"sarah gilbert" news and stories

For some reason, I have coffee on the brain today and so decided to search for coffee pictures in the Slashfood pool. I found lots of fantastic pictures of cakes and pastries infused with coffee flavors, but this image by Sarah Gilbert, an occasional Slashfood contributor, captured my attention most of all.

Sarah has been writing for Culinate recently, expressing her passion for food and the experiences she has as she tries to feed herself and her family a more sustainable and local diet. Her most recent piece is about her process making sourdough starter from scratch. If you haven't been following her writing over there, you should definitely check it out, as her enthusiasm for food, eating and cooking is contagious and inspiring.

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Saturday morning I met up with sometimes Slashfooder Sarah Gilbert and her youngest son at the Portland Farmers Market. It was cold and rainy (normal for this time of year in Portland) but that didn't stop us from first taking a loop of the whole market to see what was being offered before starting to buy in earnest. It was the first time I've been to this market and I was totally awed by what I found. I thought that we were doing pretty well in Philly with our Headhouse Square Market, but Portland had put us totally to shame.

I tried to be restrained in my buying, knowing that my mom had already the bulk of the holiday food shopping and I won't have that many opportunities to cook before I head back to Philly on the 29th, but I still managed to fill the reusable bag I brought with me and spend around $20 on some of the most gorgeous produce I've seen in a while. I was particularly taken by the mountain of turnips you see above. There was something about the freshness and sheer abundance that seemed to embody the best qualities of a farmers market.

Sadly, it was the last Saturday for the Portland market until spring. Thankfully, it will be open again when I get out this way again during the summer. I can't wait!

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We're cooking Gardiane La Camargue, French beef stew in the style of the cowboys Francais in the Camargue, south of Arles. The dish is from Patricia Wells' Bistro Cooking. Yesterday we cut the meat into 3- or 4-ounce pieces and prepped the carrots, onions and garlic before mixing it all together for an overnight marinade. Then, we drained the beef, reserving the marinade, and heated up oil in a pan. Then, I started browning the beef. Finally, I added in herbs and (whoops) the wrong kind of olives. Then I started to simmer.

I picked up my lid about 30 minutes ago and the mixture hadn't even started bubbling yet. It was just... resting, warmly. I turned up the heat and now it's actually simmering. I'm headed out to get those oil-cured olives! I think I'm going to get some couscous as a side dish, that seems appropriate somehow. I'll post a wrap-up when the simmering finally concludes.

We're cooking Gardiane La Camargue, French beef stew in the style of the cowboys Francais in the Camargue, south of Arles. The dish is from Patricia Wells' Bistro Cooking. Yesterday we cut the meat into 3- or 4-ounce pieces and prepped the carrots, onions and garlic before mixing it all together for an overnight marinade. Then, we drained the beef, reserving the marinade, and heated up oil in a pan. Then, I started browning the beef. Finally, I added in herbs and (whoops) the wrong kind of olives.

I pick up my wide bowl and start to pour in the wine and vegetables that marinated together with the beef for the last 24 hours. Of course, I somehow start pouring a bit before I make it to the pan. I'm not graceful even on my best of days. I have to use four or five paper towels to sop up the mess.

It's just as well, I decide, because all the wine might not have fit in my pan. That's a lot of beef, carrots, onions and wine. I set the heat to medium-low and put my big cast-iron lid on cockeyed. The smell of wine quickly permeates my home, mixing with the smell of browned beef. It's a bit overpowering, and makes me wonder how those French bistro chefs make it through their days without being a bit tipsy from the aroma alone. It's supposed to simmer for two hours? It's going to be a late dinner.  Next time I'm starting a lot earlier.

We're cooking Gardiane La Camargue, French beef stew in the style of the cowboys Francais in the Camargue, south of Arles. The dish is from Patricia Wells' Bistro Cooking. Yesterday we cut the meat into 3- or 4-ounce pieces and prepped the carrots, onions and garlic before mixing it all together for an overnight marinade. Then, we drained the beef, reserving the marinade, and heated up oil in a pan. Then, I started browning the beef.

It takes me a long time to brown all the beef, even in my huge cast-iron pan. I need three batches and each one takes me 10 or 12 minutes to get browned on all sides. My final batch gets pretty brown because my son begs me to play ball with him in his room. No matter, it will all even out in the end.

I start to sprinkle in my herbs; thyme and bay leaves; and can't find the thyme, so just throw in a handful of Italian seasoning that includes basil, thyme and marjoram, hoping that the basil flavor will just cook away (thyme and rosemary are the rare spicese that actually hold up to long cooking times, I've learned). I add the bay and then get ready to toss in the olives.

Uh-oh. I've somehow misread the recipe. Instead of buying oil-cured olives, I bought Nicoise olives, decidedly different (but, umm, still French? does that count?). I decide to put in about a half-cup and pick up some oil-cured olives while my stew is simmering.