Food Favorite

The brouhaha over the remarks by Carlo Petrini about the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market lead me to post something that unfortunately lead to some bad feelings and misunderstandings. So I thought I'd take this opportunity to clarify my own positions, once and for all.

Slow Food
It's a movement and a philosophy that was born in response to a McDonald's being opened in Rome. In general I agree with founder Carlo Petrini's manifesto as outlined in Slow Food: A Case for Taste. I do think we should preserve traditional foodways, and fully support the idea to "rediscover the flavors and savors of regional cooking and banish the degrading effects of Fast Food."

On a local level I wish there were more Slow Food events that were accessible to as many people as possible, not only people with considerable disposable income. But I understand an organization tries to raise money with high ticket fundraisers in order to grow and to raise awareness and that's ok with me. The The Golden Glass tasting event this weekend is $50 but that's fairly affordable, considering it is a fundraiser.

As for Petrini's comments, because I believe in free speech, I believe he should be allowed to say what he wants about the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. It saddens me to think he may have exaggerated or outright lied to make a point. But I do believe there was some truth to his comments, however harsh they seemed. It's important to really listen to criticism, not just shut it down. I also know that's hard to do. It's why I'm writing this today.

Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
I shop there. Not all the time. Not every week. But I do shop there. It is expensive but so are supermarkets. At both you have to look at quality and at prices and make your own personal purchasing decisions. At the Ferry Plaza Market it's much easier to talk to food producers directly which can help you make these decisions. That's a good thing.

Personally I feel more comfortable at the Alemany Farmers Market because I find a more diverse group of people there and a greater variety of Asian vegetables that I like experimenting with in my own cooking. It's earthier, and I just like that. I also prefer the prepared food at Alemany 100% over the cooked food sold outdoors at the Ferry Plaza. I've eaten both and that's just my personal opinion. Feel free to disagree.

CUESA
The mission of CUESA is "To promote a sustainable food system through the operation of the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market and its educational programs". I appreciate that. Really I do. But I think to overcome the criticism that the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market is elitist (which by it's definition is not sustainable), there is a lot more they could be doing. Like what? Like showing consumers how to shop there on a budget. Like highlighting the best deals at the market, just like supermarkets do. Like having educational programs that feature less 5 star chefs and more local neighborhood home cooks and cooking done by Filipino, Latino, Vietnamese, and Middle Eastern cooks and chefs for example. A focus on stuff that people in our community eat all the time, not just high end restaurant food, would be refreshing and appeal to a wide audience.

Ok, that's it for these subjects. For now anyway.

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Just a few weeks ago I ate dinner at Poleng Lounge. It's in an unlikely location near the Panhandle in San Francisco and while part of the restaurant is a nightclub, the food is definitely not an afterthought. Forget about "fusion" chef Tim Luym seeks out unusual ingredients and uses traditional techniques in an effort to stay true to the cultures of Asia. The menu has dishes that span the region from Hawaii to Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Bali, the Philippines, India, China and more. Little plates feature small plate portions of salads, dumplings, satays, and samosas to nibble and share.

So when I heard that the first of the Summer series Inside the Kitchen class at the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay was going to be given by Tim Luym I jumped at the chance to attend. I was not disappointed. Inside the Kitchen classes are typically demonstration style in rooms with stunning views so you never forget where you are. Little tastes of every dish prepared are served and there is generally plenty of time to chat with the chef, ask questions, and get a close up look at various ingredients.

The dishes prepared during class were Curried Kaffir Lime Nuts, Ahi Kinilaw, Tamarind Chicken Lollipops and Shortibs with Enoki and Scallion. What did I learn from the two hour class? While I have used kaffir lime leaves before, it never occurred to me that they could be ground into a powder. The scent was lemony and intoxicating.

Ahi Kinilaw is a Filipino recipe much like a ceviche. It uses coconut milk and the chef explained that you should marinate the fish for five minutes before adding the coconut milk to give it time to cook in the acid. He also used calamansi limes which were tiny and juicy. I will definitely seek these out next time I'm at an Asian market.

Another ingredient I will look for is Pandan leaves. Also known as pandanus or screwpine, these long green leaves had a sweet vanilla like scent and can be used in cooking rice as well as a wrapper for meat.

For the tamarind chicken, the chef recommended using the 3 crab brand of fish sauce. Since I didn't actually bring any bottles back from Vietnam, I will keep this in mind when my supply runs low. Another brand name I heard was Yamasa, for a less salty and thinner style of soy sauce that the chef prefers.

As for techniques, the chef showed us how he used a mortar and pestle to grind shallots and explained that this brings out more flavor than just chopping them.

Each of the dishes were absolutely delicious and while I don't know which of them I will tackle first at home, the instruction booklet provided will keep me on track.

Upcoming classes feature a number of local chefs and bar chefs like Elizabeth Falkner, Chris Kronner, Greg Lingren, Scott Beattie and Gayle Pirie and John Clark. But if you want to check out something a little further afield, my choice would be the class given June 8th by Kevin Johnson who is known for his "low country" cuisine served up at Anson Restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina. The dishes he'll be preparing are Anson's famous Shrimp and Grits, Duo of South Carolina Quail (fried and bbq) West Coast oysters with Southern Flavors (raw, roasted and fried) and Strawberry Shortcake with Vanilla-roasted Strawberries, Strawberry ice cream and Pecan cake "French toast". Yum! To register visit Inside the Kitchen. Classes are typically around $85 and include a donation to Meals on Wheels San Francisco.

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This Saturday June 2nd Cheese Plus is having an anniversay event. Stop by between 3 and 7 pm and taste local goodies I love like CMB Sweets jam, McQuade's Chutney and Charles Chocolates. In fact, I will be the one sampling my friend Alison's fabulous chutney that I've been raving about forever. Alison is busy with another gig and I offered to lend a hand. Most importantly, this is your chance to see if you like it before buying it.

Should you happen to buy some McQuade's Chutney between 3 and 7pm which is when I will be there, I have a special incentive. I will be giving away goodies from my vast collection of crap treasures. Purchase a jar, show me the receipt and say the not-so-secret phrase "Cooking with Amy" and pick something from the grab bag, while supplies last. You could end up with a book, a knife sharpener, a deluxe vegetable peeler, a wine chiller, an apron, who knows! Even if you can't stand chutney, stop by and say hi anyway.

Also in the neighborhood are Nick's Crispy Tacos, The Candy Store, and two of my favorite wine shops for finding bargains, William Cross Wine Merchant which always has a great selection of wines under $15, and The Jug Shop which has one of the best selections of Australian wines, including my current love, sparkling shiraz. You could also check out Biondivino another addition to the neighborhood, which specializes in Italian wines, though it may be tougher to find bargains there.

Cheese Plus
2001 Polk St @ Pacific
San Francisco CA
415.921.2001

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