Seed bombing

Granny Smith Apple Tree

As a chef I care about the food that I serve, where it comes from how it was treated, harvested, stored and delivered.  I can only give the best to our guest or the experience would not be worth the effort.  During the growing season I source out as much local organic grown produce, meats, poultry and eggs that I can find.  Alas, the past few years I have noticed a trend that has alarm bells ringing in my head.

GMO’s has made my work in providing the best more difficult along with the farmers and other like minded people that I have had conversations with.  The FDA has aligned with big companies who has paid loads of money to fight the simple rule of placing a label on food product that contain GMO products.  I, as a member of the human race as well as anyone who reads this should feel outraged about this issue and put forth action that will stop this practice and allow us, the human race to decide if we want this product within our food.

I have taken the path of signing petitions and voiced my opinions on various websites along with donations to assist with requiring companies to place labels on food that stats contains GMO.  I feel that I am left with one option that will show the big companies that I will no longer allow this food for my family or my customers.  I do understand that my actions will effect the farming communities if each person who reads this starts the same practice. For this I’m sadden.

Seed Bombing – At the restaurant I work with many types of organic, non gmo vegetables and fruits.  About 6 months ago as I was de-seeding a tomato I was lost in the thought of how one tomato seed can produce one plant which can produce between 20 and 60 tomatoes per plant which also produces an average of 40 seeds per tomato  which if all the seeds will grow should create 240 tomato plants and 14,400 tomatoes.

My thought process sounds a little strange but stay with me here.  If little old me. just me and me alone takes the time to collect all the seeds that I can during a typical work week and find locations where it is apparent that no one will be building along the roadways and abandoned  sites around the town that I live in, plant the seeds and allow nature to take its course what would the outcome be.  Then what if everyone did this.  What would the world be like if they could walk down the road and pick vegetables, can vegetables collect seeds and re-plant the seeds.

I do understand the economic effect on the farmers, markets and related industries. But the ability to have clean food is what will drive me. If the FDA wont fight for us, the human race, then we must fight for ourselves.

Although I’ve not been keeping records of the exact number of things that I have planted over the past few months I am proud to say that I have 10 Avocados trees grown and ready to plant 26 apple trees which required seeds from different apple trees to pollinate.  I quit counting tomato seeds after 20 thousand, pear trees, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, carrot tops, pineapple tops, and so much more.

I do promise that my intentions are not to harm the farmers. that have been placed in a bad siltation, if they fight they could loose there land. Unless its an organic market the major chain does not  care. My vision is simple, 100 people collecting  non gmo, organic seeds and seed bomb areas that will allow growth, and allow anyone to feed there families.

Multiple uses 1 product

The best way to save money in the restaurant business is having multiple uses for the same products.  My favorite at the restaurant or home is heavy cream.  I use heavy cream for sauces,  making butter, ricotta cheese and buttermilk.
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Making butter-
I start by adding 2 qts of heavy cream to a kitchenaid mixer and within 8 min. I have butter and the start of buttermilk.

2 qts heavy cream 36% fat

Butter and the start of buttermilk

28.25oz butter

37.65oz for buttermilk

Now that I have 37.65 oz of left over milk I will add 2 cups of buttermilk, give it a whisk, cover over night under refrigeration and I have buttermilk.

Since I have ricotta cheese on my menu more often than not I will use the left over milk for that purpose. 

Making ricotta
Use the left over milk from making butter and 1 qt of heavy cream. Add to a heavy bottom stock pot and heat to 180*f. Once up to temperature add 2 tbs salt, whisk, remove from the head and add  1 cup of lemon juice. Set aside, allow to the curds to separate.  This process normally takes 15 or 20 min. If you dont see the curds separateing add an additional cup of lemon juice and re heat to 180*f again. Once separated strain thru a fine mesh strainer or cheese bag. I normally allow the cheese to drain over night but it can be used as soon as its neesed. Store under refrigeration and use within 4 or 5 days.

Ricotta cheese

Crumpets

Egg Crumpet’s

This has the same flavor and texture of the famous Thomas English Muffins.  I must pre-warn you, this will test you in ways that you’ve never been tested before.  You are required to have a Masters Degree in Aero Space Science along with the patients of a saint.  But, since I can’t get English Muffins in Belarus I’ve got to make it.

• 1/4 cup of water

• 1/3 cup of milk

• 1 Tablespoon of sugar

• 1 Tablespoon of yeast

• 1 Tablespoon of melted butter

• 1 Egg

• 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt

• 1 cup of flour

• 1 Tablespoon of fine ground cornmeal

In a small pot add 1/4 cup of water, 1/3 cup of milk and 1 tablespoon of sugar. When the milk, sugar and water reach 110 degrees transfer to a medium bowl and add 1 tablespoon of yeast. Allow the yeast to bloom, about 5 minutes then add 1 table spoon of melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 egg and wisk.  Add 1 cup of A/P flour and wisk until well combined with no lumps.  Move the bowl to a warm place and allow the batter to double in size.

Batter will be a little thicker than cake batter

Allow the batter to double in size.  Depending on how warm your kitchen is it may take between 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Okay, the easy part is over and now on to the hard part…  You will require some highly expensive Crumpet making equipment from this point on.

This is my highly expensive Crumpet making equipment.  Two 90 gram coffee cans with the bottoms removed and a cast iron frying pan.  If you have non-stick egg rings I envy you and request that you send them to me. Also a non-stick griddle works the best but I don’t have that in Belarus.

The first step is to heat your pan or griddle to 250 degrees, butter the inside of your highly expensive Crumpet making rings and place into the pan.  Sprinkle a pinch of corn meal in each ring then spoon 2 heaping tablespoon of batter into each.

Now this is the part that will make you question why you decided to undertake such a task without first talking with your doctor.  If the pan is at the right temperature this will take about 1 minute.  You are looking for bubbles to rise to the top and a slightly dry texture to appear on the edge.  Sprinkle a pinch of corn meal on the top of the Crumpet and slide a knife around the inside edge of the ring to release the crumpet.  If all is good you should be able to left the ring and see that the Crumpet is 95% cooked with a slight batter remaining on the top.

Notice the bubbles on the top which is the indication that it’s time to flip.  Pay attention to the color when you flip the Crumpet and ajust the heat of the pan as needed. Cook for an additional 30 sec. or until golden brown.

If you have made it to this point you can now split and toast your Crumpet.  Good luck, Since I’ve started making Crumpet’s I have managed to destroy the first two of every batch that I’ve made.  My biggest mistake is heat.  A little to hot and your crumpets burn, a little to cold and they will run like pancakes.  It will take some time to understand the timing, but if I can do it so can you.

Pancake syrup and more

Here you are down to the last of the pancake syrup and no more in sight for a few thousand miles. Also, being that most are made from brown sugar which has not been seen here in Belarus for a few hundred years or so gives us the opertunity to make the whole meal from scratch. I love when it’s down to the point that if I want it I’ve got to make it or give up. Being that I’m not one to give up “lets make it”

We’ll start with brown sugar-
You will need 1 ½ cup of white sugar
2 or 3 Tablespoons of Molasses
Add all of the sugar to a large bowl and start with 2 Tablespoons of Molasses. With a wire whisk mix until well combined. If you want dark brown sugar add the extra Tablespoon of Molasses and mix again. Congrats you have made brown sugar.

Moving on to the Syrup-
Add 1 ½ cup of the above just made brown sugar
Add 3/4 cup of water
Add 1 Tablespoon of butter
Pinch of salt
1/4 Teaspoon of Vanilla
Optional 1 Tablespoon of Maple extract or 1 Tablespoon of the last of your pancake syrup
Add brown sugar, water, butter, salt and vanilla into a heavy bottom sauce pot, bring to a low to medium simmer for 10 minutes. (Watch carefully this will boil over as it reduces) (also Content will burn like napalm) After you remove from the heat add the optional maple extract or last of your pancake syrup and stir in. Congrats a second time you’ve made pancake syrup….

On to the butter-
1 cup of heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon of salt or less
If you have a mason jar with a lid add cream and close tightly- Shake until butter seperates from the cream. Anywhere between 5 to 10 minutes. Remove butter but hold onto the the liquid that remains for your pancakes. Some like to rinse the butter under cold water to remove extra liquid from the butter but it’s not required. Add salt a little at a time until you have the desired flavor that you require. Wow-Congrats a third time- You’ve made butter and butter milk

Onto the Pancakes-
1-Cup of A/P flour
1-Egg
1-Tablespoon of oil or melted butter
Reserve liquid from making butter or 3/4 cup of milk1/4 Teaspoon of salt or more if you require

1 Tablespoon of baking powder

1/4 Teaspoon of vanilla

2 Tablespoons of Sugar

In a medium bowl add 1 Egg, Vanilla, Sugar and Salt, Mix well. Add flour, baking powder, oil and reserve liquid or milk and mix until well combined. You are looking for the thickness of or a little less than cake batter. Heat the pan can cook your breakfast.

Doughnuts

Doughnuts / Quick Breads / Fried Yeast Breads

Doughnut’s

Makes between 10 to 12 Doughnut’s

What do you do when your favorite Doughnut place is 7,000 miles away and would require a Visa to get there. You make it yourself.  Unless your Bill Gates and have the ability to hop a plane and fly there.  This is as close as I’ve gotten to Krispy Kream Doughnuts, with the soft texture and buttery bite that I have missed so much since leaving America.

2 Tablespoons of Yeast

1/4 Cup of Sugar

3/4 Cup of Milk @ 110*

2 Tablespoons of Water

1/2 Teaspoon of Salt

1 Egg

1/4 Cup of Butter

1/2 Teaspoon of Oil

2 1/2 Cups of A/P Flour Plus extra

In a small pot with a heavy bottom add 3/4 cup of Milk, 2 Tablespoons of water, 1/4 Cup of Sugar and heat to 110*

In a medium bowl add 2 Tablespoons of Yeast.  When the Milk is at 110* add it to the bowl with yeast and wait 5 minutes for the yeast to start foaming.

Add 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt, 1/4 Cup of Melted butter, 1/2 Teaspoon of oil and 1 Egg to the bowl with the Milk and Yeast and beat 1 minute with a wire wisk.

Add 2 1/2 cups of Flour and mix until combined then additional flour as needed until a soft elastic ball forms and it pulls away from the side of the bowl.  This batch took almost 3 cups with the high moisture from the weather but other batches have taken less.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work area and kneed for 2 minutes by hand then roll out till it’s 1/2″ thick.  Use different size cookie cutters or like me two different size cans with the bottoms cut out to make the shape of the Doughnut.  Then move them to a floured tray to hold till they rise.  Rise time will depend on how warm your kitchen but normal time is around 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.  If your kitchen is cold like mine, turn on your oven for 2 minutes then cut it off and place the Doughnuts in the oven to rise.

Cooking:

Heat enough oil in a heavy bottom frying pan or Cast Iron Skillet.  I used enough oil to equal half the height of the Doughnut. I heat the oil to 300* then carefully lift the Doughnuts off the proofing tray with a wide spatchula and slide them into the oil one or two at a time.  Cook time is quick, about 40sec to 1 minute for the first side then 30 sec. to 45 sec. for the next side.  I judge the process by the color.

Glaze:

1/4 Cup of Butter melted

1 Cup of Powdered Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla

2 or 3 Tablespoons of Hot Water

Mix all togather then dredge your Doughnuts until covered and move to a drying rack or plate.