Cooking With Ideas

Brother's Pizza -- Newish Location In Midtown Harrisburg

Brothers. No, I have never tried their pizza. Yes, a chain -- with 30 locations total? Yes, they have opened, on the corner of Third and Reilly in Midtown Harrisburg, in a building that is part of Harrisburg Area Community College. (and yes, the HACC presence is cool, their use of students to finish the building intentional and educational, and . . . ) The signs saying Brother's was coming were there for ages and finally -- they are there. Here's the pennlive announcement of their opening!

So, all those mornings standing across the street looking at the opening soon signs and waiting for the bus had an effect. I tried lunch-ishness one very hot afternoon.

What did I have? I had a version of a cheesesteak. Their ordinary one comes with American cheese. I got provolone. And, it comes, apparently ordinarily, with marinara sauce. This seems beyond weird to me. I did not get it. I did get onions. And, all in all, the sandwich was good. The bread, alas, was all wrong -- not the roll I think belongs with a cheesesteak. But it was inexpensive (relatively) and tasty.

The ambiance? Well, they definitely had the air conditioning on the very hot day I wandered by. And the guys were very into the World Cup (and yes, I was there the day the US played the UK). I liked the murals painted on the walls, featuring all sorts of Harrisburg sites (though they might have been a bit more creative in choosing them). . .  It feels a bit sterile though, and a bit in need of more visitors. It's very new. Maybe that's why? On the other hand, the guy who served me introduced himself -- and then remembered my name a few days later when I was walking by. I, alas, have no idea what his name is.

Might I try the pizza? I might indeed. Here's a review from the examiner. Here's urbanspoon on this location (which admittedly needs more attention):

Farm Sanctuary Interview!

The Farm Sanctuary is nearby, outside Watkins Glen and, yes, is, in many ways, directly linked to food politics because it is, both explicitly and implicitly a critique of factory farming and many aspects of the politics of food in the 20th and 21st centuries. Beyond that, it is the subject of a book of the same name authored by Gene Baur, who I met in a bookstore in Harrisburg (yep, the Midtown Scholar)  but who is a true Finger-Laker. Here, he speaks to the need for the Farm Sanctuary and its mission, as well as the ways the sanctuary links to many other issues.(By the way, apologies for hte uneven font below -- something weird with typepad today!)

Bibliochef: So, let’s begin with the basics. I know you are a founder of Farm Sanctuary – and have written about that. Can you tell readers how you came to do this work?

Gene: I was always bothered by the destruction caused by various human activities, and as I learned about factory farming, it was clear that this industry created enormous harm to animals, people and the environment. In the 1980’s, there was very little awareness about the abuses and problems caused by animal agriculture, and I was compelled to co-found Farm Sanctuary in 1986.

Bibliochef:The original Farm Sanctuary is, I think, in Watkins Glen. Why there?

Gene: Farm Sanctuary actually incorporated in the state of Delaware in 1986. We started there because a fellow activist had a house in Wilmington that he wasn’t using, and he allowed us to use it rent free. Then, a farmer in Avondale, PA who had some land that he wasn’t using donated a few acres of space to us to use. Finally, in 1989, Farm Sanctuary grew to the point were we could purchase a farm that would be owned by the organization, and we found affordable land near Watkins Glen, NY. In addition to the affordable price, we were attracted by the beauty of the region and it’s active tourism industry.

Bibliochef: I know that your rescued animals include some from the dairy industry, including Casey who was on the way to slaughter at less than one day old. What does Casey’s story tell us about the dairy industry?Gene: Casey’s story illustrates the callousness by which animals are treated in the dairy industry. The animals are treated like production units, and if they aren’t profitable to the farm, they are killed. Casey was born on a dairy farm, and since he was male and would never produce milk, he was sent to slaughter shortly after birth. But, Casey was very sick and might not have even survived the trip to the slaughterhouse, so he was turned over to a Farm Sanctuary investigator.

Bibliochef: Would you say the issues are similar or different for other aspects of factory farming?

Gene: Casey’s story is indicative of a general lack of respect for animals that exists on factory farms across the U.S. and around the world. The animals are seen as commodities, rather than as living, feeling animals.

Bibliochef: Food is at the center of a whole array of controversies these days – from whether famine and hunger are political products to the critique of factory farming and the argument for local consumption. In what ways is your work affected by the “politics of food”?

Gene: Right now we’re in the midst of a burgeoning food movement in the U.S.  As people learn more about factory farming, they are increasingly concerned, and they are beginning to eschew factory farmed products and to make food choices that are more consistent with their own values and interests. This is leading to a growth in farmers markets, community gardens, community supported agriculture programs and other systems that bring consumers into closer contact with the source of their food. These are positive trends, and they are aligned with Farm Sanctuary’s efforts.

Bibliochef: Like the Farm Sanctuary, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) takes up issues regarding animal welfare. In what ways would you see your issues as distinct? Your tactics?

Gene: Like PETA, Farm Sanctuary promotes vegan living and works to expose and combat animal cruelty. I think the primary distinction between PETA and Farm Sanctuary is that a significant part of Farm Sanctuary’s work involves operating sanctuaries and welcoming visitors who have a chance to interact with cows, pigs, chickens and other farm animals as friends instead of as food.

Bibliochef: There are a variety of potential laws under consideration in New York State (and elsewhere) that relate to the treatment of farm animals. I know your organization works in support of these. Can you tell us a bit about what these measures are and how to get involved?

Gene: In addition to legislation in other states and in Washington, DC, Farm Sanctuary is currently supporting three legislative proposals in New York. We’re supporting: a bill to outlaw cutting off the tails of cows, a dairy industry practice that causes acute pain and also hinders the cows’ ability to shoo away biting flies; a bill that seeks to outlaw the cruel confinement of veal crates, gestation crates, and battery cages by requiring that animals be given at least enough space to turn around and stretch their limbs; and, a bill that makes it illegal for downed animals, animals too sick even to stand, to be marketed and slaughtered for human food. People are encouraged to get involved by contacting their legislators to express support. More information, including ways to contact your elected officials, are online at www.farmsanctuary.org.

Bibliochef: Your organization is vegan and I presume you are as well.  Yet you cooperate with non-vegan organizations. Can you speak a bit about that?

Gene: Yes, Farm Sanctuary is a vegan organization, and I’ve been a vegan since 1985. Although we encourage people to adopt vegan lifestyles, we also work with people and organizations who are not vegan with whom we share common concerns. There is now growing mainstream opposition to factory farming, along with numerous opportunities to cooperate with health, environmental, justice and animal protection organizations to combat it.

Bibliochef: I know your work is connected to choices about how you eat  (as a vegan) and where.  Could you comment on how someone interested in related issues might make his or her best choices in a grocery store? A restaurant?

Gene: How we eat has profound consequences for ourselves, other animals and the entire planet, and we can make a world of difference by choosing to eat plants instead of animals. In addition to choosing plant foods over animal products, it’s generally best to support community based food production systems, such as farmers markets and co-ops, where there tends to be more transparency than with larger chain stores. There are also a number of established vegetarian and vegan restaurants and some new ones getting underway, and I think it’s a good idea to support them.

Bibliochef: So, do you cook?  If so, would you share a recipe?

Gene: My cooking tends to be very simple, but my girlfriend, Anastasia, prepares wonderful food and could provide a recipe. I also think it’s good to eat whole foods as close to nature as possible, so I try to eat fruits, nuts and seeds frequently.

Bibliochef: And now for some of the questions I ask all of the people I “speak” with! What’s the absolutely best meal you have ever had? What made it the best meal?

Gene: I really like brunch, and some of the best meals I’ve ever had were brunches. Beside loving breakfast foods, like pancakes, scrambled tofu, veggie sausage, and toast, brunches usually occur on days where I’m not rushed, and where I’m able to spend quality time with people.

Bibliochef: What music, films, books related to food would you recommend? Why?

Gene: There have been so many excellent books and films that have come out in recent years that help people understand the importance of their food choices. The film, Earthlings, is impactful and exposes the need to reevaluate our relationship with other animals. (For more on that film, click here.) Other films that provide food for thought are Food, Inc. and Fast Food Nation. Some books I’d recommend include, Fast Food Nation, Diet for a New America, Skinny Bitch, and Farm Sanctuary.

Bibliochef: (and yes, Gene is the author of the last on that list!) What do you eat for comfort food?

Gene: For comfort food, I like popcorn.

Bibliochef: Do you have a favorite restaurant in the Finger Lakes?

Gene: My favorite Finger Lakes restaurant is the House of Hong, a Chinese restaurant in Watkins Glen, NY that offers many vegan selections.

Bibliochef: So, thanks to Gene and remember, Farm Sanctuary, for those of you reading in upstate New York, is outside Watkins Glen. And, for the web-o-philes, just click here and learn more! For those of you in NY, click here; for those elsewhere, check out the site for California and other places!

Pizza Harrisburg Style

Midtown Harrisburg is actually filled with places to eat. I got in a bit of a rut -- and there are definitely places I like. But, I decided I had to branch out just a bit and try the neighborhood pizza. There are two options (there was one when I moved in) and I recently tried one:

Ciervo's Pizza and Subs is on the corner of Reilly and Second Street -- and I mean the corner. I dashed in there the other night, with about 15 minutes to go before the movie I wanted to see at the Midtown Cinema -- and that may have unduly (negatively) affected my evaluation which is not entirely positive. Yes, I ate the darn thing way way too fast,  walking quickly up the block or two to the cinema.

I got a slice of pepperoni pizza -- thin crust like I really prefer, a bit gooey, and with spicey pepperoni. I added a bit of red pepper flakes (though I had some trouble getting the darn things to come through the holes in the top of their container on to the slice of pizza) and some parmesan. Frankly, it was a bit too -- floppy to eat hurriedly, greasy to eat with no napkin (which I had rushed out without), and . . not terribly satisfying. It could be my fault. The movie was great. The pizza was not. Alas.

Perhaps not everyone agrees with me. Here's yelp on the place. And, below is the urban spoon link for alternative views!

 

I am terrifically slow too, and only just discovered Midtown Eats. Here's their stuff on Ciervo's. And their stuff more generally.

Vermilion Is Not Just A Color

Actually, the color is spelled with two ells sometimes -- but in any case, spelled with one, Vermilion is a restaurant on King Street in Alexandria, Virginia. (Thanks to Pigments through the Ages for the visual. Click and see a great visual form Titian using the color!) Oddly, they source some of their food from Central Pennsylvania -- and serve it in Alexandria. I discovered the place wandering in Old Town Alexandria in search of a nice meal on my own.

What did I have? As an appetizer I had a sort of fried green tomato thingie, which had soft shell crab (lightly batter fried), with some frisee, a schmeer of avocado, and yes, bacon. Sort of a crab BLT! While the breading on the tomato was a tiny bit heavy for my taste, the overall dish was a good balance of tart and sweet. I followed it with a halibut dish which came served atop a sort of fricasee of fresh spring peas with pea shoots and some local morels. A bit lemony. Very good -- very.

I did not have dessert. I had a decaf espresso. I would have liked to have dessert but I was actually full!

All in all an excellent meal at a place I would recommend. The service was nice, the wine list interesting, and i have a nice seat from which I could watch the people wandering King Street.

For Yelp reviews, click here.

Donut Shop Mystery

I like a good donut once in a while. Mostly, I prefer Dunkin' Donuts -- the apple spice donut in particular. (Want background on the Dunkin' Donuts thing? Try here.) Anyway, I like a Tim Horton's timbit when I am above the 49th -- especially at the rare moments when there are chocolate timbits covered in powdered sugar. (For a book that equates timbits with Canada, as I do, ignoring the fact they are available in Geneva, click here. No, I have not read it. Maybe eventually. But, still, great title.) Anyway, donuts. Or doughnuts. MMMMMMM.

So: I was in deep need of a junk hit -- and not only junk food, junk reading, which for me is all those wonderful murder mysteries that follow the formula -- food plus murder plus amateur detective equals . . . . smiles. Comfort reading rather than comfort food. Here, in this case, junk is not a bad thing -- it is a good thing. Formula fiction of just the right sort.

So: tonight I had a junk hit. I read Glazed Murder by Jessica Beck (who, according to the official donut shop site noted below, is a pseudonym for an Agatha Award winning mystery writer), a "donut shop mystery." Yep it features a (recently divorced) woman who runs a donut shop and [POTENTIAL SPOILER] when a body of an acquaintance/friend is dumped outside the door of her shop late one night (or, for her at least, early one morning) when she is getting ready to make donuts. Built a bit on cliches -- including a mother with whom she lives post-divorce, an annoying ex-husband, a new love interest, and recipes at the end of chapters, the book is just what you expect in formula fiction. Comforting in the ways it fits the formula -- just like a franchise donut! Indeed, this one has just the right soupcon of irritating features -- like the main character's self-recriminations for her weight -- to serve exactly the right sinful but regretful role of . . . junk food. (I ought not support . . . . well, female negativity alogside agency alongside heteosexism alongside. . . donuts! But, to be honest, I enjoyed the read.)

And it is evidently the first in Beck's series since inside the front flap (dated 2010, of course) is a list of more to come: Fatally Frosted and Sinister Sprinkles. (What does that mean that there are 2 to come when this is her first? Did she have 3 written when she approached the publisher? I have no idea. Puzzles inside puzzles.) 

As you can see, the series focuses on doughnuts. And, as one learns from the first in the series, these might be yeast donuts, fried donuts, banana cream filled chocolate iced (yuck) donuts. And, unlike places like the franchises listed above (and below), if you have a local donut shoppe that makes them from scratch, do order ahead. They take a while to make! For the wikipedia entry on donuts/doughnuts, click here. It's pretty interesting even if it would make a lousy footnote. For more, try here . . . or, go out and buy a donut. (NO, I am not a Krispy Kreme fan. Are you?) 

For goodreads reviews of Glazed Murder, click here.

More importantly, for the donut shop official site, try here. Fatally Frosted is due out in August. Wonder if there's a way to . . . get a free donut?

New Harrisburg Eatery

A new eatery has opened in midtown Harrisburg, and because my usual Saturday brunch spot was closed for Memorial Day weekend, I decided to try it out. The place specializes in buffets -- says "no tips" pretty loudly -- and is incredibly inexpensive. The place was welcoming (perhaps a little eagerly so), and alas a bit empty. I urge you to try it out -- and be nice -- the owner is clearly into it, not a big restaurant guy, and doing the neighborhood a real favor. Plus, who wouldn;t like the red and black decor?

Flow Buffet Cafe -- and it's advertisement catch line, "just around the corner" (or is it, just a block away?) is right on. Located on the corner of Second Street and Harris, the place has loads of flags out announcing it is there. Each day, there is a different lunch and dinner buffet (for $7 and $10 respectively) and on Saturday and Sunday there are brunches (also a buffet). What did I have? Coffee (they are proud of their roast; not bad, I say), orange juice (I wish it were fresh squeezed and would be willing to pay more for it) and the buffet. What was on the buffet? Baked oatmeal, pancakes (blueberry or plain), crepes (also blueberry), eggs (scrambled with something in them that was delightful but I cannot identify), bacon (mmmmm) and sausage. I loved what I had, except the crepes which were a bit sweet for my taste. 

The table I had wobbled, so the owner (I assume?) very kindly moved me and fixed the table. He was enthusiastic (have I said that already?) -- they are adding more to the buffet as they go along, and expanding their offerings. It is a perfect kind of neighborhood place, complete with the Patriot News to read. 

Do not, as all the hype suggests, think buffet with too many things. Think, instead, chef prepared breakfast prepared for a buffet. And think, as I am right this minute, of trying out the dinners -- they seem to do somewhere around 3 mains and dinner comes with all the bits included, as I said, for a big $10.

All in all, worth it. Inexpensive, kind, and . . . I felt a little weird hanging out there, but that may just be the kind of day I was having.

To read more about the new cafe, click here.

Cookbooks -- Toooooo Many Cooooookbooooks!

So -- a new set of cookbooks that made their way to the pile through the mail. There are surprisingly many -- and they will be reviewed here! Arriving via that mysterious process called the US Post Office, there are five. AKA vijf (dutch), पांच (Hindi), viisi (finnish; and yes, this seems related -- surprise, surprise -- to the Dutch), funf (with an umlaut on the u; and yes, that's German), or 다섯 (Korean). Yes, there are many ways to say -- there are 5 books in this pile. They are (in absolutely no particular order):

Kansas City Barbecue Society Cookbook is an orange hard back book with big print on the outside. And, it announces with a yellow faux sticky: KCBS 25th Anniversary edition.) What's inside? First, you need to know that the society is a real thing. To check our their site, click here.The four required ingredients: chicken, pork (as in pork shoulder), pork ribs, and beef brisket. The ways to make each of them: varied. The book's categories: appetizers, sides, "anything butt," desserts. Also includes: marinates, rubs, sauces and more. And yes, I like a good pork recipe. One thing I find a bit humorous: the authors are credentialed through the notion of PhB -- which I assume is somehow analogous to the Ph.D. . . Things I learned: in this case, the butt is really but -- and means any meat dish that is not in one of the sanctioned categories -- salmon, italian sausage, venison meatloaf. (One recipe even says "New York State Spiedies." Yes this is a regional thing -- and not Kansas City.) At first glance, I thought -- well, not my kind of cookbook. I was wrong. While I would probably not buy it, it does offer tempting fare. . . . and yes, I mean pork shoulder.

POOR GIRL GOURMET by Amy McCoy is also a book that features orange on its cover. Yep, orange. Maybe it's a theme. Anyway, the subtitle of this book is NOT "barbecue. . . it's not just for breakfast anymore" (yep, that's the subtitle of the prior book!) -- instead it is: " eat in style on a bare-bones budget." Anyone hear the echoes of the words "economic crisis" or even "recession"? McCoy is the author of poorgirlgourmet.blogspot.com -- yep, a blog based cookbook. (I am jealous. I am, I am.) Too many of the "you can do it for less, remember the recession" books are actually not very good. This one seems more than okay, though. A few recipes? Candidates for most tempting to me: cider-braised fennel; risotto formaggio di capra (yep, goat cheese risotto); and rhubarb ginger chutney (that is use-able for up to a month). Plus, I am a sucker for any cookbook that includes granita recipes -- and this one does.The book also has a section on reasonably priced wines. And, one of my favorite things I under-utilize -- a set of menu suggestions. Amy, it turns out, is head of Slow Food Rhode Island.

Cider Beans, Wild Greens, and Dandelion Jelly (yes, that's the title and should be capitalized or underlined or something -- but hey, the easy way of accomplishing that is messed up in the mysterious world of typepad so, . . I gave up) is authors by Joan E. Aller.  It is the most attractive of these books, with no orange in sight, and a lovely balance of greens and visuals saying, quite loudly, home preserving. Pretty and tempting. Subtitle this time? Yes, there is one. And it says: "Recipes from Southern Appalachia." Hurrah for regional cooking. (Don;t know where the southern Appalachian region is? Click here (for a map and general info) or here for information on southern Appalachian speech. And yes, this does, indeed, include the land of snake-handling Christianity.  Recipes include: baked catfish with pecans and spicy butter sauce; pepper pot soup; and things to do with grits. The beverage section does include a mint julep -- but also old fashioned root beer (made with dandelion root) and dandelion wine. The final chapters is, more or less, preserves -- including green tomato pickles and a peculiar thing called corncob jelly. Perhaps most interesting to the un-knowledgeable -- and that would include me -- the short history of the four groups of settlers -- the Cherokee, Melungeons, black Africans and (white) Europeans (including Scotch-Irish, Germans, English and Scandinavians).

At the Table
is (and yes, I am still struggling with the underlining!!!!) is a book that looks like a cozy mystery, with a drawing of a table, vines along the edges. and a subtitle in a sort of cozy-ish font that says "Favorite recipes to Share with the People You Love." I admit it -- a bit schmaltzy. A lot schmaltzy. Just a tiny bit too cutesy for me. It sort of reminded me, physically, of stores that have too many fru-fru things and, say, aromatherapy candles and ruffles. If that's you, this might work for you.

SPICE DREAM is a smaller book, with the best subtitle of all: "Flavored ice creams and other frozen treats." It has an ice cream cone inverted on the cover and includes such recipes as: dark chocolate anise ice cream; chile-lemongrass ice cream; and curried banana splits. Not sure if I will ever make any of these things, but authors Sara Engram and Katie Luber have offered a real set of treats. (They are the folks who created The Seasoned Palate. And yes, I have reviewed another book -- also arrived free in the mail -- which involved their products.) (I have a vague thought that Sara Engram is a Duke graduate. No idea why I think that. Anyone else know?) 

So: five fun fantasy foodis frenzy (yes, f words on my mind! Click here for more) -- books!