Photo courtesy of The Sensitive Epicure blog

Anchor Steam Beer Chili

At one time during the gold rush days (Go Niners!), San Francisco had more than two dozen steam breweries. (The steam beer process was developed to get around The City’s lack, at that time, of cold storage necessary for lagering the pilsner-type beer preferred by Americans.) By 1965, San Francisco’s unique steam breweries had dwindled down to one, the Anchor Steam Brewing Company, and it was about to quit business when Fritz Maytag came to the rescue.

“Meet a Maytag Who Produces Suds That Will Not Clean Duds,” the Wall Street Journal  headlined its story about Maytag’s getting into the steam beer business, describing him as the “scion of Iowa washing-machine family.”

It is only natural that Maytag and his wife, Lucy, have experimented with using steam beer in cooking. Lucy Maytag says that “cooking with steam beer is like cooking with wine. Steam beer adds a little something to the end product, but doesn’t dominate it.” Here is the result of some Maytag research into making chili with steam beer.

1 lb. Morris Grassfed ground beef

½ onion

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 fresh tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

 3 Tbs. tomato paste

2 dried California chiles

1 or more dried pasilla chiles

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

1 Tbs. cumin

 Salt to taste

1 or 2 bottles Anchor Steam beer

1 15 oz. can kidney beans

In a 4 qt. saucepan sauté chuck together with onion and garlic until meat is just brown, stirring with a fork while it is cooking. Pour off excess grease (there shouldn’t be any of you’re using grassfed beef). Add other ingredients except the beans, putting in only one bottle of Anchor Steam. Mix well. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans with their juice and, if  you like a soupy-type chili, a second bottle of Anchor Steam. Continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes.  Serve in heated bowls and top with a mound of grated cheddar cheese, dollop of sour cream and sliced fresh avocados. I also serve corn muffins and a fresh green salad with this. Enjoy!

Cook’s Notes: Use Porter House for a darker, slightly richer flavor. In California, the dried chile poblano is widely called a chile pasilla. They are dark, can be almost black, are roughly triangular in shape, and have a richer and often more pungent flavor than California or ancho chiles.

You know you’re in a place that appreciates fresh and local food when the menu is printed daily and reads: “Wild Fish Caught by our Fishermen.”  With descriptions like “Opah caught in local waters by Sergio Barra on the Queen Diamond II” and  ”Opakapaka caught by Layne Nakagawa bottom fishing in sheltered waters near Lana’i”  my local foodie radar was screaming.

    The waiter started us off with small ramekins of creamy asparagus   soup, followed by warm bread and caesar salads. I ordered the Opah, “Upcountry style” with carmelized Maui onions, bok choy and jasmine rice. Delicious. Joe had the deep-water ahi, seared with peppercorns and served with Hamakua mushroom sauce, also amazing. Maybe it’s the venue – stunning views and the natural high of being on vacation but every time I’ve been here, I loved it. The first time was as a teenager with my parents and my memories are just as fond. If you’re ever on Maui, make it a priority.

Mama's overlooks a light-filled cove on Maui's north shore.

Occupiers in the Heartland: Indianapolis, IN on October 15, 2011.

Critics will say the demonstrators have failed to articulate a clear message and have yet to tell us what it is they want, but if you read the extensive chatter on the Internet via blogs, videos, photo essays and news articles, there is a consistent theme: It’s time to stop bailing out private equity companies with public funds. People are angry. The impetus of this whole movement is the financial meltdown of 2008 when privately owned banks took lots of money from the Federal Reserve (that’s us, folks!) and kept it for themselves. No jobs were created, no public infrastructure built, no public institutions funded and no loans for small businesses that make up the fabric of the U.S. economy. They took our taxes and bought themselves fancy toys. And nobody did anything about it, at least not right away. Fast forward to Sept. 2011 and you have Occupy Wall Street. So it took little while, but these movements have to build over time.

How does the Occupy Movement relate to local food?  In addition to organizers’ commitment to feed protestors well, I see a strong connection between holding the 1% accountable for what they’ve done with taxpayers’ money and the growing movement to ask how our food is produced. Food activists have shown us how simple questions lead to change. They held the food industry accountable for questionable practices. Who wants to eat a hamburger from the ground beef of 50 different cows? Consumers  got angry about industrial farms and facilities where animals were caged and workers were paid non-livable wages. Profits trumped sanitary procedures that led to nationwide foodborne illnesses, sometimes fatal. They didn’t like that  pesticides were being dumped in waterways and that the overuse of antibiotics had become a routine practice of the beef and dairy industries. Is it too much to ask that the milk we pour our toddlers be drug free? Of course not.

The millions of Americans who have made local and organics the fastest growing segments in the food industry are de facto activists. Over the past twenty years, they have affected policy by creating the National Organic Standards and new federal dietary guidelines. Increasing awareness for labels like “grassfed” and “free range” have followed. They have fueled a resurgence of family farms and Community Supported Agriculture co-ops from Vermont to California, and made studying agriculture in colleges viable again. Their questions led to anger, which led to activism, that led to policy changes. They occupied mealtime and have established a seat at the head of the table.

Occupy Wall Street’s future is yet to be seen, but I do not see these young, intelligent, educated and passionate activists going anywhere soon. They – we! – have legitimate questions that deserve to be answered. Their anger has led to activism, that could lead to policy changes. Those who quickly write them off may want to recall the mis-attributed* Marie Antoinette’s fate when she famously wrote off the protestors outside her palace with the dismissive “Let them eat cake.”  

*Marie Antoinette is widely known as the person who said this, when in fact, it was said 100 years earlier by Marie-Therese, the wife of Louis XIV. But you get my point.

For the past several years I have been writing on the people and places that make great local food. It’s been a good way to ease into blogging: no deadlines, writing about things I value, taking pictures, and featuring cool friends and current events that relate to local food. About the time I started this blog, I also started writing fiction. The result is my first draft of a novel, working title: Exit Strategy. I don’t expect it to be a NYT bestseller, (although that would be nice!) but at the very least it’s been an exercise in perseverance and creativity, two things I aspire to practice.

The story is based on my five years working at one of the nation’s largest, organic salad companies. One could argue that I am sticking to my theme of local food.  Set within the walls of an industrial food production facility, Exit Strategy explores the effects of large-scale food production on its workers, its consumers, and its owners. A journalist by training, I was taught to always back up my story with at least three, named sources. In fiction, the novelist’s “sources” are the experiences and characters in her head. My experiences at the salad company included a nationwide E.coli outbreak, several failed attempts to sell the company, one successful attempt to sell it, and countless interactions with the cast of characters we all have in life.

I have a fitting analogy to this project. As a fact-checker for Thomson Newspapers’  Washington D.C. bureau in the early 1990s (my first job out of college), I had the opportunity to attend a presidential press conference at the White House. Needless to say, it was a young journalist’s dream assignment. The night before we were to meet the president, I practiced my questions in the mirror. Although I was seated just feet from the president, I was not one of the reporters he called on. Devastated that I had blown my big chance to include an interview with George Bush in my portfolio, I returned to the office and wrote a column instead on what it was like for a rookie fact-checker to attend a presidential press conference. My bureau chief loved it and sent it out to all 122 Thomson Newspapers’ dailies across the country. Some editors gave me a banner headline. My favorite: “Julie Meets the President, Well Almost!”  I still have those clips and they’re much more fun to read than the question I was going to ask him about offshore drilling. I compare my five years at the salad company to that press conference: I’m going to get a good clip out of it! This time, in the form of a novel. 

As the Stanford economist Paul Romer said: “A crisis is a terrible thing to waste.”  Stay tuned for occasional Exit Strategy posts to this blog, where I hope, dear readers, you will still find valuable insights about the beauty of local food.

p.s. If any of you know someone who designs book covers, let me know. I am looking for one who can beat that Thomson Newspaper editor’s banner headline!

A pond on our ranch in San Juan Bautista shows how healthy grasslands capture and clean water.

At the Council on Foundations conference this week in San Francisco I listened to Singularity University’s Salim Ismail speak. He asked an audience of 1,200 of us: “What are you doing to change the world?” Ismail is a successful angel investor and entrepreneur. His last company, Angstro, was acquired by Google in August 2010. He has operated seven early-stage companies and is a frequent speaker on Internet technologies, private equity, and entrepreneurship. For the last two years he has been executive director of Singularity University, which is training a new cadre of leaders to manage exponentially growing technologies. Ismail also serves on the board of Breakthrough, a global human rights organization.

In this audience there were many people working to change the world: a gathering of Community Foundation CEOs, staff and board members. Community Foundations help local economies by matching donors with needs. As a program manager at the Community Foundation for San Benito County I have seen, first hand, the increasing role that philanthropy plays in providing basic services to residents. We are seeing this trend grow as local, state and federal funding is cut. But back to Salim’s question.

He used the example of clean water several times during his talk. According to water.org, nearly one billion people lack access to safe water and 2.5 billion do not have improved sanitation. The social and economic effects are staggering: millions of children die, wars are fought, people (mostly women) must spend hundreds of hours collecting clean water for their families.  All because we are not managing the earth’s watersheds well enough. Can you see where I’m going here? All things lead to sustainably produced food.

I couldn’t help but think of the connection between Ismail’s challenge to do good work and the work of those people who are already producing clean water: grassland managers, organic farmers, and those who buy our food all contribute to a larger issues than healthy food. We are working to build topsoil, encourage deep root systems that capture and hold water, and create natural filters along waterways that not only allow water to flow but clean it as it passes by. Singularity University focuses on the rapidly evolving world of technological innovation. There is no question that we are in an unprecedented time when it comes to new ideas and the speed at which they can be implemented. I would argue, though, that simplicity should not be overlooked and that maybe some of the earth’s natural systems can teach us something about solving the world’s big problems. Want clean water? Support responsible land management … and enjoy a plate of organic, grilled vegetables and a grassfed filet mignon while you’re at it.

So you can imagine my delight when Joe and I went over to our friends Debbie and Ken’s for dinner last night and I opened their freezer to find three things, and three things only: homemade lemon ice cream, neatly stacked various cuts of Morris Grassfed Beef, and a bottle of Absolut vodka.

We started with roasted Padrone peppers, heated over a cast iron skillet and tossed with olive oil and sea salt. Sweet and smoky, these treats are a popular tapas dish in Spain and the perfect introduction to Debbie’s next five courses. Next, we had fresh, local goat cheese, shaped into a beautiful floral loaf, and served on baguette slices. Paired with an orange, red onion, and Kalamata olive salad, the mellow cheese was a perfect complement. The orange slices came from a tree in the backyard. We had a Thomas Kruse 2008 Zinfandel, as sweet as a port, to sip in between.  

Morris Grassfed filet mignon, prepared to perfection in a tasty carpaccio dish

A perfect ending to a perfect meal. Photo credits go to Debbie’s husband and very lucky housemate, Ken, who tells me that she may not cook like this every night, but “it’s pretty close!” Debbie, thanks for your celebration of local food and being such an inspiration!

This is after I asked him last night: “You’re going to take a day off this weekend, right?”

Joe inspects Morris Grassfed Beef, hanging at J&R Meats in Paso Robles, Calif.

It’s our crazy busy time of the year and these little breaks (Fourth of July) really help me get through a working summer. Joe doesn’t know what a day off is. Basically, I have to get him on an airplane and land on a beach without Internet access or cell phone coverage for him to relax.

“I thought we were going to take a day off.”

Not happening. He wanted to go over our CSA customers’ cutting specs with Jim Fogle, the new co-owner of J&R  Meats. I decided to go with him so I could see the place for myself (and report back to you.) He promised me breakfast at a cafe in Paso.

J&R Meats is immaculate. It’s a brand new facility, with a state-of-the-art design that meets federal food safety standards and the beef industry’s best practices. Jim is partnering with Laird Foshay of Rangeland Wines to provide a local, custom cut facility. We’re thrilled, and we think our Morris Grassfed Beef customers will be really happy with how they cut and wrap our meat. One of the benefits of buying local is the fact that we get to know the people involved in every step of the production process. These guys are the real deal. They care about the land, the animals, their employees, and the local economy. We hope you will agree!

Morris Grassfed Beef hang for 10-12 days before being custom cut and wrapped at J&R Meats in Paso Robles, Calif.

The argument that Wal-Mart guts downtowns and sucks dollars from our local economies is not new. Local food, I can assure you, is better purchased from your friendly Farmers’ Market where it is certified fresh and, well, local! Thomas Jefferson would not have held Wal-Mart’s lawyers in the same high regard he had for farmers.

This week’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that millions of female Wal-Mart employees cannot bring a class-action suit against their employer is a reminder of the power that money has over justice. The decision limits the ability of workers to come together and argue as a group for an alleged common wrong by their employer. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, writing for the four dissenting justices, wrote that “gender bias suffused Wal-Mart’s company culture.”

“There are tens of thousands of experienced Wal-Mart women who would like to be promoted to the first managerial rung, salaried assistant store manager. But Wal-Mart makes it impossible for many of them to take that post, because its ruthless management style structures the job itself as one that most women, and especially those with young children or a relative to care for, would find difficult to accept,” said UCSB professor Nelson Lichtenstein, in his June 21 New York Times editorial.

Democracy is based on equality.  It is undemocratic to discriminate against people because of their gender. Strong democracies give individuals a voice. This week’s Supreme Court decision weakens  workers’ collective voice. It makes it more difficult to take on unfair labor practices and it widens the gap between the corner office and the assembly line.  Huge wage inequities between CEOs and production workers can be attributed to a person’s “value” to the company and are at the discretion of shareholders. Still an assault on people’s ability to get ahead, at least low wages are legal. Denying promotions based on one’s gender can only be attributed to discrimination, the sign of an undemocratic society. Take the high road, and see if you kind find alternatives to the low price leader. Always.

This year we were thrilled to host 160 guests who drove from as far away as San Diego. Lots of kids, which always makes it more fun, and several families who brought grandparents and out-of-town guests to see a “real California ranch.”  We call it “First Person Certified” food. Thanks to the Morris Grassfed Team: Liz, Ev, Anne, Rich, and our chef Tim Fowles – for all your help!  

Thanks for visiting! ~ JFM  … Here are some photos of the day:

Family style tables create a casual space for conversation.

Circle P - our host ranch for the day - ranch brand

Field Day Checklist ... lots to plan!

Circle P Ranch is a classic working cattle ranch ... signage on barn wall

 

Darren Huckle led an herbal walk and identified all sorts of medicinal plants in our midst. (Thats his adorable son, Jackson, peeking at me.)

Ev, Ellie and Liz Sparling

Our partner, Everett Sparling, and his future cowgirl daughter, Ellie

After our walk on the ranch, guests relaxed over Morris Grassfed burgers, salad, and good conversation

Angela and Tim at the BBQ - grilled those 180 burgers to perfection.

Joe and me, ready to kick back and enjoy the day!

Guests listen as Joe described holistic land management and how they are an important part of the process ...

Future ranch hand, Charlie Moore

Such a fun surprise when old friends show up! Beautiful Valerie, our niece Didi Petkiewicz, Jack, and Alan Gianotti, a friend of Joes from Notre Dame!

smoothie ingredients ready to mix kiwi and bananas top off a healthy smoothie

kiwi and banana top off a healthy smoothie

I am married to a cook. Joe loves to come home after a day in the field and fire up the grill. He forms his grassfed hamburgers by hand, insists on using the freshest ingredients in all recipes, and always has health in mind. Lucky me. Every morning he makes us smoothies that carry me through until lunch. It’s a tasty, nutrient-rich drink that takes just minutes to make (even less if you’re not the one making it!)  The result is a delicious on-the-go meal that feeds body and soul. Thank you, Joe, for keeping us healthy and well-fed.

Here’s his recipe:

1 organic banana, peeled and sliced
1 organic kiwi, peeled and sliced
1/4 frozen organic raspberries
1 cup frozen organic blueberries
3 large leaves of organic kale
1 cup of organic unfiltered apple juice, not from concentrate (grape or pineapple juice also work)

Place all ingredients in a blender*, mix, pour and enjoy. It’s that easy … and that good!

We invested in a Vita-Mix Professional Mix series blender last year and it has been well worth it. It also makes sauces, soups and just about anything else you need to chop, puree, blend or mix.