People are giving up gluten. It may be because of a diagnosis of celiac disease or finding out you have a genetic predisposition to it. It may be a wheat allergy or from simply experiencing gluten intolerance whenever you eat it. Or it may just be a lifestyle choice after reading how gluten is a very recent addition to the human diet and that the medical community is realizing that the prevalence of celiac disease seems to have increased dramatically in recent years.

Unfortunately, testing for celiac disease and gluten intolerance is not perfect, so many individuals rely on their own instincts and bodies and embark on a complete makeover of their eating habits, realizing that they just feel better when they don't eat gluten.

Gluten and gluten-contaminated products are everywhere. And, often, they are in the foods we love the most. Bread, pasta, and cake are the most obvious culprits. But what about the wheat in soy sauce (used in the fermentation process), creamed soups (in the roux), or cola (via the caramel color)? Or malt vinegar, barley, rye, oats, triticale, and beer? Gluten hides in the most unexpected places.

Now imagine if you are gluten intolerant AND vegan. As I mentioned in a previous post, just because a vegan has to or chooses to avoid gluten, his or her ethical stance about animal products doesn't change. So, the elimination of gluten gets added to the vegan lifestyle. Luckily, awareness about gluten intolerance is becoming more prominent, making it easier for everyone to find food that works for them. Mainstream grocery stores like Safeway are tagging their gluten-free items. More and more exclusively vegan companies, like Eat Pastry are offering gluten-free products. Churches are even offering gluten-free wafers for communion. Allyson Kramer of Manifest Vegan transformed her vegan food blog to a gluten-free vegan food blog when she was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2009. And a recently launched blog called xgfx offers up animal-friendly, gluten-free recipes and resources because "While there are plenty of great resources out there for vegans, and many for the gluten-free crowd, there seem to be very few for folks like us who dwell in both camps." So, it’s easier than ever to find recipes and products that are safe and restaurants that are sensitive to the topic. But it's still rare enough that a little advice doesn't hurt.

In the Bay Area, several restaurants offer gluten-free vegan options that are definitely worth checking out. If you have celiac disease, or are severely gluten intolerant, I recommend calling ahead to see what practices they have in place in their kitchens to avoid contamination.

Photo Credit: Gracias Madre

Most of Gracias Madre's menu is gluten-free. There are only a few items that aren’t. I recommend… everything! But The Papas al Horno, Quesadillas de Camote, Enchiladas con Mole, Platillo de Legumbres, and whatever cheesecake they have at the moment should be the first things you try. Can you tell this is my favorite restaurant?

Souley Vegan's Fried Okra, Yams, Mustard Greens, Potato Salad, and Cayenne Lemonade

Souley Vegan is your destination for comforting, healthy, simple soul food in a truly caring and down-to-earth environment. You can tell that owner Tamearra Dyson built this restaurant out of love and it's become a destination for home cooking for the community surrounding it, vegan or not. Souley Vegan labels the items on the menu that contain wheat. My recommendations are the crispy and light fried okra, the simple and tender yams, and the mustard greens. And make sure to grab a cayenne lemonade to sip on!

Cafe Gratitude's "I Am Thriving" creamy tomato soup, "I Am Hearty" deep-dish pizza, "I Am Fortified" quinoa bowl, and "I Am Awakening" raw key lime pie

Café Gratitude recently went through a menu change (they are not exclusively raw anymore and have expanded to include cooked items). They've also lowered their prices by 24% in response to the rising cost of food and healthcare. They even offer a community-supported "I am Grateful" grain bowl where payment for the bowl is by donation ($7 recommended) and no one is turned away. The bowl was created "to allow for those in financial need to have access to organic vegan food." You don't see many restaurants offering that kind of service to their community.

They also happen to offer great gluten-free options -- as in pretty much the entire menu. Live mac and cheese, maple coconut "bacon" BLTs, and raw deep dish pizza. The creativity at Gratitude never ceases to amaze me. Important tip: make sure to eat dessert there (key lime pie highly recommended).

Source's Dan Dan Noodles, Truffle Macaroni & Cheese, and Baked Vegan Spinach Artichoke Fondue

Source is one of the most health-conscious, allergy-conscious, vegan-conscious places I have ever experienced. The staff is beyond kind and patient as you ask them over and over your usual "does this have...?" questions. Their cashew-cheese-based mac and cheese is gluten-free (if you ask for no breadcrumbs) and insanely yummy with truffle oil and a red pepper sauce drizzle. The gorgeous Dan Dan noodles are creamy and satisfying in an almond sweet soy sauce. And ask for live chips to go with an order of the Baked Vegan Spinach Artichoke Fondue to make it gluten-free. You won’t be disappointed.

VIK's Mix Vegetable Pakoras, Idli, and Masala Dosa.

I love VIK's. It's one of my favorite destinations on the weekend. Take the pup to Point Isabel, then pick up some Indian chaat and reminisce about my trip to Mumbai and Goa a few years back when I was too afraid to try anything served on the street. What’s great is that they recently started labeling their online menu with symbols for what's vegan and gluten-free, and luckily they have several items that are both—namely the Mix Vegetable Pakoras, Vegetable or Masala Dosa, Uttapam, and the Idli.

Here are a few additional places to check out:

• The Buddha Girl Roll at Sushirrito is gluten-free and vegan and has a delectable combination of Hodo Soy Spicy Tofu Strips, roasted garnet yams, shiitake mushroom, shaved cabbage, avocado, green onions, and crumbled rice chips.
• Vegan restaurant chain, Loving Hut, is happy to accommodate gluten-free guests. My fave is the Spicy Royal Noodle Soup at Westfield Centre. Just ask for gluten-free and they adjust the order for you.
• Gather in Berkeley clearly marks their menu for gluten-free and vegan options, and urges guests to notify servers of any dietary restrictions so that they can be accommodated. Some of the gluten-free/vegan options currently include yuba "pappardelle" in a mushroom "Bolognese" sauce; a young carrot plate with hen of the woods mushrooms, hay-carrot top pesto, fava beans, dehydrated kale, charred peel, and espelette peppers; and their famous vegan "charcuterie."
• Vegetarian (and super vegan-friendly) restaurant Ubuntu in Napa (named the #2 best new restaurant in the country by New York Times when it opened in 2008) has a lot of gluten-sensitive guests so they happily offer many options.
• Millennium is a great destination for gluten-free vegan eating. The restaurant even held a Gluten-Free Winemaker Dinner back in March. A must-eat is their plate of Crusted Oyster Mushrooms (with chickpea flour & thyme dredge, radish salad with ginger aioli, and grapefruit-habanero chile jam).
• Shangri-La Vegan in Oakland offers some of the cleanest food you can imagine. They post their menu daily on their website and most of the time the entire menu is gluten-free. With a Macrobiotic/Tibetan/Buddhist/100% organic menu (at very affordable prices), you will leave satisfied, light, and guilt-free.


Shangri-La Vegan moderate meal. Photo Credit: Wendy Goodfriend

As I'm sure you know, macaroni and cheese is all the rage right now. With entire restaurants dedicated to the creamy, comforting stuff, it's clear that it's a childhood favorite that we don't outgrow. Vegans have long been in the practice of creating amazing versions of animal-ingredient-free varieties. There's even an entire blog dedicated to it called the Noochy Noodle. But what if you are vegan and also gluten-free? Just because a vegan gets diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity his or her ethical stance about animal products doesn't change. So, the elimination of gluten gets added to their vegan lifestyle.

The two main components in traditional mac and cheese are dairy and wheat. So, you may wonder how a gluten-free vegan could possibly, of all dishes, manage to eat some. Believe it or not, it's possible to create a delectable, velvety, savory bowl of noodles that will satisfy even an omnivore. I know of four restaurants in the Bay Area that serve gluten-free vegan mac and cheese: Source, Nature's Express, Cafe Gratitude (and a raw variety at that!), and Homeroom. However, everyone knows that nothing beats homemade. So, let's start with some cashews and some rice pasta and take it from there...

Gluten-Free Vegan Macaroni and Cheese

Summary: This makes a cheesy, gooey mac and cheese. I prefer not to bake it so that the nut base doesn't get too dry or congeal. The base for the cheese sauce was inspired by the Raw Cashew Cheese recipe on Chocolate & Zucchini.

Prep time: After soaking cashews, 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min (some steps are done simultaneously)
Yield: 4 2-cup servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup cashews (soaked for 6 hours or overnight -- measure after soaking)
• 1/2 cup vegan milk (I used homemade cashew milk, but any other type would work)
• 1/4 cup roasted red peppers (from a jar works fine)
• 3 tablespoons white wine (find a vegan variety here)*
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Earth Balance (I prefer the soy-free variety, which would also make this a soy-free recipe.)
• 1 large clove of garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• black pepper to taste (but I recommend a lot)
• 1 bag Trader Joe's Organic Brown Rice Fusilli Pasta (This is the best gluten-free pasta I have found, and it's only $1.99. It comes in other shapes, but fusilli is the best.)**



*The addition of wine and vinegar helps give the sauce the sharp taste that the fermentation in dairy cheese produces.
**If you are not gluten-free, you can totally use regular wheat pasta here as well.
Note: If you're not feeling the macaroni part, you can also just make the sauce and use it for other recipes that call for cheesy concoctions, like a vegan fondue, over veggies, or drizzled on vegan pizza.

Instructions

1. Start cooking the pasta according to directions. I've learned that exactly 8 minutes is the ideal time for the Trader Joe's brand.
2. In the meantime put all other ingredients into a blender and gradually increase the speed to the highest possible, and blend until completely smooth. I highly recommend using a good quality (preferably high-speed) blender like a Vitamix to get the creamiest consistency possible. But whatever blender you use, the key it to get it as smooth as possible and without any gritty texture.



3. Pour "cheese" mixture into a pot and over medium low heat, gradually heat sauce while constantly stirring with a whisk.
4. Drain noodles, rinse for a second, and while still wet combine with cheese sauce.
5. Stir.
6. Eat.

You can also customize this recipe easily. Add a little cayenne or jalapeños for a kick. Sprinkle with gluten-free bread crumbs or crumbled potato chips. Stir in peas or broccoli florets. Use your imagination! Then grab a bowl, pile in the creamy pasta, and relive your childhood (maybe add some grown-up cartoons for even more authenticity).

Like many modern friendships that are born in our era of social networking, I first "met" Ezra Caldwell online in 2006. I discovered his Flickr account through mutual contacts and was drawn to his extraordinary images of dancers, his beautiful wife Hillary and photogenic pooch Putney. We also happen share a deep devotion to bicycles and food, and he regularly chronicled his endeavors in frame building and cooking.

Ezra shared his thoughts with me about cooking via email: "I think it's important that people eat at home a certain amount of the time. For us it's pretty much every night. We eat out about once every three weeks. There's something about the time spent in the kitchen in the evening that is a real relaxer for me. A meditation. I often drag out food preparation just because I enjoy that time of day."

While I had lived in Ezra's hometown of New York City for 13 years, it wasn't until I moved all the way across the country to San Francisco that I finally met Ezra in real life. In the spring of 2007, he and another Flickr friend, Yohei Morita, embarked on a trip throughout the U.S. to share bicycle adventures and meet other Flickr comrades. They met me and a mutual Flickr friend, Judah, during their visit to the Bay Area.

And like many modern time-pressed friendships, we stayed in touch in the virtual realm. And so it was through Flickr that I learned in August of 2008, Ezra was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. In true Ezra fashion, who has never shied away from baring it all, he started a blog, "Teaching Cancer to Cry," as a "a way to keep people up-to-date as treatment progresses, and a way for me to look back when all this is over and reminisce."

Six weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatments began. Ezra wrote about the tough days, yet still managed to make us laugh, too. He even got married along the way.

When he went into remission, he started posting recipes for spinach salad, sudado de pescado, and stewed chicken with olives. His lush images of his elaborate meals mirrored his renewed energy.

Then in September of 2010, the cancer returned. He resumed his documentation of the grim realities of his second round with the disease.

Through all of this, Ezra still found time and the desire to cook.

"Over the last bunch of months, I was really laid low. I was in a lot of pain, a lot of the time. Having to take pain killers. Spending a lot of time in bed. Happily, though, this time around we found an anti-emetic (anti-nausea) drug that worked! So for most of the winter I would just save up my energy during the day to be able to get out of bed and cook some evening. It meant a lot to me to be able to continue to contribute to the household. I've always done nearly all the cooking, and didn't want treatment to interrupt that. Just about everything else went on the back burner."

Cooking also ignited yet another creative project.

"I started making videos, partly because I was getting back into making video and needed a subject, and here was this thing that I was doing every day anyway! I like to encourage people to cook. I think it's a little strange when people don't know how, or believe they can't. Cooking is easy! It's not hard to make yourself really good food.

So I started putting instructions for cooking on the blog, and later the videos with the instructions. I think it's sort of a great way to learn. See something done REALLY fast, and then read some instructions for it. You've still got an image in your head of what it looked like, and the instructions can be pretty bare bones.

I don't like the word "recipe." I feel as though there's an implication with "recipes" that makes people believe that there's a RIGHT way to cook a certain dish. That sort of takes the fun out of it. Instead I try to write instructions for dishes that maybe include some useful technique, like braising, or using an ice bath, that people will be able to include in their arsenal of approaches in the future. I love it when people write to me and say, "I tried that dish, but I changed it in this way and that, and it came out great!" Aha...you've been bitten."

Here's his artful visual rendition of "Braised Lamb Shanks" that will make your mouth water.

Braised Lamb Shanks from Fast Boy.

You can find his complete archive of instructions and food videos on his blog. He's since finished up his latest round of treatment and recently prepared a sumptuous lobster dinner with a friend who's battling breast cancer. May the cooking and celebrations continue for a long, long time.

With Memorial Day just around the corner, it's time to talk about burgers (again). Yes, I know I just wrote about all-beef patties, but you don't need meat to make a tasty burger. Veggie burgers can be just as delicious as their beef counterparts, and healthier too.

Now when I say veggie burgers, I do not mean garden burgers. Just like any mass-produced food, frozen garden burgers are a quick commercially-made alternative to a true veggie burger. Making homemade vegetarian burgers is not much more difficult than preparing beef burgers (especially if you have a food processor) and you can modify the recipe for your own tastes and preferences. Plus they aren't full of sodium (unlike the frozen varieties).

There are numerous ways to make veggie burgers. Whether using mushrooms, vegetables, tofu or beans as a base, each recipe has something different to offer. I like making my burgers with beans because the texture, when pulsed in a food processor, is really perfect for shaping into patties. I also just like the flavor of beans. Other ingredients I tend to use are walnuts (which provide both substance and flavor), spinach (which helps bind the burger), carrots and onions. You'll also need to mix in a dry ingredient or the burger will disintegrate into the pan when you try to fry it (trust me on this as I've had it happen). The good news is that you can really use whatever you'd like, from bread crumbs to oatmeal, rice, bulgur or couscous (which is what I used when preparing the recipe below this week as I had some leftover from dinner the night before).

Seasonings are really whatever you want. If using black beans, try a tsp of cumin and 1/2 cup cilantro. If you want something with an Italian flavor, use cannellini beans and then add in some sun dried tomatoes and basil. Other flavorings could be chili powder, turmeric, curry powder, ginger, soy sauce or a variety of herbs. It's your burger, so mix in whatever sounds good.

Keep in mind that veggie burgers need to be cooked and prepared a little differently than meat burgers. Here are some tips and tricks to keep in mind:
• Don't over process the ingredients or else the burger will fall apart
• Cook in a nonstick pan (I use my cast-iron pans)
• Fry your burgers in a little bit of oil
• Handle your burgers carefully as veggie burgers are more fragile than meat burgers and tend to fall apart
• Chill your burgers before cooking (if time allows) as they will maintain their shape better
• Start off cooking in a hot skillet and then reduce the heat
• If you accidentally over process the beans, just add more dry ingredients
• Taste the bean mixture before adding the egg so you can determine if you have seasoned everything to your liking

Following is my bean burger recipe along with some links to other types of veggie burgers that you may find interesting. Some are vegan, some vegetarian and all worth considering.

Recipe: Vegetarian Bean Burgers

Summary: You can use whatever type of bean you'd like in this recipe. I often prepare it with lentils or kidney beans, but black beans, pintos, garbanzos or cannellinis would also be fine. And although I use canned beans in the recipe, you can use home cooked if you have them around.

Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4 burgers

This recipe also uses an egg to help bind the mixture into patties. I've never made it without the egg, but I hear you can substitute a 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes if you want to keep it vegan. You can also leave out the nuts if you're not a fan or are allergic. They are optional.

Ingredients

• 1 14 oz can beans (kidney, lentil, garbanzo, cannellini, black or pinto)
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 carrot diced
• 1/4 onion diced
• 1 handful spinach
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce*
• 1 tsp Dijon or brown mustard

1 egg

• 1 cup dry ingredients (fresh bread crumbs, bulgur, brown rice, oatmeal or couscous)
• Salt and pepper to taste (taste before you put in the egg)
• Olive or vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

1. Dump the beans, onions, walnuts, carrots, spinach, Worcestershire sauce and mustard into your food processor and pulse 6 times.



2. Taste mixture and add salt and pepper (and any other seasonings you want) to taste.
3. Add in the egg and pulse another one or two times, making sure not to over puree, and then place everything in a big bowl.



4. Mix in your dry ingredients and then carefully shape into patties using wet hands (so the mixture doesn't stick to your fingers). Refrigerate for 10 minutes if you have time.
5. Heat your pan (I prefer my cast iron for this job) to medium high and then add in enough oil to coat the bottom of the entire pan. Set your burgers into the pan and cook uncovered until the bottom is nicely browned. Lower the heat to medium and then gently flip your burgers. Cover the pan and cook for about five minutes.
6. Check your burgers to see if they're done. Flip again (gently or else they'll fall apart) if they need to cook further. If you're adding cheese, this is the time to do it.
7. Remove burgers, set on a bun, add whatever toppings you like and dig in.

*Apparently Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies (who knew?) so if you'd like to keep this vegetarian or vegan, you can substitute soy sauce.

Other Veggie Burgers That Look Good

Here's a list of recipes for veggie burgers that I haven't yet tried, but plan on preparing in the future.

• Moosewood's Mushroom Pecan Burgers from the venerable and reliable Moosewood Restaurant
• Summer Veggie Burger Made to Order by Mark Bittman
• The Simplest Bean Burgers from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything
• Tofu Burgers by 101 Cookbooks
• Cracked Wheat Burgers with Pickled Onions and Lime Slather from Better Homes and Gardens
• Greek Spinach Veggie Burgers from Better Homes and Gardens
• Bean Burgers from Alison Holst from Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Life
• Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger from Meatless Monday
• Mushroom Burgers With Almonds and Spinach from the New York Times Recipes for Health
• White Bean Burgers from the New York Times Recipes for Health

UCSF professor Robert Lustig became an Internet video sensation when he spoke out about the evils of sugar in a post that went viral on YouTube. He was also recently featured in a New York Times Magazine cover story, "Is Sugar Toxic?" Lustig joins Forum in the studio to discuss sugar's role in diabetes, obesity and related diseases.

Original Broadcast: Thu, Apr 21, 2011 -- 10:00 AM

Host: Michael Krasny

Guest:
Robert Lustig, professor of pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology and director of the Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH) Program at the UCSF Medical Center

Robert H. Lustig, MD, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology, explores the damage caused by sugary foods. He argues that fructose (too much) and fiber (not enough) appear to be cornerstones of the obesity epidemic through their effects on insulin.

Related Article:
Is Sugar Toxic? (NYTimes)

Do you see the universe on your plate? Vinita Chopra Jacinto wants you to.
The culinary instructor from CCA -- one of four panelists in a moderated discussion hosted by the Asian Culinary Forum on Food as Medicine: Cuisine, Curatives, & Culture -- doesn't see the food on her plate as a collection of commodities or functional prescriptions. When she looks at her plate, she sees her past (family memories), her culture (folklore), her impact on the world (whose culture is she borrowing from, what is she modeling for the future) and the whole balance of a healthy lifestyle. In other words, she sees the universe and her connection to it.

A small crowd of people gathered Tuesday night in a large meeting room on the second floor of the San Francisco Ferry Building. With the Bay Bridge illuminated in the background, we were there to talk about the relationship between food and medicine and the use of food as medicine. The result: less in depth discussion and prescription of particular ingredients and more passionate anecdotes about culture, healing and responsibility.

The evening started with an informal reception. Panelists and volunteers from the Asian Culinary Forum provided quite a spread of healing foods and spices, both for display as well as tasting. On display was a rainbow array of spices, stunning mushroom formations, goji berries, dragon eye, red dates, wood ear (black fungus), and snow fungus. Tastings included: bitter melon; two capsaicin spiced "elixirs" (I tried to figure out how to steal the case of the lychee wasabi flavor undetected, but failed to concoct a foolproof plan); a buffet of dried fruit, nuts, and an oyster mushroom and walnut pate; and three soups: Qing Ji Tang (herbal chicken soup with soft stewed hunks of ginger easily twice the size of my thumb), Miyeuk Guk (a Korean seaweed soup, thick and rich with sea vegetables and snow fungus), and Shu Jiao Jiang (pork ginger vinegar soup, a dark, fragrant caldron). They rolled out black sesame "truffles" sweetened with honey and covered in shredded coconut at the end of the evening, which were a perfectly balanced treat, not too rich or cloying, and completely satisfying, almost palate cleansing.

Moderated by Nancy Chen, a professor of anthropology at UC Santa Cruz, the panel included Jane Lin, who, inspired by the soups her parents prepared to help her recovery after the birth of her first child, launched Mama Tong as a way to bring healthy, healing, traditional Chinese foods to new mothers; Vinita Chopra Jacinto, a culinary instructor at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, where she teaches a new generation of culinary students old food wisdom; John Garrone, proprietor of Far West Fungi, an exotic mushroom company located in the Ferry Building; and Michelle Warner, a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist.

There was just a little bit of talk on the power of specific ingredients, without going too deeply into the science of how the foods work with our bodies: John Garrone provided a nice primer on the medicinal uses of some fungi he favors -- maitake tea for strength, tree oysters for immune boosting, and lion's head for digestion; Michelle Warner promoted mung beans and tulsi tea (holy basil), an adaptogenic herb that balances out just about everything; and Jane Lin gave several options for increasing milk production for nursing mothers, including fenugreek and high protein foods (she also strongly recommended sleep and proper hydration).

But more, over the course of the evening, the panelists shared their personal perspectives on what food means to them and how it integrates into the fabric of their lives. Jane Lin shared her reluctant acceptance of a traditional Chinese post-partum confinement after her first child's birth, and the strange looking but ultimately healing soups that came with it. John Garrone told the story of feeding his son strength-building maitake before difficult wrestling matches and Vinita Chopra Jacinto joyfully described her mother's masala dabba -- a jewelry box filled with traditional spices that she added to meals, a cross between a magician and a doctor, to keep her family healthy. All agreed that what is happening now with our culture's sharp focus on food, especially in the Bay Area, is that we are seeing an incredible opportunity to move beyond fad diets and build bridges between old traditions and contemporary applications.

When asked by an audience member how it all connects -- the nutrition science, the energetic sciences of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, and the cultural wisdom or folklore -- the panelists agreed that nutrition isn't an exact science yet, that the connections between theses perspectives are still developing, but that ultimately you get out of food what you want. It's your choice, when you look at your plate, to see random bits or your whole world.

At the end, the panelists agreed on some simple prescriptions:
• Eat in season. Eating in season is one easy, natural way to keep your body in balance from a healing perspective, plus food in season tastes better.
• Eat the full range of flavors (sweet, salty, bitter, sour, pungent, astringent) and colors in food.
• Taste matters. Taste your food, really chew your food and experience the range of flavors represented on your plate. Food, especially functional foods, should nourish your senses as well as your body.
• Prescriptive eating isn't enough; functional (medicinal) foods can only enhance the bigger picture lifestyle choices we make to support balanced health overall.

Sean of Hapuku Fish Shop at Market Hall

You wouldn't think that something as mundane as making a sandwich for my daughters on a weekend afternoon would be loaded with controversy, but it is. You see, my daughters love tuna fish sandwiches. Easy enough, right? We all grew up on sandwiches made of canned white tuna mixed with mayonnaise and served with a pickle. Yet although this quintessential American lunch may seem benign, it's something I refuse to serve my children. The tuna fish sandwich we all grew up on is now too controversial, and potentially dangerous, for my daughters to eat.

As a recent San Francisco Magazine article entitled "The New School of Fish" by Erik Vance has helped highlight, eating carnivorous fish like tuna is unsustainable. But as a mother, I'm equally (if not more) concerned with mercury levels in the foods I give my family, along with antibiotics founds in many farmed fish stocks. Yes, I want to support sustainable fishery, but I also want to make sure I'm not dousing my children's bodies with poison.

Mr. Vance's exploration of fish sustainability and Forum's latter discussion on the topic were both incredibly informative and helpful to me as a consumer, yet I'm starting to realize that although I know more now than I did before, I am still woefully uninformed. One of the big discussions on Forum was that although fish markets and restaurants may think they're offering sustainable and healthy choices, they later find out that they were misinformed, and in some cases lied to, by distributors. On Forum, Craig Stoll of Delfina said that he found out only that morning that the Petrole Sole he offered the night before had questionable sustainability issues. If he can't figure it out, how do ordinary consumers stand a chance?

Over the years I've struggled to find a solid list of fish that I can give my family, but like a neighborhood built on landfill, what seems solid at one moment can buckle the next. So although a type of fish may seem okay one year, an El Nino season, a hurricane somewhere, an oil spill, or simply new scientific information about fish habitats and levels can change everything.

This is why I now purchase my seafood from a local fish shop that is owned and operated by someone who is passionate about providing sustainable and healthy fish to his customers. As an East Bay resident I go to Hapuku Fish Shop at Market Hall in the Rockridge District of Oakland. Going to a market like Hapuku allows me to be a little lazier. The store chooses their selection according to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch list and they make an effort to know where their fish selection comes from and how they were caught. I now also try to avoid all large carnivorous fish because their mercury levels are higher (and, as it turns out, these fish also dominate the overfished and endangered lists).

But shopping at Hapuku isn't always realistic for me, and not everyone has access to a fish monger who's passionate about what he sells. When I'm shopping somewhere else, I've come up with a list of resources that help me determine what I should and should not buy. Most of the resources are online, so having a smart phone is pretty helpful when purchasing fish and although I think it's ridiculous that I need to be plugged into the Internet to buy salmon, this is sadly the world we live in now. If you don't have a smart phone, you could easily copy these resources and take them with you when shopping.

Here's my list. If you know of other reliable resources, please share them in the comments section.

Consumer Fish Resource List

• The granddaddy of all resources is the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch List, which catalogs every imaginable fish and details what is a best choice (taking into account both health issues and sustainability factors) and which fish should be avoided. If you have an iPhone or other smart phone, you can download their free app. If not, you can print their cheat sheets from their site; or you can pick up a nicely printed card from them the next time you go to their wonderful aquarium.
• Only buy fish that is in season. Sausalito's Fish Restaurant has a fantastic Truly Sustainable Choices cheat sheet available for this purpose. When you look at it you'll see that fish have seasons, much like peaches and tomatoes, so if want to buy California Sea Bass, get it in the summer.
• Monterey Fish Market has its own incredibly helpful list of sustainably-fished seafood on their site that is worth checking out.
• Erik Vance's San Francisco Magazine article The New School of Fish provides an in-depth look at fishing and sustainability, but even if you don't have time to read the whole thing, it's worth taking a look at the visuals that go with it. I especially like the alternatives list, where Mr. Vance provides information on good sustainable alternatives (such as substitute California Albacore Tuna for Ahi Tuna). The article also details the difference between various fishing techniques, from rod and reel to long line (and I guarantee you that once you read about long-line fishing you'll never knowingly purchase anything that was caught that way again).
• Whole Foods shoppers can look for the "Fish Forever" label, which lists fish endorsed by the Marine Stewardship Council, although beware that this independent non-profit organization has been questioned by the Times of London and that Greenpeace does not endorse it.
• Greenpeace has its own International Seafood Red List which inventories fish to avoid.
• And of course, there are a variety of wonderful small fish markets in the Bay Area that are run by people who are knowledgeable, so seek those out.

Sustainable Fishing Issues in the News this Week
Should selling and distributing shark fins be illegal?
Challenges to the Endangered Species Act to Protect Delta Smelt

A new bill introduced by state Assembly members Paul Fong and Jared Huffman sinks its teeth into the sale and distribution of shark fins in California. Environmentalists say AB376 would help stop the torture and slaughter of endangered shark species. But state Senator Leland Yee and some members of the Chinese business community contend that sweeping legislation is too broad of an approach. They also see the law as an attack on Asian culture.

Host: Michael Krasny

Guests:
• Adam Keigwin, chief of staff for state Senator Leland Yee
• John McCosker, senior scientist and chair of the Department of Aquatic Biology at the California Academy of Sciences
• Paul Fong, assemblyman for California's 22nd District
• Peter Knights, executive director of Wild Aid -- a non-profit organization committed to stopping the illegal wildlife trade

Related Information:
• The Great White Shark: Meet the Man in the Gray Suit (KQED Quest)
• Calif. shark fin bill would ban Chinese delicacy (SFGate)
• Shark fins: Can we preserve human culture and dwindling species? (SFGate: The Thin Green Line)
• Is Banning Shark's Fin Racist? (SFoodie)

Every year, usually around the beginning of February, I notice that the ornamental plum trees in Golden Gate Park are starting to burst into clouds of pink and white, covering the lawns with a pale, fluffy blanket of springtime splendor. But as much as I love how these 10-foot tall pastel bouquets line the streets, my mind instantly goes to another sign that the season is changing. Soon local farmers markets vendors will start stocking my very favorite bit of produce, which is only found this time of year: green garlic.

For those not in the know, green garlic is simply early season garlic that hasn't yet matured into a fully bulbous state. Green garlic is special for many reasons, but the reason I love it so is that it takes the strong, pungent qualities of mature garlic and lightens up the game a bit. Infinitely more subtle and nuanced than its full-grown brothers and sisters, green garlic has a less intense flavor and a sweetness that only early-season produce can impart. Perfect for both strong and mellow dishes, green garlic can be used wherever you would use regular garlic, in the same amounts. Give it a try in garlic bread or mashed potatoes. As well, green garlic's flavor is gentle enough that it can be eaten raw in a lovely green salad. Seriously!

Perhaps the coolest thing about green garlic, though, is the fact that you can eat the entire thing, from it's long, frondy leaves to it tiny root system. The younger the garlic the more tender it will be, and you'll know true baby garlic by its nearly complete lack of a bulgy, bulb-y end. As the season progresses week by week, you'll notice that green garlic at your local farmers market will get thicker and thicker towards the bulb-end, until it looks almost like a fully matured bulb of garlic with a long, green stalk. At this point you can still eat the entire thing, though the fibrous membrane that separates the individual cloves will have begun to form by this stage in its development. The cloves will have a strong, more traditional garlic flavor as they mature as well.

When shopping for green garlic, look for specimens that are long and green, without any browning or wilting along the stalk. Green garlic should be eaten within a week of being harvested for the best possible flavor, though it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three weeks if you end up with a bunch of it. To store young garlic, I'd recommend wrapping the stalks in foil and leaving them in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator, where the humidity will work to keep them fresher, longer. If you're not planning on eating them right away, a little spritz of water in the foil every few days will help keep green garlic tender and fresh.

The best way to enjoy green garlic is in a dish where it's the star. For anything even remotely herb-y, I always try it out in a pesto recipe, where its flavor is front and center -- and in this case, green garlic plays the lead role with aplomb.

Green Garlic Pesto Pasta
Serves 2

Ingredients:
6 green garlic shoots, trimmed of the dark green tips and cut into 2 inch pieces
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons kosher salt
6 cups water
2 cups uncooked penne pasta

Preparation:

1. To the carafe of a food processor, add green garlic, parmesan, pine nuts, sea salt and pepper. Pulse 10-15 times, until ingredients are relatively well-blended, scraping down the sides in the middle of blending. Slowly drizzle in olive oil and continue blending until you get a well-combined pesto texture. Scoop into a bowl and set aside while the pasta cooks to let the flavors meld.

2. Add kosher salt to water and bring to a boil in a large pot. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain and rinse pasta.

3. Spoon pesto over hot penne pasta and serve immediately.

Photo: Sophie Constantinou

Fancy a film documenting the evolution of school lunch reform in Berkeley and there's not an interview with Alice Waters in sight.

We'll get to that. First, some background: The Berkeley Unified School District's (BUSD) school food makeover and its much-lauded School Lunch Initiative has garnered lots of media coverage and is considered a stellar example for other public school district's struggling to bring fresh, healthy food into their cafeterias and classrooms. Students at Berkeley public schools get to learn first hand about cooking and gardening too.

Given that, it's surprising it's taken so long for a documentary filmmaker or two to cover the school food revolution in this university town.

Now comes Lunch Love Community, a series of mini-movies or webisodes, inspired by a New Yorker story on the "Renegade Lunch Lady" Ann Cooper. Cooper came in and overhauled Berkeley's central kitchen and school lunch menu, with a little help from Waters and her Chez Panisse Foundation.

What documentarians Helen De Michiel and Sophie Constantinou quickly discovered, though, after spending time in Berkeley's public schools and steeping themselves in the history of the school food reform movement here, is that it takes a village -– not just a couple of school food rock stars -– to fix school food.

"Alice Waters is a visionary, Ann Cooper is the general who mobilized the troops, Bonnie Christensen, the BUSD's executive chef, and Marni Posey, the district's Director of Nutrition Services, are in the trenches every day," explains De Michiel. "And they have taken this experiment to the next level, fined tuned it, and made it something sustainable that really works. That's the story we were interested in telling -- along with all the community members who came together before them to bring about change."

Unhappy about the ubiquitous frozen tater tots, chicken nuggets, and canned fruit in heavy syrup trucked in from afar, a group of concerned parents worked for eight years on a Child Nutrition Advisory Committee to bring salad bars and fresh, local, made-from-scratch food into Berkeley schools. In 1999 the BUSD was the first district in the country to have a food policy -- recommending soda machine bans and wholesome over heavily processed foods.

In light of recent developments on the school food front, the San Francisco-based filmmakers wanted to get their footage out as quickly as possible to a wide audience, particularly with the passage of the federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. They also thought, frankly, that a digital distribution approach might help free up hard-to-come-by funding for a pending one-hour documentary project on the same subject. "We wanted to seize the moment, share what we found, and give people a way to respond to it and take away what was useful for them in their own communities," says Constantinou. "It's a key time in school lunch reform across the country."

So they came up with the webisode concept, three-to-five minute pieces profiling different aspects of Berkeley's school food scene. The Parent Factor highlights the adults who banded together in the 1990s to change school food, including Eric Weaver, Beebo Turman, and Joy Moore.

"Everything we put into our mouth’s isn’t food," explains Moore, who has worked on this issue for several decades and currently teaches cooking and gardening at Berkeley Technology Academy. "I want kids to know that and make smart choices for themselves. So I’m trying to raise the consciousness of all our children about food and health. My mission is really simple: it’s to get kids to value good food."

The Labor of Lunch captures the time-consuming task of making from-scratch meals for 5,000 students every day.

Flamin' Hot dishes up a funny take on teenagers' obsession for a certain kind of Cheetos.

But Is It Replicable? addresses the question on many school administrators' and parents' minds.

If They Cook It, They Will Eat It features Le Conte Elementary School cooking instructors Kathy Russell and Brenna Rich and their students illustrating what Waters has been quoted saying for years: Kids will consume vegetables -- even dark, leafy green ones -- if given the opportunity to grow, harvest, and cook themselves. And this: Food made with love tastes good. That's something that many of the district's devoted school and garden teachers have been sharing, organically, for years.

The Whole World in a Small Seed focuses on Malcolm X Elementary's beloved school-under-the-sky run by Rivka Mason. "I'm a garden teacher and a body worker and I know just how important it is for students to get out of their heads and away from their desks so they can see, touch, taste, hear, and smell to learn; an edible garden is a perfect environment to do all those things," says Mason. "My mantra is: No child left inside. We've got so many kids sitting in front of screens for so long there's an epidemic of Nature Deficit Disorder. When kids get out and play in a school garden and pick produce and eat what they grow it's a wonderful, healthy thing. Here in Berkeley we have an entire generation of food-savvy kids who have grown up this way."

Berkeley's school lunch program isn't perfect, as comments on this recent Berkeleyside story suggest. But Lunch Love Community is a timely reminder of the trailblazing role this community has played in laying the groundwork for the national school lunch reform movement now being espoused by the likes of First Lady Michelle Obama, Jamie Oliver, and the incognito middle American school teacher who writes the blog (and soon-to-be book) Fed Up With Lunch.

Six shareable short films launched publicly right after Thanksgiving last year at www.lunchlovecommunity.org, six more are due to come online.

The webisodes will also be featured at a public screening premiere on Sunday, February 13 at 2:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley.

The filmmakers will be on hand for a post screening discussion, along with school lunch reformers featured in the films, including Bonnie Christensen and Joy Moore.

Event Details:
Lunch Love Community
Sunday, February 13, 2:30 p.m.
Pacific Film Archive
2575 Bancroft Way, Berkeley
Tickets: $5.50-$9.50

Related Article
Berkeley’s school lunch program is flawed, say insiders (Berkeleyside)