Northwest Hills Healthy Cooking Class

Always wanted to take a THK class? Now’s your chance!

The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre™ (THK) has traditionally offered our cooking and nutrition classes in underserved communities, helping those most at-risk of suffering from diet-related diseases. However, research shows that diet-related diseases are not limited by neighborhood, education or socioeconomic status. For this reason THK is expanding our program offerings to include workplace wellness classes as well as private classes throughout Austin.

Our first worksite wellness class took place this past fall at The Department for State Health Services. It was a huge success and, for 6 weeks, 18 DSHS employees ended their Tuesday with a fun and engaging cooking class complete with relevant nutrition education, socializing with like-minded coworkers, and delicious samples of healthy food that was cooked up right before their eyes. One participant commented that he “had a great time participating in this class. The teachers were great and my fellow classmates were a lot of fun!” Others remarked that the class got them “enthused to cook more,” or that they “learned new knife skills” and have “incorporated more vegetables and whole grains” into their diet.

Our first private THK class will be starting next month. Classes include How to Cook with Whole Grains, Packing a Healthy School Lunch, and How to Cook and Eat Seasonally, among others. It is taking place at a private home in Northwest Hills and will meet from 10:00-11:30AM on the 2^nd and 4^th Thursdays of the month from February 25 through May 13. The cost is $300 for the full 6-class series (though you can opt out of classes that conflict with your schedule). If you are interested in registering, just click here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/B5TWPZL

We are very excited about these new classes and are already scheduling more of them in the coming months. If this class doesn’t fit in with your schedule we’ll be sure to have an upcoming class that will. If you would like to get on an email list to be notified of upcoming classes or if you have a group, organization or company that would like to host a class, please email Katy@SustainableFoodCenter.org. Since all of the proceeds from worksite wellness and private classes go toward continuing our work in under served communities, this is a wonderful opportunity to help others while helping yourself.

Eating Animals by Jonathan Saffran Foer – A Personal Review

Here I go again. I’m an off-again-on-again vegetarian (most recently off), so I was very interested to hear of Jonathan Saffran Foer’s newest book, Eating Animals, a well- researched look at the pros and cons of being an omnivore. Because I like his fiction I wanted to read it even though I wasn’t sure he could tell me anything that would change my already well-formed (though prone to change) opinion about eating meat. Boy was I wrong.

I became a vegetarian the first time at age 12. My mother, in trying to convince me to eat the live Maine lobster on my plate (that I had earlier heard clawing around our fridge), told me there was no difference between eating that and eating steak. I decided she was right; I stopped eating steak. Chicken shortly followed, and I pretty much held true to my vegetarian ideals until I went off to college and discovered I really wanted a hamburger. About half of the years between then and now have been meatless.

I instantly bonded with JSF at the beginning of Eating Animals when he tells a similar story of being a vegetarian except for when he wasn’t. As he puts it, “…we did occasionally eat burgers and chicken soup  and smoked salmon and tuna steaks. But only every now and then. Only whenever we felt like it.” This was obviously a man whose advice I could follow.

I have read more food books than I can count, many of which touch on, or even focus on, factory farming. I have formally studied nutrition and am well versed in the health risks and benefits of eating meat. So JSF didn’t teach me anything, well, he didn’t teach me much, I didn’t already know. But he said it in a way that touched me unexpectedly. He is eloquent and real. He’s smart and funny and occasionally crass. He’s someone I think I could be friends with.

JSF clearly states at the beginning of Eating Animals that his inspiration to write this book was the birth of his son. He was still on the fence about eating meat and wasn’t sure whether to feed it to his growing family. He set about making that decision by visiting a variety of farms and ranches, researching factory farming, delving into the environmental implications of eating meat, interviewing a variety of meat industry stakeholders, breaking into a turkey shed containing 25,000 birds and otherwise immersing himself in the world of hog farming, aquaculture, broilers, layers and cattle. After 3 years of research what emerges is a smart, engaging, horrifying and often funny synopsis of his discoveries. While he went into the project with no preconceived notion about what he would find he definitely ends with a clear personal conviction to be vegetarian, for real this time.

So where does that leave me? I too have kids looking to me to put healthful food on their plates and leave them a planet that functions properly. I totally get the environmental implications of greenhouse gas emitting cows, the public health threat of antibiotic resistant bacteria, the desire to avoid the 24-hour “stomach flu” that is likely really a food-borne illness. And I really like bacon and am deeply ambivalent about giving it up. So what’s a girl to do?

After a lot of agonizing, I may have come up with a solution. The farmer’s market.  JSF decided that he can’t bring himself to eat any meat at all, regardless of where or how it was raised. But I wasn’t in that 25,000-bird turkey shed or on the kill floor of a slaughterhouse, so I think I might be able to stomach meat if I know the farmer who raised the animal. If I can look him in the eye and ask how that animal lived and how it died. Perhaps I can explain to my kids that we can eat meat at home when we know where it came from, but in a restaurant we’ll go veg. Hopefully I’ve raised kids who have the compassion to understand that their immediate desire for chicken fingers doesn’t merit what that chicken had to go through (and it wasn’t just giving up its fictional fingers).

For the moment this feels like a good compromise. But it also feels like just that, a compromise. I can hear JSF’s voice in my head with his well thought out arguments about why we don’t really need a Thanksgiving turkey, asking just how destructive a culinary preference needs to be before we decide to eat something else. I’ve spent years as a strict vegetarian, and I’ve spent years enjoying the occasional burger. Now, knowing what I know, can I make my peace with the occasional burger? Can I pretend I don’t remember what I’ve learned? Can I really give up meat forever? Can I live with myself if I don’t? Here I go again.

-Katy Levit

For more info check out:

http://hartkeisonline.com/2009/12/08/what-to-tell-vegetarians-who-say-eating-meat-is-immoral/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMOAaciER6o

Austin City Council supports local food!

There are fewer than 20 community gardens in the City of Austin.  Twenty.  When you look at other cities around the country that are comparable in size with similar demographics, that number is disheartening.  Well, look for that to change.  Last week, the city council voted to approve a resolution supporting sustainable urban agriculture and community gardening.  The resolution directs the City Manager to streamline the process for establishing qualified community gardens and responsible urban farms. What does that mean?

It means encouraging water conservation practices, composting, and non-polluting growing practices.  It means identifying public lands appropriate for urban food production.  And it means working with the city/county Sustainable Food Policy Board to gauge interest and publicize urban agriculture.  For the citizens of Austin, it means that starting a community garden or urban farm just got a little easier.

Sustainable Food Center is partnering with the City of Austin to assist community gardeners in developing and growing organic food gardens on city-owned plots, including park land.  We want to see a community garden in every corner of Austin, with families growing delicious produce to support the health of their children and their neighborhoods.  By assisting groups like the Coalition of Austin Community Gardens, the School Garden Network, and Citizen Gardener, among others, we can help get the word out that food gardening in Austin is not only possible, but strongly supported by our city council and staff.

A special thanks to Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez, Councilman Chris Riley, and Councilwoman Laura Morrison for sponsoring the resolution.  With leadership like this, Austin is one step closer to being the food secure and healthy community that we should be!

Beaucoup Benefits! Brunch, Dinner, Lucha Libre? Take Your Pick.

Anne Rutt of Hosteria Verde is cookin’ up something special. The week after Thanksgiving when you really can’t bear to cook another bite, she’s relieving you of your duties – with THREE special FLAVORS of Austin events with proceeds benefiting SFC’s programs!

Old School Las Vegas Night – Monday, November 30, 2009 – 7:00 -9:00 p.m.
Lounge singer, Miss Suzanna Choffel, along with her her bassist, Tom Benton, will transport guests into a Sinatra state of mind while they play casino games and sip on classic cocktails from The Tipsy Texan, thanks to Makers Mark Bourbon. Then guests will feast on a surf’n’turf dinner accompanied by a wedge salad, truffled mac’n’cheese and a sinful bananas foster bar. This event will take place at Urban Space’s impressive Monarch retail space downtown.

Arabian Nights – Tuesday, December 1, 2009 – 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Austinites will groove to music from DJ Aaron Montez.  DJ Aaron Montez will be spinning international lounge music while, belly dancers and guests will be dancing to his beats.  Everyone will be encouraged to lounge on platform beds & sip Treaty Oak’s delicious rum drink by the Tipsy Texan.  This sexy soiree will be finished with a middle eastern family style feast everyone will be sure to relish. Belly dancing will be performed by Austin’s Sabaya Belly Dance troupe.  This event will also be held at Urban Space downtown.

Lucha Libre – Wednesday, December 2, 2009 – 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Austin’s entire Lucha Libre wrestling ring will be moved into the space at 801 West 5^th for this high flying event. Cheer for your favorite QVC Lucha Libre wrestler, sip on Republic Tequila & the Tipsy Texan’s cocktails, and listen to Peligrosa.  Peligrosa is one of Austin’s most popular cumbia DJ group. There will be several taco “stands” serving authentic Mexican cuisine including a paletas ice cream push-cart for sweet treats.

Tickets are (truthfully) selling fast, but you might be able to snag a few here.

Many thanks to Anne and to our partner Matt Swinney of Launch787 for making fantastic fundraising events for SFC such as these possible.

TEAM SFC RIDES IN INAUGURAL MAMMA JAMMA RIDE AGAINST BREAST CANCER

On October 10^th, a particularly chilly and windy morning, Team SFC participated in the Austin inaugural Mamma Jamma Ride Against Breast Cancer.  The ride raised over $500,000, the proceeds of which will be distributed among ten area non-profits, including SFC.  SFC’s The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre™ offers the only cooking and nutrition class series for breast cancer survivors in Central Texas.

Team SFC sported 6 riders who rode the 13 and 46 mile routes as well as two dedicated cheerleaders who volunteered their time to inspire riders near the end of the course.  More than 500 riders participated in the event.

Photos: L – Half of TeamSFC gets psyched before the ride, R – Riders line up for the start of the ride

Way to go Team SFC!

-Andrea Abel, SFC Board Member

Perfect Austin Fall Saturday Morning

 

By 8:30am, the canoe glided through the placid waters of Lake Austin, our paddles rhythmically dipping into the water.  Heading toward the Laguna Gloria inlet, my husband and I had the lake almost to ourselves save a few anglers.  Lightly overcast skies made for that ideal November morning Goldilocks temperature – not too hot; not too cold; just right.  A few colorful leaves punctuated the verdant shoreline as we quietly paddled, occasionally flushing wood ducks, mallards, and coots.

 

By 10:45am, the canoe pulled from the water and secured on top of the car, we headed toward downtown, our hunger growing.  A hankering for Mexican breakfast – without the perfunctory Tex-Mex glop of melted yellow cheese – gave rise to a momentary sadness over the absence of Las Manitas.  I made a mental list of downtown breakfast spots.  “Garrido’s! I wonder if they’re open for breakfast?” I said.

 

By 11am, we walked into David Garrido’s new contemporary Mexican taquería on the Shoal Creek side of the 360 Condominiums at 3^rd & Nueces, just a block from our final destination of the Austin Farmers’ Market.  The swank restaurant opens for breakfast/brunch at 10am on Saturday and Sunday.  Seated on the patio soaking in a now sunny morning, we soon tucked into the shrimp piña colada taco del día and a generous plate of chilaquiles rojos.  Crispy-crusted shrimp with a briny toothsome bite covered with finely diced pineapple and shredded coconut perched atop a small corn tortilla.  Good thing we each got our own because I wasn’t sharing!  We easily split the chilaquiles, crispy corn tortilla triangles briefly tossed in a red chile sauce with just the right amount of heat topped with asadero cheese crumbles, and two perfectly fried eggs.  Fruit salad, refried black beans, and two thick smoky strips of bacon rounded out the plate.  My last sips of café de olla complete the meal.

 

By noon, we grabbed our cloth bags and headed to the Austin Farmers’ Market.  Baby turnips sporting luscious, tender tops, bunches of bright red radishes, coffee beans, cucumbers, and red snapper fillets fill our bags as we stopped to chat with friends and banter with our favorite hard-working purveyors of the freshest Central Texas has to offer.  Last stop?  Tacodeli breakfast tacos for the teenager at home who just woke up.

-Andrea Abel, SFC Board Member

Kudos to La Condesa!

Sunday’s inaugural SFC Chef Series presented by La Condesa was AMAZING. A huge “thank you” goes to La Condesa owner, Jesse Herman; the management of details by Alexis Lanman and her team; the media outreach by Elaine Garza; stunning design by Jett Butler and contributions of product from the farmers and food artisans of Austin Farmers’ Market. In addition, chefs Rene Ortiz, Laura Sawicki, Jesse Griffiths, Todd Duplechan, Shawn Cirkiel and Tyson Cole – along with their restaurants’ teams – provided an inventive, delicious multi-course meal that demonstrated just how much bounty and diversity is ours to enjoy in the Central Texas region.

Tyson, Shawn & Laura

Todd Duplechan, Shawn Cirkiel & Patrick Hieger

Please stay tuned for spring SFC Chef Series dates and details! We would  love to have you with us.

 

3 Days Left! Inaugural SFC Chef Series at La Condesa

Rene Ortiz, Tyson Cole, Todd Duplechan, Shawn Cirkiel and Jesse Griffiths are creating an unprecedented, 5-course tasting dinner paired with drinks on Sunday, November 8th at La Condesa to benefit Sustainable Food Center. A limited number of tickets have gone on sale today. Please join us to raise awareness of, and support for those in our community without access to fresh, local food while partaking in a meal by chefs who demonstrate an outstanding commitment to supporting Austin Farmers’ Market.

Tickets available at: http://sfcchefseries.eventbrite.com

iPhone Wallpapers for SFC Chef Series Now Available

Want to show the world you’re a proud SFC supporter? Get one of these spanking-new iPhone wallpapers, courtesy of FÖDA STUDIO, inc.

INSTRUCTIONS: Downloading images to your iPhone

http://www.apple.com/iphone/how-to/#photos.syncing-photos-and-videos-with-your-computer

Downloading images to your iPhone from email

http://www.apple.com/iphone/how-to/#photos.saving-photos-and-videos-from-email-messages-mms-messages-and-webpages

Making an image your iPhone Wallpaper

http://www.apple.com/iphone/how-to/#photos.wallpaper

We thank La Condesa and all participating chefs, farmers, food artisans and FÖDA STUDIO, inc. for making the upcoming November 8th SFC Chef Series launch possible! Don’t have tickets yet? Click HERE to snag some before they’re gone.

Primizie Osteria Celebrates 2nd Anniversary with Homage to Sicily

I had the amazing good fortune to attend a dinner last night at Primizie Osteria celebrating the East End restaurant’s second anniversary.  Owners Mark and Lisa Spedale hosted the convivial event which highlighted dishes and techniques garnered during their recent 9-day trip to the island of Sicily and the smaller island of Salina, featuring the bounty of local foods.  The Spedales have been generous SFC supporters and hearty advocates of local farmers and ranchers.

 

Items on the Local Specials Menu include both traditional Sicilian preparations and Sicilian-inspired creations.  Each dish sampled offered flavor layers that work perfectly together making each bite a fork symphony.  “Primizie Osteria will offer the Sicilian menu through the end of this year and showcase another Italian region starting in January,” said Mark.

 

The Spedales commitment to palate-tantalizing preparations while feting the pure flavors of the freshest of fresh ingredients shone through last night.  Steaming bowls of Zuppa di Pesce were presented family style accompanied by toothsome garlic focaccia, perfect for lapping up the luscious Limoncello broth.  Gulf seafood from San Miguel Seafood featured prominently throughout the evening.  In this case, Gulf head-on plump shrimp, grouper and red snapper snuggled beside tender bits of calamari, black mussels, and little neck clams- all enveloped in that complex broth.  Garnishing the dish were chewy yet crisp, thin, deep-fried lemon slices that cleansed the palate between bites.

 

My lucky dining companion (i.e., my husband) and I continued with seafood entrees once again featuring Gulf fish from San Miguel Seafood.  I delighted in a perfect pan roasted Gulf Scamp grouper over a seared chickpea fritter – crisp on the outside, creamy inside, slices of flavorful Italian cucuzza squash, scattered Sicilian green and black olives, and dotted with earthy squid ink.

 

Sauteed Gulf red snapper was the centerpiece of my husband’s entrée surrounded by blood orange supremes, braised fennel, caramelized Italian onions, and bacon-wrapped fried potatoes.  The light flavors lyrically played with one another, but those dang bacon-wrapped potatoes stole my heart.

 

Farther down the table, I spied a fellow diner raising to his mouth a perfectly pink Loncito’s lamb chop.  This smart man obviously did not want to risk missing a morsel using mere fork and knife.

 

Others tucked into rosemary roasted young heirloom half chicken and a simple penne pasta tossed in a pomodoro sauce and topped with generous slices of aubergine golden fried in Texas Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

 

Lisa shared with me a taste of her Spaghetti con Bottarga, dressed in Texas Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Italian parsley, peperoncino, caramelized garlic, Salina Island fried caper berries and shaved Sicilian salt cured tuna roe.  The couple brought back from Italy the tuna roe, an item I had never before sampled.  It had a surprisingly delicate texture and was flavorful without being overly salty.

 

Mark prepares house made Italian Sausage using a family recipe.  Lisa pointed out the formidable, bright red painted sausage grinder perched on a ledge in the corner of the restaurant.  Fondly referred to as “The Pig”, the Spedales found that this relic of a grinder out-performed any of the newer varieties they encountered.

 

Dessert was a melt-in-your-mouth semolina almond cake topped with toasted almond gelato and flavorful chocolate-dipped honeycomb; a pistachio cannolo served on the side.  The honey and comb are sourced from Livingston, Texas with the resulting chocolate-honeycomb combo the creation of Mark and Primizie’s pastry chef.

 

The meal ended with Limoncello toasts to Mark, Lisa, and executive sous chef Chris Dragna.

 

The beauty of a Primizie meal is to rise from the table with a palate that has been stimulated by a beautiful marriage of flavors along with a belly that has been generously sated but not stuffed.  Food Heaven a la Siciliana. 

 

I do want to note that Primizie offers close proximity to downtown, patio dining, reservations, and ample parking – a real plus for central city dining.

 

Thank you Mark and Lisa for sharing your gifts while supporting so many area producers. 

 

Featured Local Products used by Primizie:

 

Wateroak Farm – Full Quiver Dairy Farm – San Miguel Seafood – Pedernales Valley Farm – Texas Olive Ranch – Burgundy Beef – McCall Creek Farm – W Farm & Ranch – Pure Luck Far and Dairy – Loncito’s Lamb – Texas Quail Farm – Animal Farm – G & S Groves – Oak Hill Farms