****Wishing you the very best and brightest birthday, Belinda.****

You’re really old now.

By Justine Williams

A couple years ago, Devin McIntire and I were living in a tiny apartment building in Washington, D.C. Sometimes we’d catch delectable scents wafting out from our neighbors’ doors, but we didn’t know most of them – hadn’t even seen many of them – so we didn’t know what was going on in those nearby kitchens. Devin was frustrated by this conundrum. How absurd, he thought, that we are all living and cooking so close to each other, in our one and two bedroom apartments, without sharing. That was when the idea of Real Good Food was born.

In those days we had enough time our hands to do a lot of cooking at home, a great CSA to supply us with plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits and cheese for ingredients, and several not-so-cheap organic markets within walking distance for the rest. But when we cooked, we were faced with one of two options. We could eat the meal just the two of us and be left with a pile of leftovers that we’d be sick of by the end of the week, or we could invite friends over to join us. The latter was more fun, but it wasn’t particularly good for our bank accounts to host dinner parties on a regular basis.

Although we never did get to know most of these neighbors, we can credit them with providing some of the inspiration for bringing food sharing collectives to Michigan, North Carolina (and soon beyond). When we left D.C., Devin moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan and planted a seed for this vision. Starting with a simple email group, Real Good Food was built around young families, grad students, and well-practiced bakers who started sharing and trading their favorite foods.

The results have been pretty encouraging so far. Members find that it’s easy to cook an extra batch of whatever they’re making and that it’s much more exciting and rewarding to swap that extra for something else someone has carefully prepared at home than to keep snacking on the same meal. It’s also economical, allowing people to maximize on economies of scale in a way that most of us can’t usually do at home. There are now over 120 members, swapping homegrown produce, spice mixes, soups, bread and more. As one new member recently shared “For my first trade I met a lady in a parking lot; she had fresh rosemary and I had fresh curry leaves, we swapped, it quick and dirty and wonderful.”

Meanwhile, I’ve moved to North Carolina and am beginning to organize groups here. While I originally assumed that groups of graduate students and progressive neighborhood associations in the urban triangle area would be the most receptive groups for Real Good Food, I have come to realize that the idea of food trading is much more expansive and appealing to many groups of people. In a very rural county in northern North Carolina where I’m working on a project to rebuild the local food system, I’ve found that many of my colleagues and friends there wistfully remember the days when their communities engaged in active bartering – swapping the produce, preserves, and baked goods from their kitchens and gardens with those of their neighbors. They are interested in reintroducing food swapping as a means to strengthen relationships within the community, increase access to healthy local food, and make this access financially viable.

The possibilities are vast for forming food sharing collectives and networks, but the challenge at this point is communication. How can those interested in engaging in food trading find others interested in joining them? How can they find people who make the types of good food they are looking for? How can they easily communicate on a daily or weekly basis?

A listserv and word of mouth recruitment have been a good start in Ann Arbor, but we envision a website for more accessible, streamli;’[.ned communication. Real Good Food is now running a campaign through the crowd-funding platform Launcht to raise the funds we need to make this website a reality. With a website, we imagine that home-cooks and food enthusiasts could search for groups of traders to join by geographic location (either city or neighborhood) or by food preference. For instance, vegetarians, gluten-free folks, or locavores could find each other and form groups, or maybe even those interested in Indian cooking, or moms sharing homemade baby food could come together. It would facilitate posting and searching for food offerings, and build trust (since we know you don’t want to take just anyone’s homemade food) through the creation of profiles, pictures and feedback from other members.

There is so much good food out there, but we don’t have to open our wallets wide at the most sophisticated restaurants and markets to get it. We just need to start sharing with our friends, neighbors, and families. Build connections, strengthen your community, eat more homemade food. And share it.

Batala Washington, Source: Doug Van Sant

Greetings, Zomppaphiles! My name is Ellen. I’m a graphic designer, but more important (or at least more interesting), I am a drummer in a gigantic all-female percussion band called Batalá Washington.

This is no ordinary band – it is awesome for reasons too numerous to list (though I’ll do my best to try). One reason is the sense of community that it creates – not just among the band members and within our city, but across the globe. And were it not for this sense of community, I would never have connected with the group of smart, determined food-lovers that is Zomppa.

Batala Washington DC, Source: Doug Van Sant

ZomppaB’s sister and occasional guest contributor Crystal is also a member of the band. When Crystal learned her sister was in need of some graphic design help, she threw herself on the mercy of the band, and found me. This gets back to Batalá’s aforementioned awesome community of drummers. Among the 75 women in the band are designers, artists, dance instructors, chefs, computer whiz-kids, physical therapists, lawyers, teachers, fitness gurus, librarians, diplomats – a whole mess of movers and shakers who fit into the tangled fabric of nonprofits and government agencies covering Washington, DC. And when in need, one band member needs only to reach out her hand to find another who will help.

Batala Washington DC, Source: Doug Van Sant

So when Crystal asked “Can you design a logo for my sister?” I said yes before I even knew what her sister did. When I learned that her sister edits an online magazine for international food enthusiasts, I felt like I hit the jackpot. I love food. I am a huge fan of cooking and baking and am one of the growing numbers of Americans who dedicates a fair amount of my time to trying to make sense of how we get our food – where it comes from, how it was made, and how it impacts our environment and economy.  I was happy, nay, thrilled, to help out this organization!

Batala Washington DC: Source: Doug Van Sant

I feel indebted to Batalá for connecting me to a global network of fellow food-enthusiasts. But considering what Batalá is, it only seems natural. This band, you see, is a world-wide phenomenon. The international Batalá family owes its existence to Giba Gonçalves, a drummer and composer from Salvador, Bahia. In Brazil, he was one of the founders of Cortejo Afro, an arts education project to help underserved young people living in poor communities, When he moved to Paris in 1997, he started up Batalá in Paris as the European wing of the project.

From Paris, Batalá spread to other cities in France, Belgium, Spain, Africa, the United Kingdom, and back to its origins in Brazil. The first North American chapter of Batalá was founded in Washington in 2007 by a drummer from Batalá Brasilia (the only other all-female chapter), who moved here with her family.

Batala Washington DC, Source: Doug Van Sant

All of the band’s instruments and costumes are manufactured in Salvador, providing jobs and income for disadvantaged families in that area. And since we all wear the same costumes and play the same music as the other Batalá bands, there are occasions where bands from across the globe meet up and play together! This August, I traveled to London and played in the Notting Hill Carnival with drummers from the UK, France, Greece, Brazil, and several other countries, and I hope to one day fly down to Salvador and meet up with an enormous assembly of drummers for Carnaval. This feeling of connectedness on a global scale, through music, is awe-inspiring.

So, I hope you all like the new logo. It was a really fun project, and I’m excited to have an opportunity to meet the people of Zomppa and help them do the amazing work they do. Thanks to Crystal for connecting me to your sister. Thank you Batalá for connecting me to Crystal. And to 74 other strong, beautiful, hilarious women here, and to all my other Batalá sisters and brothers around the world: Batalá Hey!

Check them out during the 2011 Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City!

I went to the opera a while with one of my friends who proposed that we make a true date of it and get dinner beforehand since it was restaurant in New York City.

Restaurant week is the time of year when restaurants fling their doors open for $35 and break out some of their best, and most interesting, dishes ($24.07 for lunch- what a steal!). Living like a poor graduate student for the last 3 years has made me shy away from this tradition. Although not quite budget friendly, it’s not a bad deal at all. At most places you get an appetizer, entree, and dessert for under $40 (beverages not included). And if there’s one thing a graduate student knows how to find, it’s a deal.

The 21 Club, New York

I balked a little when my friend suggested dinner. I spent over an hour looking at menus online. Getting excited and then frustrated, wanting to find a perfect place but not being able to. At one point I almost called the whole thing off. But I made a decision to go through with it.

So what is my hesitation about trying restaurant week? It occurs twice a year and I’ve lived here for 3 years. So that’s roughly 6 opportunities to feast at New York’s finest tables. And it lasts more than a week, so I can’t say that I don’t have the time. The truth is, well, I’m a vegetarian. And not a recent vegetarian either. And not a “oh sometimes I eat meat on the weekends when it’s bacon” vegetarian. Not that there’s anything wrong with eating meat, or eating meat sometimes, or eating some meats and not others. I truly believe that people need to eat what makes them happy and that’s not uniform across the board. For me, I prefer not eating meat and I don’t miss it. What I miss is having more than one option on a menu. And I miss not worrying about what stock was used in a vegetable soup. But overall, I’m fairly happy with my vegetarian options in New York City. I almost always find something I like (if it has a vegetable, I’m sold) and I don’t have to dodge too many restaurants, outside of steak houses and bbqs.

Cauliflower risotto & pork belly

Until Restaurant Week that is. New York’s finest restaurants want to show off their specialities. So while my friend can chose from smoked salmon, caramelized duck, or strip steak, I am left with pasta and a couple of vegetables. I’ll admit it, I’m biased. Over my 3 years in the city, I’ve perused menus but never went through the experience. Until last week.

I finally picked a place after a careful search– the 21 club on 52nd St between 5th & 6th Avenue. The restaurant has character with airplanes dangling above and miniature statues of bears and bulls surrounding the bar room. It’s Americana down to the lawn jockey statues. I chose the cauliflower risotto and my friend got the pork belly. Both dishes were incredible (although I have to take her word for it). The risotto was salty but balanced with a dash of truffle oil. The real treat though was the dessert. I ordered a “salty bomb” which was caramel ice cream on top of toffee covered with lines of chocolate. My friend’s lemon tart with blueberries was also incredible and we were able to share. I walked out of the restaurant feeling satiated and pleased. I had gotten a good deal and didn’t feel restrained because of my diet. Maybe I can be one of those true New Yorkers who participates in restaurant week. I only have to wait a few months for the next one.

Here’s the official website complete with menus to ogle: http://www.nycgo.com/restaurantweek/

Salty Bomb

Growing consumer interest in local farm products can be seen at various farmers markets across the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill). Market patrons are provided the unique opportunity to meet the farmers that grow their food and ask questions about their farming practice. However, they are seldom given the chance to go behind the scenes and truly understand what motivates these farmers to be stewards of our lands and our food supply. A Farming Way of Life raises awareness about the connection between local foods and the families that grow them while providing inspirational stories for future farmers who may want to own and run a farm of their own.

With the help of the United Arts Council and the Regional Artists Project Grant Program I (the mastermind behind this series, Mr. Brad Herring) was able to show how dedicated our local farmers are in providing for their families and our community and remind viewers that farming is more than just a historical practice; it’s alive and vibrant.

A Farming Way of Life – Whitted Bowers Biodynamic Fruit from Brad Herring on Vimeo.

Feature photograph credited to Whitted Bowers Farm: http://www.whittedbowersfarm.com/Site/Photos.html#3

A few years ago we visited friends in the Ticino canton of Switzerland and I was totally blown away by Maria’s stock of home made jam. There was every single fruit and fruit combination imaginable from strawberry to quince to arbutus berry and while we were there she was drying elderflowers to make jelly and cordial concentrate. I had made jam occasionally but when I came back from that visit, I
resolved that there would be no more over-sweetened, bought jam in our home.

My mother and grandmother were not dedicated jam makers but every year in late September or early October they made damson jam because there were damsons in my grandfather’s garden, the jam has a good flavour and, most of all –it always sets well!

So this year as damson time came round again, I made a little visit to the family garden, now cultivated by my uncle, and collected a pail of damsons.

This is my recipe for a fairly tart jam with a rich, plum taste. The ingredients are simple:

• 4 lbs firm, washed damsons (over-ripe fruit will not gel)
• 3 lbs granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• A walnut-sized lump of butter

Damson jam is so easy to make but there is one unavoidable drawback – the stones/pits have to come out at some point. There are 3 ways of doing this. Cut open the damsons and remove all the stones before you begin but you do lose some of the fruit and I believe there is some benefit in leaving them in at this stage. Take the stones out with a slatted spoon at the final stage. My preferred method is a compromise. Cut the stones out of the larger damsons at the beginning and remove the more difficult ones at the end of the cooking process.

Pour the water into a large heavy based pan and add the fruit. I split all of the damsons with a knife as this speeds up the cooking process.

Bring the fruit and water to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Press the fruit against the side of the pan with the back of a spoon to soften the fruit. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. The fruit must be well broken down and soft before adding the sugar as it cannot soften further once the sugar has been added.

Turn off the heat and stir in 3 lbs sugar. Once the sugar is well blended in, turn on the heat again and, stirring all the while to avoid burning or sticking, bring the jam to a ‘rolling’ boil. The pan must be big enough to allow at least 4” between the jam and the top of the pan.

Keep up the ‘rolling’ boil for about 10 minutes or until the setting point has been reached. During this time the stones will float to the top. Lift them out into a sieve with a slotted spoon. Scrape the jam against the sieve, remove the stones with a small spoon and return  the pulp to the pan.

To test for setting point, pour a few drops of the jam on to a cold saucer (I always put 2 saucers into the refrigerator when I start to make the jam). Leave to cool for 1 -2 minutes and test with fingertip to see if it has begun to form a skin. If not, keep up the ‘rolling’ boil and test every 2 minutes.

If there is foam on top of the jam, stir in the lump of butter to disperse it. Stir the jam and ladle it into hot, sterilised jars (about 6 sixteen ounce jars). I don’t know how long the jam will keep. The longest I have kept a jar was 2 years and it was still good. If you would prefer a sweeter jam, you can add 1 pint of water instead of a cup and increase the sugar to 4 lbs.

Enjoy!

Just like there are endless possibilities for consumption via plate, there are equally as many (if not more) possibilities for consumption via glass. Drinks can be sweet, sour, virgin, alcoholic, creamy, fruity, fizzy or simply on the rocks. The contents of the glass in your hand depends on your mood just as much as what you would like to pair it with. Sometimes, your drink is paired only with your mouth, and for that we need to celebrate.

In Venezuela, there is a drink that I have been in love with, in its various forms since I was a child. I have a very fond memory of my first encounter with chicha. I remember throwing rocks up at the mango trees in my backyard in Barcelona (Venezuela) and feasting on the ripe provisions that fell by my feet. I would hear my grandmother calling me for lunch. We would have pan-fried chicken, rice, caraotas, black beans with sautéed chopped garlic, green peppers and onion, and fried plantains. Next to my plate would be a tall glass of chicha on ice. A thick and creamy blend of softened rice, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and sugar, chicha was a refreshing, filling, smooth drink that had dessert written all over it- except that I would be having it with lunch!

Yes, a drink made of rice, sugar and condensed milk is loaded with liquid happiness. What is so great about this drink is that you can add so much to it, from chopped fruits to liquors. It is the perfect drink that you can make your own.

In Venezuela, you can get chicha on the street like you can get a hot dog in New York City. Chicheros are the little stands that sell these special treats. Vendors usually make the chicha with a pre-made mix that only requires water and is served with ice, a straw and added toppings such as chocolate chips or a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk. The pre-made mix can also be found at the supermarket for a quick at-home version. If you want to kick it up a notch, you can make Chicha Andina, which is the traditional recipe made with added fermented pineapple or personalize it with a splash (or three) of rum. Though most popular during the holidays, chicha is a drink that is enjoyed all year round and can be shared with children and adults alike, with a few tweaks for differentiation of course.

The trick to making perfect chicha is having a powerful blender. What makes this drink so satisfying isn’t just the flavor, but the smooth texture. You can personalize it and make it your own by making it thicker or thinner with the amount of milk you add to it, yet still hold onto some of the tradition that has made it a classic in Venezuela. Although it takes over a day to make chicha in the traditional way, the time is more than worth your while. You will find that the ease of preparation and your final scrumptious product is all you need to make this one of your go to favorites. Buen Provecho!

Chicha Venezolana
2 cups of white rice
7 cups of water
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 – 2 cups of Milk or Water
1 – ½ cups or white sugar
Vanilla Extract
Cinnamon, Chocolate chips or other desired toppings

Directions – Traditional Versions
1. Add 2 cups of rice to 7 cups of water in a large pot. Allow to soak overnight at room temperature until rice is overly tender.
Quick Tip: Instead of soaking, cook rice until desired tenderness is reached. Additional cups of water may be necessary. Completely cool rice before continuing to next step.
2. In a blender add sweetened condensed milk (minus a few tablespoons if being used as topping), sugar and rice. Add a spoonful of vanilla extract and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Pour ¼ cup to ½ cup of milk (or water) to aid in blending.
3. Blend mixture until smooth. There should be no rice bits left. Add milk (or water) until desired consistency is reached.
Tip: Make this recipe in batches to aid in blending.
4. Refrigerate until cool.
5. Pour into tall glasses. Top off with a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk, diced fruit or any other delicious addition you have on hand.
6. Throw in some crushed ice and a straw. Enjoy!

A spread of Indian whole spices

Discovering Indian cuisine is a gastronomical journey through the “spice route”! Indian spices can weave magic to any bland dish with their versatility. The reason why India boasts thousands of recipes is because of its amazing variety of spices and spice mixes (powder or paste of an assortment of spices), along with a plethora of cooking techniques and other ingredients.

The traditional stone is still used for manually grinding whole spices. The texture and taste of the final product are much better, as compared to the modern grinders!

Spices are good for you!

Indian spices have amazing medicinal properties, and the popular ancient Indian medicinal practice known as Ayurveda employs these wonder spices for various kinds of healing, with no side effects!

For example, research has proved now that turmeric (active ingredient: curcumin) has anti-cancer, anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory properties. Warm turmeric-milk is extremely effective against indigestion and sore throat. Similarly, cloves have healing properties against toothache, gum decay, asthma and acidity. Fenugreek seeds help in easing any kind of pain and are given to women after child delivery. Ginger is very effective against cough and colds. On the other hand, cumin is known for its healing properties against indigestion and other stomach problems.

Popularity of Indian spices

The importance of spices in India and the world is immense.  So much so, that there is a separate authority for the promotion of Indian spices worldwide, called Spices Board India, maintained by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India. The board does a lot to support and maintain the development of Indian spices, which are the “heart” of Indian cuisine!

Spices in three forms: whole, ground and paste

Whole spices being dry-roasted perfectly: ready for the grind!

The whole spices mainly include fenugreek seeds (methidana), bay leaves (tej patta), dry red chilli (sabut laal mirch), nigella seeds (kalonji or mangrel), aniseed, nutmeg (jaiphal), mace (javitri), cumin (jeera), black cumin (shahi jeera), mustard (rai), coriander seeds (sabut dhania), Cinnamon (dalchini), brown cardamom (badi elaichi), cloves (laung or lavang), fennel (saunff) small and big, white sesame seeds (till), green cardamom (elaichi), tamarind (imli), dry ginger (saunth), black peppercorns (kali mirch), black pepper (kali mirch) and poppy seeds (khuskhus).

The ground spices (powders) are coriander powder (dhania powder), pomegranate seed powder (anardana powder), turmeric powder (haldi), dry mango powder (aamchur), asafoetida (hing), red chilli powder (laal mirchi powder), cumin powder (jeera powder) and mint powder (pudina powder).

Ground spices and masalas

A few masalas (mixture of spices) like paan masala, pav bhaji masala, chat masala, garam masala, chana masala, tea masala, sambhar masala, tandoori chicken masala, meat masala, jaljeera and kasoori methi are very famous and used commonly in Indian households and restaurants.

These are the common Indian spices. However, there are many more too!

Relishing Indian curries!

Curry is believed to have originated in India. A curry is a side dish, cooked with a combination of spices and herbs, along with one or more kinds of vegetables, fish, meat and/or egg and sometimes, the fruits. During the British rule in India, curry was introduced slowly to the Western palate.

Originally, the word “curry” was the British way to pronounce the Tamil word kari, the Punjabi, Sindhi and Gujrati kadhi and the Bengali tarkari! Alternatively, the word curry might have originated from the word “karahi”, which is a cooking utensil, also known as wok in English.

Roughly, there are more than one thousand curries existing in India itself!

Two tried-and-tested recipes of spice mixes (masalas)

Garam masala: This versatile masala is added to increase the richness and aroma of a huge number of dishes in India. You may alter the amount of this masala in a dish to suit your spice tolerance. There is, however, no set measurement for the ingredients in any masala. But I am sharing with you the one I have tried and tested almost on a regular basis for almost seven years now. Store them in airtight containers in a cool, dry place. [Tip: Replace the lid of the container immediately after use to prevent the aroma from escaping.]

For the basic garam masala, two cinnamon (one-inch) sticks, four cloves and six green cardamoms are ground to a fine powder.

For making the special garam masala (used especially in meat dishes), you need the following, to be ground to a fine powder: two cinnamon (one-inch) sticks, four cloves, six green cardamoms, two brown cardamoms, 1 tbsp black peppercorns, 2 tsp caraway seeds, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp nutmeg powder and ½ tsp mace powder.

[Note: The commercially available readymade masalas such as tandoori masala, dhansak masala, sambhar masala, chana masala, etc, have either garam masala or curry masala as one of their constituents.]

Curry powder: This can be made in a couple of ways. The amounts of the ingredients may be varied. The recipe given below gives great results!

Dry-roast 2 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp fennel seeds, ½ tsp  fenugreek seeds,  3 dried red chillies and 3 curry leaves until these become nicely browned and release a rich aroma. Put these (after cooling) into a spice mill or a grinder to grind them into a very fine powder. Now mix ½ tsp turmeric powder and ½ tsp salt with this and store in an airtight container.

Jaljeera: the healthy and spicy Indian summer drink!

The famous Indian summer drink: Jaljeera

The word “jal” means water and “jeera” means cumin. This is an exotic North Indian drink, which is very popular in Indian restaurants worldwide. This is a spicy drink and an appetizer, which is believed to not only cool the body (because of mint in them) in hot weather, but this aids in digestion (attributed to the cumin and rock salt) as well! It is a drink served in Indian get-togethers and cultural ceremonies.

The jaljeera drink has lemonade as the main constituent. This is mixed with the jaljeera powder and finely chopped mint or fresh mint paste is added at the end, topped with unsweetened mini gram-flour balls called boondi (optional). Following is the recipe of light jaljeera.

Ingredients:

Cumin seeds: 1.5 tsp

Dry ginger powder: ½ tsp

Dry red chilli (optional): ½

Black peppercorns: 5

Fresh mint leaves (finely chopped): 4

Black salt: ¾ tsp

Dry mango powder (aamchur): ½ tsp

Sugar (optional): ½ tsp

Asafoetida: two pinches

Lime juice: 2 tbsp

Cold water

Method of preparation:

Make a paste of the mint leaves with black salt, dry ginger powder, dry mango powder, asafoetida and sugar.

Dry-roast the cumin seeds and the dry red chilli till these release an aroma and are lightly browned. Add the peppercorns and roast for another 1 min over a low flame. Cool this mixture under open air and grind to a very fine powder.

Mix this powder with the mint mixture and store in an airtight jar. This becomes the jaljeera powder.

To make one glass of jaljeera, put the lime juice and 1 tsp of jaljeera powder into the glass. Add cold water to fill the glass. Check for salt and sugar and adjust if needed.

Sprinkle a few chopped mint leaves at the top or use salted boondi [link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boondi].

To start off my story, a little background information may be needed.  My gym has some TV’s that show random facts and other miscellaneous gym information.  Whew, now that the background information is done… The other day, I was lifting weights and lost in thought when I glanced over at one of the TV’s.  Lo and behold, there was a simple and to the point sentence about some alcohols not being vegan.  What???  I’m a veggie, have been for most of my life, and have dabbled in being vegan every once in a while.  However, it would never have struck me that alcohol wouldn’t be vegan.  I mean, what could they possibly do to alcohol to make it not vegan? And what about vegetarians?

And so, my search began.  Apparently, they can do a lot to it.  It appears that hard alcohol tends to be the most vegan friendly (excluding crème liqueurs, obviously) and then it’s a toss up between beer and wine.  Now, for the important question…what is done to these alcohols to make them vegan-unfriendly?  When alcohol’s made there’s sometimes a sediment that is a byproduct of the process.  Different materials are used to catch the sediment and weigh it down in order to help clarify the booze.  These ‘sediment catchers,’ if you will, are used in a process called fining, which accelerates an otherwise natural, but long, process.  The sediment catchers help drag out the proteins and yeasts in the alcohol in order to speed up production.  Those alcohols made in casks are more likely to have gone through the fining process which increases their chances of not being vegan/vegetarian friendly.

Now for the fun part.  What materials are used in the fining process?  On the more normal side there’s casein (a milk protein), gelatin and egg.  The more interesting ingredients are cochineal, isinglass, bone, and at one point even ox blood was used.  Cochineal is a beetle that is often crushed up and used as a red dye and isinglass is a gelatin derived from the air bladder of certain fish, such as sturgeon.  Can we say ‘ew’?  I don’t know about you, but for me, the thought of drinking something that has bug guts & fish bladder remnants is a bit disconcerting.  In response to this, some websites were created to help people navigate this territory, like www.barnivore.com.  Barnivore compiles emails people send to companies regarding their alcohol production processes and then posts the responses they receive.  This way people know whether their booze is vegetarian/vegan friendly and sometimes what products are used in the fining process.

You may be wondering, if your favorite happy hour drink has these things in it, why isn’t it on the label? Well, the labels only include the content not what’s involved in the process.  So, if a company uses isinglass while fining the alcohol, the isinglass is just being used to clarify it but is not considered an ingredient used to make it.  Therefore, there could be remnants left over (though from what I’ve seen, most companies say the fining agents should be completely gone), but it’s not considered part of the ‘end product.’

I recently met a brewer from Dale Brothers Brewery in California (which does vegetarian/vegan friendly brewing) who let me come in and ask a bunch of questions about the fining process for beer.  I learned that two alternatives to isinglass, for example, are Irish moss and diatomaceous earth.  Irish moss gathers the proteins and the diatomaceous earth drags down the yeast in beer.  Metal screens and centrifuges can be used in the fining process as well, but centrifuges are very expensive and not often used.  I also found that minerals such as bentonite & kaolin can be used in the fining process for wines.  Lastly, you can look for wines that are labeled unfiltered or unfined as a way to make sure your wine is vegetarian/vegan friendly.  Just be aware these types of wines may have some sediment in them which can make them appear somewhat cloudy.  As a side note, ‘organic’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘vegan/vegetarian’.

Hopefully this piqued your interest and you’ll be able to find out what’s in your happy hour favorites, if you dare!

Joy, anticipation and a sense of purpose – just some of the many feelings that were brought out. Joy, because the hype surrounding the event was met and exceeded. Anticipation, because I couldn’t wait to share with others – even strangers – what I was doing that day: all that mattered was that I told someone, fast. My sense of purpose was to share the experiences of my day, because who knows… it may change the world.

‘It may change the world’… How can I say this, you ask? I too was once so skeptical that an event such as this could change the world. After attending the event, the answer was clear as day.

Food.

Potala Palace, Lhasa, Tibet

Food? Yes food. While volunteering at the front desk, greeting people and giving them seat placement cards, I was amazed at the amount of people coming through; then and there I couldn’t help thinking to myself that this is what Zomppa means by “food, meet people.” Food brought people, from all over the spectrum, to this event.  People who stopped by my table included many top chefs such as:

• April Bloomfield, The Breslin Bar & Dining Room, The John Dory Oyster Bar, and The Spotted Pig
• David Chang, Momofuku restaurants and Má Pêche
• Tom Colicchio, Craft and Colicchio & Sons
• Dan Kluger, ABC Kitchen
• Chief chef and host, Eric Ripert, Le Bernardin

What were these people doing there at my table?

These folks had come to celebrate The Tibet Fund’s 30^th anniversary. While the Tibet Fund began as an organization to provide services to the Tibetan people in exile, it has since evolved into so much more. The Fund’s mission is:

“To preserve the distinct cultural and national identity of the Tibetan people. Since 1981, under the patronage of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, The Tibet Fund has been the primary funding organization for health care, education, refugee rehabilitation, religious and cultural preservation, elder care and community and economic development programs serving more than 140,000 Tibetan refugees living in India, Nepal and Bhutan.

Our aim is to promote self-reliance and help sustain the cohesiveness of the exile community.”

This Gala Event has become a symbol, a rallying point for people concerned for the future of Tibet and the people who inhabit it. The event was the epoch of kindness, generosity and compassion, because many non-Tibetans and non-Buddhists gathered for a common cause, peace.  The newly elected Tibetan Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay and His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama’s Representative in North America, Lobsang Nyandak Zayul, also attended the event.

Eric Ripert and me

A chief facilitator for this unity was food. Food helped to raise thousands of dollars, further supporting t programs offered by Tibet Fund. Attending this event were also other human right activist organizations such as Students for a Free Tibet and The Tibetan Community of New York & New Jersey, showing the unity amongst people striving for the same goal. The Gala also gave community leaders a place to gather, talk and to spread their ideas and ideals. They also are able to expand their network of contacts.

The Gala itself now may or may not seem as important, but not all great moments do; for only hindsight is 20-20. Looking back on this moment, history will see that it changed the world by bringing people from all lifestyles together through food. The world will look back on this moment and say that this was where “food met people.”