Isolation and Marginalization Is NOT a Recipe to Govern By

As every chef and hotel professional knows, nothing is achieved in isolation, alone from one’s colleagues within the industry. It takes a team effort that combines many talents and points of view – working together to create, to serve.

No day is perfect – none are. And if one demands perfection, this is, well, simply the wrong planet to be on. But that does not mean one should do nothing. Instead, we do what can be done and then continue to work to address the remaining outstanding issues, be they cuisine or raising the American debt ceiling.

The United States, like an executive chef, holds a position of great responsible to set an example of civility and purpose.

This sometimes is not an easy task. When America was first formed, debate and conflict ruled the day – to the point that the nation, like a great banquet, almost never left the kitchen.

Yet among the lesser men who assembled in 1776 were those individuals such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson who sought not to dominate opinion but to call on each delegate present to reach beyond personal agendas or beliefs to a higher sense of self that embraced universal values and principles.

Was their work in steamy hot Philadelphia perfect? No, of course not. For over 200 years America has worked on, adjusted, and grown into a larger sense and understanding of what democracy means. Today we are struggling again. And today, because of world economic markets and the Internet, that struggle will affect millions of others around the world.

No longer do we stand alone. As the world must work together (like a true professional kitchen does), so must the American Congress – Compromise a little, then work together so that none are excluded and all may join the feast that hopefully one day will include the whole world peacefully seated at one table in mutually understanding and respect.

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2011

The French Connection and Thomas Jefferson’s Revolutionary Tomatoes

Although the Aztecs and Incas of the Americas had cultivated tomatoes since 700 C.E., their acceptance in Europe took centuries longer.

First discovered by the Spanish Conquistador Hernan Cortez in 1521 as he smashed the Aztec capitol of Tenochtitlan (later renamed Mexico City) into submission, it took another century for the tomato to appear in coastal Spain.

At first this culinary treasure from the New World was rejected by Europe’s chefs as it was erroneously associated with the dreaded mandrake and nightshade plants. Both plants were considered favorites of witches and poisoners. Ouch!

But sometimes beauty wins out as it did in this case.  A bright red, orange and green, tomatoes became a sought after accent for the centerpieces of the French aristocrats. But only for décor, not as part of la cuisine noble.

But there are always those, both rich and poor, who make their own decisions whether political or culinary. In the southern French region of Provence, country chefs and cooks slowly discovered from the Spanish and Italians how exquisite the tomato actually tasted. And no one died!

Searching for a sauce name, these regional chefs remembered that the tomato seeds had arrived from the Americas via boat so it seemed appropriate to title the new creation a “mainara sauce” from the Italian language meaning “of the sea”. 

Meanwhile in Paris there was an amazing man, a true gentleman of the Enlightment Era – the American Thomas Jefferson. 

A true renaissance man whose interested seemed to have no bounds, he was fascinated by all matters culinary and agricultural.

We know that on returning to his newly born nation, he grew tomatoes at his much loved Monticello estate. His beloved daughter, Martha Jefferson Randolph, included many tomato recipes in her personal cookbook, including the soup recipe listed below. Sadly at the same time, disorder and terror gripped France as a violent class war tore through the nation.

As blood began run in the streets of Paris until it was a torrent, the new ruling class now wore red "Phrygian" liberty caps as a symbol of their loyalty to change, violent or otherwise.

France’s skilled professional chefs, who once worked largely for the nobility, were at this time seeking not only new employment, but also how to keep their heads while others were losing their's.  What better way to appear patriotic then to echo the revolution’s favorite red color in cuisine?

And what was redder than a fresh red tomato! Soon the tomato was the darling of Paris chefs – saving many a sauce and an equal number of talented chefs! And the rest, as they say, is culinary history. Bon appetit!

Jefferson’s Truly Revolutionary French Tomato Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
28 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes
28 ounces fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne or to taste
8 cloves roasted garlic 

2 tablespoons minced parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1 or 2 tablespoons sugar 

4 tablespoons plain yogurt

Sauté onion and celery in olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. When onion is translucent, add the tomatoes, broth, oregano, basil, and cayenne. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.

Transfer half of the soup to the blender, add the roasted garlic, and purée until fairly smooth. If you'd like a chunky soup, add the blended half back to the pot. For a smoother soup, blend the rest of the soup and return it to the pot. Add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Taste the soup, and if too acidic, add sugar. Serve with a tablespoon of yogurt stirred into each bowl.

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2011

Jefferson’s Own Monticello Beer Now Rebrewed Just in Time for Presidents’ Day

Thomas Jefferson’s personal ale is now being recreated thanks to the efforts of two brewers past and present.  Meet Mark Thompson of today’s Starr Hill Brewery and Joseph Miller of colonial fame.

Mark Thompson has collaborated with the staff at the Thomas Jefferson Foundation to rediscover from Jefferson’s detailed notebooks the flavorful beer that the President enjoyed when he dined at his Monticello estate.

The resulting research has uncovered a nearly lost tale of courage, romance, politics, pirates and, of course, great beer.  And as all great stories do, this story begins with a great love story.

In 1772 the young Virginia lawyer Thomas Jefferson married Martha Wayles in what was to become a devoted marriage of two soul mates. Martha became the guiding mistress of the Jefferson former bachelor estate and there brewed 15 gallons of “small beer’, a beer with a low alcoholic content, about every two weeks for her husband’s enjoyment and use.

The deep affection between the two resulted in a long string of pregnancies that eventually weakened Martha’s health.  Finally in 1782 Martha died at the early age of 33. Jefferson locked himself in his room to grieve and weep for three weeks.  He never remarried.

Jefferson soon accepted a position as the American Commissioner to France shortly thereafter. And for the next 26 years Jefferson’s efforts to help establish the American nation on firm ground often kept him away from his beloved Monticello.

Once he had completed his second term as president, he left government service exhausted and very, very gladly returned to the calm and quiet of his beloved country estate.  There he began to actively brew beer again, using the wheat and corn grown on his own estate to create a “table liquor” for his many arriving guests.

Enters Captain Joseph Miller, gentleman farmer AND master brewer. Captain Miller and his young daughter Mary Ann were Americans with deep English roots, but Miller chose to side with the young nation over Britain.  In 1812 the Captain boarded the sailing ship Lydia with his daughter to return home to America. 

It would take over six long months to complete his trip. While enroute to the States, the War of 1812 broke out between England and America as Great Britain sought to reclaim her former colony. Their boat was boarded mid-Atlantic first by French privateers and then detained by the British navy.

When they finally arrived on American shores, they were forced to sail northward to find an open port as the ports of the deep south were closed to any ships from England. Then their boat was destroyed in a massive sea storm outside Norfolk, Virginia. Luckily they survived the wreck.

Once on dry land, their problems had only begun.  Because of his long residence in England, Miller’s citizenship was questioned, making it impossible for him to claim the American estate he had just inherited from his late half-brother.

The submission of various required paperwork in order to claim his estate took him into the region of Virginia where Jefferson lived.  There he met the former president and soon they were good friends.

Jefferson, who was interested in all things scientific, appreciated and admired Captain Miller’s indepth knowledge about both the art AND science of brewing. He asked Miller to come to Monticello and review his country production methods.  Because of his professional skill, Miller was able to offer Jefferson several important ideas for improving his beer.

At Jefferson’s request, he stayed and began to teach the very talented house slave Peter Hemings, who was also a trained French cook, the art of malting and brewing. In return Jefferson supported Miller’s lengthy appeal for the rights of his disputed American citizenship through a constant stream of letters and petitions to officals.

All the while, the rich ale unique to Monticello flowed and was enjoyed by the many visitors arriving, served in silver tumblers as they marveled at the many inventions Jefferson had created in his treasured world of order and purpose.  Sadly after his death, Jefferson’s heirs were unable to maintain the now debt-burdened property.

It a little known fact that Monticello (and its valuable records, including those about beer brewing) was saved by the Uriah P. Levy family.  Commodore Levy was the first American of Jewish heritage to receive a commission in the U.S. Navy. When Monticello was near collapse, Commodore Levy bought it in 1834 and worked throughout his lifetime to preserve its unique and vital heritage.

Interestingly, it was Thomas Jefferson who wrote the nation's  first laws guaranteeing religious freedom to all, the same laws that Commodore Levy revered and that still protect each citizen today.  That’s something we should all raise a glass to and now we can do it with Jefferson’s very own beer.

Thank you Thomas Jefferson Foundation and Happy Presidents’ Day! 

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2011