250 & Me

As the United States commemorates its 250th anniversary of independence, I find myself questioning what exactly we should be celebrating. As I began writing this post, the Supreme Court had just issued its decision in Louisiana v. Callais. A majority of extreme conservative justices basically killed one of the most significant achievements of the civil rights movement: the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The majority's decision sparked an immediate inferno of racism, which spread across Southern states who renewed redistricting sprees aimed at removing African-Americans from political office. 

And, it has gotten worse from there. The six uber-conservative justices on the Supreme Court issued their decisions in Mullin v. Otra Lado and Mullin v. Doe. The decision in Otra Lado upholds the policy that excludes asylum seekers at our border, preventing them from even setting foot on U.S. soil. People seek asylum fled their homes because of war, violence, persecution, human rights violations, or climatre change. They make the long dangerous trip to the United States seeking safety, security and a better life. Now they are being denied refuge in the United States solely because of the color of their skin or where they come from. 

And then there is the Doe decision, which is even worse. The majority upehld President Trump's termination of temporary protected status (TPS) for Haitians and Syrians. TPS enabled migrants from these countries to come to the United States because of the humanitarian or natural crises in their countries. And, while the protected status may be temporary, those crises have a seemingly permanent nature to them. Indeed, the United States currently advises its citizens against traveling to either Haiti or Syria because of the situation on the ground in both countries.  Yet, the conservative majority on the Court cleared the way for 350,000 Haitians to be forcibly returned to a country largely controlled by gangs with little to no central government and thousands of Syrians being forced back to a country where violence and insecurity remains a day-to-day reality. 

And, there is also the growing disparity in the United States between the obscenely wealthy and everyone else. The billionaires have seized control of major media outlets, corrupting their journalistic work, and feeding false narratives to all of us. They seek to fuel distrust, hatred and intolerance to divide eveery one else. There are many divisions: the middle class v. the poor, citizens v. immigrants, everyone v. migrants, etc. Those divisions are necessary to ensure that the wealthy remain at the top, using the economic and governmental systems to enlarge their wealth, while exploiting our inner weaknesses to keep us divided, deprived, and, for most, on the verge of being destitute. 

None of the above is worth celebrating. Our country was founded two and one-half centuries ago on the principles that all men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, including the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We have had 250 years to get to the point where our country put those noble principles into action, not just for all men, but all women, not just for all white people, but for every person regardless of race, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability ... for every one. We made great strides toward that goal over the 250 years, but we never reached it. And, now, we are being pulled backward, threatening all of the progress that we have made during that time.  

So, I will not celebrate the United States as it presently stands on its 250th anniversary. Instead, on July 4, 2026, I am going to stand up and celebrate what has truly deserves to be celebrated on this occasion: 

Us. The People.

I am celebrating the diversity of each and every one of us; and, I will do so on an equal and inclusive basis. 

So, who exactly are we as a people? The best way to answer that question is perhaps to draw inspiration from Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. He hosts the show Finding Your Roots, which has aired on PBS for more than twelve seasons. Professor Gates helps influential people learn more about their ancestors. He do so in very compelling ways, weaving the narrative with research and historical records. So, if Professor Gates were to tell the story of ordinary American people as a group, how would he do it? 

Perhaps Professor Gates's starting point would be something along the lines of a DNA test. Fortunately, our country performs such a test on a yearly basis, courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau. And, for 2025, the test revealed our country to be approximately 57.5% White, 20.0% Latino, 13.7% African-American, 6.7% Asian, 1.4% Native American (including Alaskan Native), and 0.3% Hawaiian and Pacific Islander. Those who live in the United State embody diversity. 

Professor Gates would not just end the story there. He would go on to explain what the research and historical records tells us about our past. He would note that we, collectively as a people, have some very interesting stories. Each story is a piece of our shared heritage. Some of those stories have been forgotten. Others have been repressed. They all remain a part of our common narrative. Each story -- good or bad, happy or sad -- has an equal right to be told, passed along from generation to generation. 

I have tried, in my own very small way with this blog, to recount some of those stories that revolve around food. I have organized my small effort as qwhat I call my Federal Project Number One. The blog posts revolve around a recipe, but come with underlying culinary and cultural history told (as best I can) from the perspective of the people themselves. This project truly began before I even knew I was undertaking the effort. It all started when I was searching for the origin of barbecue in the United States. That search led me to Wesley Jones, a free person who was interviewed about his life as a slave. He recounted how, as a slave working in South Carolina, he prepared barbecue for the white plantation class. I gained a perspective that I never came across while watching barbecue shows on television or reading cookbooks.

That was just the beginning. I spent more time searching for the stories about who we are as Americans, usually through the lens of food. The effort picked up a lot of steam as the current adminsitration began to whitewash our history, seeking to erase the struggles and accomplishments of marginalized and oppressed peoples over the past 250 years. My increased focus has taught me more about the history of the United States than I was ever taught from elementary school through college. 

For example, we are taught about people like John D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, Cornelius Vanderbilt and J. P. Morgan. We are taught that they seized hold of the American dream, starting companies that became highly successful (and monopolistic). And, they are all white males. We are not taught about people like Thomas Downing, an African American who started his own business selling oysters, and even creating one of the most popular oyster dishes in the 19th century (the Oyster Pan Roast). He tried to gain a hold on the American dream, but was never accepted - a fact he learned first hand when he was forcibly removed from a railcar reserved for white people. 

There are other names that could be lost to history, like Joe Goe Nue, who opened one of the first Chinese-owned grocery stores in the Mississippi delta. He, along with other Chinese immigrants, opened these stores, which became a lifeline to African Americans who suffered under the discrimination of the post-Civil War south. They also brought their culture and cuisine to the area, melding Chinese recipes with local ingredients to create dishes like grocery roast pork.  

These stories are as just American as any of the stories about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, or Abraham Lincoln. The reason is simple: the American people are not defined by their leaders, but by the masses. And those masses are far more diverse now than they have ever been. Diversity has never been a weakness for us. It has always been our strength, empowering us both as a country and a people. Until very recently, the United States had been a place that drew people from all walks of life and all parts of the world to its shores. Indeed, the Census Bureau determined that nearly 15.9% of the people living in this country are "non-citizens," a term the Census Bureau defines to include people who are lawful permanent residents, immigrants, and those who are undocumented. That magnetism brought with it a range of knowledge and perspective that not only enabled the United States to be a leader in so many fields, but enabled so many people to find and make better lives for themselves and their loved ones. 

All of this is at risk because the current U.S. government, fueled by the white supremacist Make America Great Again ideology, is trying to close off our country to everyone (except, it seems white Afrikaaners). 

If we continue to look back, as those in the MAGA movement are trying to force us to do, then we will only see a time when our country was anything but great: decades (and, indeed, centuries) of discrimination, oppression, and violence against anyone who was not a property-owning, Christian, white male. By contrast, if we look forward, we will see a future that we can create ourselves. A future in which the United States becomes a better country. Not just for a particular group of people and not just for those who are at the top. But a better country for everyone, especially the 99% who make everything in this country work and for whom the American dream is increasingly beyond their reach.  

Rather than looking backward with the MAGA (Make America Great Again) "movement," I would greatly prefer a more forward looking movement. One that mobilizes around making the United States a better country. In making the United States a better country, we would accept our past shortcomings, address them, and work to make the United States to ensure that every person, regardless of citizenship, be treated humanely, with dignity and respect. We would ensure that every person is treated equally, with the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, with an equal opportunity, regardless of class, race, gender, or any other characteristic. We would open our country to those who wish to join in this effort to make the United States better than it has been for the past 250 years. 

So, on this 250th anniversary, I will celebrate us -- all of us, the diverse people who live in this country -- and what we have done, are doing now, and will do to make the United States a better country for everyone. 

PEACE. 

P.S.: The opening and final pictures of this post were created using AI. 

Dogfish Head Bourbon Barrel Aged Worldwide Stout

Dogfish Head debuted its World Wide Stout back in 1999. The brewers offered not just a stout, but one that set itself apart from the entire family of stout beers. Most stouts are pitch black, with a strong malt backbone, and usually aromatic and taste elements that feature chocolate, coffee, cocoa, or roasted grains. They are also generally low in ABV, ranging from 4% to 6% but could go as high as 8% to 12% if it is an imperial stout.

Dogfish Head and its brewers sought to transcend even the imperial stout with its World Wide Stout. Everything about this beer is more than the average stout. Somehow, the beer appears more black than a typical stout. Its aromas feature deeper tones of coffee and roasted grains. Its flavors feature fuller notes of the same elements. And, as for its ABV, that runs anywhere from 15% to 20%. For that reason, the World Wide Stout is basically an experience onto its own. 

But, the brewers have not rested with simply the World Wide Stout. They have continued to experiment with the beer, producing versions of the stout like a Barrel Aged World Wide Stout. As a fan of barrel aged beers, I bought a four pack when I was at Dogfish Head's brewpub in Rehoboth Beach. I also did what the brewers suggest, cellaring the beer for a period of time. Now, I have had a chance to enjoy the beer, and, like its predecessors, the Bourbon Barrel Aged World Wide Stout is that singular experience. 

The beer pours pitch black, like motor oil or obsidian. The aromatic elements feature more of the bourbon barrel, which is not unexpected with barrel aged beers, but also a strong alcohol presence (which is also not unexpected given its 18.3% ABV). There are hints, not of coffee or chocolate, but of a boozy fruit, like blackberries or cherries, which I found to be interesting. Those elements came through in flavor as well, providing an unexpected sweetness.

As with anything that has a very high ABV, this is a beer for sipping and enjoying over a longer period of time. It is definitely worth the experience, even though it can be quite pricey in the store. Still, it is worth purchasing to try and keep around whenever you want to just sit back and relax.  Until next time ...

PEACE.

Around the World in 80 Dishes: Namibia

A few years back, I prepared a street food dish, known as Coupe Coupe, as part of my Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge to prepare a main dish from the country of Gabon. As one person noted, the dish combined indigenous ingredients and techniques with colonial influences. Yet, Coupe Coupe is quintessential Gabonnais barbecue, and a street food that one could find in places like Libreville.

When I finished that challenge, I remarked that I needed to prepare more street food as part of my Around the World culinary challenge. Now, I find myself with the challenge to prepare a main course from Namibia, a country that is approximately 2,700 kilometers south of Gabon along the Atlantic coastline of the African continent. And, there is perhaps no better dish to prepare than Kapana, the essential street food experience in Namibia.

Before I talk about Kapana, I must first talk about Namibia, one of the newer countries (having gained its independence in 1990) and one of the most sparsely populated ones (with only 3.1 million people living in a country with 824,292 kilometers) in the 34th largest country in world. (Namibia is larger than California and Montana, but smaller than Texas and, of course, Alaska.) The overwhelming majority of the population -- more than 93% -- are indigenous Africans, with the remainder consisting of groups associated with those who have colonized or sought to colonize the land in the past, such as Afrikaners, British, Dutch, and Portuguese. 

Colonization left its mark on the indigenous people in more ways than one. During the early twentioeth century, when the land was known as German South West Africa, the Germans committed genocide against the indigenous Herero peoples, killing 80% of them, and the Nama people, killing 50% of them). The survivors lost everything, and were subjected to forced labor, racial segregation and discrimination. While Germans lost control of the land after World War I, the South Africans moved in and took control of "South West Africa," imposing apartheid, separating the white  Afrikaaners from the indigenous peoples, with the latter living in the developing areas while the former were left outside. When independence came, Namibia transitioned into a stable parliamentary semi-presidential republic (that is, it has a President and a Prime Minister).

While the colonists are gone, their influences remain behind, especially in the cuisine of Namibia. Nowhere is that more obvious than in the culture that has developed around the grilling of meat, especially beef.  

At the meat market in Namibia (Source: Trip Advisor)

Beef has a special place Namibia. It is reported that there are nearly one million more cows in Namibia than people. Thus, cattle and beef play an important in the economy. In the past, cattle, along with sheep and goats, would be raised by Namibian corporations, as well as family farmers, and then sent to the abbatoir for butchering. The cuts would then make their way into the local market or be exported. However, in recent years, there has been a trend of exporting live cattle. One study suggested that the farms and farmers export the cattle perhaps because they could get higher prices from foreign buyers for younger cattle in countries like South Africa rather than butchering the beef locally. Yet, the same study suggested that fully grown cattle may fetch even higher prices at Namibian abbatoirs. Given Namibian farmers do not use growth enhancers, it takes longer for the cattle to grow, which suggests some farmers may just be looking to make money quicker than investing the time to fully raise the cows. This creates long term issues for the abbatoirs, which struggle to remain productive and profitable. 

While more cows may be headed out of the country, beef still plays a central role in Namibian cuisine. The per calorie intake of beef in Namibia is the highest in Africa, rivalling the intake of western countries like Canada. Indeed, much like a braai in South Africa, the grilling of meat is not just a preparation of a meal, it is a social and cultural event in Namibia. And it goes by the term ... kapana.

MAIN COURSE

And, for this culinary challenge, I have tasked myself with preparing kapana. One quick note to start: there appears to be some dispute over terminology. The word kapana means "fry" or "grill" in Oshiwambo (the language of the Ovambo people, an indigenous group in Namibia). Thus, it more than likely refers to the process, and perhaps even the marketplace where it is prepared. By contrast, the name for the grilled beef dish is otete.

The kapana, that is the marketplace, usually consists of a long line of stalls where each grill master works with their own charcoal grill. (The above picture illustrates such a market.) One cannot simply set up their own stand at the marketplace, as the stalls are regulated. However, individuals can set up their own kapana stalls, selling grilled pork, beef and other meats, in other locations. 

Kapana, the process, begins with the grill master (who are mostly men) acquiring a large cut of well marbled beef, along with perhaps some organ meat (like livers or kidneys). The exact cut of meat is typically a secret, for reasons that I will explain later. The grill master will then slice the meat against the grain into long, thin strips. The meat is then placed on the grill, usually without any seasoning, with the fat on top to keep the beef moist, and then cooked until it is at least medium. People get the grill masters attention and then order their meat as it cooks. Once it is done, the grill master will cut the meat into bite-sized pieces, which is then served alongside a salsa consisting of tomatoes, onions and chiles, and a small mound of kapana spice, which is usually in a cardboard box in front of the grill. As Stephanie Haines, a contributor to the Christian Science Monitor described the experience, "[w]hen it's cooked right, the beef is moist and smoky, the salty fat is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, like a grilled hunk of cheese. 

One final note: kapana is something that unites all Namibians, regardless of social or economic status. Grillmasters often incorporate cheaper cuts of beef along with the well-marbled ones, which helps to reduce their costs and offer their product to the less well off people in the community. People gather around the stalls, to talk and eat, making the marketplace an impropromptu gathering place. 

Oshetu Community Market (Source: Evendo.com) 

The place for kapana is the Oshetu Community Market (also known as Single Quarters). The market is located in Katutura, a township within Namibia's capital of Windhoek. The name, Katatura translates from Otjiherero, the language of the indigenous Hererero peoples, as "the place where people did not want to live." The township was not their home; the South Africans created it as part of their apartheid policies, forcibly removing indigenous Africans from their homes and relocating them to the township. Now, the township has the marketplaces where people go for kapana.  

As for me, I will be preparing kapana using my backyard grill. I found a recipe online and decided to use sirloin steak, as it was economical (relatively speaking) and produced long strips when sliced (relatively speaking). Given I was using a gas grill (as noted above, charcoal was preferred), I decided to use some of the kapana spice (recipe below) for a quick marinade of the meat. The spice mix incorporates smoked paprika, which helps to create the smoky elements of kapana when using a gas grill. It was a brief marinade, probably no more than 15 minutes, given I was dealing with thin slices of meat. As for the salsa, I decided to go with a jalapeno pepper for the chile, although I did give some thought to a Scotch Bonnet chile. If there had been serrano peppers at the store, I probably would have gone with those chiles. Needless to say, when I was done, the beef was amazing, both on its own, as well as with the salsa and some additional spice mix on the side. 

KAPANA (OTETE)

Recipe adapted from Esterkocht and International Cuisine

Serves 10

Ingredients (for the meat):

• 3 pounds of well marbled beef steak (like ribeye)
• 2 teaspoons Kapana spice mix
• 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil or olive oil

Ingredients (for the sauce/salsa):

• 2 tomatoes, chopped finely
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 1 chile pepper (according to heat preference), minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar

Directions:

1. Prepare the meat. Cut the meat into long, interconnected strips. Place the beef streps in a casserole dish. Add the kapana and oil. Using your hands, rub the meat very well. Cover with cling film and chill for about 1 hour. In the meantime, make the fire and let the grill heat up. 

2. Prepare the sauce/salsa. Combine all of the sauce/salsa ingredients together. Mix well and set aside.

3. Grill the meat. About 10 minutes before grilling, take the meat out of the fridge to bring it to room temperature. Place the meat on the grill (whose temperature should be about 350 degrees Fahrenheit). grill for 3 minutes and then fip to the other side. Grill for another 3 minutes. Turn the meat again and grill for 2 minutes. Turn one more time and grill for two minutes. (These times may vary depending upon the thickness of the beef strips.) 

SPICE MIX

From what I have learned, the kapana spice mix is usually served alongside the kapana. However, some recipes (like the one I have included above) call for marinating the beef, albeit briefly, by spreading some of the spice mix over the meat. Given that is how I traditionally prepare meat for barbecue here in the United States, that seems like a reasonable approach, even if it takes us a little bit away from the traditional kapana in Namibia. 

Setting aside that issue, this spice mix is amazing. It has both smoky and spicy elements, which are rounded out with the use of ginger, coriander, and brown sugar. Quite frankly, it is better than many of the barbecue rubs that I have made or bought. This mix may well become my go to grilling spice mix going forward into the future. 

KAPANA SPICE MIX

Recipe from Esterkocht

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tabelspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper 

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients together and mix well. Let the rub infuse for a few days for the flavors to med together before using. The spice mix will keep for a few months if sotred in an airtight container in a cool and dry place. 

*     *     *

This challenge cemented the place of street food as part of my Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge. The kapana was amazing, perhaps the best beef dish that I have had in quite a while.  Not only that, it probably resulted in my go-to spice mix for pretty much anything that I grill or smoke. Now, I will be off to find some more street food recipes that can serve as challenges in the future. Until next time ...  

PEACE.

Oysters with Citrus Pink Peppercorn Mignonette

If one is not specific in their research, then it could lead to unintended places. Take, for example, a search for the history of the mignonette sauce served alongside oysters. I entered those terms in an online search, but I ended up with the history of a vessel called "Mignonette." As I read that history, I was treatred to the story of sailors taking the vessel from England to Austrailia around the Cape of Good Hope. They never made it ... running into trouble off the coast of Africa. The story gets worse from there, ending in cannabalism as the desperate and hungry sailors ended up eating one of their own. 

(This is not my first encounter with a voyage gone wrong during my research. I previously posted about Captain Crockett's last breakfast, the meal he ate aboard his vessel before being killed by the cook.)

Nevertheless, the desperation and horror aboard a vessel was hardly the story I expected to find as I searched for the history of the mignonette sauce. I honed my research terms and was able to engage in more palatable reading: the history and oritgin of a sauce about which little thought is probably given by those who eat oysters.

With all of that said, the history of the mignonette sauce is a little less clear than what happened to the crew of the vessel. While the term mignonette is obviously French, there are some who believe the sauce originated in England. Regardless of its origin, a mignonette began as something completely different that its present day form. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the term referred to a small cloth satchel of crushed peppercorns and spices that would be added to broths, sauces, soups and stocks. The satchel would flavor the liquid while preventing the cracked spices from making their presence known in the final dish. 

Eventually, the sauce evolved into a mixture of vinegar with minced shallots and cracked black pepper. That evolution took place at some point during the nineteenth century. The sauce eventually became a popular condiment served alongside oysters in the late 1800s, especially among the upscale dining establishments in the United States and across Western Europe. The term, mignonette, means "small and sweet," which is an obvious reference to the oyster given the sauce consists of bitter and acidic ingredients. The combination of bitter and sweet helps to round out the experience of eating oysters.

That is pretty much the history of a mignonette sauce, small and sweet. 

This particular recipe takes a twist on the standard mignonette recipe. It uses rice wine vinegar, which is milder and sweeter than white wine vinegar or regular vinegar. It adds back in some acidity through the use of lemon juice and lime juice. It also provides a subtle pepper note through the use of cracked pink peppercorn, as opposed to the traditional tellicherry black peppercorn. This sauce is perhaps my favorite mignonette recipe because it tracks the traditional recipe but in creative ways. 

OYSTERS WITH CITRUS PINK PEPPERCORN MIGNONETTE

Recipe from Hama Hama Oysters

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup rice wine viengar
• 1 lemon, juice & zest
• 1 lime, juice & zest
• 1/4 cup finely minced shallots (or substitute red onion)
• 1 teaspoon pink pepper corns, coarsely ground

Directions:

Stir all ingredietns together and chill for an hour to infuse.

PEACE.

Carne Arrustuta

Years ago, I would spend a lot of time researching recipes for a specific weekly event: Steak Night. I would find various beef and steak recipes from around the world, and, prepare them for my own dinner. It was my dinner because, for one thing, my beautiful Angel does not eat red meat, and, for another, that night I ate alone because she had a weekly work obligation in the evening. 

If one were to go back and look at the record (my prior posts), the would discover that Steak Nights often featured massive cuts of beef, like the Chef Bolek's Two-Pound Ribeye. They would also see that I often served a sauce alongside that hunk of meat, like the chimichurri sauce that I served alongside my Smoked Ribeye Roast, Uruguayan Asado Style. Sometimes, I would finish everything in one sitting; other times, the leftovers would be lunches for the next day. 

However, I stopped posting Steak Night recipes back in 2018. I did so for a few reasons. First, those massive steaks were expensive (and are even more so today). Second, I decided to reduce my own red meat intake by limiting the occasions in which I prepared beef or steak. That, along with an increased focus on projects like my Around the World in 80 Dishes and Beyond Borders, led my cooking in other directions.  

However, I return to my Steak Night tradition with this dish, Carne Arrustata, which is Italian for "roasted meat." It is a Sicilian grilled steak recipe. The history of this dish is unknown, as there are few recipes with even fewer details about the dish. Yet, the raising of cows, along with their products, whether milk, cheese and beef, has a long history in Sicily, going as far back as the sixth millenium B.C.E. Indeed, the raising of cattle -- whether it is the Cinsara breed or the Modicana breed (one of the best triple purpose cattle breeds [that is, cattle for milk, meat and draft power]) -- in what is now known as Sicily goes back centuries. Yet, it does not get the same attention as, for example, the raising of Chianina cattle in Tuscany. Nor do Sicilian beef dishes garner the same attention as, for example, the Tuscan Bistecca alla Fiorentina. 

Modicana cattle (Source: Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity)

I have made that bistecca recipe on many occasions, and, on this particular, one, I wanted to do something different. So, for this Steak Night, I decided to make Carne Arrustata. I also had another reason for taking Steak Night to the most southern reaches of the Appenine peninsula: salmoriglio. It is a sauce featured in the cuisines of Sicily and Calabria that is prepared with, among other things, parsley, oregano, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil and water. The combination of steak and this sauce seemed natural for two reasons. First, the recipe for carne arrustuta called for marinating the meat in a marinade that included lemon juice and lemon zest, which creates ties between the steak and the sauce. Second, salmoriglio got me really thinking about Argentine and Uruguayan chimichurris. There are similarities, as chimichurri recipes feature the combination of green herbs like parsley and oregano; and there are differences, namely, salmoriglio lacks the heavy emphasis on garlic that are found in chimichurri sauces. Those differences make salmoriglio a lighter, brighter sauce that (admittedly) would probably go better with chicken or seafood. Yet, the oil and herbs do enough to complete even grilled beef dishes, like Carne Arrustata. 

Finally, as with many of my recipes, I like to think of the journey embodied in the recipe. While I have been to Italy, I have never made it as far south as Sicily. Yet, as I prepared this dish, I like to picture myself as a cook in Sicily who was preparing the dish for guests, whether in a small restaurant down an  side street of a Sicilian village or at an agritourismo located out in the Sicilian countryside. I still fondly remember my visit to Montestigliano, an agritourismo in the hills of Tuscany, where I had an equisite dinner prepared by a local chef. Those memories provided the inspiration that led to my renewed love to cook, as well as the idea of creating this blog.  

CARNE ARRUSTUTA

Recipe from A Sicilian Peasant's Table

Serves 4

Ingredients (for the steak):

• 1 (1.5 pound) top sirloin, London broil, ribeye or any other cut of steak
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Sicilian sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 2 teaspoons green onion, finely sliced (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
• 2 dried bay leaves (crumbled)

Ingredients (for the arugula salad):

• 3 cups arugula
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine or balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese (substitute Pecorino Siciliano or Maichino if you want to use Sicilian cheeses and can find them)
• Sicilian sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Marinate the steak. Wipe the steak dry with a paper towel and place in a small baking dish. Crush the garlic clove with a garlic press or mash a small amount with salt on a wooden board using the flat side of a chef knife. Rub half of the olive oil and garlic evenly on each side of the steak. Drizzle the lemon juice on both sides and season with salt and pepper to taste. Then sprinkle half of the lemon zest, oregano, bay leaves, green onion and red pepper (if using) on each side of the steak. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. Remove the steak from the refrigerator 1 hour before you cook it. 

2. Grill the steak. Preheat a gas grill on medium high or prepare a medium high charcoal fire. Grill approximately 8 to 9 minutes on each side for medium rare or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes. the steak will continue to cook. Cut into thin slices.

3. Prepare the salad. Combine the arugula, olive oil and vinegar in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Toss in the shaved parmesan. Transfer to a serving platter. Top with sliced steak.

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Post-Script: I decided to ask AI for an image of a Sicilian farmhouse agritourismo with Carne Arrustata on its menu. AI gave me the following picture: 

Created by AI

A nice picture but I am sure that it pales in comparison to the actual experience of visiting an agritourismo nestled in the coutryside. 

PEACE.

Turkey Giblets a la Bourgeoisie

"... if it be true that real happiness consists in making others happy, the author can at least feel a sense of gratification in the thought that his attempts to satisfy the cravings of the inner man have not been wholly un-appreciated by the any he has had the pleasure of serving...."

-- Rufus Estes

Rufus Estes has a story, and quite the story it is. He was born a slave in 1857 in Murray County, Tennessee. He was the youngest of a family that included seven boys and two girls, all of whom -- with their mother -- were owned by D.J. Estes. When the Civil War broke out, the male slaves ran away to join the Union forces, leaving the younger kids to work the plantations. Rufus carried water from the spring to the house, drove cattle to and from the pasture, and did other work. 

After the war ended, Rufus's mother moved her family to Nashville, Tennessee. Rufus sought work, whether it was milking cows (for which he was paid $2.00 per month) or carrying hot dinners to workers in the field (for which he was paid $0.25 per month), Rufus gave all of his earnings to his mother. By the age of sixteen, Rufus got work at Hemphills, a fine dining establishment in Nashville. By the age of twenty-four, he had emigrated north and found a job at a restaurant in Chicago. 

Rufus Estes

Two years later, Rufus Estes started on a track that would define the rest of his life. He got a job with the Pullman Service, which he held for fourteen years. Estes recalled that "some of the most prominent people in the world traveled in the car assigned to me, as I was selected to handle all special parties." The "special parties" included Henry Morton Stanley, the explorer; two Presidents, Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison; and many others.  After leaving the Pullman Service, Estes was hired to run a private car for the president of the Kansas City, Pittsburg & Gould Railroad, which he worked from 1897 to 1907, and, thereafter, he worked as a chef for United States Steel Corporation in Chicago. 

After a career of serving as a chef to the rich and powerful, Rufes Estes became an author, writing Good Things to Eat as Suggested by Rufus: A Collection Practical Recipes for Preparing Meats, Game, Fowl, Fish, Puddings, Pastries, Etc. Published in 1911, his book represents one of the first cookbooks written and published by an African American chef. The recipes contained in that cookbook represent, in Estes' own words, "the labor of years." Estes' labor opens windows into the past, offering glimpses of what people prepared and ate during the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as views of what the elite ate in the palace cars that ran the rails from coast to coast. Dishes such as Bird's Nest Salad to Turkey Truffles (a "fat turkey" stuffed with a mixture that includes three to four pounds of truffles), that is not all, it also gives us a view into what the working class and poor ate as well, like Codfish Hash or Broiled Pig's Feet. 

I read Good Things to Eat and decided to prepare a recipe suggested by Rufus Estes. I wanted a recipe that could bridge the gap between the poor and the rich.  I wanted to prepare something that could have been just as likely to have been prepared for a working class person as it would some rich perosn. I found that dish in Turkey Giblets a la Bourgoisie. Estes's recipe uses the parts of a turkey -- the heart, gizzard, liver and turkey neck -- that most people would discard (especially today), and elevate those ingredients in a delicious way. The recipe produces a wonderful small plate or appetizer that can precede a roast turkey meal. I would suggest serving this dish with some toasted slices of bread, which guests could use to eat the flavorable mixture of turkey and herbs. 

Given I still have Rufus Estes's book, I plan on making more dishes suggested by the accomplished chef. All of these recipes, like this one, are part of my historical cooking journeys that are catalogued in my Federal Project Number One. So, please check it out every once in a while. Until then ....

TURKEY GIBLETS A LA BOURGOISIE

Recipe from Rufus Estes, Good Things to Eat

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

• Turkey giblets (pinions, feet, neck and gizzard)
• Piece of butter
• Flat leaf parsley
• Sprig of thyme
• Green onions
• Garlic, 1 clove
• Bay Leave
• Flour, spoonful
• Stock, spoonful
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions:

The giblets of the turkey consist of the pinions, feet, neck and gizzard. After having scalded pick them well and put in a saucepan wiht a piece of butter, some parsley, green onions, clove of garlic, sprig of thyme, bay leaf, a spoonful of fluor moistened with stock, salt and pepper. Brown to a good color. 

PEACE.

The Chesapeake Bay's Newest Resident ... Stone Crabs

It stands as a "spit" of land, a peninsula jutting out from the shore of Norfolk, Virginia where the James River reaches the Horse Shoe Plat section of the Chesapeake Bay. Its name comes from Thomas Willoughby, who received the land via a grant from the English king in the early 1600s. 

Over time, Willoughby Spit has been developed, with homes, businesses, highways and even a marina being built in the area sandwiched by its shores. However, nearly four centuries later, there is someone -- or something else -- looking to lay a stake to the waters around the spit. 

Stone Crabs. 

They have now reached the southern waters of the Chesapeake Bay. They too have become residents of Willoughy Spit.

It would be natural to ask, "who cares," or to mutter, "so what." But, the presence of stone crabs, even in the southernmost reaches of the Chesapeake Bay, says a lot about what is going on around us, especially with respect to our environment and our climate. 

For those who love to eat crabs, they may have encountered "stone crab claws." Crabbers harvest stone crabs and remove their claws, thereafter returning the crabs to the water where they can regrow the claws over a year or two. The harvested claws then make their way to stores and restaurants -- like Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak, and Stone Crab -- who feature the claws on menus. Stone crab claws are not cheap, with an order running from $45.00 to $125.00 depending upon the size of the claws. (The cost is a subject best saved for another post.) 

Yet, stone crabs are -- or were -- predominantly a "Florida" thing, because the crabs thrive in the warmer waters around the Florida peninsula. Until very recently, the entire stone crab market was basically built around Florida, with the crustacean being unquestionably linked to the Sunshine State. However, as ocean temperatures have risen in recent years, the crabs have been migrating northward. First, it was the shores of Georgia, then it was the shores of the Carolinas. Stone crabs migrated northward because the water temperatures have increased. In fact, temperatures have increased off the shores of North Carolina by as much as 9 degrees Fahrenheit.  The warmer waters result in what experts call the "tropicalization" of the environment. In the case of the stone crabs, it expands the habitat in which they could live and thrive. Thus, over recent years and decades, stone crabs have migrated further and further north, past Georgia, South Carolina, and, now, even North Carolina. Stone crabs are now setttling in the southern waters of the Chesapeake Bay. 

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science ("VIMS") has been documenting the increase presence of stone crabs in the Chesapeake Bay, cataloguing at least our such crabs having been caught off of Willoughby's Spit, as well as reports of stone crabs being found in other parts of the bay. It's not necessarily an easy effort, as there are many crab species already in the bay that look very similar to stone crabs, such as Jonah crabs and Atlantic rock crabs. 

Source: Tripadvisor

The experts at VIMS do not believe that the stone crabs will pose a threat to the blue crabs. The two types of crabs can co-exist. Stone crabs tend to burrow, while blue crabs move around. Moreover, while stone crabs eat the same prey as blue crabs and mud crabs, both of which are indigenous to the Chesapeake Bay, all of the crabs have co-existed together. That has been the case in the waters off of North Carolina for some time. 

However, the bigger threat may be something other than the stone crab. It may be the tropicalization of the water. As temperatures increase, that may be helpful for the stone crab, but it may be harmful to other marine species, like oysters and clams. Those rising temperatures also affect fish by impacting an important food source, plankton.  It is a threat that needs to be tracked, like the voyage of the stone crab, but also addressed. 

Until we do more to address the change in our climate, there will be more stories about migrating spcies. Cue the mangrove fiddler crab ....

PEACE.

P.S.: Photo at the top of the page from Maryland Matters (courtesy of VIMS).

Chicken Tikka Masala

As the story goes, it all began the Shish Mahal, which is currently located at the corners of West Prince's Street and Park Road. It was the 1970s, and, the owner of the restaurant - Ali Ahmed Aslam - was confronted by customers who complained that his tandoori chicken tikka was slightly dry. Chicken tikka, is actually a kebab of boneless chicken chunks cooked in a tandoor oven. Apparently, at the time, Aslam was perhaps cooking his kebabs a little too long. The complaints motivated the owner to respond by adding a creamy tomato sauce. The end result was the first serving of Chicken Tikka Masala. 

I have prepared Chicken Tikka in the past. However, until very recently, I have never went the additional step to add the creamy tomato sauce.  The recipe came from an unlikely place ... Ayurvedic cooking. I have always thought that Ayurvedic cuisine focused heavily on vegetables. That thought was reinforced by many of the recipes that I came across as I was researching ways to improve my cooking. Not that vegetables are a bad thing, I have quite a few Ayurvedic vegetable recipes that I want to make. But, I still remain an omnivore, and, protein (in some form) still remains a significant part of my diet. 

Yet, as I have learned, Ayurvedic cuisine does not completely take chicken off the table. The cuisine definitely promotes vegetarianism as it helps to promote higher consciousness. It does include chicken (and turkey) dishes because Ayurveda recognizes those proteins as something that has a range of chicken dishes in its repertoire. Chicken is considered nourishing and warming, something that can balance certain doshas (like Vata and Pitta). In taking an ayurvedic test, my results labeled me as Vata with some Kapha. As I searched for recipes that would fit this profile, I found one for Chicken Tikka Masala. 

The recipe has some modifications that make it healthier, such as the use of chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs. The one modification that specifically addresses a Vata dosha is the addition of four tablespoons of coconut milk. That also helps to add to the creaminess of the sauce. It also made this dish a little lighter than the Chicken Tikka Masala that I have gotten at restaurants, which is okay given the reason why I made it. And, why I will make it again ... and again. 

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Recipe from Tomas Yareda, et al., Eat Taste Heal, pg. 267

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 cup organic plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil or ghee
• 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
• 4 tablespoons organic tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chile powder
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 6 kari leaves, chopped or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 4 tablespoons coconut milk

Directions:

1. Prepare the chicken. Make several deep slits over the meaty side of each chicken breast. Put the chicken in a baking dish, bone down.

2. Prepare the sauce. In a mixing bowl, whisk the yogurt, sunflower oil (or ghee), lemon (or lime) juice, tomato paste, curry powder, salt, chile powder, paprika, garlic ginger, turmeric, coconut milk, and kari leaves (or fresh mint). Spread the yogurt mixture over the chicken evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. 

3. Bake the chicken. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Transfer chicken and marinade to a baking pan and cook until tender, about 25 minutes. 

PEACE.

Tsam-Thuk (Tsampa Soup)

"Rise up, all tsampa-eating Tibetans"

-- Protest Chant of Tibetan Monks (2008)

Tibet and the Tibetan people can trace their history back to 604 C.E. That history alternated between long periods of independence and periods of occupation. For nearly 75 years, Tibetans have experienced the latter, with Tibet -- or as it is currently known, the Tibet Autonomous Region, -- has been under the control of the People's Republic of China ("PRC"). 

Chinese control over Tibet has not been very easy to maintain. When the Chinese formally annexed Tibet in 1951, the communists claimed a territory and a people who had significiant cultural and social differences. At first blush, the traditional Tibetan society and economy, which was more feudal in nature, was exactly the type of system that the communists sought to eradicate. However, the Chinese communists granted autonomy to the Tibetans, allowing their culture, society and economy to continue, albeit with the presence of twenty thousand communist soldiers in the area. 

There were reasons for such autonomy. China faced a huge problem: namely, there were no roads connecting Tibet with mainland China. Resupplies required pack animals and long treks over the mountains. Thus, the Chinese soldiers stationed in Tibet were completely dependent upon the Tibetans for food. One interesting story to emerge out of that time period involved hungry Chinese soldiers. They knew very little about Tibetan cuisine, and, when they saw tsampa (roasted barley flour), they tried to relate it to something they were familiar with, such as rice or wheat. Yet, when the Chinese soldiers ate tsampa, they choked and gagged on the roasted flour.  

Finely ground roasted barley, also known as Tsampa.

As an aside, I have previously walked the "Tsampa Path," exploring the cultivation of barley in Tibet, as well as the preparation of the ground flour. It was part of my effort to be more mindful of my cooking, which, in part, involved an effort to incorporate Buddhist principles in what I prepared. I even established my own practice of eating tsampa every morning, although it has been hard to keep up.

Returning to the story, the roasted barley flour quickly became a symbol of Tibetan identity. It emerged as a culinary distinction that separated the Tibetans from the Han Chinese (who are the majority ethnic group in the People's Republic of China). This distinction, in turn, became a rallying cry to unite Tibetans in the years after the Chinese annexation of their homeland. In 1952, the year after the formal annexation of Tibet by China, the editor of the Tibetan language newspaper The Tibet Mirror, Dorje Tharchin Babu (a staunch anti-communist) wrote a letter to his fellow Tibetans: 

We, the tsampa eaters, chuba wearers, dice players, raw and dry meat eaters, followers of Buddhism, Tibetan language speakers, the people from the Three Circuits of Ngari (Ngari Korsum), Four Hours of Central Tibet (U-Tsang Ru-Zhi), Six Ranges of Eastern Tibet (Dokham Gangdrug) and the Thirteen Myiarchies of Tibet (Bod Trik-khor Chuksum) we must make an effort to end the [Chinese] occupation.

Thus, to be Tibetan is to be a tsampa-eater, or po mi tsmasey. And, a few years later in 1956, The Tibetan Mirror called upon "tsampa-eaters" to "unite their minds" and "stand up." Tibetans eventually stood up in the 1959 uprising; however, the Chinese communists won that battle. In its aftermath, the Chinese government cracked down on Tibetan society. The autonomy was gone, the communist policies would be formally (and brutally) imposed upon Tibet as they were elsewhere around the country.

While many Tibetans lost their lives in 1959, along with their autonomy, their collective identity survived. The Tibetans residing in the Tibetan Autonomous Region held onto their culture, and their cuisine, especially barley, even while the newly arrived Han Chinese settled in the region, bringing their preference for rice or wheat. Uprisings would erupt from time to time, but the Chinese hold over the Tibetan Autonomous Region remained firm. 

In 2008, the tsampa-eater identity re-emerged as protests commenced again, this time with 300-400 Buddhist monks from the Drepung Monastery marching for religious freedom. They were met with violence by Chinese police, who arrested 60 of the monks. The next day, another 300-400 Buddhist monks from the Sera monastery when to march for the release of their brothers. They too encountered police violence, and more were arrested. A few days later, more monks tried to protest, but they were blocked from leaving their monastery. Violence erupted, that led to burning and destruction of buildings and stores owned and operated by Han and Hui (eastern-Asian Muslims). The calls evolved from the release of imprisoned monks to the independence of Tibet and its people. The response was yet another crackdown.

But, Chinese crackdowns could not break the Tibetan identity. In the following years, such as 2009, Tibetan monks called upon "tsampa eaters" to "rise up." Tsampa itself became part of the protest, with protestors eating tsampa and throwing the ground barley flour into the air during demonstrations. In 2012, tsampa eating made its way into rap, as NPR noted in an article back in 2019. A Tibetan rapper named Shapaley wrote a song and produced a music video about Tsampa and the Tibetan identity. The video is below: 

The music is very catchy, and the lyrics sum up the centrality of tsampa in the Tibetan identity better than I have done in this entire post. (That is almost always the case when someone discusses their own experiences, as opposed to another trying to recount them.) While I may not be a Tibetan, I am a tsampa-eater in solidarity with them.

I am happy to say that my tsampa eating now includes Tsam-Thuk, a Tibetan soup recipe. Tsampa plays and important role as a thickener. The preparation begins with the ground barley flour being mixed with bone broth or beef broth to create smooth base, which is then made into the consistency of soup with more broth. The additional ingredients include onions, radishes and beef, which is found in versions made in Tibet's capital, Lhasa (as rural versions are prepared with yak meat). The soup is then finished with baby spinach and melted butter. I decided I wanted a soup with a thicker consistency, so I only used 2 cups of water (in actuality, I just used the rest of the beef broth, to avoid any waste). The end result is a very delicious and hearty soup (which one needs when they live at the altitudes of Tibet). 

TSAM-THUK (TSAMPA SOUP)

Recipe from Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Daguid, 

Beyond the Great Wall, pg. 47

Ingredients:

• 1.25 cups of Tsampa (or substitute 1 cup barley flour dry roasted in a skillet until golden)
• 1/4 pound daikon radish (about 1/2 small radish)
• 6 cups of Tibetan bone broth (or substitute beef broth or chicken broth)
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil, vegetable oil, or butter
• 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 pound to 3/4 pound boneless beef round or sirloin steak, cut into strips about 1.5 to 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide
• 2-3 cups water
• 1.5 to 2 cups baby spinach leaves or coarsely chopped regular spinach
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1. Prepare the ingredients. To make sure that the tsampa or roasted flour is fine enough, pass it through a fine sieve. Set aside. Peel the daikon radish, then grate it on a coarse greater into long strands.

2. Prepare the broth. Pour 3 cups of the broth into a heavy pot (4 quarts is a good size) and bring to a boil. Add the tsampa or roasted flour and stir until smooth. Add the remaining 3 cups of broth and bring to a boil. Add the radish strands and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. 

3. Prepare the other ingredients. Meanwhile, heat the oil or butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté gently for several minutes. Add the meat strips and 1/2 teaspoon salt, raise the heat to medium high and cook turning once, until just the beef has changed color, about 3 minutes. Use tongs to lift out the meat and set it aside on a plate. Add the onion and oil or butter to the soup. 

4. Deglaze the pan. To deglaze the skillet, place the pan over high heat and add a cup of water and bring to a boil. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spatula to detach any browned bits or caramelized juices, then add the flavored water to the soup. (The recipe can be prepared ahead to this point and set aside for up to 1 hour. Or let cool, refrigerate for up to 36 hours. Bring the soup to a simmer before proceeding.)

5. Finish the dish. Add 1 cup more of water to the soup and bring back to a simmer. Add the meat and bring back to a simmer. Add extra water if you wish a thinner broth. Taste for salt and add up to 2 more teaspoons if necessary. Add the spinach leaves to the simmering broth. When they turn bright green, after a minute or two, add the butter and stir to blend it in. Serve the soup hot in large bowls with bread, or with rice if you prefer. 

PEACE.