(FBC6) Faith in Fermentation

Recently I watched an Episode of "Cooked" focused on the "Earth" element in a way each and every one of us cooks and enjoys our food: fermentation. What an interesting concept... Upon the initial thought of "Earth" in our food, I imagined things that were dirty, natural, and likely very disgusting in regard to cooking processes. I was correct in a way, but very surprised at the magic inside the most earthy way to process the foods on our plates, that being fermentation. Rotting your food to make it taste better? That is quite a backwards concept. However, from the beginning of time, people all through history have survived off their faith in unseen microbes-- placing the fate of their food, and ultimately their well-being, in the unseen cooking of fermentation. This episode of cooked highlights fermentation, in particular, and discusses the process of such along with various foods developed through this microbial magic. The faith of past peoples to function in society and prosper without concrete reason to their methods-- that practice is truly inspiring. Cooking is a way to sustain life. Fermentation is completely unique, completely under-radar, and yet completely responsible for so many of the good we enjoy each day. To think of beer and cheese as products of fermentation barely scratches the surface of its importance and impact on the lives of all hungry peoples.

The documentary highlighted the process of cocoa bean fermentation and the process of making what we call chocolate. It was so interesting-- I would LOVE to visit a cocoa farm and see this first hand. Agriculture is a beautiful thing.This picture was retrieved from:http://www.technoserve.org/blog/photo-friday-building-skills-for-cocoa-farmers-in-ghana

This is a classic picture of cheese curing on shelves. In the documentary, the nun also cured her cheeses on a bamboo type mat on shelves. This picture was retrieved from: http://blog.cheesemaking.com/how-to-make-cheese-cave/.

In the episode, there was a special segment dedicated to an interesting cook: a nun with a doctorate in microbiology. Her words perfectly describe my feelings towards fermentation and cooking through a faith in microbes: "I am in awe of this creation and it inspires me to know the creator." As a religious person, I completely identify with this. The more I learn of sciences, the complex wonders of this life (such as cooking), and the emotional gain associated with such things, the more I praise and hunger for more.

Here is a picture just for fun; myself enjoying an Angry Orchard Hard Cider. Just a whimsical pic of me enjoying one of the gifts from fermentation. I took this selfie on a Nashville trip with my friends last fall.

Fermentation is nature's way turning the status quo and saying: you think you know everything about cooking, and that rotting is foul, but let me show you how it is beautiful. I'm going to enjoy some cheese tonight and remember this. This natural secret, I am sure, is only a tiny taste of how our earth contributes to the feats of cooking.


For now, I'll keep wondering. Till next time.
-AR

(FBC5) A Response to "Cooked: Water"

"For me, that's what cooking with water represents-- gathering together to harmonize." (Pollan)

Recently, I watched an episode of "Cooked," by Michael Pollan, focused on the element of water and how it plays into the concept of cooking. This episode highlights the power of water in cooking and it's power to transform ingredients into something harmonious, nutritious, and extremely tasty. "Pot" dishes are dependent upon the liquid medium that host the ingredients and they reactions. Without water, we would not be able to experience the transformation of even the toughest meats and vegetables into something completely different-- with the help of time, water is the medium that creates something new out of what we think we know about food. The simplicity is just as natural as it is beautiful.

For me, cooking with water has always found a way into my family meals. It is difficult to go without the process, it is so innate. Personally, we do a lot of simmering and boiling. Boiled vegetables, boiled chicken in a dish or soup, shrimp boil at the campsite or at the beach, chili simmering on the stove after boiling down homemade tomato juice: those are only a tiny taste of my families experiences with water in cooking.

This is our shrimp boil in process last year on our family camping trip. On the Friday night of the week we camp, we always host a shrimp boil and often attract the rangers of the park themselves, curiously drawn in from the aromas. This photo was taken by me. 

Cooking with water does not only bring the flavors together, it brings people together also. Whenever large meals with heavy crowds are invited into your home, are soups and pot meals not a popular choice of the chef? This is not a coincidence. Cooking with water takes unlikely ingredients and makes them one-- just like a mutual meal shared between different people creates one harmonious people gathering.

This photo was taken by me. My sister and I gearing up for our commute home from school.

Of course I had to share a coffee picture. But in all reality, coffee could not exist as a drink without the medium of water and it's power in reduction of the beans into a liquid. Teas, coffees, soups, juices... these are only a tiny taste of the foods influenced by the power of water.

Water is a medium that goes so unappreciated and unnoticed; it is essential to our lives as human beings, cooks, and functioning peoples. It creates and assists in some of the most homely and comforting meals I have ever experienced, and carries so much more than a blend of ingredients.

This photo was taken of the coast of Australia this January by my sister, Shelby.

Water is a beautiful thing. It's existence in the kitchen and in nature will keep me in awe, and have me thinking about the complex balance kept through simple this medium I neglect everyday.  Until next time.

-AR

(FBC4) A Foodtrip to Fairbanks, Alaska

Have you ever taken a food-trip? Not like eating a mushroom and tripping out, but a literal trip to another place in order to experience a food not common to you. This spring break, I did a little tripping through the great state of Alaska. I traveled with a peer and two of my professors throughout "the last frontier" experiencing new sights, many plane rides, cold temperatures, and my favorite part: GREAT food.

My ever appropriate selfie at Denali National Park. 

My favorite food experience happened at a small "mom and pop" Thai restaurant in Fairbanks, Alaska. Titled "Lemongrass," this establishment held aromas that reflected the title perfectly while inviting you to nestle into a table and prepare for a feast. I am not familiar with Thai food, although I have always been curious to try it, and am a fan of curry spice. The combination of it's geographical location, cultural vibe, and food genre made it the perfect place to deem my "food-trip" of choice.

The menu for this place was massive. We only were able to eat at this restaurant once while in Fairbanks, but if were up to me, I would've eaten there for every meal upon our stop in that city. The menu was over 5 pages long, but after careful deliberation, I chose a pad Thai with seafood. You can't come to Alaska without eating fresh seafood, so I settled on an appropriate culture mix.

This dish... honestly, I crave it daily since I have eaten it. I took this picture before digging in. 

 The pad Thai with seafood was incredible. Peanut sauce, curry, scallions, scallops, prawns, grilled fish filet, noodles, and peppers... need I say anymore? As if this feast wasn't enough, we ordered dessert, and split a very tasty pumpkin custard and F.B.I (Fried Banana and Ice Cream (homemade coconut ice cream)).

It seemed strange to serve pumpkin dishes outside of "fall" season, but in Alaska, pumpkin is a staple ingredient year round. I took this photo as my mouth was watering profusely.

I left the restaurant that night VERY full, but harboring a different kind of hunger: a hunger for trying new things in new places. This Thai restaurant, and trip to Alaska, is only a tiny taste of what I hope to experience in my lifetime in regard to food-trips. Spring break 2017 was full of adventure, including adventures served on a plate. 

Alaska awaits! The scenery, photographed by myself. 

Till next time. -AR 

(FBC3) The Magic of Coffee

Coffee is not just a drink. It is a reset-button for life. Ever since I was in the 5th grade, I have woke up and began each day with a cup of coffee. My long term relationship with this hot beverage has developed and become more complex throughout the years-- it used to just be a drink that provided caffeine and a soothing heat down my throat to wake me up in the mornings. Now, coffee carries those original benefits while also offering a chance to renew my spirit. It sounds ridiculous, but coffee shows me that it is a new day and that I can start over anew. The heat, the sweet, the aroma... all these things say "Addie, today is a new day and a new moment. Begin your day now-- you are ready to start."

Each day I prepare my cup mostly the same way. It depends on whether or not I've been attentive and kept up with my grocery list. I am a fan of Keurig coffee makers-- with my household only being my husband and I, and him not being a huge coffee fan, the Keurig serves its purpose well (providing me with a hot, single cup).

I like to use "donut-shop" flavored coffee K-Cups, generic or any brand name. McDonald coffee K-Cups are also tasty, in my opinion. 10 oz cups give me my fill. 

Beside our Keurig sits my "coffee station." I am a fan of powdered creamer, adding spices, and vintage sugar containers. Depending on the season, the spice of choice changes. Certain times of the year carry seasonal cravings of nutmeg, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice, or peppermint in my coffee. Coffee flavoring help to put me in the spirit of each holiday season! Each time seasonal creamers hit the shelves in grocery stores, I reflect on fond memories... pumpkin spice coffee on thanksgiving morning while watching the parade with my family, peppermint mocha coffee while opening presents Christmas morning, or hazelnut coffee gathered around the campfire at the lake on a July morning. Coffee is a drink that carries tradition, memories, and relationships for my family.

If I have had a hard day, and need something similar to coffee, I will make hot tea or cappuccino. They serve a similar purpose- refreshing and renewing me. 

My cup of Joe has two spoon fulls of sugar. Always. No more, no less. This is the perfect balance for me. 

My uncles like to joke that my sisters and I would "make a milkshake out of our coffee." This refers to our seemingly excessive amounts of sugar and creamer. I will not lie and say I use small amounts-- often times, my coffee coloring is on the lighter side of the color wheel. However, the flavorings you can add with creamer are too good to pass up-- their seasonal behaviors and creamy texture are
pleasing to me.

Powered creamer is a must, even if you have a liquid creamer also. The powder serves as a base of the creaminess of the coffee.

Fresh faced. Straight out of bed. Tackling the day with one cup a day.

My coffee criteria is a product of my parent's raising. As a kid, we always had multiple creamer flavors, sweetener options, and spices on handy. That black liquid is a blank canvas for my family-- each cup always being different and reflecting our personal preferences. To me, coffee is a reflection of self.

For now, I'll be sipping away and enjoying a tiny taste of renewal each morning. 

Till next time-- AR.

(FBC2) A Tiny Taste of Koreatown-- LA.

In the TV show "Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown," Anthony Bourdain explores various foodways across the U.S., diving into a different region or city upon each episode. I had the pleasure of watching the episode dedicated to Koreatown (Los Angeles).

The complexity in Koreatown culture was incredible; Anthony Bourdain's interest in the folk group sought to explain further their complexity by breaking down common stereotypes of the peoples, visiting the history that defined their region, and experiencing the traditions that no Korean man or woman would dare to change.

This episode focused on various foodways: food trucks, traditional Korean dining, and the small twists that a particular Korean folk group has adopted as a foodway of their own. This episode's dining made my mouth water; food trucks mashed Mexican flavor with Korean beef and vegetables, barbecue was cooked table side for the sake of Korean tradition, and a "meatball" taco was born out of a certain family's habit of "going big or going home" when dining out at Sizzler. This region carries more than a tiny taste of culture-- it reveals a gateway into what makes them so unique as a people.

Korean barbecue table-side style. Sourced from Google.

Sizzler restaurant sign. This was a popular place for David Cho's family to eat when they dined out on rare occasion. Sourced from Google. 

Anthony Bourdain discussed the history of Koreatown and their perseverance through the LA riots; they came together as a people to defend not only their shops and homes, but their way of life. This was especially revealing of their character, showing that the folk groups in Koreatown are a resilient people. I think the food in this region brings the people together; regardless of whether you are a "traditional" Korean, or a part of the new age breaking stereotypical barriers in food and careers.

This episode was a tease of the mysteries of Koreatown-- its culture carries not only great tofu bowls, but great insight into a people group functioning fluently together alongside it's own culture differences. All I know now is that I'm ready for more than a tiny taste of this region.

Till next time-- AR.

(FBC1) My Food and I: A Bond Growing Stronger Each Day

As a young child, I am sure my family never expected me to grow up as a foodie. However, this adopted love is a natural product of my surroundings; my Nannie was a baker at our town's hospital, my Granny Watha raised 5 children and has always cooked for a large family, my dad is an amazing with a grill, and my mom has cooked dinners for our family of 6 for 18+ years. Being surrounded and raised in houses of sweet and savory smells, "foodie" is a title that was naturally adopted.

My dad is an experienced welder and created this traveling grill all by himself. We bring it on my family's camping trip each summer. Grilling at the lake is a tradition every night. He is amazing on the grill. Photo taken by Sydney Baldwin (my sister).

Food is a way for me to be creative-- I love preparing food. The process of mixing and making offers an outlet for me to express myself and feel proud in the product.
Over time, I've become an adventurous eater. I am open to trying anything! The importance of food as a gateway to each persons culture or personality never occurred to me until I moved off to college. Upon moving, I missed out on the traditional Sunday dinners at my Granny Watha's. This move showed me that "food from home" carried it's own culture and it told a story about my family and our way of life; this was the spark of my relationship with food.

Photo taken by my husband, Austin. I always cook a large meal on Monday nights. It is how we like to start the week.

I'm becoming a "Susie-homemaker" (so says my family and husband), and this new title is a product of my natural attraction to cooking, food, and sweet smells. Gathering around the table with my family and sharing meals each week carries satisfaction not hungering in your heart, but in your soul...

My sisters and I love to share a sweets-sampler at Burdett's Tea & Trading Company in Springfield, TN. It is a "girls" tradition.

To say I am a foodie is a Tiny Taste of how much I value the importance of food in my life.

I hope you have enjoyed this weeks post. Till next week--AR.

Do you ever come across a new food you have never tried, and wish for a tiny taste?

A tiny taste can be satisfying for the reasons of:

1. You gather knowledge of something new without overwhelming your senses. 

2. You quickly gather an impression of the food.

3. You can easily become intrigued with the taste-- it encourages you to try more.

Each week, as a reader, you will be served A Tiny Taste of discussion into the complex and diverse subject of foodways in culture. 

Be prepared to stimulate your senses.

To keep you satisfied until then, here is A Tiny Taste of who I am as the author of this blog.

I am a new-wife who loves to cook. I am a college student soon to graduate into my professional career. I love the idea of studying someones culture through what goes onto their plate.

My family is big on BBQ and "country" cooking. We live on a farm that is surrounded by Red River in "South Logan:" a farm community bordering Tennesee in the southern portion of Logan County. This picture is from our annual river BBQ on the 4th of July. It speaks for my families foodway culture because even though it began to pour down rain, we gathered plastic tarps to hold and waited out the storm with our watery plates. Food is big in our family, and there are many fond memories associated with each meal. 

  

Till next time-- I hope you have enjoyed this Tiny Taste. 

-AR