5 (More) Great Things to Eat at N'Awlins Jazz Fest

Yesterday, I posted 5 Great Things to Eat If You Only Have One Day at N'Awlins Jazz Fest. Today, I have five more.

1) Raw Oysters -- you can get all kinds of oysters at Jazz Fest -- fried on French bread or in a spinach salad, Oysters Rockefeller  -- but, there's nothing more beautiful than the raw briny bilvalve that you can get inside the Grand Stand ($7 for a half dozen). Back this year, after missing 2011's Jazz Fest due to the BP Oil Spill, these oysters are harvested from Louisiana's Black Bay. They are not only huge, but also delicious.

Louisiana Black Bay Oysters (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

2) Vietnamese Spring Roll (goi cuon) with peanut dipping sauce -- these vermicelli and lettuce stuff shrimp spring roll are light and tasty. If you're trying to watch your calorie intake this is the "go to" meal. I had mine for breakfast with a cafe au lait and a bite of a sugary beignet.

Shrimp, Vermicelli, and Rice Paper Rolls (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

3) Jama Jama and Plantains combo platter of spicy Jama Jama and fried ripe plantains will set you back $8 and is a great lunch or late afternoon snack for another healthy and yummy choice.

Plantains and Sauteed (Spicy) Spinach (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

4) Beignets and Cafe au Lait from Cafe du Monde -- need I say more? Hot fried dough covered in powdered sugar (my stepdaughter's breakfast) and a cup of chicory coffee with milk (for me)......mmmmm!!!

Cafe du Monde's Iced Cafe Au Lait and Sugar Covered Beignets (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

5) Trout Baquet -- a generous portion of pan-roasted and super buttery local trout topped with Louisiana crabmeat. A full meal or for sharing -- this is great for dinner before the last show.

Trout Baquet (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

DRINKS

Strawberry Lemonade - on target to sell 30,000 gigantic cups at this year's week-long event of the most refreshing lemonade you'll ever taste, I can't imagine a day at Jazz Fest without it to counter the heat and the crowds and wash down the food.

Strawberry Lemonade (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

SNACKS

Sweet Potato Chips -- don't say "no" to these fried bits of heaven with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. It was hard to just have a taste and not devour a whole bag!

Fried Sweet Potato Chips (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

MUSIC
Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas

Great to see these guys on Saturday, April 28th. 

Back in 2005, for my husband's big 50 birthday celebration, Nathan and his band first played the Zydeco Festival in Connecticut on a Friday night in June, then took the ferry over to the south fork of Long Island to get to our house in Southampton for Henry's birthday party on Saturday night. I have fond memories and lots of photos of the guys sleeping on our lawn. We also have a bunch of their CDs and just love the zydeco sound and Nathan's charm.

Nathan Williams Sr. on the Accordion (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle) 

Crescent City Farmers Market: April 28th, 2012

Zipped over to the Crescent City Farmers Market for a half hour before heading out to Day 2 of Jazz Fest. It was so exciting to see, photograph, buy and eat fresh, locally grown strawberries. And, to catch up with Richard McCarthy, co-founder of the market in 1995 and my husband's cousin.

Strawberries are in peak season in Louisiana now -- the start of the season is a good two months before ours in New York.

After grabbing a cup of coffee, I bought some berries (which I devoured in the car on the way to Jazz Fest), a pound of Creole Jasmin Rice which I'll pack in my luggage to take home, a watermelon lime juice (so refreshing), and then introduced myself to the folks over at the New Orleans Eat Local 2012 Challenge table. 

I talked to Gina about the challenge, which helps connect eaters via the resource guide to farmers markets, CSAs, U-Pick and restaurants, to local Louisiana foods during its 30-day challenge that runs from June 1 to June 30th this year. There's also recipes, cookbooks and a guide to the Lousiana Harvest calendar on the website. (Lighthearted Locavore is a partner blog for Northeast Organic Farmers Association of New York's Locavore Challenge which is headed into its third year this fall). 

The highlight of my visit was finding Richard McCarthy on my way out of the market for a quick hello. It was great to hear about his daughter, wife and parents, and all the good work going on at Market Umbrella, his non-profit which is dedicated to the local food movement. Besides running the farmers market, Market Umbrella has helped New Orleans get back on its feet post-Katrina and post-BP oil disaster and is dedicated to connecting farmers, fishermen and eaters throughout the region and food justice and food access issues (got to love their program to double the value of food stamps at their markets).  McCarthy is also a great resource for understanding food politics and policy issues locally, nationally and internationally. In fact, he's named one of the market tents the "office of homeland serenity". LOVE THAT!!!

RECIPES

I love to make strawberry rhubarb compote, strawberry sorbet, strawberry ice cream, strawberry jam, strawberry yogurt pops, strawberry jelly omelets, and strawberry breakfast smoothies (check out Lighthearted Locavore for 10 great recipes).

5 Great Things to Eat If You Only Have One Day at N'Awlins Jazz Fest

The Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans ("Jazz Fest") is a 10-day food and music event featuring some of America's best jazz, rock, R&B, Blues and Gospel musicians, and incredible food. 

New Orleans Jazzfest Food Court, April 27, 2012 (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

With a half a million fans, local experts say that Jazz Fest attracts more food lovers than any other event in New Orleans, including Mardi Gras. Spanning two weekends this year, April 27-29 and May 3-6, eaters from the first weekend, like me, help spread the word on what's great to eat so attendees on the second weekend can dine well and focus their attention on finding the best music. 

 

5 Great Things to Eat If You Only Have One Day at N'Awlins Jazz Fest 

1) Crawfish Monica® is probably the most famous Jazz Fest dish. Pasta and crawfish in a creamy (and top secret roux-based sauce) that's so good the recipe and the name have a copyright.

Creamy, crawfish Monica (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

2) Pheasant, Quail and Andouille Gumbo -- a sophisticated and rich gumbo for game lovers that will not disappoint

Pheasant, Quail and Andouille Gumbo (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

3) Cochon de Lait - for the truly die-hard, this succulent slow-smoked and shredded suckling pig with cabbage and horseradish sauce served on a piece of French bread has the longest line of all the vendors at Jazz Fest (plan to wait 20 minutes during peak times)

Cochon de Lait Po-boy (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle) 

4) Mango Freeze - for a light, refreshing and delicious sorbet nothing beats this crowd pleaser as a snack, to cleanse your palette or for a healthy dessert

Mango Freeze (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

5) Soft Shell Crab Po-Boy -- restaurants all over New Orleans specialize in this classic, piping hot deep-fried soft shell crab sandwich but eaters claim there are none as good as the po-boy at Jazz Fest.

Soft Shell Crab Po-Boy (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

Wash lunch down and cool off with a sweet iced tea. It's hard to pick a favorite between the giant-sized Orange Mandarin iced tea or the Rose Mint flavor. I like it unsweetened although I do enjoy the honey sweetened versions my husband buys. It's hot out there, so you might drink a couple of these teas throughout the day.
 
Servings are generous this year so definitely plan to share.  And, enjoy the food, but don't forget the great music!

New Orleans Jazz Fest Food: Kick Off

Henry and I arrived in New Orleans last night and kicked off Jazz Fest, which starts today and goes through Sunday, May 6th, at one of our favorite restaurants in the world, Gautreau's. Tables were booked weeks ago, but my husband, who is from New Orleans, has been taking friends and clients to Gautreau's for decades and knows Patrick Singley, the owner (thanks for squeezing us in, Patrick). 

Gautreau's Restaurant Chef Sue Zemanick and Owner Patrick Singley (photo: Gauteau's)

Gautreau's Restaurant Dining Room (photo: Gautreau's)

Chef Sue Zemanick is hot right now, and it's no surprise -- the food is inventive and flavorful and the presentation elegant -- a perfect complement to the old world surroundings of the dining room which is in a 19th century pharmacy. Zemanick is up for the James Beard Foundation "Rising Chef of the Year" award (yes, she's just 30 years old). She's got my vote -- we had an amazing meal served with a side of Southern hospitality. 

I loved the soup special, tomato and watermelon gazpacho with crabmeat, and can't wait to recreate the recipe this summer (I'm hoping Chef will give me some clues). Henry enjoyed the house favorite app, seared scallops with sage brown butter. For dinner, I had the "locavore" special, sautéed Gulf of Mexico grouper, which was cooked to flaky perfection and served with farmers market wild ramps and a mushroom medley. Henry savored every bite of the classic duck confit (minus one bite which I snagged). We ended the meal with blueberry buckle and huckleberry ice cream and the cheese plate. (Sorry there are no photos -- forgot the Nikon and the iPhone pics are awful). 

Anyhow, need to hop in the shower and get ready for Jazz Fest. Just three hours til I taste some Crawfish Monica and duck gumbo for lunch.   

Click here for my October 2008 post on N'awlins Restaurants, including Gautreau's -- I can taste the cold asparagus soup with crab, and risotto and crab dinner from three years ago.   

Paul Simon and Food: Parsley, Sage, Cornflakes and Mother and Child Reunion Chicken

Did you know that Paul Simon’s in town? He’s playing a couple of nights at Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsallas and the Jazz@LC Orchestra with special guest, and one of my other music royalty favorites, Aaron Neville of New Orleans.  

In anticipation of the concert, I started to think about Simon’s music and couldn’t avoid coupling his songs with my other passion, food.  Within just a few minutes of research online, I discovered a little bit more about Simon’s music and food besides lyrics “parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme” and what I call the "Kellogg's Cornflake" song (Punky's Dilemma).  

Waffle Guitar Player by Bill Wurtzel, guitarist and author of Funny Food (read more below)

Scarborough Fair

Many catering companies and restaurants have named their businesses “Scarborough Fair” after the Simon and Garfunkel song of the same name. While most have come and gone over the years, none have had the staying power of the famed “parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme” lyrics of this S&G remake of an English ballad.  About a love affair that consummated during the medieval 45-day trade fair in the seaside town, Scarborough, England, where spices and foods and other items were bought and sold, the fair was a 45-day event sandwiched between two Catholic feasts: the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Feast of St Michael. Quite a few “Simon and Garfunkel Chicken” recipes pop up on the Internet too – seasoned with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, no doubt.

Punky’s Dilemma (Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel)

Nonsensical and fun. I love the light breakfast lyrics: 

“Wish I was a Kellogg Cornflake,  

Floatin' in my bowl takin' movies,

Relaxin' awhile, livin' in style,

Talkin' to a raisin who 'casion'ly plays L.A.,

Casually glancing at his toupee.

Wish I was an English muffin

'Bout to make the most out of a toaster.

I'd ease myself down,

Comin' up brown.

I prefer boysenberry

More than any ordinary jam.

I'm a "Citizens for Boysenberry Jam" fan.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

A young man from Queens, New York, Simon wrote quite a bit about English places and traditions – he went there in the 1960s for inspiration. The bridge in the song is supposedly the Bickleigh Bridge in Devon built in the 16^th century and next to the Fisherman’s Cot Inn on the River Exe. The area is well-known for its fresh fish, wine festivals (Devon Wine Week), farmers markets, and bar at the inn, the Devon Pub, where Simon spent a bit of time writing songs, and eating the locavore fare. My favorite version of Bridge Over Trouble Water is the duet with Paul Simon and Aretha Franklin.

Mother and Child Reunion

Apparently, Simon ripped the title of this reggae chart-topper (#4 on US Billboard) straight from a menu at a Chinese restaurant in New York’s Chinatown. A chicken and egg dish at Say Eng Look, a top Shanghai restaurant that thrived for decades until it closed in 1996 (Mimi Sheraton gave Say Eng Look three stars in her review of the restaurant for the New York Times in 1982), the "Mother and Child Reunion" recipe is basically a Chinese chicken and rice soup with a scrambled egg stirred into the piping hot broth right before serving. Tastes delicious particularly with the sound of Jimmy Cliff's steel drums in the background and Paul Simon on vocals.

I have to say, right now I’m “feeling groovy” about seeing them tonight -- Paul and Aaron feel like "old friends"

About the Funny Food Guitar Player: Bill Wurtzel, is a jazz guitarist, food artist and author. Bill knows how much I adore Paul Simon and sent me this funny food when he heard I was going to the show tonight. Bill has played with Howard Morgan for Paul Simon when Simon was on tour some years back. Morgan, renown guitarist who died earlier this year, was one of Paul Simon's guitar teachers.

Chefs for The Marcellus: Help Protect New York's Food Shed From the Dangers of Shale Fracking

My life has been so hectic lately keeping the family unit going and downsizing our apartment, that it feels like I'm the last locavore in New York to focus on one of the most critical food issues in our region today: hydraulic fracturing and shale fracking, two highly controversial and chemically intensive techniques that blast open rock shale to access natural gas.

 

The problem, for New Yorkers in particular, is the Marcellus Shale Formation, which covers a vast area from Southern New York to Ohio and West Virginia, is in the same area as the Catskill Watershed, which keeps our city's taps flowing with delicious and pristine water, and dozens of dairy, produce and livestock farms, and wineries and breweries in Southern New York.

Several of my food advocate colleagues have joined together and formed a non-profit, Chefs for the Marcellus, to raise awareness (and funds) to protect the region from fracking.  The organization has two events this month:

Thursday, April 19, at 1:00 p.m. Heritage Radio Network, The Farm Report
Log on live or download the podcast to hear Chefs for the Marcellus founders Hilary Baum and Heather Carlucci-Rodriguez discuss fracking and its impact on local agriculture. Joining them  on  The Farm Report —  a show  devoted to farming issues on internet-based Heritage  Radio — will be Luce Guanzini, a goat farmer from Tioga County (PA).

Sunday, April 29, at noon to 4:00 p.m. Pesto Fest to Benefit Chefs for the Marcellus
Guests at this event will be treated to pesto dishes prepared by professional chefs from Manhattan and Brooklyn as well as members of the community; herbal nibbles prepared by Ger-Nis instructors, host of the event, and Chefs Carl Raymond and Melissa Rickets; live jazz, compliments of The Evan Schwam Trio; and an herbal libations bar featuring fresh seasonal herbal drinks brought to you by Brooklyn’s Wolf & Deer & Ger-Nis. Event info and to buy tickets ($25) 
 
Special thanks from Lighthearted Locavore to Hilary Baum of Baum Forum, Jimmy Carbone of Jimmy's No. 43, Eric Weltman of Food and Water Watch, and Holley Atkinson for being on the cutting edge of food issues in New York.
  
I'll be in New Orleans for Jazzfest and unfortunately will miss Pesto Fest -- it should be a great event, The moving vans come on April 30th -- I can't wait to get my life back, and write more about fracking and other critical food issues -- it's been a while! Oh, and don't worry I'm staying on the upper west side; we're just moving across the courtyard!

Pink Slime: A Case for Meatless (Mondays) In School Cafeterias

Pink Slime. It's gross and scary. I'm not talking about the dayglow slime from space alien movies that my teenagers watch but the "meat" filler in the hamburger-like meals found in schools across the country that has been in the news for the past couple of weeks. 

Banner art courtesy of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer

Also known by the industry as Lean Finely Textured Beef or Boneless Lean Beef Trimmings (BLBT),  food advocates, journalists and parents are teaming up to get this ammonium hydroxide treated (yes, you are right to be thinking about the 99 cent bottle of ammonia under the kitchen sink) meat waste scraps that's run through a centrifuge, pulverized and pushed through a tube, goop that would otherwise not be fit for human consumption, off supermarket shelves and school lunch trays.

Elected officials are getting behind the ban too. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer's office called to let me know that Stringer would be leading a campaign in New York to pressure NYC's Department of Education, which has the largest feeding system in the world behind the US Department of Defense, to ban pink slime immediately and not wait to "phase out" it out which is a vague commitment, at best, to end the use of the pink slime.

With a letter to the DOE's Chancellor Dennis M. Walcott (read the letter here ) and press conference (read press release), Stringer kicked off an appropriately charged but sympathetic effort to persuade the DOE to act quickly. 

Referring to the great strides the DOE has made in recent years to serve healthier and tastier foods, and teach children about nutrition and where their food comes from, BP Stringer says  "I take pride in the fact that DOE School Food has, on so many occasions, been a national leader on better school food options." before he delivers the punch "That is why the persistence of pink slime in DOE menus stands out as an unfortunate anomaly".

Acting sensitively, Stringer asks for accountability, "If there are legitimate barriers to an immediate removal related to vendor contacts or other logistical concerns - and DOE can clearly articulate those concerns -- then a more deliberate approach may be warranted".

The barrier Stringer refers to is the New York City Department of Education, like many schools, have long-term contracts with their vendors, that the DOE is financially liable for, and detailed plans for ordering, delivering, storing and serving nearly a million meals a day.

Photo courtesy of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer

The issues are complex and the questions are many.  
 
How did our nation and its institutions, particularly the US Department of Agriculture, become so tolerant of low quality, cheap meat and meat-like products, including pink slime burgers?  Countries such as the United Kingdom have banned pink slime largely because the process is not deemed safe (the purpose of the ammonium hydroxide is to kill E-coli and other bacteria that infects the waste scraps). Safeway, McDonald's and Taco Bell have also banned pink slime.  
 
Why are Americans so obsessed with eating meat? Not only is meat expensive, compared to vegetarian options such as rice and beans or eggs, but eating too much of it can make you sick -- cancer, heart disease, obesity -- due to saturated fat and calorie density. If school districts can't afford to serve meat in its natural, and more expensive state, such as lean, antibiotic- and hormone-free ground steak burgers, and need to cut costs, they they should seriously consider alternative sources of protein and increase the number of meatless (vegan or vegetarian) meals. 


Is there money to be found in New York City Department of Education adopting more meatless meals in a way similar to the Baltimore Public School's association with Meatless Monday, a non-profit initiative of the Mondays Campaign and in partnership with Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and Columbia University? Largely fueled by the public health response to America's childhood obesity epidemic, school food has been in the spotlight for several years, with hundreds of case studies about the increase in "good for you" foods and reduction of "junk" foods, and likely at an increase in cost. As Stringer notes when discussing NYC's Department of School Food, the transformation has been impressive. Why stop now? Why not go pink slime free AND adopt more meat free days?

How to Host A Festive New Orleans Dinner Party

Lace table cloth, roses, toy crawfish and whimsical plates  (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

Entertaining is about people. When I host a dinner I prefer a small group of four to six so that I can focus my attention on the guests. A party is a wonderful way to get to know people, entertain friends and family, celebrate or seal a business deal.

A theme party makes it extra special and doesn't require too much extra work. Our favorite theme dinner is a Creole menu, New Orleans style. Henry, my husband, is from New Orleans and people love it when we serve a classic New Orleans meal. 

An elegant party, large or small, is a complex affair – however, with planning it doesn’t have to be difficult. Three courses will leave your guests satisfied.

For the first course, gumbo is a traditional appetizer -- during the fall and winter months I often make pheasant and duck gumbo with birds that we have in the freezer (my husband's a hunter). Gumbo is the perfect make-ahead meal, ideal for a dinner party. 

A seafood dish for the main course is also traditional. Meuniere Amandine sauce over a sautéed fish filet, also one of my favorites, is typically made with sea trout from the Gulf of Mexico. Fluke is a great substitute, and local to the Northeastern US, for Gulf of Mexico sea trout. I frequently refer to a recipe from the “grand dame” New Orleans restaurant, Galatoire’s. 

For dessert, a Southern favorite, is bread pudding which is also a crowd pleaser. I enjoy using seasonal ingredients, and a fun variation on traditional (or chocolate) bread pudding is this one made with sweet potatoes and apples. 

Pheasant Hunt, Southampton, New York (Photo: Lexi Van de Walle)

For any dinner party, select recipes that you are comfortable cooking and can prepare ahead. Plan your menu at least five days in advance. Shop ahead for your ingredients, if you can, but leave buying fresh ingredients, such as seafood, to the day of your event. 

Tabletop accessories and music help set the stage. New Orleans is a culture that blends highbrow European elegance and folk traditions of American Indians, and Caribbean, Italian and Spanish settlers. Cover the table with an old-fashioned white lace tablecloth, and use polished silverware if you have it. To add contrast, consider casual and colorful plates -- I just happen to have whimsical dinner plates with crawfish, tabasco and lemon designs. 


The final touches really add authenticity to the meal and set the mood, red roses and a bright red, toy crawfish. The juxtaposition of lace, roses and whimsical fun is quintessential New Orleans. Play some Louis Armstrong and Zydeco music and your all set. 


To ensure a delicious meal, choose high quality and local ingredients. Fish that you or a local fisherman caught, game that was hunted or vegetables that you grew or picked up at the farmers market add interest to the meal. 

A good dark roux can take about a half hour to make

Being a locavore, I prefer scratch cooking to using canned or prepared foods and like to procure ingredients from local sources. In planning the gumbo I make sure I have enough birds in the freezer, and prepare stock (using duck, pheasant and/or chicken carcasses that I store in the freezer) a few days ahead. You can also prepare a roux ahead of time (a time consuming but important ingredient in gumbo) -- a deep brown color makes for a traditional roux and takes about a half an hour to make. I used duck fat that I purchased from the butcher for a super rich roux, deep brown in color. Inventory your ingredients and shop for non-perishables at least three days in advance. 

French 75's make for a festive cocktail

I always include my husband and helper. Not only does he cook but he loves to pair wine and food. French 75 cocktails, made with gin, lemon and champagne, and a relish tray make for a simple start when your guests arrive. For dinner, Henry pairs the wines to selected match the spicy gumbo and selects a more delicate wine for the Fluke Meuniere Amandine Sauce.  


Planning ahead and anticipating every detail of what it takes to flawlessly produce a multi-course meal is the key to being a relaxed host. Several days ahead, select and iron your linens, wash glasses and dinnerware, and polish the silver, if necessary. For each recipe, I ask “how much time do I need in the kitchen after the guests arrive?” I make lists and get as much as possible done in advance. With staging any event, mistakes and oversights happen. 

Lighthearted Locavore heating up the first course (smiling and relaxed)

By 2:00, the gumbo was cooked. By 4:00, the bread pudding was out of the oven and the sauce was made. By 4:20 I had done the meuniere sauce twice (the first one burned). By 5:00, the relish tray, bar and glasses, were set up. By 5:30, the advance prep for sautéing the fluke, the only step of the dinner that had to be cooked last minute, was completed. At 5:40, I showered and dressed and still had 45 minutes to relax before the guests arrived. At 7:00, the party begins. 

Long Island Fluke Meuniere Amandine Garnished with Parsley and Lemon

Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Apple Cider Glaze

MENU and RECIPE LINKS

Pheasant, Duck, and Andouille Gumbo 
Pheasant, Duck Stock, + Organic Chicken Andouille Sausage Gumbo Made with File and White Rice (recipe) 

Galatoire's Fluke Meuniere Amandine
Traditional New Orleans Preparation of Sautéed Fluke Fillet and Creole Seasoning topped with Butter, Lemon and Almond Sauce (recipe below) 

Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Apple Glaze 

Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission’s Recipe (recipe) 

French 75 Cocktail (recipe)

RECIPE


Long Island Fluke Meuniere Amandine

Adapted from Galatoire’s Cookbook

Meuniere Sauce (see below)

2 cups milk

½ tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 egg

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

4 oz. butter

6 8-oz. fluke fillets

2 cups flour

3 tbsp. sliced, toasted almonds

1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges

Prepare the Meuniere Sauce, set aside. In a bowl, whisk milk, seasonings and egg. Dust fluke with flour, place in milk, dredge in flour again. Shake off excess. In a heavy pan, melt butter over medium-high heat and sauté for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Place one fillet on each plate, spoon Meuniere sauce and sprinkle toasted almonds and parsley on top. Serve with a lemon wedge.

Meuniere Sauce

4 oz. butter

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

Melt butter over low heat until it begins to brown. Add remaining ingredients. Whisk until dark brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

All photos by Lexi Van de Walle

Making Breakfast Fun For National School Breakfast Week

Funny Food Chick-Hen by Food Artist Bill Wurtzel

All week, Monday-Friday, March 5-9, school districts across the country will be celebrating healthy breakfast food for National School Breakfast Week. 

Funny Food "Egg-Cela" Train by Bill Wurtzel

The purpose of National Breakfast Week is to build awareness of the US Department of Agriculture's breakfast program and encourage children to eat a healthy breakfast so they can perform at their best in school.

Funny Food Eggomania by Bill Wurtzel

Not only is a healthy breakfast tasty, but it can also be fun. What better way to engage children with learning about nutrition than making easy-to-design funny faces, animals, toys and other characters out of breakfast food the way Bill Wurtzel, food artist and jazz guitarist, does? 

Part of Bill's plan is not only to help children use their imaginations and play with their food in creative ways but also provide encouragement for parents and teachers to offer a variety of healthy proteins, grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, dairy and oils to teach children about balance.

Funny Food Frogberry by Bill Wurtzel

The best part, when children are all done playing with their food (and taking a photo), is watching them devour what they make. 

Schools breakfast can be found on school buses, on kiosks and carts, in classrooms and, of course, in cafeterias. With Funny Food, now you can find fun and silly breakfasts in art, photo and video studios too. 

Research shows that children who eat a healthy and balanced breakfast are less likely to overeat later in the day which can be the difference between being overweight (or obese) and achieving a healthy weight.

Funny Food Skipper by Bill Wurtzel

Not only is a balanced breakfast part of a healthy lifestyle, but so is physical activity like jumping rope or playing sports. According to Michelle Obama's Lets Move! campaign, children need 60 minutes of moderate to rigorous activity every day to build lean muscle, reduce fat and build strong bones and joints. 

Happy National School Breakfast Week. What a great way to start the day. 

For More Information About Funny Food and to 

Download A Boatload of Free Workshop Materials for Home or School Use

Visit the Funny Food Website and Select "Workshop Materials"

Pre-order the book here. 

Spend the Day with a Locavore Visionary

Gramercy Tavern's Executive Chef Michael Anthony 

joins over 30 local food visionaries in 

a "day in the life" online auction to support  

JUST FOOD, NYC's non-profit dedicated to 

farmers and local food eaters.

Gramercy Tavern Executive Chef Michael Anthony (Photo: Just Food Website)

Do you have a burning desire to spend the day with Gramercy Tavern Executive Chef Michael Anthony and learn about how the restaurant stays at the top of the ratings and other inside secrets of one of NYC"s star chefs (and locavore)?

Or want to spend the day behind the scenes with NYC's top independent caterer, Liz Neumark, the socially conscious Owner/CEO of Great Performances?

One of my favorite food blogger teams, Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs, co-founders of the amazing Food 52.com, will be sure to dazzle a food writer or home cook with their recipe testing, video production, contest judging and more in their Brooklyn kitchen.  

Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs, Food52 (Photo: Just Food Website)

How about getting your hands dirty with a visit to Columbia Country's (NY) Grazin' Angus Acres and Grazin' Restaurant to herd cattle and eat lunch with Farmer/Owner, Dan Gibson?

 BIDDING OPEN NOW THROUGH SUNDAY, MARCH 11th

Over 30 local food visionaries all together (see the complete list below), including a baker, a brewer, a forager, chefs, farmers, writers, activists, and more -- dedicated to local food, the environment, and food justice issues and who want to spend the day apprenticing winning bidders.

Proceeds from the auction go to support Just Food's many programs, including community supported agriculture, urban farming, food pantry, food justice and education.   

Bidding is open through Sunday, March 11th. Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to learn from some of NYC's finest food professionals. Get in on the action and bid to win exclusive lots in Just Food's 2012 "Day in the Life" Auction here.

YOU HAVE TO BID TO WIN  

(click on the links for Lightheated Locavore articles and photos)

Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern Executive Chef and Partner

Loren Brill, Founder, Sweet Loren's

Brooklyn Swappers, Jane Lerner and Megan Paska

Joel Bukiewicz, Cut Brooklyn Artisan Knife Maker

Jimmy Carbone, Jimmy's No. 43 Owner 

 
Mary Cleaver, Cleaver Co. and The Green Table

Keith Cohen, Orwasher’s Bakery Owner

Jake Dickson, Dickson's Farmstand Meats Owner

Rick Field, Ricks Picks Owner

Ben Flanner, Brooklyn Grange Urban Farmer

Jason Foscolo, Food & Agriculture Lawyer

Nicole Franzen, Food Photographer, Nicole Franzen Photography

Jacques Gautier, Palo Santo Chef

Kelly Geary, Chef and Author, Sweet Deliverance and "Tart and Sweet"

Dan Gibson, Farmer/Owner, Grazin' Angus Acres and Grazin' Restaurant

Kristy Hadeka, Brooklyn Slate Company Owner

Brian Halweil, Edible Magazine Publisher

Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs, Food 52 Co-Founders
 

Jack Inslee, Executive Producer, Heritage Radio Networks

Eve Kaplan-Walbrecht, Farmer, Garden of Eve

Johanna Kolodny, Print Restaurant Food Forager

Robert Lavalva, Founder, New Amsterdam Market

Patrick Martins, Heritage Foods USA Founder

Liz Neumark, Great Performances Owner/CEO

Annie Novak, Eagle Street Rooftop Farm Urban Farmer and Educator

Karen Rivara, Oyster Grower

Kelly and Sonya Taylor, Kelso of Brooklyn Owners
 

Ben Van Leeuwen, Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream Owner

Karen Washington, La Familia Verde Community Garden and 

Farmers Market Urban farmer and Advocate

Rachel Wharton, Writer, Edible Magazine

Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, Vidalia Onion, Balsamic and Honey

I love roasted vegetables in the winter. The marriage of balsamic vinegar and the delicate sweetness of honey with oven roasted sweet potatoes, bitter Brussels sprouts and sweet Vidalia onion is a tongue tingling combination that packs a lot of flavor. This is a very easy recipe that even Brussels sprout haters will enjoy. 

  

RECIPE

Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, Vidalia Onion 

   with Balsamic and Honey Glaze

2 medium or 1 large sweet potato, cut into steak fries, peel on

1 stalk (1 lb.) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut into uniform sizes

1 Vidalia onion, or other mild/sweet onion

2 T good quality balsamic vinegar

1 T extra virgin olive oil

2t raw and local honey

Sea salt, black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees(F). Scrub and pat dry sweet potato, then cut into steak fries leaving the high fiber and tasty skin on. Remove the outer dry skin from the onion and cut into quarters. Clean, dry and trim the Brussels sprouts, removing any yellow or wilted leaves, and cut larger sprouts in half. In a bowl mix together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and honey to make a dressing for the vegetables. Place cut sweet potatoes and onion in one roasting pan and the Brussels sprouts in another. Pour half of the dressing over the Brussels sprouts and toss. Using a pastry brush, brush the remaining dressing on the sweet potatoes and onions. Roast 20 minutes, remove the pans from the oven and toss the vegetables. Set aside the Brussels sprouts if they are cooked through and return any uncooked vegetables to the oven being careful to brown but not burn them. Check again in 10 minutes for doneness. Sweet potatoes and sprouts will pierce easily with a fork. Mix vegetables together when they are done and salt and pepper generously. Warm to serve.