Sunday, July 31, 2011
Betty & Boop...and the rest of my Clutch
Man oh man oh man…I believe that should have a hyphen. Whatever. The past four hours I have been speaking about the diction of the south. Speaking with a good friend, which I might add, I had no idea had the collegiate background she went on to explain.
I mean, aside from veterinarian school, she actually studied southern diction. She would laugh at me now when I say she has certainly mastered the North Georgia dialect. In fact, there are too many times I have to ask her to repeat the response or the question because…well because I am (dare I say it) …a Yankee.
But I feel like such a Southern girl.
And it is all Betty’s fault.
Betty taught me to say “darlin’ early in the morning as a greeting…or actually even late in the afternoon. Betty learned me in the skills of the south – to ask one how the other is – no matter the time of day – and to patiently wait for a response.
Betty taught me to wait patiently to have my tail-feathers rubbed.
And to always pay attention to what might be coming in the next bucket while still certainly enjoying what you are being treated to at the moment.
Betty taught me how to run with wild abandon – disregarding how silly or chubby I might look.
Betty taught me how to love every moment in a day…and to celebrate a slightly old tomato and a nearly overripe cucumber. And to cheer with reckless abandon when I receive the gift of an egg (or three) from my clutch of girls.
All of these things are worth celebrating.
And I learned all these lessons from my adoring chicken Betty – one of 32 chickens – but the only one with the heart and soul of her (newly) Southern Momma.
Betty and pal Boop checking out the compost pile at The Farm...
Sunday, July 10, 2011
The Food Ark
Our friend Stephen arrived from Bonita Springs this week - armed with a National Geographic for me with a feature called the Food Ark on heritage seeds and breeds. His inspiration for toting the article came to him after I had asked him to pick up a couple of geese for me on his drive up from Florida. Frankly I was surprised when he said yes, then I learned why when I contacted him with the pickup information.
I texted him the address, adding that I could meet him in Atlanta to pick up the geese since he planned to stop at his sisters for the night.
His text came back..."Wait a second...are these processed geese or livestock?"
My response was simply, "Livestock, of course, some heritage Cotton Patch goslings I have been searching out."
He quickly replied, "You must be crazy. Not in my car. I thought it was foie gras."
And there you have it. I was treated only to the arrival of the National Geographic article and a bewildered friend who simply laughed when he met me at our little one-acre downtown "farm" and culinary center where I was playing with my chickens.
His only reaction was, "What happened to you?"
Anyway, back to the article. It's not about heritage geese or chickens, but it all relates. And oddly enough it truly supports the mission I have found myself focused on, which is preserving the Appalachian and southern Agri-CULTURAL aspects of the area where we live, work and plan to retire.
The National Geographic article is about the impending food crisis we face if the world does not start to take note and focus on local production and harvesting. One of the blessings I have had in my life is moving to the mountains and becoming so focused on the production of food - it was a strange and fast evolution. While I have always adored food - and the gourmet, specialty world is my journalistic training - not many of my friends or family would have imagined me digging in the dirt for potatoes or experiencing giddy pride of hatching 10 of 11 orphaned chicken eggs found on our property.
But what happened was a strange life-altering shift in priorities for me when we moved to the Blue Ridge mountains. First of all, I figured everyone up here grew their own produce and kept chickens and livestock and there would be a wealth of farms for us to gather product from for our restaurant. I imagined a staff of - perhaps not culinary world focused folks - but people who knew real ingredients that Danny could pass on his culinary genius to and simply drift off into a world of fabulous ingredients and simple living.
Alas, one of the first young women we had in the kitchen with a few years of culinary experience who "ran" a kitchen for another local restaurant, well she could not find an eggplant when sent to the walk-in to retrieve it...because she did not know what an eggplant looked like. And that is where the journey began....more to come!
I texted him the address, adding that I could meet him in Atlanta to pick up the geese since he planned to stop at his sisters for the night.
His text came back..."Wait a second...are these processed geese or livestock?"
My response was simply, "Livestock, of course, some heritage Cotton Patch goslings I have been searching out."
He quickly replied, "You must be crazy. Not in my car. I thought it was foie gras."
And there you have it. I was treated only to the arrival of the National Geographic article and a bewildered friend who simply laughed when he met me at our little one-acre downtown "farm" and culinary center where I was playing with my chickens.
His only reaction was, "What happened to you?"
Anyway, back to the article. It's not about heritage geese or chickens, but it all relates. And oddly enough it truly supports the mission I have found myself focused on, which is preserving the Appalachian and southern Agri-CULTURAL aspects of the area where we live, work and plan to retire.
The National Geographic article is about the impending food crisis we face if the world does not start to take note and focus on local production and harvesting. One of the blessings I have had in my life is moving to the mountains and becoming so focused on the production of food - it was a strange and fast evolution. While I have always adored food - and the gourmet, specialty world is my journalistic training - not many of my friends or family would have imagined me digging in the dirt for potatoes or experiencing giddy pride of hatching 10 of 11 orphaned chicken eggs found on our property.
But what happened was a strange life-altering shift in priorities for me when we moved to the Blue Ridge mountains. First of all, I figured everyone up here grew their own produce and kept chickens and livestock and there would be a wealth of farms for us to gather product from for our restaurant. I imagined a staff of - perhaps not culinary world focused folks - but people who knew real ingredients that Danny could pass on his culinary genius to and simply drift off into a world of fabulous ingredients and simple living.
Alas, one of the first young women we had in the kitchen with a few years of culinary experience who "ran" a kitchen for another local restaurant, well she could not find an eggplant when sent to the walk-in to retrieve it...because she did not know what an eggplant looked like. And that is where the journey began....more to come!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Pressure Cooker Madness
It would seem that the rest of the country is catching up with what we've always known in the South. In fact, our pressure cooker at the restaurant is always front and center - whether to prepare some short ribs or prepare for canning....http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/trends/trends-features/the-pressure-cooker-makes-a-comeback/article2087679/
It's about time the rest of the country caught up with this old world innovation!
It's about time the rest of the country caught up with this old world innovation!
Friday, June 17, 2011
The Farm
This is our project in Blue Ridge, Georgia. There are projects similar to these across the country that can be supported by us all. More to come!
http://andecookvideo.blogspot.com/2011/06/farm.html
http://andecookvideo.blogspot.com/2011/06/farm.html
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Small Strategies
Recent news reports spotlight what specialty independents have known for years – smallscale formats, great service and thoughtful selection of retail products are a winning combination.
The Wall Street Journal penned an article just as the International Home + Housewares Show was opening in March 2011, discussing the shrinking big-box store. From Sears Holdings Corp. to Home Depot to Best Buy, the big guys are looking to smaller footprints for new locations and even going as far as leasing out space in their stores to other retailers. Case in point: Sears’ deal with Whole Foods Market, Inc. for a 34,000-square-foot grocery store in Greensboro, N.C. Sears will operate the remainder of space in the store. So, as the retail landscape continues to change, specialty independents will continue to grow and mature with new technologies, new forms of communication and tried-and-true service.
The palpable energy of these retailers at the IH+HS was contagious. We were honored to be part of Housewares Training & Information Group’s first annual One Voice educational program prior to the show. The dedication and focus of these retailers to continually strive for improvement and share ideas with one another is what makes this segment of the marketplace so strong. Closing out the show, I was lucky to gather with a select group of Gourmet Catalog members and listen to their summary of the show – sharing product finds, show specials and helping each other sort through vendor-retailer communication issues.
Our next issue of Gourmet Business is coming next week...so stay tuned or sign up to receive our publication every month and stay tuned to the wildly delicious world of the hottest trends in specialty food and housewares.
Cheers!
Michelle Moran
Executive Editor, Gourmet Business
mmoran@gourmetbusiness.com
The Wall Street Journal penned an article just as the International Home + Housewares Show was opening in March 2011, discussing the shrinking big-box store. From Sears Holdings Corp. to Home Depot to Best Buy, the big guys are looking to smaller footprints for new locations and even going as far as leasing out space in their stores to other retailers. Case in point: Sears’ deal with Whole Foods Market, Inc. for a 34,000-square-foot grocery store in Greensboro, N.C. Sears will operate the remainder of space in the store. So, as the retail landscape continues to change, specialty independents will continue to grow and mature with new technologies, new forms of communication and tried-and-true service.
The palpable energy of these retailers at the IH+HS was contagious. We were honored to be part of Housewares Training & Information Group’s first annual One Voice educational program prior to the show. The dedication and focus of these retailers to continually strive for improvement and share ideas with one another is what makes this segment of the marketplace so strong. Closing out the show, I was lucky to gather with a select group of Gourmet Catalog members and listen to their summary of the show – sharing product finds, show specials and helping each other sort through vendor-retailer communication issues.
Our next issue of Gourmet Business is coming next week...so stay tuned or sign up to receive our publication every month and stay tuned to the wildly delicious world of the hottest trends in specialty food and housewares.
Cheers!
Michelle Moran
Executive Editor, Gourmet Business
mmoran@gourmetbusiness.com
Great new site tells a sweet story
Just out, a hands-on exploratory site TheStoryofChocolate.com <http://www.thestoryofchocolate.com/> imparts the unique and delicious story of chocolate; created and released by the National Confectioners Association's (NCA) Chocolate Council. The all-new site unwraps the sweet story of chocolate, including a look at its natural origins and history, its connection to cocoa communities and its healthful properties.
The Story of Chocolate is a first-of-its-kind site, including interactive videos, picture galleries and fun-fact libraries compiled from chocolate and cocoa experts, cacao farmers, boutique chocolatiers and even large manufacturers from around the world.
"The site celebrates chocolate and allows visitors to explore the full life cycle of chocolate's journey, beginning with its humble, natural origins from pods grown onfruit trees in the tropics, in order to build a better understanding of this unique food," said Larry Graham, President of NCA.
To tell the complex story of chocolate, the site offers videos direct from cacao farmers in the field, updates on sustainable methods practiced around the world and even an informative video-short on the ingredients that make up chocolate hosted by Jacques Torres of Jacques Torres Chocolates, NY.
Visitors can also take a taste of the site to friends and family by using the step-by-step tips for hosting a chocolate tasting and experiencing the nuances of white, milk and dark chocolate.
The Story of Chocolate is a first-of-its-kind site, including interactive videos, picture galleries and fun-fact libraries compiled from chocolate and cocoa experts, cacao farmers, boutique chocolatiers and even large manufacturers from around the world.
"The site celebrates chocolate and allows visitors to explore the full life cycle of chocolate's journey, beginning with its humble, natural origins from pods grown onfruit trees in the tropics, in order to build a better understanding of this unique food," said Larry Graham, President of NCA.
To tell the complex story of chocolate, the site offers videos direct from cacao farmers in the field, updates on sustainable methods practiced around the world and even an informative video-short on the ingredients that make up chocolate hosted by Jacques Torres of Jacques Torres Chocolates, NY.
Visitors can also take a taste of the site to friends and family by using the step-by-step tips for hosting a chocolate tasting and experiencing the nuances of white, milk and dark chocolate.
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