Edible Education 101: A Complete Course on Modern Food Production
A new course at Berkeley led by Michael Pollan surveying “the political, social, environmental, and gustatory stakes of modern food production” is focused on bringing passionate and experienced guest speakers to students interested in really understanding how we eat in the 21st century. The whole series is on YouTube and there’s a sample below. From what I’ve watched for far, it’s an excellent series of lectures!

A year of progress for American Farmland Trust
A year in review on some of the highlights of what’s taken place in our region’s farmland through American Farmland Trust. AFT shares a few ways they have been working to protect farmland, safeguard the environment and provide fresh, healthy food throughout the region. Their subtitle for the Pacific Northwest: A Year of Progress.

Why Calorie Counts Are Wrong: Cooked Food Provides a Lot More Energy
Richard Wrangham, the chair of biological anthropology at Harvard University, talks about his chimpanzee research in the 70′s that lead him to, as he put it, “eat chimpanzee food all day.” This means totally uncooked, aka raw, food straight from the source. This activity led him to research the impact cooking has on food and found that cooked food provides more energy. Which means that calorie counts can often be wrong and that those eating a true raw food diet need to potentially eat a lot more than they expected to. Interesting fact: “the average woman on a 100% raw diet did not have a functioning menstrual cycle.”

Jim Watkins from Bastyr tells his story
Jim Watkins, Bastyr’s university’s director of dining services, makes mindful eating his mission. This is his story starting with 2 decades of social work in Minneapolis, moving through multiple restaurant openings, and finishing, for now, at Bastyr. “His philosophy boils down to this: Eat a varied diet; eat food in its whole, natural state as much as possible. It’s not just what we eat that’s important, but also how much. Exercise is equally vital.” Beautiful!

Tamara Murphy’s Melrose Plate
A great write-up from Seattle Weekly on Terra Plata and the journey to where it is now.

Photo by Joshua Huston on Seattle Weekly

What comes to mind when you read those two, seemingly innocent little words? For some of you, it was the thought of fresh, crisp vegetables stacked high on some hearty multi-grain bread. Maybe you heard that muted crunch, saw the bright colors in your mind, made a quick mental inventory of your fridge, or all of the above. For some of you, a veggie sandwich is exactly what you need right now.

For the rest, something altogether different registered. The first word that came to mind might have been “yuck” or “ugh” or, possibly, nothing because just the idea of a veggie sandwich put you quickly to sleep with boredom. It could be the lack of substance that’s the problem or maybe it’s the mishmash of too many different flavors at once. Maybe it’s the texture, both crunchy and soft at the same time. Whatever it is, you’d rather go hungry than even think about eating a veggie sandwich.

It was only a few months ago that I fell squarely into the latter camp. The idea of a veggie sandwich as a substitute for an actual meal was hilarious, carried forth by a long history of questionable eating habits. Just recently, however, my mind was changed for the better and for good. Allow me to share my little journey with you…

I was raised eating quite well. My mom moved between different diets for her health but always remained on this side of nutritional sanity. She cooked for us regularly and, along with my dad, tried very hard to curb the vicious sweet tooth we would inevitably inherit. We shopped at co-ops, ate our fair share of carob, and had home-cooked meals as the norm.

It never concerned me that we ate a little differently than my friends in school. In fact, I was proud that I had a family that watched out for what I consumed. I remember very distinctly a student in my middle school who had his mom drop off McDonald’s almost every day for him. The class, for the most part, was jealous of this almost unimaginable luxury. I was generally indifferent as McDonald’s had never been a part of my diet. One day, though, I noticed the stack of golden, glistening fries on the wrapper of his cheeseburger and I asked “hey, can I have a fry?” With a smile, he handed one over and as soon as I took it I noticed the greasy residue on my fingers. I turned to everyone at the table and said “hey, check this out” and proceeded to squeeze drop after drop of grease out of that single fry onto the brown paper sack that held my lunch. Even Mr. McDonald’s looked a little pale after that.

Even with that earnest start, I was destined for close to a decade of poor health habits, obesity, and a near-complete lack of regard for my nutrition. It all started with veggie sandwiches.

My first real job was working the front counter at a bagel shop chain in Bellevue, just across Lake Washington from Seattle for those unfamiliar with the area. The job consisted of bagging bagels, serving soup and soft- drinks, and making sandwiches. Almost everything we served was delicious and it was here that I developed my still-strong fondness for matzo ball soup and garlic bagels.

There were, however, three things we served that I could not wrap my head (or stomach) around: the bitter sesame “candy” called Halvah, the tough and smelly pumpernickel bagels and the mealtime anomaly known as the veggie sandwich.

I made at least 5 of these strange things per day and each time gave the recipient a puzzled look, unable to understand what the appeal was of a meal made almost exclusively of a side dish. Our vegetables were fresh and they tasted great surrounding some roast turkey or tuna salad but on their own between the two half-bubbles of a bagel, it made no sense.

For the next 15 years, every time I saw “veggie sandwich” on the menu, I would smile, shake my head, think back to the hippies at the bagel shop, and order something far more substantial. Meanwhile, on a potentially very related note, I had managed to reach 280 pounds and cultivated a diet composed partially of the same, greasy fries I once scorned. I regularly started each morning with a boston cream donut, a sugar donut, a large white chocolate mocha and 2 cigarettes on the way to work. This is all to say that I wasn’t terribly invested in what I put into my body.

I had a bit of a personal renaissance in my mid-twenties and took control over what I was eating and what I was doing. I forced myself into vegetables but in the way that can’t really ever be sustainable. I would choke down raw broccoli, eat a bland, uninspiring salad at least once a day, and find myself in front of a tasteless chicken breast and vegetables more times than I can count. Yes, I was eating vegetables but I was determined to get absolutely no enjoyment from them.

In the end, I lost the weight – almost 100 pounds in total – and changed my eating habits significantly. It took several years to find a place in my heart for a completely vegetarian meal as it was hard to see a meal without meat as an actual meal. Still, my time in San Diego was long enough that the veggie burritos won me over and I found myself enjoying a meatless meal on a semi-regular basis.

There was, however, those silly veggie sandwiches restaurants were still trying to push on people. Just vegetables? Cold, raw vegetables and bread? Why? Don’t you have to eat 3 or 4 of those just to quell the hunger pains?

It was at the end of November last year that my wife was planning out our meals for the week and she suggested making veggie sandwiches. She loves to recreate foods that she ate in the past and this was a meal that she still thought about. A veggie sandwich so good that you didn’t forget about it seconds after you were finished? Despite my pre-conceived notions, this was something I finally needed to try.

Watching all the colors come out of the fridge was very entertaining. I’m finally at an age where I can take some personal pride in eating an acutely nutritious meal and I felt ready for a big influx of vitamins and minerals. Lets be clear: I wasn’t excited to eat this sandwich, just pleased with myself for growing up a little bit.

To my surprise, however, the sandwich was delicious! We used some hearty, seedy bread from PCC, some whipped cream cheese to hold everything together, salted sunflower seeds for some extra texture and flavor, and a splash of italian dressing for some sauciness. In one oversized bite, I was a convert. I felt totally satisfied afterwards – even energetic! I’d been missing out on something great for years.

The real test, of course, was whether or not I would make one for myself. For lunch the next day, I did. It was like being transported back to that bagel shop, once again with knife in hand and colorful piles of fresh veggies waiting to be arranged and consumed. Like I do when I eat a really tasty lunch alone, I ate it like a starved animal, italian dressing dripping down my arm and shards of veggies falling out at every bite. It took me 10 times longer to make it than it did to eat it.

I take a lot of personal pride in the massive changes I’ve made over the years towards living a healthier life. it’s frighteningly easy to cast yourself as a certain type of person, someone who “doesn’t like vegetables” or “just needs a fast food meal now and then,” without thinking about where those motivations come from. A set of distinct preferences you hold today does not set the course of your life indefinitely. Keeping an open mind towards healthy, sustainable choices in your life is the only way to find what truly works for you as a person.

Trust me, if I can make my own veggie sandwich and truly enjoy it, you can do anything you put your mind to.

Over the years I have collected hundreds of cookbooks, many filled with very personal tastes from all over the world.

And now I have TENDER: farmers, cooks, eaters.  I love it for its directness, for its declaration of the need for simplicity and its dedication to deep, bold earthy taste. It’s about as direct a connection between earth and plate that I have ever read and it restores my faith that change is possible.

Authors Tamara Murphy and Graham Kerr enthusiastically share their books with one another at Focus On Farming 2011

I have always admired Tamara’s commitment to this style of cuisine. She has gently leant into the concept with admirable consistency, the kind of reliability that eventually pays off because it pays no attention to the kind of gimmicks that attend the passing trends for which our nation is often famous.

I am now trying to do the same, in my own way, to achieve some kind of long term benefit for those of us who enjoy good things…within reason!

My intention is to try to “delight and do less harm to each other, the soil, the water and the air we breathe”.  To this end I have set myself a goal. To work only in the State of Washington to increase vegetable and fruit consumption by at least 100% by the year 2020.  This translates to about 2.3lbs of unprepared produce per day.

This will not be achieved overnight, hence the 8 year plan!  It will also not happen until we recover a general understanding of the relay race connection between farmers, cooks and consumers, as TENDER so wisely announces.

We shall also rely upon creative chefs like Tamara to lead us toward this goal because the role of the chef has always been to be a style leader.  We need to see and taste and savor these ”DELIGHTS” in order to establish this as a solid movement and not a passing trend.

I am deeply committed to this idea because of my lifelong love affair with my wife Treena, whom I met at school when she was 10; I was the older man…at 11!  Treena suffered a stroke and a heart attack back in 1987.  Since then my primary focus has been to delight her and do her less harm. I know what it takes to make a decided U-turn and yet remain connected with food.

In 2009 I added a radical (for me!) step by growing my very first kitchen garden.  Since that first year I have been amazed at how much my ability to cook well has improved.  These plants are almost my children and I treat them with much greater care.

And this fact brings me back full circle to my appreciation for TENDER and Tamara’s observation that many vegetables develop a better, more complex taste when almost overcooked. The crisp, colorful approach may appear to be the logical way to retain the maximum nutrition however, in the longer term; our future increased consumption will be much more dependent upon the undeniable taste satisfaction that can come from the slow ‘roasting’ and caramelizing that adds so much to a plant’s enjoyment.

I am looking forward to working with all you TENDER people to see what we can do together to help bring about such a welcome and needed change in such a special part of the food world.

The common good is the good we can do in common.

Benedicere! (means…”to announce good things and to affirm one another”)

Graham Kerr

FYI: Terra Plata is, of course, already open!

Download the MP3

Changing How We Eat By Changing Restaurants – Restaurants have the ability to grow community one bite, one choice at a time. Depending on their size, their purchasing decisions can put hundreds of thousands a year into the pockets of small or organic producers. We can make a serious, lasting, and wide-reaching difference by supporting restaurants that marry the values of Slow Money with the power of the restaurant business. Great piece!

NWEI gives us a shout-out! – Deborah McNamara at the Northwest Earth Institute wrote up Farmers, Cooks, Eaters and one of our contributors, Jody Dorow. A big thanks to them for helping us get the word!

Eat “locally” in the winter – Leave it to a Boston publication to write about the struggles of eating locally. Did you know that there are only “five truly seasonal types of produce in Massachusetts from January until May?” So, how do you have any hope to eat locally? Look no further than the freezer section. Frozen produce often has more nutrients than their well-traveled and weathered fresh counterparts and, if you look closely, you can find local producers throughout the year.

Grow Your Farmer – With the explosion of interest in small-scale farming, and the number of farmers set to retire across the country, we need more ‘young’ farmers; and the Pacific Northwest has some innovator programs to ‘grow’ them.

A dining experience to put on your bucket list – A memorable evening with fabulous seasonal food and a great demonstration of how joining together as a community (chefs in this case) can create so much enjoyment for all.

The Atlantic asks, Should Composting be Mandatory? – San Francisco hits 1 million tons of compostable waste collected since 2009, when the program started. Seattle, by comparison, “diverted about 90,000 tons of organic waste from landfills in the first year” (2010). When I first moved to Seattle last year, I found the compost bin/process odd and thought the tiny garbage can we had (shared by two households) very restrictive. It only took a month of getting used to the process, now I find it very easy and love the fact that we throw out so little. The recycling bin is packed every other week but the garbage can go two weeks (barely) before it’s full. But, really, enough about my garbage…

You Can Eat Healthy On a Budget… Here’s Proof! – Maria Hines, the James Beard award-winning chef of the Golden Beetle in Seattle, won the Great American Family Dinner challenge by cooking a meal for four people on a budget of $10 or less, or $2.50 per serving. Time and time again chefs are proving that it’s both possible and delicious to eat good food on a strict budget.

Marlen Boivin

Every year when Thanksgiving comes ‘round, there’s a flurry of ideas that float back and forth between family members on what dishes each will bring to share. There are, of course, the expected traditions that top the list, and when all’s said and done, little changes from year to year.

A few years back with the selfish objective of wanting a few more vegetable options than years past, I offered to bring a platter of roasted seasonal vegetables. No one was thrilled when cauliflower came through the door. That didn’t bother me. It simply meant there’d be plenty for me to enjoy… until curiosity got the better of them!

Four years later, no longer am I asked what I’d like to bring. There’s a polite directive. I’m certainly welcomed to bring something different—but only if there’s also a jumbo platter of roasted cauliflower! It’s definitely a crowd pleaser, so be sure to fix enough. You’ll be surprised at how many “cauliflower converters” there will be at the end of the day. One of the beauties of this dish is it can be made ahead of time and served at room temperature.

Josh Cunningham

Thanksgiving has a very special place in my heart but, when pressed, I can never come up with a really meaningful, personal reason why. I was not born on Thanksgiving, nothing spectacular has ever really happened on that date for me, and I don’t even have an age-old tradition that I follow each and every year. I have favorite dishes, like everyone, but not one that I make especially for the day, nor one that I think about all year long. I don’t even watch football.

But every year, as that Thursday draws closer, I get more and more excited to step away from the grind, spend time with family and friends, and feed a few people. Over a hot, hard-earned meal with a glass of Beaujolais in hand, it’s not hard to wax poetic about what I’m thankful for and how much there is to take for granted. Who I know, what I’ve experienced, where I’ve been, and what lies ahead comes to me all at once in a warm flow of positive energy. It’s usually at that point I realize that I knocked the gravy boat into my lap but the sentiment remains long after the clean-up.

This year celebrates just over one year back in Seattle after a 5 year stint in San Diego and a few months abroad. Last year, it was such a pleasure to be back home, within easy driving range to so many people who were so far away just months previous. This year, though less symbolic overall, feels almost as special. Everything isn’t idyllic and, in a perfect world under my omniscient and well-meaning control, things would be different but I can’t help but to feel thankful for everything that’s there now, at this moment.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone this reaches.

Nancy Gellos

So, what will everyone bring to our big family Thanksgiving gathering – this is always the question, yet the answer once again this year put us in our predictable little categories.

I will bring the salad.

Actually, I love to bring the salad. Growing up, salad was big in our family — everyone went for seconds or thirds. The family salad has always been made with a variety of greens, cucumber, tomato, avocado, green onions, radishes — the list goes on and on. And it must have a Lemon Olive Oil dressing, Greek seasoning and herbs.

Knowing this part of the menu is unchangeable, I usually bring some mystery dish, just to keep things unpredictable. This year it will be the fabulous Mediterranean Carrot Salad from TENDER. I love everything about this salad – it is beautiful, delicious and completely unpredictable – oh, and I must add, simple! I am grateful for simplicity!

Jody Ericson-Dorow

This year we are doing something a little different – change is good?  Right!

Anyway, I have large family and for the most part we have always gathered together on Thanksgiving and shared a feast.  This year we decided that our individual families would have dinner in their own homes and come together after dinner for dessert.  Al and I are preparing Root Vegetable Mash, we had this last year and it was great – I think it has replaced potatoes for us at Thanksgiving. And for dessert my nephew will join us to fix Pumpkin Steamed Puddings, this is such a fun pudding – people are always surprised on how moist and wonderful this is, a true favorite.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone and ENJOY!

What’s on your menu?

Incredible Shrinking Farmland – “We’ve become a little casual about our attitude about farmland,” said Dennis Canty, director of the Pacific Northwest regional office of the American Farmland Trust (AFT). Farmland Trusts provide a sustainable approach to to preserving our land, our food and the health of our community, with PCC Farmland Trust serving as a great example of innovation and partnership.

Pizza is a Vegetable – At least congress thinks so. This is an excellent summary of the sad state of affairs that is the school lunch program in our country.

This is not the pizza they're talking about.

The Lost Art of Buying From a Butcher – I’m a big fan of A&J Meats at the top of Queen Anne here in Seattle and someone sent me this article about the rise of the butcher and why they are such a great resource. My big draw is the (much) better taste combined with the knowledge that I’m supporting a good farm. What I often forget until I get there is the skill and service that comes along with it. They tell you how much, what kind, and will cut it exactly to your liking. I’m a proud convert!

Seattle Tilth Wins USDA Grant – Seattle Tilth (“a non-profit organic gardening and urban ecology organization”) won almost $500,000 in a USDA grant that will provide “skills training for immigrants, refugees and low-income families who reside in South King County.” It’s a great use of money going to a great organization who will surely make that money go a long way.

Hungry for Change: Food, Ethics and Sustainability – a six session course book exploring the interconnected nature of food systems and our relationships to them. Northwest Earth Institute has created course books with readings, short assignments and discussion questions on different subjects as a great way to help participants become more aware and commit to lasting change. This is the most recent course. A great tool for a neighborhood or work group conversation.

Gardening Is Good for You – I’m sure you knew that but this creative infographic breaks down exactly what you gain from growing at home. Burn calories, improve your home’s value and save money. Also, eat some of the best produce you’ve ever had!

I didn't grow these but I'll eat them

Focus on Farming – The Focus on Farming Conference at Comcast Arena drew in over 500 people. Great to hear that better agriculture has a strong, engaged group of people fighting for it.

Young Farmers Face Obstacles to Getting Started – In order to create solutions for the availability of local food, we need to first acknowledge the problems we need to solve. Recently Ag Sect. Vilsack said that “the average age of the American farmer is 57, and that that age is rising,” so the need for young farmers is critical to sustain our farms. Are we providing an environment to encourage and support them to do so?

Spice substitution – I found this useful yesterday when I realized we ran out of cumin. Interestingly, you can use chili powder, who knew? It was for tikka masala, if you were wondering…

Roasted Cauliflower from TENDER – Someone else likes our roasted cauliflower with olive oil recipe, namely the Seattle Times! This was already on Marlen’s Thanksgiving menu, what a coincidence…

Smoked White Bean and Ham Hock  Stew -Heidi Rodgers discovers a new guest at her parties – “With a day to myself and on the brink of fall, I felt like pulling together a meal that said comfort and home. A meal that would be simple and flavorful with out much effort and leave me looking like I’m an amazing cook…I knew exactly which cookbook to grab (TENDER). Every time I flip it open I am inspired to get in the kitchen…the recipe’s are simple, flavorful and make my home smell incredible. That being said I’ve been pining for the day when I had an opportunity to make the Smokey White Bean and Ham Hock Stew…it just screams hearty, rich and delicious; and the weather was finally on my side. It was all that I had hoped for, with much less time at the stove than I expected. It’s one you can prep in 20 min. and check on in intervals. It came together easily at the end with a quick saute of the kale and the poaching of a couple eggs. It was a wonderful way to kick off the season! I will be hosting a dinner party with this stew as the star.”

An apple a day – The Full Circle Farm folks posted an adapted version of the Apple Relish recipe in TENDER. What a creative way to use an abundant resource here in WA!

Heirloom bread salad – Stacy Brewer is a Seattle local who writes about growing and cooking food right here in town. She put together an heirloom tomato bread salad with black peas that looks delicious!

Terra Plata is open! – Great pictures and short write-up of the anticipation leading up to the opening of Terra Plata, Tamara Murphy’s new restaurant in Capitol Hill. Here, this looks familiar!

Blueberry galette – Lynn walks us through her TENDER-inspired blueberry galette using frozen blueberries from a provider local to her in Sacramento. We’re all for eating seasonally and sometimes the freezer is the answer.

Chef Tom French – Changing the way we eat, one school at a time. An interview with Chef Tom French, founder and Executive Director of Experience Food Project, bringing about a cultural change in our schools, families and communities.

Repurposing Seattle food waste – Seattle tosses an estimated 5,600 tons of edible food waste every year and Sustainable Ballard is looking for ways to change that. They’re taking healthy, local food from the farmers’ market to the food bank. Seems so simple but someone has to do it!

Eradicating food deserts – “Building or altering thousands of markets, and creating other food access initiatives such as farmers markets, needs an aggressive push, and focused leadership at the local level.” Michelle Obama and the White House team’s goal to eradicate all U.S. food deserts by 2017 and some of the steps being taken.

Any suggestions? Please feel free to send us your way in the comments!

Focus on Farming returns Nov. 3, this year at the Comcast Arena in Everett for more information, visit www.focusonfarming.org.

Our afternoon keynote address will be chef and author Tamara Murphy. Her much anticipated new restaurant, Terra Plata is located in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. She is the owner of Elliott Bay Café with two locations, and is the former chef/owner of Brasa restaurant.

Day-to-day support of local food sustainability expands far beyond the boundaries of her kitchen. Long before farmers’ markets gained popularity, Tamara conceived An Incredible Feast, one of Seattle’s much-loved food events teaming chefs with farmers, ranchers, fishers and foragers to showcase a variety of local flavors. In its 7th year, proceeds from this event support the Good Farmer Fund,(created by Tamara to provide emergency relief for local farmers in need), and the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance’s educational programming (educating consumers about the benefits of supporting local, sustainable farms). In its fourth year, Tamara’s Burning Beast event raises funds for Smoke Farm, a Rubicon Foundation 501(c)(3) project, while bringing awareness to chefs and consumers regarding whole animal use.

Continuing a path as an innovator in our food system and believer in positive change by restaurants, local farms and our communities, Tamara has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation and by Food & Wine magazine. As a mentor, she has educated dozens of young chefs in her kitchens about the use of locally sourced ingredients, leading them to create their own positive changes.

Tamara, with her three friends, recently published her first book, “TENDER:farmers, cooks, eaters,” which shares simple ways to enjoy eating, cooking and choosing our food. She says, “My hope is that ‘TENDER’ will rekindle the spirit of community, connect us to those who nurture our planet – our farmers – and bring back the joy of simple cooking.”