Do You Know the Muffin Man?

Just like the old Cheer's song...I wanna go where everybody knows my name. And often when I go shopping, everybody does know my name. Or at least they recognize me. Like the folks at Trader Joe's. The food demo lady and I have become very good friends over the years. We chat food (of course), vacations (she is from the east coast), kids (we each have 3), politics (she's even crazier than I am), and she even gives me the occasional 'inside scoop' on new products. Another lady who works there has watched my kids grow up, and is sorry when I don't bring them with me (but I'm sure not). She remembered when I was pregnant with my daughter, how she was born 2 months early, and how I used to carry her like a purse in a sling. She always gasps in disbelief when I bring her to the store....how tall she is....she's lost teeth....1st grade!??! The manager who rushed to help me with frozen peas when my young and energetic son pulled the cart down on top of him still works there, and last week, he got to see me two days in a row...weren't you just here yesterday? he laughed.

Today when I was in Bristol Farms looking for pork shoulder, the friendly butcher who always helps me, kindly cut and trimmed a very nice piece of meat for me...it was a special favor because, well, I'm kind of cute. Just kidding! It's because he knows me, we've formed an alliance of sorts, a friendship over special cuts of meat, recipe exchanging and banter about our families. When I'm in no mood to make my own pizza dough (yes, it does happen), Bristol Farms provides a fine substitute to homemade. The pizza dough guy and have chatted over dough chemistry and stretching techniques and he often offers to get me extra cheese and toppings at no cost.

And the same thing goes for the farmers' market. I show up late every week because Sunday is my only day to sleep in and I always need plenty of coffee and newspaper reading to get my engine running. I'm sure you know that at the farmers' market the early bird gets the worm and all the best things are snatched up quickly. But because I have relationships with those who provide my food, they save things for me...strawberries, blueberries, nectarines, sweet peas, you name it.

Make friends with the people who provide you with your food. Get to know them by name. Who is the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker? Does the muffin man have a family, like to read or travel to faraway lands? My life is richer because of George, Sheila, Laura, Frank, Juan and Brenda.

So onto what it is that I did with that succulent pork butt (or shoulder) that Frank cut for me. It got a long slow braise in my oven this afternoon, was shredded up and then quickly broiled to crispy perfection. Then we piled it into a corn tortilla along with cilantro, onions, guacamole and jalapeno sauce. It was crisp yet tender, juicy and flavorful, and a tasted fantastic with a tamarind margarita (or two). Though it cooks for 3 hours, the hands-on time is minimal and the results are out of this world.

Carnitas

serves 3-4

2 pounds of boneless pork shoulder or butt

olive oil

salt and pepper

1 C stock (beef or chicken is fine)

zest from one orange

juice from 1/2 and orange

2 onions, roughly chopped

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large dutch oven over high heat. Drizzle in a glug of olive oil. Season meat well with salt and pepper, then brown quickly on each side (about 2 minutes per side). Add stock, orange zest and juice, onions and garlic. Place lid on pot and put in the oven. Bake for 2 hours or until meat is almost fork tender. Remove lid (and keep it off), drain off all but 1/2 C juice and return to the oven for another hour, turning meat halfway through. This will help brown the pork nicely. Remove from oven and shred meat, discarding any fatty bits. If you like your carnitas tender and juicy, stop here. If you like them crispy (like me), place the meat on a large rimmed cookie sheet. Place under the broiler for a few minutes or until all the meat is dark golden brown and crackling hot. Serve with corn tortillas, chopped cilantro and green onions, guacamole and salsa.

Ode to the Humble Egg

I love eggs. Each little self contained unit, so perfectly formed, contains the promise for a delicious meal. I love the color of their shells, whether they are brown and freckled, light tan, the blue-green of Araucana chickens, or pure white. I especially love when I crack one open to reveal a double yolk. That happens often when I buy my eggs from the farmers market. Farmers market eggs are unequivocally more delicious and nutritious that their supermarket counterparts. Chickens that are allowed to roam freely and eat greens and insects, as well as grains, produce eggs that contain more vitamins and minerals and have a lower "bad" cholesterol count that most store-bought eggs. Professional chefs love them because their yolk, when cracked into a hot pan, sits higher, and they blend more easily to make a creamy emulsion for vinaigrettes or mayonnaise.

It is simple really; healthy chickens produce healthy and delectable eggs. In California on election day this November 4th, we will be able to decide on a ballot measure (Proposition 2) that would mandate that all farmed animals be able "to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs." Proponents of the measure say that it protects the health of both the chickens and those who eat them, protects family farmers from large-scale egg production ranches, and protects the environment. But what would the consequences of this measure be?

If Proposition 2 passes, egg supplies would go down and prices would go up, increasing the probability that cheaper eggs would be imported from other states (without such regulations) or Mexico, increasing the chances of bird flu or salmonella. Many farmers would be driven out of business or move out of state, damaging the local economies in which they are located. As pundit George Skelton says, "I'm for chicken compassion. But I feel more compassionate about the chicken farmer in this bankrupting economy."

As a consumer, and supporter of sustainable agriculture and humane treatment of livestock, I feel very torn about this measure. But the conclusion that I have come to is that Californians need to vote with their dollars and support the farmers who practice humane livestock treatment, rather than pass this ballot measure that would cause immeasurable harm to both farmers and consumers. If people are willing to shell out more money for healthier eggs, more farmers would be willing to convert their farms to these kinds of practices.

I will jump off my soap box and share a recipe for a favorite egg dish. Mexicans swear by its hang-over healing properties, and it is often served "the morning after." I do love it for breakfast, but it makes a delicious, quick dinner as well.

Chilaquiles

12 dry and hard tortillas
3 eggs
4 large tomatoes
1/2 cup water

1 large white onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove
3 serrano or jalapeno chiles
5 tablespoons corn oil
1 cup of grated jack cheese

Boil tomatoes and chiles until soft. Mix them in blender with the garlic and water. Heat 1 tbsp of oil and fry this paste, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Cut the tortillas in strips with a pair of kitchen scissors. Heat 4 tbsp of oil and fry the tortilla strips until crispy. Drain oil and add the three eggs to pan. Stir strips and eggs quickly so they don't stick to the pan. Add salt to taste.

Place on a serving bowl, pour the sauce over them and sprinkle with onion and cheese. Serve immediately. Enjoy with a side of refried beans. If you have any leftover chicken, you can sprinkle that on top too.