I'm not a big meat eater, but when I venture beyond my plant-focused ways, I look for food from animals that have been treated well. I thought I understood the importance of livestock within a sustainable agricultural system (if nothing else, their manure is like gold if you want healthy soil) until I read Is There Such a Thing as Humanely Raised Veal? It's a real eye-opener of a story, connecting some important dots between sustainable farming, artisan food production, and our (mis)conceptions about the animals we raise.
I tracked down what is also often called pastured veal, which had nothing in common with the pallid ghostly gray stuff I had refused to eat for decades, and whipped up some veal meatballs earlier this week. The table erupted into a debate about eating veal as we were eating veal. The article was fun to share, and it deepened our discussion about what we eat and what we don't eat and why.
This weekend, I'm planning on tackling this phyllo pie. It's chock full of greens and herbs and a bit of feta, all encased in a crispy case of layers of phyllo dough. It's the perfect thing to plan for when headed to the farmers market, since I know I'll need a whole bunch of greens and herbs, but I can use whatever looks best that day, be it chard or spinach, parsley or dill or mint. I'm not expecting as lively a debate about the meal, but I am expecting a lot of happy eaters.
Fennel and radishes are a crunchy match made in heaven in this Fennel Radish Salad. Pro tip: it also works as a slaw tucked into sandwiches, on burgers, etc.
If you have ever doubted the power of a pickle, I dare you to do a side-by-side cheeseburger taste test: one with pickles, one without. Crisp, tart, and refreshing, a few pickle slices provide everything beef and cheese need to be more themselves. Pickles are the wind beneath their wings. And yes you can make them at home.
After a long, dark winter without much in the way of fresh, local foods, asparagus causes a big stir when it arrives each spring. Usually, ramps show up at the market around the same time as the asparagus, and the two ingredients work well together in many dishes. This pizza is a fun way to enjoy them at the same time.
What We're Drinking This Week 10 American Natural Wines We Love: These wines embody the minimal intervention ethos of the natural wine movement while being unique and delicious explorations in their own right.
What Else We're Reading This Week
Edible Louisville: Roll out the barrels! Kelvin Cooperage still does most of their barrel making and curing process the old-fashioned way.
Civil Eats: New Healthy Soil Guide Gives Cooks a Better Recipe for Climate Change.
Edible Queens: How #MeToo Has Impacted Gender Inequality in Queens Kitchens.
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