Hello!
We’ve hit the point where we’re no longer enticed to download the latest greatest app, in this case, Clubhouse, which requires an invitation to join. No thanks, we’re not a joiner. But all the cool kids are there, including Kim Severson, The New York Times correspondent who covers the nation's food culture. Her lament showed up in our Twitter feed:
This is the thirty-fifth edition of EAT.DRINK.THINK., a weekly survey of what we’re cooking and drinking, plus the most interesting food media on the web.
By the way, I'm Bruce Cole, Publisher of Edible San Francisco. If you’re new, welcome! You're getting this email because you subscribed. If you'd like to hop off anytime, simply unsubscribe. I appreciate you reading this newsletter. Let’s eat!
EAT
Sam’s Spring Fattoush Salad
We opened the Bi-Rite newsletter the other day, and there was Sam Mogannam (founder Bi-Rite Family of Businesses) cooking his favorite spring recipes: roasted asparagus with a fried egg, green garlic salsa verde, and a simple risotto. We haven’t run into Sam in at least a year, so it was nice to see his face, if you know what we mean—it was like seeing a long-lost friend in real life, even though it was the video version. Hopefully, we’ll soon get back to some semblance of normalcy with the news that vaccines will become available to everyone 50 and over beginning April 1 and those 16 and over starting April 15.
If you aren’t joining the rest of us in our annual months-long splurge of asparagus, then Sam’s Spring Fattoush Salad is for you, it’s from Jessica Battilana’s Repertoire: All the Recipes You Need.
John Birdsall penned a lovely story about Jessica’s book a few years back:
Stirring milk into her cup of coffee, pausing to ask if I’m sure I don’t want a cup (the reflex of someone used to taking care of others), Battilana says, “I remember once asking my mom, ‘What should I write about?’ and she gave me the advice everybody gives: ‘Write what you know.’ Battilana says what she knows is how to write real recipes for real life that really work—a slogan that sounds genuine in her kitchen, imagining the pressure of coming up with meal after meal for kids who, judging from the clattering down the hall, have lost interest in the wooden train. “I didn’t feel I had to put anything on,” she says.
What we love about this salad is that you don’t have to do anything but slice some cucumbers and radish and throw them in a bowl with a bunch of herbs and cheese. And toast a few pieces of lavash. Battilana says:
This is an approximation of a simple recipe Sam served me once. Though it’s simple, the devil is in the details. Part of what makes this salad so great is the dynamic textures; the cracker-like baked lavash croutons and the crunchy cucumbers and radishes contrast with the creamy feta and soft herbs. I dress this with an especially tart vinaigrette made from equal parts lemon juice and olive oil and serve it right away, before it gets soggy.
As Birdsall noted, she knows how to write real recipes for real life that really work, and this is definitely one of those. Bon appétit!
💚 By the way, we are proud members of the thick asparagus booster club. All you thinner the better aficionados don’t know what you’re missing: the skinny on asparagus is that thicker means more tender. Penn State News
🙏 We can barely bake: will someone please makes us all of these cakes? How Zoë François’ Instagram Stories Inspired Her New Book. Cherry Bombe
🤔 We’re generally resistant to the idea of mixing pasta with Asian ingredients, but this looks really good: Miso-Mushroom Pasta Food52
DRINK
Den Sake Batch #12
It’s been a while since we talked about Den Sake. Batch #12 was released in December and might have limited availability at this point, although we did find this bottle at Fig and Thistle Market.
Brewed in the prefecture otherwise known as Oakland, Den Sake was founded in 2017 by Yoshihiro Sako. Known for its high acidity, more so than traditional sakes, Den Sake’s provenance is uniquely local: Sako brews in small batches with Calhikari, a single-origin rice varietal grown by Rue & Forsman Ranch in the Sacramento Valley. Sako intentionally brews with higher acidity in mind to make his sake more compatible with not only traditional Asian foods but our regional cuisine as well. At this time of the year, you could easily pair Den Sake with roasted asparagus, doused with olive oil, and garnished with curls of parmesan cheese. Whereas the go-to wine pairing might be a chenin blanc or sauvignon blanc, a more free-spirited move would be to pour a glass of the latest release.
Batch #12 (Nama) has an enticing acidity marked by notes of citrus and honeysuckle, with silky smooth umami that lingers long on the palate. Plus there’s an exquisite touch of effervescence, most likely because this sake is unpasteurized, so it shows that liveliness in the glass. As we’ve noted before, since Den Sake has a wine-like profile, it’s a good gateway drink for those who haven’t tried sake yet. #drinklocal
THINK
Just a Reminder: we throw out more than 2 trillion pounds of food every year, UN says. Here’s why that’s a problem for the climate. Mother Jones
Another Reminder: this one is harsh {sorry}. The egg industry grapples with a grim practice: chick culling. Every year, up to 7 billion day-old male chicks are tossed into shredding machines, gassed, or suffocated in plastic bags — a process known as chick culling. Male chicks don’t lay eggs, and they fatten up too slowly to be sold as meat. The Counter
#Protip: 8 Totally Achievable Ways to Show Up for Racial Justice… When You’re White and Own an Asian Restaurant! Irene Li/Medium
The 11 Best New Cookbooks of Spring 2021: this one 👇is our favorite cover!
We cooked our way through all the new books of the season to bring you the 11 we can't part with. Epicurious
#Protip: ripen an avocado faster with help from a 🍌. With bananas, a paper bag and a bit of science, you'll have ripe avocados in no time. America’s Test Kitchen
The Dining Room Table is Dead: long live the dining room table. How the kitchen ate the dining room. Vox
National Farmworker Awareness Week (March 25-31): meet the essential people who feed you. Including, Maria Bertha Yerena of Yerena Farms; Jose Alcarez of Brokaw Ranch Company; Taurino Alba of Star Route Farms; Jesus Martinez of Far West Fungi; Virgilio Carreon of Frog Hollow Farm, Rebeca and Rodolfo Jimenez of Green Thumb Organics; and Pablo and Miguel Duran of Tierra Vegetables. CUESA
🎧 African/American: embracing the vastness between both Identities. Korsha Wilson talks to talk to chefs @ChefAdjepong & @chefpierrethiam about what it means to be African and American at the same time and how that shows up in their food. Boundless Horizon
👀 SPOTTED
At least they didn’t call it Peepsi.
It’s a few days early but we couldn’t wait to share our April Spotify dinner jams playlist with you, it’s the songs we listen to while cooking dinner every night. This month’s list leads off with a Fontella Bass classic from 1966 and quickly segues into a rambling mix of covers and culture.
That’s all for this week.
Thanks for subscribing to Eat. Drink. Think. This post is public, so feel free to share it. Actually, we’d be eternally thankful if you shared it with everyone you know 😉
We’re outta here. Be well and take care,
–Bruce
Do you follow us yet?
Instagram: 25K+ followers
Twitter: 53K+ followers
Facebook: 6500+ followers
Did you miss the last newsletter? Check it here.
"Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end" –John Lennon