker Diners rejoice! Thanks to groupthink discount websites like BuyWithMe, LivingSocial, Gilt City, and Groupon, one can still afford a great meal out with friends in our rough and tumble economy. Restaurant deals granting up to $50 off a bill seem almost too good to be true for the consumer. However, some industry folks argue that Groupon’s deals bring restaurants more headache than benefit, while others revere the site for bringing in new business. Is Groupon a brilliant business model or a fatal cheap trick? Matters takes you inside. It works simply enough with restaurants: Groupon users pay, say, $20 for $40 worth of credit at a given place. The establishment swallows either half or the entire amount it is discounting from the check, depending on its agreement with the website, in exchange for a guaranteed number of customers through the door. Users can redeem one Groupon credit per table, and each restaurant deal the website sells is likely to bring in at least two customers based on research from past deals. In theory, drawing new people in the door at a discounted rate could help an eatery gain loyal new customers. But, reality presents glitches in the plan. The explosion of discounted business they receive soon after a Groupon deal is posted overwhelms many restaurants. Gratuity poses a common problem for the staff because customers too often tip on the discounted rather than the original amount of their bill.
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The two and a half year old deals website turned down Google’s $6 billion buyout offer in December of 2010—but are the firms it relies on to fuel business getting their cut?
Kevin Fitzgerald, owner of Boston’s Jacob Wirth Restaurant, was on the fence about the success of the promotion he ran with Groupon. While he confirms that business picked up during the promotion, his staff was overburdened with daunting paperwork and customers misunderstanding the site’s policies. A Groupon credit clearly states “One coupon valid per party,” yet groups of four, five, six, and even eight pulled out coupons for each member of the party. After too many customers caused a scene over the matter, Fitzgerald felt compelled to let the customer win, allowing parties to use multiple coupons and lowering the bills and tips even more. “And it’s not easy to tell who has come back because of Groupon,” he says. “I can’t specifically measure the growth in business.”
Not everyone shares Fitzgerald’s unhappy sentiment. Andy Husbands, owner of hip South End eatery Tremont 647 was thrilled with the success he found with Groupon. “We got a fair amount of new customers,” he says, “I’d guess about 80% [of customers with a Groupon credit were new].” That’s 80% of roughly 4,000 who bought the deal, according to Husbands, who didn’t find the paperwork too complicated. “We did have to run around and look everyone up, but we’re able to see the bigger picture. A busy restaurant is a good restaurant, you know?” To all restaurant owners who are considering partnering with Groupon: Read the fine print. It would be most accurate stating: while the success of our company is indisputable, individual results will vary.
WORDLY
A Time Tested Tradition
Southern Tailgating 101
PHOTOS BY: Taylor Mathis www.taylortakesataste.com; www.amandascookin.com
By Andy Webb
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WORLDLY B.J. Bennett, Senior Editor of SouthernPigskin.com, eloquently describes the passion Southerners have for college football in one phrase: “two plus two equals third down and six.” Our obsession stretches from the Texan plains to Florida’s beaches and from Louisianan bayous to the hills of Virginia and everywhere in between. Love for college football extends beyond the field. RVs fill stadium parking lots days before a game. Fans arrive in waves until tens, or even hundreds, of thousands of people fill the lots on game day. A great majority of fans are seasoned veterans in the art of the Southern tailgate. Recipes are passed from mother to daughter, father to son, and after a few bourbons, friend to friend. The Southern tailgate has four essential components: drinks, finger foods and sides, main dishes, and desserts. Drinks Drinks generally pack an alcoholic punch, with beer and bourbon making up the lion’s share, and moonshine finding a place at select tailgates. Moonshine requires strict secrecy surrounding its source. Beer requires
a koozie, a neoprene sleeve for holding a bottle or can, ideally one printed with the team’s logo or colors. Bourbon, however, has few rules. Bourbon is the iconic southern liquor and should not be confused with common whiskey. This spirit differs from other whiskey in that it must contain 51% corn as the staple grain in the mash (the base mixture that is fermented to make the liquor) and 80% alcohol by volume. Most importantly, distilleries must store bourbon in charred white oak barrels for a minimum of two years. The wood lends a distinct flavor to bourbon whiskey that Southerners are proud to make a part of their tailgate. Bourbon and Cokes, bourbon and ginger, and bourbon on the rocks are all self explanatory. But to warm up at a chilly late season game, nothing beats a Hot Toddy. The drink is so popular that it is even featured in the Ole Miss (University of Mississippi) fight song. On a medicinal level, Hot Toddies can help clear up the common cold or at least lighten your spirits.
Southern Hot Toddy INGREDIENTS Large coffee mug 1 cup of hot water 2 oz bourbon 1/4 oz lime juice 2 T. honey Pinch of brown sugar 1 cinnamon stick (Optional) INSTRUCTIONS Pour the bourbon and lime juice into the mug. Stir in half of the hot water and honey, then pour in the remaining hot water. Add a pinch of brown sugar and stir with the cinnamon stick. Enjoy!
Vidalia Onion Dip INGREDIENTS 3 Vidalia onions, diced 4 T. butter 1 lb. Velveeta cheese, diced ¼ cup milk 1 package dry ranch mix (that makes 16 oz of dressing) Large bag of tortilla chips 9” x 13” baking pan INSTRUCTIONS In a large pan, melt two tablespoons of butter and sauté diced onions until translucent. Remove from heat and set aside. In a separate saucepan, melt two tablespoons of butter, cheese, and milk over low heat. Stir until the mixture is melted and creamy. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, mix sautéed onions, dry ranch mix, and cheese sauce until blended. Pour the mixture in the lightly greased baking pan and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Serve
PHOTOS BY: MyGourmetConnection.com
with the tortilla chips.
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Southern Fried Chicken with a twist INGREDIENTS Boneless chicken - drummettes are small and easy to eat Flour Salt Black pepper Garlic powder Old Bay Seafood Seasoning 2 eggs ¼ cup of water Crisco INSTRUCTIONS
The Main Dish
PHOTOS BY: Taylor Mathis, www.taylortakesataste.com
The highlight of the Southern tailgate is the main dish, which is why home cooks often prepare them with the same care as their Thanksgiving turkeys. Now, hot dogs and burgers are just as common outside an SEC or ACC football stadium as they are outside of any stadium in America. But in the South, they are just the beginning. Barbecue is a staple at Southern tailgates. Though distinctly Southern, the sauce, preparation, and flavor profile of barbecue varies widely according to state and region. Author and porcine know-it-all James Villas best explains the dish in his treatise Pig: King of the Southern Table when he states, “In the South, genuine pit-cooked barbecue means pig and only pig since pig is the one
meat that can absorb flavorings and seasonings without losing its integrity–which is why Texans (with all their beef and chicken and goat roasts) have never been considered true Southerners.” I was raised on Eastern Carolina barbecue which, as the name suggests, originated in the Eastern part of both Carolinas. The signature touch comes when the bbq master dresses the cooked meat with vinegar. A true Eastern Carolina barbecue traditionalist, my grandfather, who hails from Wilson, North Carolina, steadfastly refuses to add anything other than apple cider vinegar and pepper flakes to his dish. This recipe is derived from the Eastern Carolina school of thought.
“Find me a good Southern Belle, whose dad has season tickets and a good parking spot.”
Mix 1 part salt, 1 part black pepper, 1 part garlic powder, and 2 parts Old Bay in a small mixing bowl. Clean the chicken and rub with seasoning mix. Time willing, refrigerate seasoned chicken for several hours or overnight. Beat the two eggs in a bowl and stir in water. Heat the Crisco in a pan until the oil nearly fills half the pan. Dip chicken into the egg/ water mixture and roll in flour until each piece is entirely covered. When the oil reaches 325°, carefully place chicken pieces in the pan. Smaller pieces will cook quickly, so keep an eye on the pan. Flip each piece when the bottom is golden brown and cook both sides evenly. The final product may not exactly resemble meat out of the deep fryer, but it will taste just the same. And here’s the twist. If you used large pieces of boneless chicken, slice into three-bite strips. Make hot wings out of your freshly fried chicken with the following ingredients: ½ cup of your favorite barbeque sauce ¼ cup of Texas Pete hot sauce ½ T. red pepper flakes Plastic lidded container large enough to hold the chicken Mix the three sauce ingredients in the large container. Fill the container with chicken pieces after they have cooled. Place lid on container and shake until all pieces are covered. Two recipes for the price of one. Enjoy.
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WORLDLY Desserts Every proper Southern meal ends on a sweet note and tailgates are no exception. Admittedly, this recipe is from Paula Deen. Pound cake makes for ideal tailgating noshing because it requires no refrigeration and pairs perfectly with most any beverage. Plus, it makes enough to share. The Southern tailgate is a thing of beauty. Corporate CEOs eat and drink side by side with average Joes, the tailgate and team bringing them together. Unlike NFL
fandom, Southern pigskin fans have a unique connection to their team. They may know the players, having watched them grow from pee wee stars through the prep ranks to the collegiate game. Southern fandom is passed from parents to children, just like tickets and parking spots. When a high school buddy enrolled at the University of Alabama, he admitted his goal for the next four years: “Find me a good Southern Belle, whose dad has season tickets and a good parking spot.”
Carolina Barbeque INGREDIENTS Two standard size Boston Butts Texas Pete hot sauce Cajun seasoning spice 1 bottle of full-bodied beer ¾ cup of orange juice ½ gallon of apple cider vinegar A 20 lb. turkey pot or roasting pan Meat Thermometer INSTRUCTIONS
Sour Cream Pound Cake INGREDIENTS
INSTRUCTIONS
1 cup unsalted butter 3 cups of sugar 1 cup sour cream ½ teaspoon baking soda 3 cups all-purpose flour 6 large eggs
Preheat oven to 325°. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the sour cream and mix until incorporated. Sift the baking soda and flour together in a separate bowl. Add to the butter mixture alternating with eggs, beating each egg one at a time. Add the vanilla and pour the mixture into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan or Bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes. Let cool before slicing.
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Top with sliced strawberries soaked overnight in sugar, vanilla, and spiced rum. Enjoy.
Wash and clean the meat, and rub down with the Texas Pete and Cajun seasoning. Place each Boston Butt in a plastic bag and let rest in the refrigerator for one hour. Make the marinade while the meat is refrigerating by combining the beer, orange juice, and vinegar in a bowl. Take meat out of bags and place in the pot or roasting pan. Pour the marinade over so it pools in the bottom of the pan. The key to a juicy and tender barbeque is cooking the meat low and slow. Place the pan in a 250° oven. Carefully flip the meat after four hours. After another two hours, check the temperature of the meat. When the center of each piece is over 170°, remove from oven. Check the temperature as little as possible to avoid puncturing several holes and drying out the meat. Place one butt on a cutting board and either pull the meat apart with two forks or chop with a large knife. Let the marinade in the pan cool and discard any excess fat from the top. Reserve the marinade to use as a sauce or smother the pork with your favorite barbecue sauce The meat should be tender enough to require nothing more than a few drops of Texas Pete.
PHOTOS BY: ASDFAS
Finger foods are ideal for a tailgate. Your drink need never leave your hand while you eat.
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WORLDLY
FRESH MINT GELATO The mint’s bright herbal quality makes this recipe perfect for summer. INGREDIENTS 5 1 1¼ ¾ 1
cups whole milk cup cream cups sugar cup powdered milk bunch fresh mint leaves Pinch of salt Crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
INSTRUCTIONS
A Day In The Life
In a large pot, stir together the milk, cream, sugar, salt, and mint leaves over medium heat. Continue stirring to prevent burning. When the liquid begins to steam, just before it comes to a simmer, remove from heat. Allow mixture to steep for an hour. Strain out the mint leaves and return liquid to heat. When the milk mixture is warm, vigorously whisk in the milk powder until fully incorporated. Allow to cool overnight. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Freeze for at least two hours before serving. Best enjoyed within one to two days topped with crushed chocolate sandwich cookies.
PHOTOS BY: Dan Whalen; Su-Lin; Dan Whalen
Professional gelato concoctor Dan Whalen talks flavor creativity and rookie mistakes. “You really like bananas, eh?” the woman in line behind me at the grocery store joked. “They are for work,” I replied, smiling at the six dozen yellow fruits in my cart. Five years ago, buying groceries as part of my job would have seemed far-fetched. Now, I am the head gelato maker at Belmont, Massachusetts-based Firenze Gelato Company and shopping for ingredients is an everyday reality. Firenze has one small storefront in Belmont called Angelato and the bulk of our sales go to restaurants in Eastern Massachusetts. When I tell people what I do, the most common question I receive is, “what’s the difference between gelato and ice cream?” Quite simply, ice cream is mostly heavy cream and gelato is mostly milk. Ice cream producers often whip their product to bulk up the volume as the fat in the cream holds air well. Gelato’s milk base falls flat when
whipped, so the flavors are intense and the consistency is thick and dense. Making the Italian frozen dessert is about as glamorous as working the line at a 24hour diner. The sweet outcome, however, makes the repetition, transport of frozen containers, and taste testing ad nauseum (literally) worth my while. Experimenting with flavor combinations is the best part of the gig. Milk becomes my blank canvas. Flavors like fresh mint, rosemary lemon, chocolate with ancho chiles and cinnamon, basil orange mojito sorbetto, Lucky Charms cereal, and even bacon n’ eggs gelato are products of my mood and wild imagination. Though, not every trial would make a pastry chef sing. I spiked my first attempt at a mojito flavor with enough rum to make Jack Sparrow proud. The ingredients wouldn’t freeze at typical temperatures so I turned to the blast chiller for a second
chance. With the deep freeze, the consistency came out perfect, but I burned my tongue after tasting because the final temperature was -30°F. With a key lime flavor, I was impatient after tempering the eggs in the warm milk, so I added the lime juice to the custard base before it had cooled. Sweet key lime ricotta—not exactly smooth and creamy. Gelato on any one day may be just strawberries and milk, but the process is an exercise in patience, creativity, and ample sampling, the makings of a delicious job. THE FOOD ISSUE
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WORLDLY
My Brazilian Spring Break
I
regretted wolfing down a milkshake and fries about ten seconds into our bumpy journey down the 12-mile dirt road flanked with potholes twofeet deep and puddles of mud in a top heavy Land Rover. “We see leopards along this road sometimes,” my host and driver Pedro Bastos told me casually. There is so much to love about Brazil—lush and fertile landscapes, mountainous hillsides, a laid-back beach vibe, and revealing bikinis—but unpaved roads are not high on my list. Neither are wild leopards. Six of my college friends and I were on senior year spring break, crowded into the SUV with too little legroom and too much luggage. At the moment, we struggled to remember why we passed up the easy comforts of an all-inclusive resort in Cancun for a twelve-day trip to Brazil. When we pulled up to a charming white and blue farmhouse set on at least a thousand acres of green rolling hills, I was reminded why.
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A night in Mexico at Señor Frog’s promised bad DJ tunes and a tequila hangover. But here, frogs thrummed in the nearby jungle, the healing smell of eucalyptus lingered in the air, and bright stars lit up the clear night sky.
PHOTOS BY: SARAHBURNZ (BOTH PAGES)
By Sarah Burns
In the late 19th century, Pedro’s greatgrandfather made money off this land growing coffee in the mineral-rich state of Minas Gerais in the southeastern part of the country. Where the main house stands today, coffee beans were once laid to dry before being exported. It was his youngest daughter, Alice, who dreamed the farmhouse to life in the late 1940s, and has been running it ever since with the help of her husband. The two-story traditional home has ten large, inviting rooms, a swimming pool surrounded by luscious vegetation, an air of gracious living, and most of all, memories of a full life. Each room in the house is decorated from floor to ceiling with old antiques, black and white family photos, handmade artwork, aqua mosaic tiling, and ceramics. A warm breeze blows through the verandah and it’s too easy to pass the day here swaying in a hammock. Banana and mango trees, sugar cane, cattle, and honey have replaced the coffee plants. But, the farm-grown crops
are still available for purchase at the local farmer’s market. The entire family gathers here for Christmas, and for three nights in March, we do too. Pedro, a lean 22-year-old Boston University finance major, arranged our itinerary: two days shopping in São Paulo, four days lounging on the beach in Camburi and Paratay, three days “roughing it” on the farm, and four days sightseeing in Rio de Janeiro. Growing up, Pedro shared time with his mom in Minnesota and his dad in São Paulo. Summer in Brazil for Pedro meant finance internships in São Paulo, picking ruby red lychees from trees at the farm, and learning to surf the beaches in Rio. Looking at him—clean cut, J. Crew style, and a trace of a Minnesoooota accent—you would never guess that he was fluent in Portuguese, let alone Brazilian. Pedro reminded us before we left that the two things we could not forget to pack were table manners and a hearty appetite. Much
like the Italians, Brazilians proudly place great significance on food. With the right preparation and seasonal ingredients, Brazilians believe that mealtimes bring families closer, that it’s possible for four generations to gather together to eat a special recipe of feijoada, a traditional stew loaded with beef and beans, and tell about how avó and avô first met. My own German-Irish family has no such customs—my siblings and I were raised on the latest addition to the cereal aisle—so I praise the Brazilians for honoring this standout tradition. Much like Spanish and Latin American cultures, the main meal of the day for Brazilians is lunch, but after our first night at the farm, you could have fooled me on this idea. We would be arriving well after Isabel, the farm’s cook and therefore a woman after my own heart, takes off for the night, so Pedro suggested we eat dinner before arriving, hence the fast food stop for fries and milkshakes. I expected to unpack my suitcase and turn in early after a nighttime swim, but Isabel was excited for visitors. We barely had a foot in the door before Pedro’s grandfather, Pedro Sr., whisked us into the kitchen, where an enormous spread of sliced ham, soft cow’s milk cheese, warm bread rolls, honey from the farm, and bruschetta awaited us. “Who needs a cerveja?” Pedro Sr. said with a playful smile. If this was our bedtime snack, I thought, what could Isabel have planned for lunch? If you were to look up “lunch” in a Brazilian dictionary, I suspect the entry would read: “See Viking feast.” Between noon and 1 p.m. each day, Isabel served enough delicious Brazilian cuisine to feed half the town of Santana do Deserto—beans, rice, yucca, bitter root vegetables, fresh squeezed fruit juices, ripened homegrown avocados, a toasted flour dish called farofa, and of course, succulent meats. Or in my case as a THE FOOD ISSUE
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pescatarian, fish and eggs. Isabel wiped away my concerns about going hungry from lack of meatless options after the first meal. The cooks saw my diet as a fun challenge and chance to experiment. For one person, they prepared whole entrées, many of which captured the taste buds and hearts of my carnivorous friends. Salty shredded cod with yellow onions and spicy peppers, moist tuna and spinach-filled bread loafs, and fried eggtopped french fries sated me. After multiple helpings of nearly every entrée came desserts. Raspberry glazed apple slices, homemade doce de leite drizzled over soft cheese from the farm’s own cows’ milk, sweetened cooked pumpkin, and sugar coated, farm-grown bananas. Pedro says wild monkeys steal these bananas from the trees. After tasting Isabel’s caramelized bananas, I see why. The whole family joined us for lunch: grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, cousins, girlfriends, and siblings. As with stories and memories, we shared food family style. Plates and bowls pass from one set of hands to the next, and it is not uncommon to call out to a cook in the kitchen for more. Pedro Sr. loved his lemon juice, and would often kindly say, “Mais suco de limão, Isabel!” In she would roll, a pitcher of the frothy juice in hand. In one of the world’s fastest growing economies, Brazilians are no less busy or 32
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hardworking than Americans. Over the centuries, the country has simply built in time to honor an important age-old tradition. Pedro’s stepsiblings, nine year-old Laura and six year-old Henrique do not leave for their four-hour school day until after the midday meal, and his father typically returns home from work to be with his family. For two or more hours each day, entire families take a break from their busy schedules to sit down, laugh, chitchat, and eat, a lot. And we have the cook to thank. One day Isabel outdid herself, even for Isabel. After another large lunch, she emerged from the kitchen with a shy smile carrying a platter oozing with chocolate. Remembering how much Pedro’s girlfriend, Emily, enjoyed Isabel’s specialty torta alemã on her last visit to the farm three years earlier, she prepared for us the mouthwatering frozen layered pie made with cornstarch cookies and sweet milk cream covered in dark chocolate ganache. Emily took one look at the plate of sweet decadence and clapped giddily like a child on Christmas—a warranted response considering the pie’s perfect texture and richness. In our best Portuguese, we endlessly thanked Isabel who turned away blushing and wiping tears from her eyes. “She says your kind reaction makes her very emotional,” Pedro told us. Isabel’s humility defines a deep-rooted tradition in Brazil, a well-mannered
graciousness that is present far beyond the dinner table. Brazilians follow a traditional code of etiquette and politeness in daily life. Pedro’s grandmother, Alice, best embodies this characteristic with her ladylike table manners and elegant sense of fashion. She exudes as much class as Audrey Hepburn without seeming overly formal or old-fashioned. She steered lunch conversation away from serious business in favor of jokes and storytelling, power walks daily along the Copacabana strip, and plays games of hangman with her granddaughter after dessert. Before we leave, Alice asks us to remember her and send a picture of the seven of us. We have known her for four days, and already she would like to add us to the farm’s walls of memories. Pulling away from the farm’s welcoming blue picket fence down the dirt roads of Santana do Deserto, a sign stands at the end of the lane that reads “Volte sempre.” In English, “Like always.” Just as the monkeys will always snatch bananas from the trees and the rainy season will always bring bountiful nutrients to the soil, the Bastos family will always remember their memories shared and made with loved ones around the table. More than the savory flavor of Isabel’s black beans or the way doce de leite melted on my tongue, I will remember the proud smile on Pedro Sr.’s face when his grandson walked in the door.
PHOTOS BY: SARAHBURNZ
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FAMILY RECIPE BY JORDAN MCCONNEL
MOM’S BEEF POT ROAST INGREDIENTS 1
rump roast or top blade pot roast, 4-6 lbs. 6-8 red potatoes, quartered 4-6 yellow onions, quartered 12-15 baby carrots For the gravy: Olive oil 2 cups red wine, preferably a Cabernet or Chianti 4 cups chicken stock Flour Salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS 1) Preheat the oven to 375°. 2) Place a large dutch oven on the stove, coating the bottom with enough olive oil to create a thin layer. While the pan heats, season the roast well with salt and pepper. 3) Transfer the meat to the hot pan and sear all sides, making sure to create a dark brown crust (should take about 5 to 10 minutes).
PHOTOS BY: jimsideas; Kodamakitty
4) Remove the roast from the pan and set aside. Add more oil to the pan and several spoonfuls of flour (the amount of flour and oil should be nearly equal). Stir until a brown paste forms. Add red wine and chicken stock, season the mixture well with salt and pepper, and return the meat to the pan.
On bone-chilling nights, nights when we relied on the flames of the furnace to warm our toes, I could always count on my mom to make her famous beef pot roast. We would hear sounds of her clanking metal spoon against the bottom of the dutch oven and know that soon, smells of toasted flour and simmering wine would fill the house. I cherished nights like these: my brother and I perched in the kitchen with our school work spilled around us, my father in his rocking chair, examining the latest issue of Time, and my mother listening to Wheel of Fortune while slicing potatoes and onions for the roast. We would sit like that for hours, too distracted by the aromas emanating from the oven to concentrate. When the timer finally rang, we would crowd around, oohing and aahing as Mom lifted the blue-speckled lid to reveal beautiful tender meat, surrounded by baby carrots, chunks of russet potato, and petals of onion. The meat sliced like butter and melted in our mouths, a swirling sensation of earthiness coated in the most decadent red wine gravy. Although I have tried to repeat Mom’s recipe, I have had little success. Perhaps I added too much wine or too little flour. Or I’m impatient and didn’t allow enough cooking time. Or most likely, some things are just better made by mom and shared with family.
5) Cover and place in the preheated oven for an hour and a half. Check the gravy’s consistency after an hour. If it is too thin, add a slurry (a thickening mixture of water and flour). If it is too thick, add additional chicken stock. 6) Add the potatoes and onions to the pan after the meat has cooked for an hour and a half, stirring to blend the gravy with the veggies. Cook for an additional hour. 7) Add the baby carrots, and return the pan to the oven for the final 45 minutes of cooking. 8) After 45 minutes, remove the roast from the oven and check the veggies and meat for tenderness. Both should fall apart easily. 9) Serve immediately. Best when enjoyed with family.
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TAPPING INTO TAPAS: EATING LIKE THE SPANISH BY ELIZABETH FINEBERG-LOMBARDI
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PHOTOS BY: (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT) montes14; wit*chazel; Roslyn in Starfish Island (2); madhatrk
T
he Spanish are all about leisure: they don’t walk, but mosey along the calles and avenidas chatting, even pausing every 5-10 steps to emphasize their points. The envied Spanish siesta, the lovely mid-afternoon nap taken to avoid the hottest hours and keep out of the sun, is famous. Meals, however, are the primary example of the relaxed Spanish pace. People sit down to eat for hours, engaging in conversation, heated debate, good food, and flowing wine. Tapas bars can be home to such merrymaking, just as a restaurant or a person’s home is. Yet tapas bars differ throughout the country and the Andalucían city of Granada has particularly intriguing laws for serving the classic Spanish small plates. Granada is the last city in the country that legally requires tapas bars to serve a free tapa with every drink. The rest of Spain has done away with the antiquated law, but the tradition stands strong in one city. The word tapa comes from the word tapar, which means to cover. The most accepted story behind the origin of tapas dates back to the 13th century with King Alfonso X of Castile. The King could only manage to eat small portions of food with his wine after recovering from severe sickness, so he decreed that all dining establishments should serve wine with a bite to eat, to counteract the effects of drinking on an empty stomach. Another explanation of the word’s origin comes from the farmers who worked in the
Do’s and Don’t’s of Tapas DO dress for going out. The Spanish take pride in being put together. Follow suit (no pun intended). DO shove your way in to an already packed tapas bar. As a general rule, the more people in a bar, the better the food and ambience. DO expect Spanish grandmothers to cut in line to order or to use the bathroom. Don’t get fussy. Always respect elders. DO breathe easy. The federal government enacted an antismoking law January 2011 to ban smoking inside public places.
PHOTOS BY: Carlos Lorenzo
DO expect places to be noisy. The Spanish are not shy about loud expression. They may finish your sentence or interrupt. It’s not considered rude, but a way of showing that they are listening. However, the result is everyone talking at once.
fields all day and who needed a small snack to maintain their energy between lunch and dinner. Regardless of whether it was eaten in the fields or in the taverns, the tapa traditionally consisted of a piece of bread, ham, or cheese that would be placed over the top of the glass, so as to keep the insects out of the drink. The food acted as a cover, or tapa. Today, the small plates concept is an international restaurant trend. But in Spain, the tapas style of eating has remained firmly rooted in the nation’s culture. To ir de tapas (literally, “go to tapas”) like a Spaniard, follow this guide for ordering and eating etiquette. Just like the New York minute is shorter than sixty seconds, a Spanish day is longer than twenty four hours. Tapas time spans roughly from 8 p.m. to midnight. Don’t be surprised to see students, families, and people your grandmother’s age in the tabernas at 10:30 at night. Everyone goes out for tapas. Spanish dining is notoriously leisurely. Customers use mealtime to relax and enjoy the company of others. Even the wait staff moves at an un-American pace. Servers work on salary rather than gratuity. The speed may be unfamiliar, but it has no bearing on the level of service. The Spanish simply take it easy: a lesson for us frenzied American folk. If you spot an open table at a casual restaurant, look for a nod from a waiter before
DO ask for the check when you want to leave. But again, no one is rushing so waiters will not drop it off until you ask.
DON’T expect the waiter to apologize and hurry off to get the tapa he forgot for your table. Do, however, remain polite and ask a different server if you have waited longer than tables around you. DON’T tip. Gratuity is included in the bill. For stellar service, leave 10% at most. In an upscale eatery, leaving a bit more is appropriate. DON’T put olive pits on the plate with the other olives. Instead, fold them into a little napkin and tuck it under your plate or off to the side. DON’T be surprised to see children in tabernas and bars. Spaniards treat kids like royalty, so they commonly tag along with the family particularly for a meal. DON’T get drunk. Bars and nightclubs open around 3 a.m. in Spain and the tapas bars or tabernas are not a place to “pre-game.” Going for tapas is about socializing while casually sipping a drink and snacking.
DO try everything! The Spanish are proud of their food. Every region or city has a traditional tapa. Try them all. The food scene is varied and delicious!
seating yourself. At upscale establishments, a waiter will seat you. At a tapas bar, or taberna, you fend for yourself and elbow your way to a table or opening at the bar. Waiters will come to you when they can; often there is just one or two, so be patient. Know your order when they approach: caña (beer from the tap), vino tinto (red wine), or tinto de verano (red wine and lemonade) are the most common drinks to order with tapas. Or, simply order the specific brand name of beverage. Tapas do not come with orders of water. In Granada, tapas often have a set order unless you specify otherwise. Feel free to order additional tapas from the menu, but they are charged individually. Making substitutions is uncommon, so keep it simple if you have a food allergy or strong aversion to specific ingredients.
Waiters in Granada may occasionally “forget” to bring the free tapa. Never be afraid to politely ask, Perdone, la tapa por favor (Excuse me, the tapa please). Tapas are for sharing. Sometimes you dish out a portion onto a small side plate and sometimes everyone eats from the same plate. Dining with Spaniards? Follow their lead. The same goes for determining which tapas to eat with utensils and which are finger foods. Customers are not bound to one tapas bar for the whole evening. People often enjoy each round at a different place to get a sample of each bar’s specialties. Do not expect to move on the minute everyone has finished his or her drinks and tapas. Spaniards linger, so ask for the check only when you are ready to leave.
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WORLDLY Bocadillo sandwich on crusty bread with any combination of fillings from meat, cheese, egg tortilla, or olive oil and tomato Boquerones white anchovies, usually deep fried Calamares fried squid Caracoles con tomate snails in tomato sauce Champiñones rellenos whole sautéed mushrooms stuffed with bacon Chopitos fried tiny squids Croquetas fried potato and milk dumplings filled with meat, cheese, or fish Chorizo sausage made from pork fat and sweet or spicy chili peppers Empanada turnovers filled with tuna, meat, or vegetables Ensalada Rusa Russian salad, with potatoes, tuna, olives, and mayonnaise Gambas fried prawns Gazpacho cold tomato soup Jamón cured ham Jamón Ibérico highest quality of ham from acorn-fed pigs (best is Recebo); has a more marbled texture, cured for at least 3 years Jamón Serrano more common form of ham from farm-raised pigs; cured for less time, usually around a year Lomo embuchado dry-cured pork tenderloin Melón con jamón honeydew melon covered in slices of Serrano ham Morcilla blood sausage
Glossary
Ajo blanco white gazpacho wmade from almonds and garlic Albóndigas meatballs in a sauce (will vary from place to place) Bacalao thinly sliced salted cod, usually served on bread, often with tomatoes Berenjenas con miel sliced and fried eggplant drizzled with honey
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Patatas bravas french fries with spicy mayonnaise sauce Queso de cabra goat’s milk cheese, usually manchego Salchichón Salami Tortilla Española dense omelet with chunks of potato and onion Tortilla de camarones shrimp fritters
PHOTOS BY: rodcasro; madhatrk
TAPAS
Aceitunas olives, pitted or stuffed with anchovies or red bell peppers
Papas arrugadas boiled potatoes with a mojo sauce made of olive oil and large amounts of garlic, paprika, and cumin.
The Finish By Elysia Wong
PHOTOS BY: 28 Dreams; Roslyn in Starfish Island
Welcome To Master Sommelier Jean-Paul LeFevre-Chevalier’s Wine Tasting Masterclass
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Let us begin. The first wine we will taste is a 1985 Croix Blanche AOC Gaillac. No, no students. We do not drink the wine. I have so much to teach you. When evaluating a wine, one must first judge the appearance. It should be dutifully noted that the color of the tablecloth on which the glass is sitting is as white as Emily Post’s gloves so as to best judge the color and clarity. This is of utmost importance. Hold your glass up to the light like so, by the stem. Notice the brilliance of the color, reminiscent of Elizabeth Taylor’s fifth engagement ring made of rubies. This color indicates that the grapes were grown by trappist monks in the West Alps, I would wager some 17 years ago. Next we gently swirl the wine in a centrifugal motion. It is the smell that lets us know the personality of the wine. Is it sassy? Angelic? Vindictive? Remember students, smelling the wine is the most important aspect of tasting. Deeply inhale the aromas like you are taking your first and last breath of life. Pardon me, are you attempting to DRINK the wine, sir? Intolerable. Simply deplorable. You are excused. Leave your name badge and white gloves on the table, thank you. I apologize for the interruption students. Let us return to the lesson. After your first deep inhale, I would like for you to write a short haiku about your first impressions. And after your second inhale, a full sonnet in iambic pentameter. Both exer-
cises help you fully realize the idiosyncrasies of the wine’s personality. Is this a wine you would befriend? Would you admire this wine as a father figure? Does this wine have spouse potential? Finally, we taste. We do not gulp. We do not chug. We daintily sip, like the liquid is just a dewdrop on a blade of grass in the morning. Let the wine roll around your mouths, being sure to caress each taste bud. What do you notice first? For me, the attack of this vintage is far too austere. Although the trappist monks receive great recognition for the full bodied blackberry and scuppernong flavors of their grapes, this particular vintage gives hints of rotten pineapple with cigar ash notes. However, if you are too hasty and judge by first sip, you will miss the complexities involved in tasting. When I hold my sip for approximately four seconds, it reminds me of Chopin’s great finale in his Nocturne in C-Sharp Minor. This wine is much like you, my students. At first you are bulls in a china shop, but in learning the intricacies of my sophisticated tasting palette, you will turn into beautiful, knowledgeable masterpieces. Please pass me my handkerchief? I apologize for tearing up; the wine gets to me. I’m afraid that is all the time we have for today. If you take one thing from this class, let it be that wine tasting is a sensory and emotional exploration. The management at
the Courtyard Marriott would again like to stress our apologies for the incident with the disgruntled bellhop exposing himself in the lobby. He was immediately dismissed. We hope that this class and the complimentary breakfast vouchers will ease the pain. Please come again soon!
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Breakfast By Alissa Greenberg
Saturday mOrning in bed, and the light filters through Venetian blinds, prints bacon rasher waves on the walls; my thoughts are scrambled. Days like this we could never decide where to go. Smoothing the sheets, lapping lattes we shuffled familiar choices— diner, cafe, jazz brunch, dim sum, we waffled and fell back in bed. We were each other’s sustenance; sated. A scene, from before: the woman I once was back from bicycling, in the shadows she watches. Not his kitchen, but he looks so at home, fries eggs, peels potatoes, a Saturday surprise. Her face is bright with more than sweat.
And now, this Saturday. The sheets are cool, the silence an argument echo. No diner decisions; no coffee cups. A glass of water. I sip slowly, swallow, I lack the stomach for cereal or heart for hash. Now my Saturdays begin as the clock ticks past twelve. You were my bent-tined fork, I was your greasy spoon.
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PHOTO BY: Ellen Silverman
Another: they hate to yell—too much heat, they fear scorching. They prefer slow cooked anger. He hunches his shoulders, she grits her teeth. Theirs is a rolling boil, today’s breakfast tainted, untouched.
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PHOTOS BY: ASDFAS
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