Fork-fed

One to One: Jessica B. Harris

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:41:00 -0700

Jessica B. Harris talks about her book with High on the Hog and uncovers the culinary history of African Americans from Africa to present day America. This type of research is very relevant and valuable to the understanding of the cultural shifts that took place upon the transition from Africa to America, how new culinary habits and behaviors were formed, which original food preferences were retained and how it all transpired through the generations to the present day consumption, desires for certain types of food (including how it is grown, prepared, served, etc) the social uses of food among the black community, and the resulting condition of African descended people in the United States.

Dr. Harris talks about Philadelphia being a historical hub for African American culture but surprisingly being a cornerstone for the entrepreneurial culinary profession even during the era of slavery. Free blacks established themselves in the culinary business including catering, restaurant ownership, and professional domestic practices (butlers and home cooks.) This type of information is NOT in your history books. Sheryl’s One To One interview with this culinary historian is quite fascinating to say the least. Also, Jessica is very pleasant to listen to!

It's the weekend!

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 19:19:59 -0700

What are you up to this weekend? Mine will be filled with lots of yoga (teacher training week 7), for sure! Tomorrow, I’m going to a party for the 1-year celebration for this amazing local shop in NE Portland!

Here are a few delicious links to carry you through the weekend.

xo,

Jessica

———

The first fresh-pressed, organic juice directory helps you find over 700 juice spots!

Everyone is cleansing and detoxing for spring. I like these helpful yet not overwhelming tips.

Kenny & Zuke’s is screening cult favorites and Game of Thrones at their place this week! Schedule here.

Portobella Vegan Trattoria is on my list of places to brunch this spring.

Ideas and recipes for a better solo lunch.

A short vid on how-to make a lovely savory, sweet french bread by a lovely Brit.

Easy oatmeal cookies!

Insomnia? Try this smoothie for sweet dreams.

Food Faces is Japanese art and food all rolled into one book!

A lifestyle of moderation (including chocolate, rest, letting go of stress, and outdoor walks) helped this man age well. Check out some of his recipe videos here. You will not believe he is 111- years old!

Photo: Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday (1953)

lunch, of course

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:05:23 -0700

“The History of every major Galactic Civilization tends to pass through three distinct and recognizable phases, those of Survival, Inquiry and Sophistication, otherwise known as the How, Why, and Where phases. For instance, the first phase is characterized by the question ‘How can we eat?’ the second by the question ‘Why do we eat?’ and the third by the question ‘Where shall we have lunch?”
― Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

i just know I’ll have to pick up this book one day. the title draws me in and so does this quote. interestingly, i think the mainstream is now trying to address all of these questions at once. our lives are moving faster every year. an on-the-go lifestyle is the norm these days and convenience is king. we have gotten so caught up in the whirlwind of our lives (and everyone else’s) that the basics have been forgotten! there are many blogs, television programs, magazine features, books and other media dedicated to “re-teaching” people how, when, and where to eat. so I will not use this space for that. but i had to share lunch, of course.

lunchtime is easily becoming my favorite time of day. it’s usually a time to retreat home after a morning of work or unpack something delicious i bring to my workplace. i rarely grab lunch to go or eat out for this meal. at home, i’m usually quite romantic about the whole thing: preparing something simple with leftover ingredients that I love and sitting down to a nice long, quiet lunch. sometimes i read a book over lunch but mostly, i pay attention to every bite (not very hard with lunch pictured above.) this dish is one of my absolute favorites and gives me freedom to mix up ingredients every time i make it.

Stuffed Harvest Sweet Potato

Bake or steam a sweet potato and fill with sautéed greens (in olive or sesame oil) warmed chickpeas and diced tomatoes. Top with sliced avocado. Add a dash of cumin, pinch of salt and pepper.

How: gratefully + mindfully.

When: For lunch or when you are hungry.

Why: Because these ingredients are good for you and your body needs nutritious fuel for quality living.

Where: Wherever you can enjoy the act of dining, alone or with someone else.

credits: book

have a relaxing weekend!

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 21:23:43 -0800

What are you doing this weekend? My mom is coming to town for a visit. I’ve spent the evening tidying and cozying the place. Can’t wait to just hug her and talk face to face. Skype is great and so reliable but there is nothing like giving/getting love up close.

A few links to carry you through the weekend.

A song: A live recording of India Arie performing “Beautiful Flower”. Love that her man Chris is in the studio by her side :)

Lettuce tempt u is a stunning food blog full of aesthetically organized colors and textures. it’s pure art.

People and their breakfasts.

African Chop is your guide to African cuisine.

How much would you pay for good chocolate? Here is the $25,000 dessert at Serendipity 3 NYC.

A beautifully human article about death.

A fabulous sweet potato and black bean chili recipe.

The perfect book for true restaurant lovers and aspiring cooks!

Corny-free v-day cards, if you’re into that.

Kinfolk dinner event in Chicago!

I’ve been on a ‘shroom kick lately and this is the perfect recipe: white bean and shitake soup with herb oil.

Sketchnotes

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 10:52:07 -0800

a look who's at gone green...

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 18:57:44 -0800

i wrote a good omelet

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 11:53:36 -0800

and ate a hot poem…

after loving you

Buttoned my car…and drove my coat home…

in the rain…

after loving you

I goed on red…and stopped on green…floating somewhere in between… being here and being there… after loving you I rolled my bed…

turned down my hair…slightly confused but…

I don’t care…

Laid out my teeth…and gargled my gown…

then I stood …

and laid me down… To sleep

…

after loving you.

Daily Bites- Lunch from scratch

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 14:01:00 -0800

i’m addicted to having lunch at home. working so close to my apartment over the past year has really had it’s perks. in the middle of the day, i can come home whip up something incredibly delicious and filling and enjoy it at my own table or on the couch where i can prop my feet up and dine. i will actually say that this is probably one of the best changes in my life since moving to portland.

i’d been making a couple of the same recipes over and over again adapting them to include whatever I have in my kitchen that week. I have to admit that I have had my share of street cart food and while some of it was completely uninspiring to my palate, it did give me the idea to figure out a couple really simple dishes that include my favorite foods!

plus it all feels very french to me. in ernest hemingway’s a moveable feast, he writes about his rendezvous in parisian cafes but recollects most often about him and hadley dining at home or packing food to take with them on train rides or to the races. even casual lunches at home were late and had 3-4 courses. i remember the part in the book when ernest first met sylvia beach the owner of shakespeare and company, the bookstore that he would frequent for borrowed reads throughout his memoir. one of sylvia’s initial inquiries to ernest before asking him and hadley to dinner was whether they eat out or at home. at that time, it was both a social order and a way to find suitable dining buddies. while i usually don’t have time for more than one course, i will occasionally pour myself a short class of red zinfandel or have a chocolate truffle ( i make them myself) after a meal. It always feels so indulgent and lifts my spirits which everyone needs on a rainy day.

it’s as true as it was in paris during the 1920s: you can eat very well, fairly cheap. the way: cook at home.

picture 1: Soba noodle soup with sauteed shitake mushrooms, diced acorn squash, and cauliflower in a lemongrass, ginger miso broth. Topped with fresh green onion.

picture 2: grain bowl complete with millet cooked in veggie broth and olive oil, steamed winter greens, and sauteed chickpeas. topped with a olive oil and lemon based dressing with white miso, fresh ginger, honey, salt and pepper to taste.

How Hot Dogs Are Made. *Warning don’t watch while eating

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 14:34:41 -0800

How Hot Dogs Are Made.

*Warning don’t watch while eating

Have a wonderful weekend!

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 19:43:19 -0800

What are you doing this weekend? Last week, I started a program to complete 40 days of asana practice/clean eating. So, I will be spending some time in my favorite yoga studio and in my kitchen, of course! Whole Living has a great list of detox recipes that I can’t wait to try in the coming weeks. I already made the sweet potato and red lentil stew and loved it!

Here are a few links to carry you through the rest of the weekend:

A gorgeous cover of MJB’s “Real Love” by Meklit Hadero and Quinn DeVeaux

An art and burger lover’s dream website.

Cooking for one.

I swear by fresh ginger and honey for cold-prevention. Read more about the benefits of ginger here and make yourself a cup!

Classic Alice Waters recipe: roasted cauliflower. Make a bunch and then add it to pasta or a fritata!

A play about James Beard, America’s first foodie.

The perfect apron for Lasana who would eat fish tacos every night of the week…Wait that’s me.

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler want you to play this drinking game when you watch the Golden Globes.

An updated version of Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential is being released as a insider’s edition complete with the author’s note and annotations reflecting his sentiments on changes in the industry. Pretty cool!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Jessica

Image: Source

Have a charming weekend!

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 16:25:00 -0800

What are you up to this weekend? I’m looking forward to dinner and a movie this evening with one of my favorite people in the world. We’re going to dine on some of delicious Thai food and then see this film at an old theater in my neighborhood. Also this weekend, I’m planning to start a new book, eat some oysters at the Parish, prepare a scrumptious birthday dinner for someone very special on Sunday, and finish the end of season 2 of Breaking Bad. So pretty much just eating and chilling and enjoy time with my boo.

Here are a few links to carry you through the weekend!

Song: Coffee and Cigarettes by Otis Redding

A love a hearty salad for dinner.

What some prisoners on death row requested for their last meal.

The Guilty Pleasure Diet seems like a totally legit way to maintain weight and sanity.

January superfoods are green.

Feeling inspired to transform yourself? Join America’s juice cleansing movement.

18 ways to upgrade your brown bag lunch.

Helpful tips for hosting a dinner party in a tiny space.

I’m intrigued by this film about an 85-year old sushi chef and his relationship with his son.

photo credit: Occasionally Lucid

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 16:47:31 -0800

Daily Bites- Greek Takeout

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 18:38:10 -0800

Breakfast was fruit and lunch was leftovers from last night’s dinner.

I was really craving hummus tonight and already had everything I needed to make it. It turned out great. I sent my boyfriend a picture of my finished product and he said it looks just like the hummus plate at his favorite coffee shop in Chicago. I added some crudites, warm pita bread and olives to make it a meal.

I love hummus because you can use it as a main dish, side or spread and keep it simple or make it fancy! Plus, it makes a super quick and easy snack that you can whip up for friends or unexpected company.

Here are some other great hummus recipes.

A square of bittersweet dark chocolate for dessert.

jess

(photo credit: smitten kitchen)

Daily Bites- Travel Day

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 21:06:00 -0800

On the plane ride home today, I decided to start a new post here called Daily Bites. I’d like to document everything I eat every day. In twenty thirteen, I’m vow to my meals more instead of grabbing to go or eating out. The posts will be a cool way to chart what I actually cook, note special things about the preparation, and remember what I liked in case I find myself wondering what to make after a long day after work or lazy Sunday afternoon when I just don’t feel like cooking. I’ll be my own inspiration. Maybe someone else will find some here, too :)

Breakfast: Perfect omelets for my aunt, uncle and cousin! Slightly browned butter in a bottom heavy skillet, sauteed veggies first, then add in after egg. Add cheese! Even if it’s the only ingredient. I ate my one egg, plain omelet with cold coconut-seared salmon a la Uncle Joe. I will be trying his recipe on my own soon.

Lunch- Plane Picnic: Half crunchy peanut butter sandwich on multi-grain bread. Baby carrots and a fresh organic bosc pear. Smoked almonds. Ginger ale. More perfect plane picnic ideas here.

Dinner: Millet salad with blanched broccoli and walnut-parsley pesto (whirl walnuts, parsley, EVOO, and lemon juice in a food processor. Plenty of sea salt, topped with avocado.

More bites tomorrow!

#breakfast #lunch #dinner #travel #quick #vegetarian

(photo credit: We Heart It)

The Most Delightful Pancakes You've Ever Had

Tue, 25 Dec 2012 13:54:00 -0800

It’s Christmas! On the morning of this particular holiday, I usually settle for nothing less than something warm and melt-in-your-mouth delicious to start the day. I picked up this little habit from my mom who would always be dressed in a fuzzy, spa robe with a mug of coffee in one hand and a warm croissant in the other by the time my sister and I found our way down downstairs on Christmas morning.

This year, I’m spending the holiday with my aunt and uncle in San Diego. They are empty- nesters who luxuriate in their own relaxed, cozy environment where no one is pulling on them to cook or do anything beside stay warm and enjoy the crackling stonewall fireplace in their vast living room. (Only people in California think that 65 degrees is chilly.) So, when I decided to make these amazingly light and fruity pancakes this morning, they were completely open to it and loved them. My aunt who is impossibly charming and wonderful called them delightful. So there it is. The most delightful pancakes you’ve ever had.

I found the recipe on How Sweet It Is in case you want to give them a try. You can serve them hot with maple syrup and real butter, fruit, or powdered sugar. I think I’ll start my own little Christmas morning tradition. Now, I just need to find the perfect house robe :)

(photo credit: How Sweet It Is)

#Christmas #pancakes

Have a fun weekend (with a friend)

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 20:00:00 -0800

My friend and I are hanging out in San Diego and LA this weekend. I’ve had tons of seafood since I’ve been here in California, and will treat my taste buds to some oysters before I leave here. Did you know oysters are best eaten in months that have an ‘r’ in them? Oysters are in season right now and they’re the perfect holiday treat.

Fun Fact: The French consume 70 percent of their oysters at Christmas and New Year.

Joyeux Noël indeed!

Here are a few delicious links to carry you through the weekend.

Eartha Kitt’s, C’est Si Bon.

A book about America’s obsession with Chinese food. Fascinating.

A survival kit for foodies.

One woman blogging about what she eats every day of her life in Médoc with her family and jack terrier.

27 gourmet recipes for vegetarian Christmas dinner.

A perfect Saturday (or Sunday) morning breakfast.

I may try this challenge next year in Portland.

Unbelievably real looking food art.

Jess

Dinner in San Diego...

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 21:09:00 -0800

at home tonight! Well, my friend Erin’s home to be specific. With her demanding schedule she had little time or energy to cook but loves to eat well. I decided to roll up my sleeves and be her personal chef for the week. At least for dinner. It’s the least I can do for a friend of 13 years! Last night was a Mexican feast with mushroom quesadillas, chips and guacamole.

Tonight, I made a loaded baked potato until crispy on the outside and creamy inside. Topped with fresh tomatoes, buttery ‘shrooms, steamed spinach, cheddar cheese and asparagus. I also made her a wine-glazed chicken on the stove top that she loved so much she ate half before the baked potatoes were even ready. I love this recipe because it’s so versatile.

Here was my inspiration:

This might be a good idea for that dinner party I’m going to commit to in the new year :)

Tomorrow, I’m making this for dinner after our hot yoga class.

photo credit: A Cup of Jo

This was me and my friend today. Singing Heartbreak by Mariah...

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 20:54:45 -0800

This was me and my friend today. Singing Heartbreak by Mariah Carey on the way to the mall :)

soup for a lonely heart

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 12:07:00 -0800

Soups on the menu for lunch again today. I’m actually looking forward to the warmth that I’ll get from what’s left over of the big pot of leek, white bean, and tomato mixture that I made earlier this week. This fiction writer wrote a beautiful short story featuring soup that I can really relate to. Some of the best advice I’ve ever heard is that you have to be your own best friend, so that when you’re alone there will always be someone there for you. The story below illustrates that advice in a poetic, slightly melancholy, yet hopeful way.

Soup For A Lonely Heart

Wait for a windy day. Heat up a little butter in the tallest stockpot you own, then dig out the biggest onion you can find. In all likelihood it will be hiding at the very back of your cupboard; the good onions always do that. Chop it up with a recently sharpened knife and toss the pieces into the pot. While the onion cooks, read a few pages from a book you haven’t touched in ages, and if you like the way it sounds in your head, tear them out, crinkle them up, and add them to the onions. Don’t worry about the missing pages; you’ll remember how the story goes.
If you have any tiny potatoes, toss those into the pot, along with anything else with a thick skin, like that ugly little squash your neighbor handed to you over his fence, or the persimmons that have been sleeping for a week in your fruit bowl. Cook everything until it is so translucent it’s hard to see it at all. Fill the remaining space with chicken stock, or vegetable stock, or the rainwater that has been coming down for weeks. Herbs are happy to be included here, a handful knotted tightly with twine and dunked to the bottom of the pot. By the time you’ve done all of this, it will be evening, and you will be getting hungrier than you thought possible. Maybe, then, there will be a knock at the door, an old friend. He will come with a loaf of hot bread under his arm, which you will tear pieces from with tingling hands. You will lean against the kitchen counter and talk about how quickly this year has gone by. He will check on the soup for you, and season it, and ask where you keep your fine china.
When the soup is ready, the whole house will be fragrant, and nearly all of the bread will be gone. You will tear the remaining piece in half and ladle the soup into porcelain bowls, licking a drop that lands on your thumb. Your friend will tell you a story about an island he once traveled to that was covered in fruit trees. “We could go there together,” he offers. “There’s plenty of time.” It’s past midnight when you finish your meal. Your guest has to leave, and so you change into your pajamas, and wash the makeup off your face, and pour the rest of the soup into tupperware to stack in the freezer. This way the soup will keep until you need it, even if that is years from now.

The simple act of eating awakens an entire universe of memory and meaning: union with...

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 17:09:06 -0700

The simple act of eating awakens an entire universe of memory and meaning: union with others…

And once I had recognized the taste of the crumb of madeleine soaked in her decoction of lime-flowers which my aunt used to give me … immediately the old grey house upon the street, where her room was…and with the house the town, from morning to night and in all weathers, the Square where I was sent before luncheon, the streets along which I used to run errands, the country roads we took when it was fine … and the good folk of the village and their little dwellings and the parish church and the whole of Combray and of its surroundings, taking their proper shapes and growing solid, sprang into being, town and gardens alike, from my cup of tea.

-Remembrance of Things Past, Proust