Artisan Butchers
(Does Artisanal Even Mean Anything Anymore?)

By ruhlman | Published: August 19, 2010

The first cut, breaking down a hog American style, photo by donna

What does artisan butcher mean?  What does artisan mean, for that matter? I’m grateful to Abigail Blake, an American living, cooking, and blogging on the island Tortola, for her comment on my most recent mini-post:
I like this explanation from a 1913 Websters: “An artist is one who is skilled in one of the fine arts; an artisan is one who exercises any mechanical employment. A portrait painter is an artist; a sign painter is an artisan, although he may have the taste and skill of an artist. The occupation of the former requires a fine taste and delicate manipulation; that of the latter demands only an ordinary degree of contrivance and imitative power.” Basically, almost any butcher ...

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Posted in Charcuterie, Pork!, Salumi | Tagged | Comments closed

Tomato Dinner

By ruhlman | Published: August 18, 2010

Tomatoes still warm from the sun, with basil and thyme, drizzled with balsamic and olive oil (photo by donna)

Dinner, last minute vegetarian delight in this heat: a good toasted baguette, butter, and fat tomatoes that ripened whilst we discovered bahn mi in little Saigon in LA, hiked up the river to Copake Falls in upstate New York, leapt off of 40 foot ledges at an old quarry outside West Stockbridge, swam in the rivers around Dorset, Vermont, swung in hammocks as the sun descended, grilled chicken and corn, drank cold wine and sent paper lanterns to the stars. I have never had more work on my plate, two major books due more or less simultaneously this summer, and rarely has a summer included so much travel and mandatory relaxation, so many hours outdoors with Donna ...

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Posted in Vegetables | Tagged | Comments closed

Going To Seed: Coriander
(summer idyll till 8/18)

By ruhlman | Published: August 7, 2010

Fresh coriander, photos by Donna

How fast this summer is receding in my rear view mirror is reflected in the ciliantro that, for all my travel and busyiness, I have let go to seed. Yet there are glories even in being remiss--the fresh coriander seeds that lends so many savory preparations a huge jolt of flavor and crunch.  Fresh coriander seed makes a great garnish on rice, in salads, on meats, in sauces. I particulary love it roughly cracked and used liberally with black pepper on any grilled meat. If you grow your own, you can pick it when it's still green, almost fruity and a little chewy with that same flavor burst. We're ensconced now in an extraordinary big old house ...

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Posted in Seasonings and Spices | Tagged | Comments closed

Sauteed Zucchini

By ruhlman | Published: August 1, 2010

Sauteed Zucchini with Cherry Tomatoes, photo by Donna

Picked up our CSA this weekend, potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, green peppers, onions, lettuce, and SURPRISE! More Zucchini! Actually, I'm starting to like the zucchini challenge.  Too hot for what I want to do for it—mix it with cheese and gratin it.  I'll wait till cooler fall to go that route. I've had a nostalgic urge to make zucchini bread, which I haven't had since my mom made it when I was a kid and the notion of a sweet cake made with a vegetable was bizarre and fascinating. But I opted for a fallback here, and still one of the best and easiest ways to make zucchini: saute it.  I think its texture is best when you julienne ...

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Posted in Vegetables, sidedishes | Tagged , | Comments closed

CSA Pickles: Revised Ratio!

By ruhlman | Published: July 28, 2010

Pardus Pickles, photo by Donna

Chef Pardus blew through Cleveland a couple weeks ago, and with summer in full swing we had loads of little cukes on hand (we also did veal heart again, got it on video, stay tuned).  While there was much to do in getting dinner out (tongue salad with new potatoes, calves liver and onions, corn relish, cucumber sunomono, grilled foie gras (grilling foie takes some serious attention!), and the grilled heart with an herb shallot vinaigrette—Pardus found time to get my pickles on the cure.  Because of time constraints and other issues, he didn't add aromatics.  What he did was make a 3% brine. I have for years been using a 5% brine for everything, pickles, chicken, pork, etc.  But this 3% worked great and I'm thinking that if you're ...

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Posted in Ratios, Recipes, Technique, Vegetables | Comments closed

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