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Thursday, May 31, 2018

Good Food News-Minimum and Menu's

The National Restaurant Association conducted a poll, reported here in this Eater article, asking respondents if they supported increasing the minimum wage as it would increase menu pricing.  A majority of Americans, 71 percent,  support raising the federal minimum wage to at least $10, “even if it also increases the cost of food and service to customers.”

I worked several restaurant jobs where I started out at minimum wage. When I worked front of the house as a server that, at the time, meant being paid $2.75 an hour. The rest of that "minimum wage" was to be made up through tips. If you worked a slow shift that did not happen and often making my rent was not just a concern but an outright panic.

I'm all for it not only because I remember all too well that financial hardship, but because I want to be a decent human being. How about you?

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Past Guest Shout Out-James Johnson

What's the difference between a Hobnob and a Digestive? These are the kind of hard driving questions I send to my friend James Johnson. To his credit, he takes a moment to help me out and let me know that Hobnob's are great for dunking in tea.


He's crazy busy right now with his Freelance Writer's School, where he teaches regular people how to make money writing, even if they failed English at school and know nothing about business. 

He also took the time to fill me in on his latest happenings. He wrote "I'm currently planning my next bout of world travel (starting next year), and I'm about to launch an SEO course for freelance writers, teaching them how to perform SEO on their client's articles (Can sign up for updates on the Freelance Writers School homepage). I'm also exploring more and more German cuisine after being told off for saying it's not diverse!"

Within in minutes of James and I meeting in a hostel in Madrid Spain, we were heading out the door together in search of food. This is how friendships are made, and cheering one another on from afar since is how they are cemented.

We get real about travel, food and how you can’t outrun depression, even at the top of Machu Picchu in Episode 006 “Tall Tales”.


Sunday, May 27, 2018

Sum It Up Sunday-Feed Me! (And Other Vegans)

Tis Memorial Day weekend yet again. This is the beginning of the true cookout/bbq/picnic season. And that means you'll inevitably be asking yourself "What do I feed that vegan I invited to the cookout/bbq/picnic?"
Before you start thinking that you don't know any vegans, let me throw this at you. Six percent of all Americans now identify as vegan. And many meat-eating folks are choosing vegan options when dining out for health, wealth and even compassion.

That brings us back to the get-together you are getting together. I suggest serving up some veggie burgers. There are tons of option in the frozen aisle of almost every grocery, and if you really want to stun your veg-head friends look for some Beyond Burgers (pictured up top). Or try some Beyond Sausage (pictured below), whose Italian and Brat flavors are sooooo damn good.


As for sides, making an oil and vinegar based coleslaw or potato salad isn't the worst thing in the world, and many times folks are eager to try something familiar-yet-new.

Here's a recipe to show you how easy that is:

Sicilian Potato Salad
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
3 lbs.        Red Skinned Potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
1/2 each   Red onion, sliced thin
1/2 each   Fennel Bulb, sliced thin
1 lb.         Green Beans, trimmed and cut in half
1/2 cup    Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 TBS      Red Wine Vinegar
                Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:
Boil the potatoes until soft. Pour the green beans into the bottom of a colander and drain the potatoes into it. This will cook the beans just enough that they are not raw.
Set aside to cool (they will dress better with the salad dressing if they are not all the way cool when you work with them.)
Mix the sliced onion, fennel, and cooked vegetables together. Pour over the olive oil and vinegar and season with the salt and pepper.
Cool before eating.

See that? Easy peasy. Also 3 Bean Salad (or, as I keep challenging my cousin's wife to add more beans to hers, 8 Bean Salad) is also vegan and really good.


Once you've provided at least one entree and a side or two, most vegans will be incredibly grateful. If you're not sure what to serve them for dessert, ask them to bring something. Often that will be a revelation for you! (Blueberry cobbler with coconut oil instead of butter, anyone? Delicious!) Plus Ben and Jerry's has dairy-free flavors now, so there is no excuse not to have something sweet for the veg-heads (Dagnabbit, now I've got the Coconut 7-Layer Bar on the brain!)


Thursday, May 24, 2018

Good Food News-SF Culinary Incubator for Women of Color


Starting a restaurant or any culinary business is hard. It is even harder if you're a woman. And if you're a woman of color, multiply that difficulty times a bazillion.

Eater.com has a fantastic story about a nonprofit that’s launched dozens of food businesses owned by women of color.

San Francisco’s La Cocina empowers entrepreneurs to break into the food and restaurant industry. Entrepreneurs in the incubator receive subsidized commercial kitchen space, technical and legal support, and access to opportunities to grow their businesses. 95% of La Cocina businesses are opened by women.

The nonprofit has plans to open a food hall made up solely of female-run businesses in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood.

This is an inspiring example of the growth and community that food and generosity can inspire.




Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Past Guest Shout Out-Uli Nasibova

Yes, yes, here's "the scoop" on what our favorite Azerbaijani Gelato maker Uli Nasibova is up to over at Gelateria Uli.



Their special tasting menu looks ridiculous! Hold onto a pint of that Coconut Lemongrass Sorbet for me, please.

In the month of May, you can go to either of their locations - DTLA (541 S. Spring St, Suite 104, 90013) or West Third St. (8044 W. 3rd St, 90048) - and order the ‘LA in a scoop’ in-store (no prior ticket purchase is necessary). They’re lining up eight of their favorite, L.A.-inspired flavors for you to enjoy in one go.


What I have found to be almost as good as eating gelato is talking to Uli about the flavors and passion she puts in her creations when she sat down for an interview.

She is a delightful showcase of exploration, invention and making a way for herself in America on her own terms. A truly flavorful chat in “Jam to Uli's Beet”, Episode 28 of Something About Food?.




Sunday, May 20, 2018

Sum It Up Sunday-Fasting and Denial

There is no perfect way to eat for everyone. Our DNA makes every one of us unique. What works for one person may not work for another, even if they are related. DNA is amazing like that.


I have hazel eyes, my older sister has blue eyes. DNA. I'm 5'5, she's maybe 5'2. I won't even get into the weight discrepancy (let's just say that at the age of eleven I realized how much bigger than her I was and that was the end of her older sister supremacy?.



What I am saying is that what we eat for optimal health differs from person to person and will even differ for a person as they age. Not only is our DNA a big part of this, but so is how our needs change the older we get due to our evolutionary characteristics. From here on we're going to talk about the females of the species, as I am one and know some of what I speak.

When menopause hit I railed against it and for a time, denied that is was affecting me. What the hell was evolution trying to tell us women? When we get to a certain age we are useless? Here is a bunch of weight you don't need, depression, insomnia, and many other things. And even here it won't give the same shitty experience to each woman. They are all different symptoms. My mother barely had heat flashes. I got one while running. I mean come on!!!

Anywhooo, I decided that the usual wasn't going to work.

There was some enlightenment from this article in the Atlantic that show how humans and killer whales both go through menopause because of the "family pod". The older females are no longer reproducing so that they can stop competing and instead cooperate in helping the younger generations find food.







That just blew my mind. I don't have children. Mother's day has been very hard for me for years (doubly so these last two since losing our mother). The Atlantic article gave me some insight that I wasn't seeing before. I strive to be a positive female presence for my nephews, nieces, cousins, and the hundreds of children I have known in my fifty years.

Perhaps this podcast and blog are also a way for me to co-operate and show others food sources they might not already know about (I see you old orca ladies!).

The way I eat has changed many times over. I was an omnivore. Stopped eating red meat for a time. Went vegetarian, then hard on vegan, now mostly vegan. And now, in order to combat the menopausal disruption of my life, I am trying intermittent fasting.

Again, how I eat isn't for everyone. Find what works for you. I eat breakfast between 8 and 9am, an inventive and filling lunch (check out my Instagram as I post almost daily what I'm eating) then some snacks in the afternoon. I am usually finished eating around 4 or 5.

This seems to be working. It is hard to stick to this regimen when I am with family and friends as sharing food together is my thing. That is where instead of beating myself up, I factor in the social benefit for my mental health.

I'd love to hear what you have found that works for you. And how your eating has changed through the years. Comment here, on Facebook or email me at clarkesfoodpod@gmail.com and we'll commiserate and cheer one another on.

You know, like the ancient orca ladies.

Thursday, May 17, 2018

Good Food News-Carbon Farming

A New York Times story highlights new studies and methods of farming that could increase the carbon offset in ranching grasslands.


Unlike trees, grasses don’t shed their leaves at the end of the growing season; they depend on animals for defoliation and the recycling of nutrients. If the ruminants move like wild buffalo, in dense herds, never staying in one place for too long, the land benefits from the momentary disturbance. Carbon, the building block of life, is constantly flowing from the atmosphere to plants into animals and then back into the atmosphere. Plants could be deliberately used to pull carbon out of the sky. They remove carbon from the atmosphere already, require no additional power and grow essentially free.

Compost mixed with manure could also build up the carbon in the soil. A relatively small annual increase in soil carbon could, on a large-enough scale, have a substantial impact.

Studies continue as there is no pat or easy answer. Ultimately, healthier farming methods make for healthier soil and a healthier planet.


Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Past Guest Shout Out-Akindele Bankole

Not only is Veg on the Edge a vegan restauraunt, but it's kosher, gluten-free and halal as well. And that is why we're giving them, and the owner Akindele Bankole a shout out this week.
Compassion is served up with Nigerian influenced wraps, bowls and more. Sweet Potato Peanut Soup, Yaji Jollof Rice & Moin Moin (Black-Eyed Pea Loaf) and of course Akindele's favorite, Plaintain Fries are just a few of the flavorful dishes to try. 

When podcasting, the sound is of paramount importance. I was worried when I interviewed Akindele in the food court of the restaurant. It was lunchtime, the place was just opening and folks were lining up to dig in. I needn't have worried.

"A Compassionate Edge" was the result. You can not only hear us clearly, but you can also feel how much this man loves what he does, spreading compassion and humanity through everything he does. A restaurant owner, opera singer, and composer, German Born-Nigerian-Jewish American Akindele was and is, one of my new favorite people. 

Thursday, May 10, 2018

Good Food News-Pop Up Social Experiment

In this eye-opening story from The Kitchn, Chef Tunde Wey had a clever, surprising social experiment plan for his New Orleans pop-up restaurant.



After each customer placed their order at the counter, Wey gave them statistics about the city's racial income disparity and then told them what their lunch would cost. What they paid was based on their race in order to start an important dialogue, both at the lunch counter and within the community. It's hard to put a price on that.


Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Past Guest Shout Out-Judaline Cassidy

The mission of our food-loving pal Judaline Cassidy's foundation, Tools and Tiaras Inc, is a commitment to advancing the interest of young girls and women who want to pursue non-traditional careers. They motivate young girls and women who dream of having a career in the male-dominated construction industry. They also encourage young girls and women already in the field to expand their horizon and set them on a path to the peak of their careers.


Throughout the year they host events and programs so that young girls and women can feel empowered and see a future for themselves in the trade industries.


We wholeheartedly support Judaline and her crew as they show a new generation of females that opportunity awaits them.

I found out about Judaline when she was highlighted on Amy Poehler's Smart Girls for being the first female plumber to be accepted into the Staten Island Plumbers Union 371. I knew I wanted to chat with her. Once we got going, I discovered that she loves food almost more than I do!


Bake and Shark, cake for dinner and empowering young women to be strong and self-sufficient are just some of the topics of conversation in "Food, Happiness and Dancing", Episode 22 of Something About Food?


Sunday, May 6, 2018

Sum It Up Sunday-The Neverending Binge

I tend to think of my life like an old stereo equalizer. All of the sliders at 0 make for a horrible sound. By pushing them up or down, bringing up the bass, lowering the treble, you make a sound that works for you.


There has never been a time in my life where all the bands are even. There was a time when I was in great physical shape, training for 24hr runs and eating right. I met a guy who I thought I could start an adult romantic relationship with. Ultimately my emotional slide wasn't in the right spot for that. And my financial slide wasn't anywhere that would allow me less stress about paying my bills.

No matter what the stress, as I've discussed in earlier posts, my binge reflex can be triggered. Good or bad. This brings me to let you in on what  I'm working on right now. Formatting my travel/cookbook about my around the world journey.

The core of the book is written, which for me was the easy part. Concentrating on the design side of things isn't my forte. I mean I know what I like, but how do I make that appear on the page? It's a learning curve. One that requires me to really make my focus singular. I'm a plate spinner, so one plate makes me nervous.




I love how the book is turning out. I really do. Here is a snippet to catch your interest.



Yet I'm starting to get anxious about who will buy the damn thing. I believe that some family and friends will want one. But will the folks who don't know what a food nut I am, with my awkward, crass, obnoxious, yet truly loving sense of humor, want one? Time will tell. When I headed out three years ago on my trip I did it knowing that I didn't know where I would end up. I still don't know. 

The hope is that the book and the podcast will start to generate enough of an income that I'll be able to support myself and hopefully write more books to continue developing the literary side of myself.

This seemingly innocuous stress has triggered some recent binges. Hello, Ben & Jerry's Non-Dairy pints, you bastards. Oh yeah and you too leftover Halloween Kit Kats. Sometimes I think I need a handler to follow me around, smack my hand and say "You don't need that!"


Talking about it, here in the open like this, on the blog, is new for me. I don't know if it will help. What I do know is that soon I'll have a book published and a new plateau in my life will be reached. The equalizer will continue to fluctuate according to where I am, what I'm doing, who I'm with, and I hope to learn to really listen to that tune.






Thursday, May 3, 2018

Good Food News-It's Possible!

A wonderful story from Live Kindly about Vegan Burger company Impossible Foods. They have launched a new food bank program in Northern California aimed at offering high-protein, nutritious foods to food insecure communities.


The program is a working collaboration between Impossible Foods, the Alameda County Community Food Bank, and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.

The Alameda County Community Food Bank serves approximately 1 in 5 of county residents through a network of more than 200 food pantries, soup kitchens, and the like. Making the end to food insecurity a little less impossible.


Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Hiatus Spotlight-Heather Covington

 I still dream about the rustic bread that Heather Covington bakes in my hometown of Gilbertsville, NY. Baking at that level takes so much dedication, and she makes candies as well. Oh, and did I mention she’s a mom to five (three of whom are triplets)? And has chickens?


Heather Covington is a wife, mother, and lifelong food-lover.  She owns Heather's Artisan Breads and Craft Candy in Gilbertsville, NY, and happily supplies the central New York region with her delicious creations.


Here is an update on Heather’s Artisan Breads and Craft Candy, so you can find them and get your nosh on.

After making it through a successful first year, the business continues to thrive. Currently, bread, baked goods, granola and other goodies can be found at Annutto’s Farm Stand, Pire’s Flower Basket, Rio 42, Green Toad Bookstore, The Value Way General Store, Made in Chenango, Mt. Vision Garden Center, and Pail Shop Vineyards.

Due to growing popularity, they are looking at expansion options and a possible retail space in Gilbertsville or Oneonta, NY.




I am pretty sure she’s a little insane, and that’s what makes it all work. We got to chatting to find out the why’s and where’s of what drew her to this path in her life here in Episode 11, “Bread and Family Circus” on Something About Food?