The first dish had been percolating a bit since I last made some spiced caramelized carrots. I had written that their bold, wonderful flavors helped the latest snow go down and a friend snarked “how did you prepare the snow?” Immediately I knew I wanted to top them with a frozen goat cheese.

Years ago my husband and I had this ridiculously long and fascinating molecular gastronomy dinner at Moto in Chicago. By the time we were eating bits of paper that looked and tasted like cotton candy (about 4 hours after we first sat down) I saw a woman across the restaurant completely asleep still upright in her chair. While the laser-toasted-orange-peel-scented pinot noir was exciting and tiny fillet of fish cooked inside a hot box while we ate the 15th course delicious, it was the mound of melt-in-your-mouth goat cheese I remember the most. It was chilled with liquid nitrogen and shot out of some contraption into a nearly weightless pile. And once in your mouth, it disappeared into vapors. We called it goat snow and I knew I would never come close to that ethereal dish, but I could try something close.

I settled on making an herbed granita and it was just what I hoped for. The cold gave way to the creamy goat cheese and then slowly revealed the herbs. It was wonderful with the spiced, sticky carrots. Paired with some greens and toasted nuts this would make a great lunch, or serve with grilled chicken and greens for a hearty dinner. The dish is best with smaller carrots, but you can quarter larger ones as well.

Serves 4-6

Goat Cheese “Snow”
4 ounces goat cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon chives
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
black pepper

Caramelized Carrots
2 pounds carrots, peeled
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon urfa or other chili pepper
2 tablespoons apricot jam (or orange marmalade)
1 tablespoon orange juice
maldon or other flakey salt

Blend cheese with milk until smooth. Fold in pepper, chives and thyme. Pour into a 9×9 baking dish, cover and freeze. You may either scrape and stir with a fork every 15 minutes until frozen granita-style or allow it to freeze in one piece and break into chunks.

Heat oven to 425. Toast cumin, coriander, fennel and pepper in a dry skillet until fragrant. Let cool then grind in a mortar and pestle. Cut carrots in half, toss with olive oil. and a generous sprinkling of spices. Arrange on a baking sheet so they are not too crowded and bake about 15 minutes or until starting to brown. Meanwhile, heat jam (I did 20 seconds in microwave) until syrupy and mix with juice. Flip carrots, drizzle with jam and roast until edges are browned and starting to crisp.

Place carrots on a platter and scatter “snow” on top. Garnish with fresh thyme and chives and a sprinkling of maldon salt.

The second snow was inspired by, what else? A Food52 contest for your best coconut. I chose to flavor some coconut milk with lime, simple syrup and basil. Even though it is not quite peach season, it seemed this would be best on a stone fruit of sorts. There is a bit of an ick factor for me in the fuzziness of a peach, (though once those suckers roll in from Palisade I make do) so I chose some fragrant nectarines. I thought a brief stint on the grill would add a nice touch. It also made them a bit juicier and, served still warm, made the coconut snow melt a bit creating bites both icy and crunchy and creamy delectable.

Serves 4

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1 cup coconut milk (I used full fat)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon basil
4 nectarines (or peaches, apricots or bananas!)
neutral flavored oil

Heat sugar and water until sugar has disolved into a simple syrup. Cool. Mix coconut milk, lime, 3 T of the simple syrup*, a pinch of salt and basil. Pour into a 9×9 baking dish, cover and freeze. You can either stir with a fork every 15 minutes or so to get a finer crumble, or let the whole thing freeze and crack it into chunks. Took a little over an hour for mine to set. Can be made ahead.

Heat a grill and be sure the grate is clean. Cut fruit in half, lightly brush with oil and grill cut side down just until grill marks appear. Put on a plate (or bowl) and top with coconut snow. Garnish with basil and lime zest if desired.

* Muddle a couple lime halfs with some basil and mix with the remaining simple syrup and tequila for a nice cocktail while you grill the fruit!

Next up I would like to experiment with more savory slushes as summer advances and herbs, tomatoes and peppers are abundant. Stay tuned!

I first put the milk and buttermilk in a big pot and brought to a simmer until the curds separated. I ladled the curds into a damp kitchen towel in a strainer in the sink, squeezing gently every so often until it was slightly dry. Meanwhile I blanched and shocked the kale and tossed it with the arugula. The chicken I had marinated in orange juice and zest, olive oil, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and was now grilling. The carrots had been peeled, halved, tossed with olive oil and sprinkled with cumin, salt and pepper and were roasting in the oven.

I had toasted some coriander, fennel and peppercorns for some sort of dressing when I realized I had used all the honey making some very good granola bars (more on that later). I was about to settle for just spiced carrots when I thought of using a jam of sorts. So I mixed a spoon each of apricot jam and orange marmalade, heated them until liquidy in the microwave and added a squeeze of orange juice. As soon as the carrots began to brown, I drizzled this mixture over them, tossed them, and sprinkled some urfa pepper on top. They then continued to roast until they were browned in spots and the skinny bits were caramelized into a kind of carrot candy.

The ricotta was gently mixed with some lemon juice, salt and pepper and the whole lot layered on a platter. I added some toasted almonds and finished the dressing with orange juice, balsamic, mustard, olive oil, salt, pepper and the toasted spices. While I knew basically what to expect from the kale and chicken, it was the incredible brightness and complex, perfect flavor and texture of the carrots that just made me swoon. I had to ration the bites between bites of everything else so that the ratio was correct in the end. But now those carrots are gone and I know absolutely I will making them again and again.

My sister is in town and we were both craving some fish. There was some lovely arctic char which I have eaten but never cooked so we selected a fillet and considered what we might serve it with. I originally wanted peas or favas but decided on the way to the produce section that what I really wanted was something that did not involve shelling, peeling, blanching and so on. So we grabbed a pile of sugar snaps and a bundle of asparagus and swooped back around to the meat counter for some bacon. Remembering the artichoke stew I made a while back which Food52 so beautifully made and photographed, I decided to do something similar.

I first rendered the bacon, removed it to a plate and browned some shallots and garlic in some of the fat. I added some farro along with broth and water, sautéed the asparagus and sugar snaps and threw in some jarred artichoke hearts I had in the pantry. For the fish I just added salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and good olive oil topping it with lemon slices and thyme. I broiled it for about 8 minutes. It was rich and flavorful and a promising combination for getting through these last few weeks of crazy.

Serves 4
4 pieces bacon, chopped
1 medium shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup farro
3 cups liquid (mix broth/water)
1 bunch asparagus, peeled, cut into 1″ pieces
1/2 pound sugar snaps, strings removed
6 artichoke hearts, quartered
1 large fillet arctic char (trout works well too)
lemon slices
red pepper flakes
good olive oil

Heat broiler. Brown bacon in a dutch oven or medium pot slowly, remove to a plate. Pour off all but a couple tablespoons bacon fat and cook shallots and garlic until just starting to brown. Add farro and toast a few minutes then add bacon and broth, cover and simmer about 20 minutes. Cook asparagus and sugar snaps in a pan using some of the bacon fat or olive oil until crisp tender. Fold veggies and artichokes into farro mixture.

Salt and pepper fish, drizzle with olive oil, add red pepper flakes, lemon slices and thyme. Broil about 8-10 minutes.

]]> http://www.savorthis.com/2013/04/forcing-spring/feed/ 0 http://www.savorthis.com/2013/04/itty-bits-of-meat-day-two/ http://www.savorthis.com/2013/04/itty-bits-of-meat-day-two/#comments Tue, 09 Apr 2013 02:06:25 +0000 Marina Chotzinoff http://www.savorthis.com/?p=2020 Continue reading →]]> Waiting somewhere in limbo for my husband’s delayed flight I searched the fridge and freezer for a meal that would meet the goal of easy, tasty, non meat-centric. I also saw a good opportunity to use up several small bits of leftovers. Cooked rice, one piece of breaded chicken, a carrot, the last frozen hockey puck of shredded zucchini from our garden, a couple eggs, mirin, soy, dashi. What I really wanted (green onions, oyster sauce) I had used up so I made do with what I had.

I thawed the zucchini while I grated the carrot. Both were sautéed in a bit of peanut oil. I added the cut up chicken and rice and then a mixture of egg, mirin, soy, dashi and water, covered it and let it set. I sprinkled sesame seeds on top and tried to use an avocado but it had gone from unripe to terrible in a day. A plop of sambal added some heat. It was very good but any photo would be futile. May as well call it tasty, browned, glop on a plate. So take my word for it. Simple, tasty, quick, light on meat. A treat!

]]> http://www.savorthis.com/2013/04/itty-bits-of-meat-day-two/feed/ 2 http://www.savorthis.com/2013/04/all-hail-tiny-lacquered-birds/ http://www.savorthis.com/2013/04/all-hail-tiny-lacquered-birds/#comments Mon, 08 Apr 2013 05:15:15 +0000 Marina Chotzinoff http://www.savorthis.com/?p=2009 Continue reading →]]> The first thing I thought walking into Vietnam Grill was that it looked exactly like Lao Wang Noodle House and I felt briefly alarmed that it was and what that might mean for my life and soup dumplings. The thing I noticed once we had been seated, beveraged and menued was how quiet it was. It was only 6:45, but the restaurant was 2/3 full and every person at every table was consumed with eating the food in front of them. The third thing I noticed after I became painfully aware of how loud our pretty calm conversation seemed in this silence, is that when the people at the rest of the tables came up for air, they were not speaking English. This intro made for a very promising dinner.

My mother had wondered if we shouldn’t save this restaurant for a time we could go with more grownups and, thus, try more dishes. But once I had the hankering, it was hard to not go. So we packed up the just-napped four year old and headed down South Federal. As an experienced eater-outer with a young child I came armed not only with a notebook and crayons, but also a couple addresses of other tried and true destinations nearby in the event the tiny space was too crowded. Lucky for us we arrived about 15 minutes before the place was packed. And since my daughter had seen a play about a mouse with a purple purse that day, she spent the majority of the time drawing mice in various costumes:

I had read some reviews and already knew I’d be ordering something called shrimp cupcakes and the garlic butter quail. After much discussion we added a fresh stuffed crepe. Our waitress told us that was plenty of food but because I can’t help myself we ordered some lemon grass frog legs. I don’t know if it was some muppets movie scene long ago when Kermit weeped over the thought of little frogs hopping about on crutches, but I have yet to ever try frog legs. But because this was to be a trusted place and there were several frog legs dishes on the Chef’s Specials section of the menu I decided to give it a go.

The ‘cupcakes’ arrived first. My mom had asked if the ’14′ next to the name meant we’d get 14 of them. That did not quite seem possible, but it was. A whole plate of what were really half portions of asian aebleskivers atop crispy fried rice noodles. The outside was slightly crisp, the inside custardy with a shrimp and green onions baked into the center. We were told to prepare them springroll style- folding them up into lettuce leaves with pickled carrots, daikon, cucumber, cilantro, sprouts, perilla and a sweet fish sauce for dipping. They were very good if only very very slightly in want of more salt. And that was probably my problem, not the cupcake’s.

Next arrived the fresh crepe which I did not quite understand at first. I was picturing the crispy crepe which is more of a batter folded over a mixture of diced bits like pork and bean sprouts. But it turned out to be more like fresh rice noodles rolled up like an omelette with vietnamese ham, mushrooms, bean sprouts and a really delicate, sweet and lovely sauce for pouring on top. It also had what I assume was some sort of toothsome chicken pâté sliced and placed around the edge of the plate. It also seemed to want just a splash of soy and some chili paste which, in turn, elevated it to a truly wonderful dish.

Finally, the item I was waiting for arrived. The quail. We had first been served a similar quail at our friends’ house in Oakland many years ago. Theirs was rubbed with some love and grilled and served with lime wedges and a mixture of salt and freshly ground pepper. I will forever remember this as it was my job that first time to grind grind grind the pepper. Thank god these people made good cocktails because my story-telling memory wants you to believe I spent half the dinner party grinding that pepper while sipping on fabulous cocktails long before the craft cocktail was so in vogue. And that quail was so good I felt no shame whatsoever demanding it the next two times we stopped in to visit. And it might be true, or not, but I will insist you believe that they forced the pepper grinding job on me time and again.

Fast forward many years. More years than anyone should have to live without eating grilled quail dipped in lime and salt and pepper. The platter arrived with maybe five quail split in two and lacquered in a dark brown glaze. They were circled with some pretty cucumbers and a total waste of hard winter tomatoes. Even if they were good summer tomatoes, I would not have wanted them on that dish. Alas. I picked up half a tiny quail and ripped off the tiny leg for my daughter who thought it was hilarious. She grabbed it, put most of it in her mouth and expertly worked the meat off with her teeth discarding the bone on her plate. I beamed with pride and anticipation and dipped my own piece into the slurry of lime juice, salt and pepper.

If I were pregnant, I feel certain this is a dish I would drive across town at random moments for. It’s something I might talk up to friends only to arrive and find it was just on the chef’s specials list, but not a daily dish, thereby sinking me into a depression. It’s a dish I will most definitely try to recreate, but it will never be as good. It was just a tremendously good dish and I can’t wait to go back and order it again.

Ignoring whatever the sweet lacquer was I will go straight to the caramely, nutty butter and toasted garlic which were perfection. The quick dip into the tangy lime with pungent pepper added a wonderful balance of tang and bite. The pile of tiny carcasses quickly grew on my plate and I briefly wondered if I was supposed to just crunch through all the bones. My mom shook her head quickly, mouth also full of quail. No.

Next up, and last up, were the frog legs. They were battered and, after freeing the tender meat from the dainty quail legs, appeared huge. For a moment I tried to picture what the whole frog might look like, but then just dug in. And I think I will be passing on frogs legs for another vast quantity of time unless someone can convince me otherwise. They were kind of dry, ever so slightly fishy and chickeny but bland. The sauce was good but was a mere oil slick over the afore-mentioned less than awesome meat. My daughter liked them though and it was worth it just to hear her tell her dad later that she had frog legs for dinner. I let my mom take the leftovers and asked for the check.

I was full, but happily so. The service was helpful, friendly and prompt. The atmosphere understated and cozy. At one point I asked my mom why one would bother with another Vietnames restaurant. I think I was under the seduction of the quail at the time…but it would be hard to go elsewhere and miss that dish. So for the NOW I will probably just return there ordering the quail + something new until someone can convince me to go elsewhere.

]]> http://www.savorthis.com/2013/04/all-hail-tiny-lacquered-birds/feed/ 0 http://www.savorthis.com/2013/04/itty-bits-of-meat-day-one/ http://www.savorthis.com/2013/04/itty-bits-of-meat-day-one/#comments Sun, 07 Apr 2013 04:27:07 +0000 Marina Chotzinoff http://www.savorthis.com/?p=1999 Continue reading →]]> If you hadn’t noticed, I moved Meatless March to a later summer date when my garden will be plentiful (I dare you hail!) and vegetarian cooking is sparkling with the raw, the ripe and the rainbow colored. It did not hurt that we also took possession of 25 pounds of happy-running, grass fed beef lovingly raised by my husband’s step family and lovingly slaughtered and packaged by his grandfather’s processing company. Irish Grove Farms and Eickman’s Processing Co. are both in Illinois and as my husband’s father and stepmother were stopping through Denver on a road trip, we convinced them to haul us some beef. And not just 25 pounds for us, but 50 more pounds for some friends. So, you can see I was less than eager to put all that meat eatin’ on hold. Though, after what seems like a week of slow cooked, meat-intensive dinners, I have decided to do a week of meals with just a hint of meat.

Tonight did not involve this meat that I just set you up to want to hear more about. No. Following FIFO law I decided to finish the last handful of Aidell’s Teriyaki Pineapple meatballs that I sometimes have on hand for quick meal supplements. There were five left which I thawed and had my daughter crumble. I also had some massive brussels sprouts and a small head of broccoli. I decided to toss the veggies in some oil and salt and roast them. Meanwhile I steamed some rice. I then toasted some sliced almonds in a dry pan, then added a bit of oil to brown 1/4 onion and the meatball. We stirred together a sauce of soy, sweet chili, sesame oil, fish sauce and rice vinegar. When the veggies were done, I tossed them with the meatballs, almonds and a slight drizzle of sauce. And because I had rice krispies on the counter thanks to the latest Food52 contest involving cereal (see my Korean style crispy rice chicken wings) I threw some of them on top with some cilantro.

It was pretty quick, super tasty and even the four year old cleaned her plate. Next I intend to pull out the Irish Grove beef bones for a beef-flavored broth that will most likely have veggie noodles and a poached egg. It’s a good post Meated March compromise I think and I’m looking forward to more.

]]> http://www.savorthis.com/2013/04/itty-bits-of-meat-day-one/feed/ 0 http://www.savorthis.com/2013/04/gochujang-those-are-some-tasty-wings/ http://www.savorthis.com/2013/04/gochujang-those-are-some-tasty-wings/#comments Sat, 06 Apr 2013 04:38:01 +0000 Marina Chotzinoff http://www.savorthis.com/?p=1984 Continue reading →]]> Korean plus Fried plus Chicken sets my expectations for greatness. Especially lately when my hot sauce of the moment is gochujang. I can clearly see an evolution in my palette having first embraced sriracha, then sambal and now this richer, spicier version that is deepened with a funky fermented bean paste.

I came home with chicken wings the other day despite my historical eye rolling when my dad did the same, yelling “Maru! I picked up dinner!” The difference here is that these would be an appetizer and at least one, and likely several, vegetables would also grace the plate.

I wanted something super crisp that would be glazed with a punch of flavor and enough heat to make you keep eating, but not so much your lips felt like Blinky the Clown*. So I settled on a mixture of rice flour and pulverized rice crispies. The sauce would be gochujang blended with something sweet, sesame and maybe even citrus. And there would be fresh green in form of cilantro and green onion.

I think I succeeded. The first batch came out a tad dark even though they still tasted great. But the cooler oil in the second batch allowed for nice browning and the coating had a serious crunch. Even several hours later when I snuck a couple more, cold, from the fridge. Since I was busy eating the first batch while I fried the second batch, all I have a photo of is the darker one. But I think you get the idea.

Makes 20 pieces

Wings
10 chicken wings, cut in half, wing tips reserved for stock
4 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons mirin
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup oil (such as peanut)
1/4 cup corn starch
1 1/4 cup puffed rice cereal like rice krispies
oil for frying

Glaze
1/4 cup gochujang
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon sherry
2 tablespoons soy
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon grated ginger
cilantro
green onion

Mix all chicken ingredients (through oil) together and marinate up to an hour.

Pulse 1 cup rice cereal in a spice grinder or crush in a plastic bag until you have a mix of fine powder and some larger pieces. Mix with corn starch. Drain chicken reserving marinade.

Mix all glaze ingredients and set aside. Pour oil into a tall pot so you have enough to fry several wings, but without going beyond the halfway mark of the pot. Heat to just shy of 350ºš. Toss wings with starch and cereal mixture adding back a little bit of marinade to help mixture stick. Fry several at a time 6-8 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Brown remaining 1/4 cup rice cereal in a teaspoon of oil.

Toss wings with glaze, garnish with cilantro, green onions and rice cereal and eat right away.

* I realize that Blinky was a Denver institution and some of you may have no idea what I am talking about…so just picture any clown with giant lips and you’ll get the picture.

]]> http://www.savorthis.com/2013/04/gochujang-those-are-some-tasty-wings/feed/ 0 http://www.savorthis.com/2013/03/the-rocky-mile-high-road-to-spring/ http://www.savorthis.com/2013/03/the-rocky-mile-high-road-to-spring/#comments Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:44:52 +0000 Marina Chotzinoff http://www.savorthis.com/?p=1976 Continue reading →]]> March in Denver is a tease. Though our winters can vary between bitter and snowy cold to milder, sunny days, the landscape is still one of bare trees and browned grasses. Seeing the first bulbs pop from the hard soil and the buds appear on the lilacs make me giddy though I try to remind myself that we still have at least two and sometimes three (!) more months of possible blizzards. I worry for the new growth that will struggle under the weight of the next heavy, wet snow. But then the first real summery warm winds make an appearance and all that sensible logic is forgotten.

Last weekend we had a couple of those luscious days. Warm winds, sparkly sunshine, the smell of spring. We brainstormed garden ideas, ate sweet, sweet asparagus and wore t-shirts. And then, of course, we had a foot of snow dumped on us the very next weekend. And I did not mind so much this time. Perhaps because we have not really had a big snow this year or maybe because the sun is finally warm enough to melt it quickly or more likely because we discovered the pure joy of sending our four year old down our hill in a giant mixing bowl…

That night called for a dinner of shepherd’s pie stuffed with lamb, mushrooms, carrots, leeks and gravy which was comforting and delicious in front of one of the last fires of the season. But even scooping up the last tasty bite I was ready for fresh peas, tender baby greens and springtime. And so yesterday as the mile high sun melted the snow and the weather promised to get warmer, I decided to make a springy fennel pizza.

Being allergic to celery, I typically freeze the stalks of the fennel bulbs I have roasted or thinly sliced to eat raw. But this time I wanted to use the whole plant. I decided to cook the stalks with leeks to fold into a ricotta base with some roasted garlic and orange peel, use the roasted, caramelized bulbs on top and garnish with the raw fronds. As the pizza was cooking in the oven, I noticed the naked orange and decided to make a quick drizzle of the juice and some olive oil and more, fresh zest for the top. I will not pretend this pie could not benefit from some crisped bits of bacon or pancetta, but as is, it was sweet, creamy, crispy, earthy and truly satisfying.

Serves 4

1 portion pizza dough (or baguette)
2 fennel bulbs with stalks
3 garlic cloves with skin
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 leek
1 cup ricotta, part skim
1 egg
1 orange
1/2 cup parmesan, finely grated
Urfa or aleppo pepper for garnish
4 fried eggs for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 425°. Trim stalks from fennel and cut in half lengthwise. Cut slices 1/4″ thick across each bulb half leaving a bit of the root end intact. Drizzle on some olive oil and salt and carefully rub between slices and all over bulbs. Rub garlic with oil as well. Put all in a baking dish in the oven. Flip the garlic after about 10 minutes and spread the fennel slices out slightly. Check the garlic after another 5 minutes or so and remove when soft, then chop. Continue to roast fennel another half hour (or until nicely browned), flipping over about half way.

Cut the fennel stalks in half and then crosswise into thin slices to measure 1/2 c. Do the same for the leeks to make 3/4 c. Rinse well and blot dry. Sauté in 1 T each butter and olive oil until softened and just starting to brown. Let cool. When fennel is done, crank heat to 500°.

Roll out pizza dough until it is very thin and brush with a bit of oil. If using baguettes, cut in half and brush with oil. Cook until crisp and just starting brown.

Mix ricotta, egg, leek mixture, garlic, salt and pepper. Zest the orange and fold in 1 T zest and parmesan. Mix 2 T orange juice, 1 t zest and 1T olive oil and set aside. Spread ricotta mixture on pizza dough. Carefully cut root end off fennel bulbs and arrange slices on top of ricotta mixture. Put back in oven for 5-8 minutes until ricotta mixture starts to brown and feels set.

Remove from oven, drizzle with orange juice mixture. Garnish with fennel fronds and black pepper. Also great with urfa or aleppo pepper. Cut into four wedges and serve with a simple salad.

At this time you can also add a fried egg, over medium per portion.

]]> http://www.savorthis.com/2013/03/the-rocky-mile-high-road-to-spring/feed/ 0 http://www.savorthis.com/2013/03/make-time-to-see-a-place-at-the-table/ http://www.savorthis.com/2013/03/make-time-to-see-a-place-at-the-table/#comments Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:40:42 +0000 Marina Chotzinoff http://www.savorthis.com/?p=1962 Continue reading →]]> Sometimes being intensely uncomfortable is good for you. In fact, we should all make a point of experiencing something clammy, awkward, alarming, sad or maddening every so often. Rather than that standard reminder about how there are those less fortunate while in the middle of complaining about our first world problems, I say remind me when I’m feeling good and capable. Not when I’m down and want to spend a small moment feeling sorry for myself. That way I might just have the gumption to get up and do something to affect change rather than feel bad about it and move on. So it’s thanks to Corner House that I had just such an experience yesterday and came straight home to make a plan to re-engage and help my neighbors out.

Not many things feel as awkward as trying to enjoy plate after plate of delicious victuals while watching a heart-wrenching movie about hungry children. So I give huge props to James Iacino and Matt Selby of Corner House for not only donating 25% of all proceeds yesterday to Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign, but for choosing to host a free screening of the movie in their restaurant. I know I was not the only one choking back some tears while simultaneously working on enjoying and swallowing an exquisite platter of pork rillettes. And that awkward tug-of-war is pretty much how we spent the remainder of our time at Corner House. I imagine this attempt to share both sides of that experience with you might be just as awkward, but I’ll give it a go as long as you keep in mind that each time I consider the food and atmosphere I am feeling like a bit of an asshole.

It was our first time at the relatively new restaurant and I was struck by how small and cozy it seemed (only 1200 square feet!). They made creative use of the triangular space which seats only about 50 now (soon to almost double with outdoor patios for summer). While the bathrooms were spacious and nice, I am never too happy when everyone can see your comings and going to the loo. Especially when they are all looking right through you to the movie. But personal, weird nitpicks aside, the atmosphere made up of various woods and industrial metals is quite nice. One side of the triangle was outfitted with impressively heavy chairs and tables made from Colorado hickory and steel with one wall lined in striped beetle kill and the other in aspen tree wallpaper. The other side of the restaurant featured a couple community high tops and some seats at the bar.

Before the movie began the grilled avocado salad arrived. I used to think one should never cook an avocado but I have since changed my tune when it comes to the crispy, deep fried variety. That said, I could not really figure out why this avocado was grilled. It did not really add anything flavor-wise and seemed to do something funky to the texture on the outside. But it did taste like a perfectly good, creamy avocado and the peppery arugula, perfectly spicy fresno peppers, oranges and vinaigrette made for a great salad. And then the movie started.

Created by directors Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush and Executive Producer (and Silverbush’ husband) Tom Colicchio (you might have heard of him), the movie shines a vivid light on the current state of hunger in our country. And for those of us in Colorado it gets even closer than that. Rosie, one of the three people featured in the movie, is a charming and optimistic fifth grader living in the small town of Collbran between Grand Junction and Rifle. Having to rely on food banks, friends and neighbors and never knowing for sure where her next meal might come from, she is doing her best to be a normal kid. It is heart breaking. And as a parent, it is almost too much to watch.

But the movie does a great job of balancing these wrenching scenes with data and history and good quotes from Jeff Bridges—”If another country was doing this to our kids we’d be at war”—so that you don’t feel like throwing in the towel and drowning your sorrows completely in one of the fine craft cocktails on the menu in front of you. During one such lull in emotional torment, a really nice bowl of tuna poke arrived. Mounded over rice with a ponzu sauce and crunchy wakame flakes, it was fresh and tender with little bursts of mint and heat awakening our palettes. I was able to get a few good bites in before the fact that 50 million Americans are hungry and that 1 in 2 children will be on food assistance at some time sunk in. Add to that the fact that the school lunch programs are left with only about $0.90 out of a measly few dollars to buy the actual FOOD our kids eat and my sadness was turning into anger.

This anger, though, did allow me to stop a moment to marvel at the rillettes plate that had arrived. On the plate was a glass pot of the pork rillettes, some grilled bread, wafer-thin slices of pickled vegetables, house-made fig jam and a seedy mustard. Unlike most rillettes I have had or made, which are whipped into a paste, this was made up of small chunks of tender pork suspended in a duck fat that melted as it hit your tongue. Paired with the sweet and chunky fig, the tangy mustard and bright, crunchy vegetables, it exemplified the quintessential snack plate. I tried to both savor its pure goodness but also eat it quickly (before the movie got me again).

For all the raw moments that caused tiny head shaking all around us, the movie also highlighted some true warriors. There is a scene in which Odessa Cherry, a teacher in Mississippi diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, tries to teach her kids to seek out the sweet bliss of a melon over chips. Having decided to try to cure her diabetes through diet, she is on a passionate journey to educate her kids about healthy eating. She passes the melon around so the kids can really feel it and recognize it in the store so they can ask their parents for it by name. She then slices open the melon, passes it around and says “Ready. Set. Taste!” with infectious enthusiasm. The kids dig in, juice running down their chins, emitting happy noises and eating right down to the rind. Even this scene makes me weep like a baby, but it’s a good weep. It’s a good awakening.

Parts of this movie will flatten you like a bug leaving you feeling like a helpless smudge, but it will also show you the goodwill of those fighting this cause. And if, like me, you are moved to march straight home and go to the Share Our Strength website, you will find myriad ways in which you can help. The site is well organized and provides great information to help you find a good fit whether it’s donating money, time or spreading the word. You can even attend a swanky dinner like Chefs Up Front, happening March 17th in Denver, in which proceeds go directly to the Cooking Matters program.

Or, do as I did and teach people to cook healthy and affordable food. Several years ago I volunteered with Share Our Strength to teach cooking lessons to an after school group at Girls Inc. These girls were excited to cook and eat and learn and would proudly show off their new skills and ideas to their parents when they picked them up. There was something intensely gratifying about being able to use my skills to directly impact someone. And thanks to one little girl’s enthusiasm during a discussion of gardening and polination we now greet our garden in the summertime with a joyful “THANK YOU BEES!!” I was grateful for the timing of this movie and the reminder of all the great volunteer programming they have and have already filled out a new volunteer application.

I was also glad for the chance, however uncomfortable it was, to experience Corner House. They are clearly doing what they believe in both food- and conscious-wise and are leveraging that passion and spirit for good. And by not shying away from a topic that many of us would rather not face, they are owning this problem as we all should. Please make time to watch the movie and keep the momentum going.

A Place at the Table is now playing at the Mayan Theatre and is also available on iTunes and on-demand through some cable providers.

]]> http://www.savorthis.com/2013/03/make-time-to-see-a-place-at-the-table/feed/ 0 http://www.savorthis.com/2013/03/austin-descending/ http://www.savorthis.com/2013/03/austin-descending/#comments Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:28:41 +0000 Marina Chotzinoff http://www.savorthis.com/?p=1946 Continue reading →]]> It is no secret that Austin is a city like no other. A network made up of little “finds” artistic, musical, fashionable or edible, it is a veritable treasure hunt. Each time I visit I discover yet another wonder I wish I could take home with me, most of them food-related. First it was the crispy chicken and avocado wraps from Mighty Cone which I recreated with fair success. Next I modified it for a contest featuring your best avocado. Then a stoner’s dream come true was born out of inspiration from the Chi’lantro food truck.

And I’m not the only one wanting a little piece of Austin up here in the mile high city. Opening this month in Littleton is our very own Alamo Drafthouse which is just an awesome movie house serving up great beer and food. Our version will feature no less than 32 beers on tap and four more rotating local beers (many of the 32 taps are already local beers). Combined with some offerings in cans and bottles there will be 64 beers and ciders to choose from. And if our visits to the Austin Alamo are any indication, the food will be a perfect finishing touch to the best new date night in town. Join them for their staff training days March 22nd, 23rd and 24th for $2 tickets and 1/2 off food. Find a better deal than THAT.

And the morning after date night, you might head over to Moontower Tacos for their filling and affordable breakfast menu. I had enjoyed lunch there last week and was really looking forward to some MIGAS!, a tex-mex Austin classic. Located in a little strip mall off 6th and Grant, Moontower smartly serves breakfast all day on the weekends and rumpled-hair patrons (myself included) were grateful for the new breakfast addition to the neighborhood. We were also all pretty surprised by the size of these tacos tapping out at only $3.25. Assuming they’d be fairly small, we ordered four for the two (and a half) of us: one MIGAS!, two Suicides and the Doggfather (3.75 from the regular menu).

When they arrived we had to just sit and ponder our approach. “Jesus” muttered Ryan, observing the two Suicides packed into one basket. “These are big tacos.” Turning the basket this way and that he opted instead to tackle the Doggfather. He first drizzled a little maple syrup on the fried chicken and bacon, added a couple candied jalapeños and folded the waffle in half. It’s funny now to think that my first observation of that dish was that it seemed to have a small amount of chicken to the waffle ratio. Because that dish alone would have been pretty filling once you gave up trying to hold it and just forked it into your mouth. After the first bite the waffle pretty much fell apart which led me to my million dollar idea. I figured you could embed the bacon strips inside the waffle forming a hammock of sorts for the chicken. I intend to try it out this weekend and have already applied for my patent. You read it here first folks…it will soon sweep the nation. The chicken itself was well-seasoned and I put the sweet jalapeños on everything. One final tweak I might make because I am such a sucker for slightly sweet glazes is to consider tossing the chicken strips in a maple/habanero or maple/jalapeno glaze wing-style.

After a couple waffle bites, Ryan again considered the Suicide. Two slightly overlapped tortillas were piled with smashed potatoes, eggs, queso, avocado and bacon. I started to offer some suggestions only to be stopped by Ryan, two hands in the air, a sigh, a “please, let me just deal with this.” Abandoning all hopes of dignity, he picked up the overflowing taco and just went at it planning, perhaps, to just not put it down until he was done. I opted to eat half of mine with fork and knife and then picked up the remainder. With a little of the house made, vinegary hot sauce, it was my favorite dish of the morning.

Next I worked on the MIGAS! which I am going to downgrade to plain old migas. The menu did say “crispy tortilla strips” but I was still disappointed to see them sitting on top of the eggs. The only way I have ever had them is to cook them in the eggs where they soften a bit and become real migas instead of just eggs with fried tortillas on top. While the flavors were good and the crunch was not a bad thing, these were not the migas I was hoping for as I’d enjoyed them in Austin. A fellow Food52 cook living in Austin confirmed for me that this version was just no right…so hopefully they will make some adjustments.

The folks at the table next to us also seemed to enjoy their breakfast but were equally surprised by how big the tacos were. I might consider slightly smaller tacos in the $2.50 range because it’s great to be able to try a couple different ones and two were way too much food for either of us. But overall we had a pretty good and filling meal (with coffee from Elevation) for under $20 and could have eliminated a taco making it even cheaper. Still very new, Moontower is off to a good start. I’m excited to have a new, walkable, lunch and breakfast spot nearby and am looking forward to seeing how it evolves.

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