Camp Hillary

Yesterday Hillary Clinton dug in her heels and let the world know she’s not budging on this presidential thing. We made the Washington Post.

Enough of the heavy stuff,  what does the woman like for lunch? According to Walter Scheib, former White House Chef, she’s a gracious lady who brought ‘what’s best about American food, wine, and entertaining to the White House.’ Mimi Sheraton gives her a thumb up as an adventuresome foodie.

We know that when she needs a good cry, she heads to the local diner for comfort food.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl-W3IXRTHU&feature=related

So who’s feeding Team Hillary when they’re in our state? IndyAnna’s a locally-based caterer. Susan Guyett reports IndyAnna’s provided “sliced, fresh green jalapeno peppers on a glass plate, a thermos of chicken and rice soup (with oyster crackers) and hummus dip with pita bread.”

I can’t quite wrap my mind around a glass plate of jalapeno peppers, and hummus isn’t exactly cutting edge, but it’s Jesus food and never goes out of style. At least Clinton’s politics match up with her choice for caterer. 

Obama wins the people’s hearts and votes, but in Indiana, Hillary wins the food fight. 

Sometimes, even Dan Carpenter gets it right

Usually when I read a Dan Carpenter column, I can’t figure out what he’s saying or I end up cheering for the bad guys. Last Sunday, Carpenter got it right; he wrote about the upcoming Bread for Life-Indiana conference.

United Methodist Church (38th and Meridian) is hosting the conference. Cost is $20 for individuals and includes lunch.

Obama Eats

Barack Obama spoke in Plainfield a few weeks ago and picked up more rapturites. A gifted man who stands above the crowd, Obama still has to eat.

While he was in Indiana what was his choice?

Since his mother championed microcredit and sustainable economies, you’re thinking local, sustainable . Your thinking the 38th St./Lafayette Rd. cultural corridor because he represents the multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, transracial experience.

Nope and nope.

Obama and crew ordered from a chain steakhouse. News sources report that Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse provided box lunches for Obama and his staff.

I’m trying to change my ways about steakhouses. Steak is sizzle, taste and nutrition. People have a right to like what they like.

Let’s not forget one unpleasant fact about Ruth’s Chris, though. Founded by a woman committed to her restaurants and community,  the company had a strong presence in Louisiana.

When Hurricane Katrina hit, they skurried like cockroaches to Orlando, Florida. Corporate party line:

As the executives debated whether to operate out of temporary quarters in another city while keeping their headquarters just outside New Orleans or to relocate permanently elsewhere, they decided that there were simply too many unknowns about the future of the city where their nationwide chain of 88 restaurants got its start. (New York Times, September 9, 2005)

Food is symbolic. We celebrated Easter, now Passover. Every morsel has meaning.

So how did a grassroots movement hookup with sleazy corporate “business as usual.”

Ask this man, Kip Tew, Obama’s Indiana campaign director. Nobody actually believes Obama got out the phone book and said “man, I’m hungry for a burger, ya got a Ruth’s Chris around here.”

This was prearranged by ground troops in Indiana. Kip Tew is the point man.

Today, the Indianapolis Star talks about the intense presence of the Clintons and the absence of Obama in Indiana. That’s grassroots strategy. Build momentum and come in at the right time.

So Obama’s second coming is near and he and his staff need to eat. This time walk the walk, not just talk the talk. That $30 a box lunch can go to Just Cause Catering. Provide jobs for 2nd Helping grads and let profits feed the needy.

Indiana hasn’t been a presidential battleground since 1968, but we’re edging back into the limelight.

And where did Robert Kennedy eat back then? Not in Indy, where he received a cool reception. He headed to his campaign base in Ft. Wayne and dined and schmoozed at Zoli’s Family Restaurant on Broadway.

His picture hung on the wall until the restaurant closed in 2003. Zoltan Herman, a Hungarian refugee who fled communist oppression, cherished every moment.

Wandering, Wondering Brussels-Sprout Slaw

I like brussels sprouts, in theory, but often they’re insipid and unpleasant. This “slaw” though is refreshingly light. Inspired by Gourmet Magazine’s recipe for St. Patrick’s Day, it’s a wonderful late Winter/early Spring salad.

• 1 1/2 lbs brussels sprouts
• 1 medium carrot, finely grated
• 1 cup salted, roasted pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped 
• 4-6 tablespoons Asiago cheese, finely grated
• 1/4 cup of canola oil
• 3 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar or lemon juice
• pepper to tast

Wash brussels sprouts and discard any yellowed leaves. Wash carrot, peel off outer skin with vegetable peeler. Coarsely chop nuts. Using a mandoline, cut Brussels sprouts into very thin slices. Finely grate carrot. Add both to a salad bowl and toss. Coarsely chop pistachio nuts and put to the side. Creamy dressing:  Add pepper to canola oil and mix. Grate Asiago cheese directly into oil and mix with hand blender. Gradually add rice vinegar or lemon juice until the dressing is creamy and frothy. Pour dressing over vegetables and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle pistachio nuts over slaw.Serves 6 as a side saladNotes: If you do not have a mandoline (or adjustable-blade slicer) and your knife skills are good, you can use a chef’s knife to cut the thin slices of Brussels sprout. Mandolines are pricey, but K-Mart sells a Martha Stewart mandoline for $9.95 plus tax. You can mix the dressing using a whisk, but a hand blender is easier.

Cucumber Noodles

This recipe, also from Gourmet Magazine, needs no changes. It’s perfect as is.

Stand By Your Man

Last week we were treated to another scandal, sleazy sex derailed a brilliant political career. Elliot Spitzer, part Superman/part Elliot Ness, shook out crooks on Wall Street and sent Martha Stewart to Camp Cupcake.

As governor of New York, he quickly unraveled.  Caught with his zipper down, he admitted his sins, asked for forgiveness, then resigned. Throughout it all, his wife stood by his side.

Women across the country watched in horror, and thought to themselves what’s wrong with that woman, then another bombshell exploded.

On the Today Show, Meredith Viera asked Dr. Laura for her take of the situation:

men do need validation. When they come into the world they’re born of a woman. Getting the validation from mommy is the beginning of needing it from a woman. When the wife does not focus in on the needs and the feelings sexually, personally, to make him feel like a man, to make him feel like a success, to make him feel like our hero, he’s very susceptible to the charm of some other woman making him feel what he needs. These days, women don’t spend a lot of time thinking about how they can give their men what they need.

VIEIRA: Are you saying women should feel guilty, like they somehow drove the man to cheat?

SCHLESSINGER: You know what, the cheating was his decision to repair what’s damaged, and to feed himself where he’s starving. But, yes, I hold women accountable for tossing out perfectly good men by not treating them with the love and kindness and respect and attention they need.

While thinking “I don’t think Freud said that,” a tune played deep in the recesses of my cortex. Suddenly it blared with full force.

Stand By Your Man

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwBirf4BWew

You don’t need a Ph.D to remember this old school/Old Testament chestnut of pre-feminist wisdom.

And do you see what I see? Doesn’t Dr. Laura looks a lot like Tammy Wynette? Sure, Tammy’s got that Cotton Candy swirl going on, but in fairness Dr. Laura doesn’t have a cosmetologist’s license like Tammy did.

Dr. Laura could use some sequins, but otherwise they look like sisters.

And that gem Tammy stood behind? Momma’s little darlin’, who with a little love, would come around?

None other than George Jones,

Drunk, Pissed and Coked Up

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QShJFM7EoCw

Even true blue country girl Tammy Wynnette threw in the towel and divorced this maniac.

And girlfriends, forget what Dr. Laura says about turning around our men. Listen to the cold, hard true from the horse’s mouth.

Waylon Jennings, no slouch at drinkin’ and whorin’, confessed,

What Makes A Man Wander?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QshJgEjkL0

“The whistle of a train, the something to my brain. ” That’s all there is to that.

Pundits are sorting out the fears about the Spitzer meltdown. Some say it’s personal. We look across the table at our spouse or significant other and wonder “are you doing that?”

I say it’s political. We aren’t worried about our home. We’re thinking about the pulic arena.

We’re worried about these two. They’re our national nightmare.

Obama has the popular vote, but behind the scenes Hillary and Bill are working the superdelegates.

There’s a good chance come next January, they’ll be back in the Big House.

Leopard’s don’t change spots and that “whistle of a train, something to my brain”  describes Bill’s psyche.

Second time around will be worse. He won’t have to get up in the morning and go to a job. She’ll be out of town forging world peace and solving problems like hunger and healthcare.

Bill’s going to pout because she’ll get big ole’ Air Force One, while he’s stuck with limousines and a helicopter.  Admit it, you know he’s to going to cause trouble.

This is how it’s going to end up, minus the dog.

We’ll look in horror and ask “what’s wrong with that woman?”

Then we’ll realize “what’s wrong with us.”

We’ll kick ourselves and ask, “why didn’t we learn the first time ?”

Enough of love, betrayal, power and politics.  You’re here for recipes.

I’ll post a couple salad recipes for you later today. Leafy greens to nourish the body and cleanse the soul.

Lazy Pizza

I don’t how we survived without food blogs. The first one I read was Julia/Julia, now a book and soon to be a movie.

I really don’t know how we survived without local food blogs. Did the MSM ever tell us the good stuff about the Indy food scene. No.

All local food blogs are great, but the best of the best is braingirl’s FeedMeDrinkMe. It has everything: restaurant openings, restaurant closings, wine, fund raisers, tips from the chefies.

It also has her reading list, my all-time favorite feature. I avoid surfing the internet by reading what she likes reading. You can call it lazy or you can call it effective use of time.

Anyway, in her reading list is Homemade Pizza with Carmelized Onions, Rosemary  and Gorgonzola by Amateur Gourmet, Adam Roberts.

The recipe is easy. Make some pizza dough, carmelize onions, throw everything on, bake the pizza.

I can make it easier, with little more work than calling and ordering from Bazbeaux.

First, the carmelized onions. Adam cooks his on the stove. I put them in a crockpot with butter and bayleaf for 3 hours.

Then there’s the dough. Adam made his. I pinched enough from my 5-minute artisan bread stash. I added half the rosemary to the dough, shaped it on the pizza stone, let it rise, brushed it with olive oil and put it in the oven to “glaze.” (That idea’s from a Wolfgang Puck cookbook.)

As the pizza dough glazed, I mixed Maytag Bleu Cheese with cream cheese (I didn’t have any gorgonzola and was too lazy to go to the store) and added to the pizza.

When the cheese started to bubble (about 5 minutes), I added the carmelized onions, sprinkled some olive oil over the onions. After it was done, I put the rest of the rosemary, along with salt and pepper, over the top.

Lazy pizza. Delicious pizza.

Milk Wars Continued

Who’s right is it anyway, farmers or consumers? Or Monsanto? More on absence/no rBGH labelling.

The New York Times article mentions Consumers Union; there are many groups fighting this battle, including Food and Water Watch, Organic Consumer Association  and Center for Food Safety.

Pay more, eat less . . .

Michael Pollan’s mantra pay more, eat less is happening locally and globally.

We’ll see how it plays out.

march

  is National Frozen Food month.