In Search of Home

It took the better part of two months but the inevitable has happened. It was never a question of if, but rather when the affliction of homesickness would finally catch up with me. This is not to say I have developed severe emotional distress out of lack of communication with my friends and family, far from it in fact. Thanks to the internet, I am in touch with most of my friends NOT living on a boat (ship), and my parents have discovered the wonders of online voice and video chat. No, in my case homesickness has manifested by leaving me longing for the comforting flavors of home: beer and cheese. There are few things in this world that provide more pleasure for the palate when done correctly.

Many can attest to my affinity, and some may argue obsession, with these two particular players in the world of fine food and drink. If let free to roam unhindered at the market, I will easily spend in excess of an hour parousing the selections available to me in each respective section. Though in no way an expert, my knowledge of beer is respectable. Fermentation type, style, malts, barleys, hops, all important. My understanding of cheese in comparison is considerably lacking, however not for the lack of my own enthusiasm on the subject. As far as I can tell, there is more to learn about cheese then the history of Europe. I refuse to allow my inconstant knowledge of the 'fromage' to hinder my enjoyment of it in any way.

By far my favorite discovery thus far (apart from marmite) has been the Borough Market by London Bridge. On a free Saturday afternoon, I journeyed down to this large and bustling open air market the first time there were no track closures on the Jubilee line of the underground. Comprised of a network of paths and structure to provide shelter from rain, the majority of vendors focus on things edible. Highlighted by specialty wine shops, local and imported produce, and bakers; it is worth enduring the cold and the overwhelming crowds. You often find yourself forcibly ushered in the general flow of the crowd, unable to dictate your own movements. Still, with samples of cheeses of all variety and bizarrely delicious fruit spreads at hand, you endure these small hardships.

In addition, numerous food carts litter the market and provide an ample selection of street food to carry around with you. However easy it is to grab an ostrich burger on your way in, a meal can be made from sampling alone. To this end, after completing a few laps to see what was available, a 2 year aged gruyere from Leicester was the stand out. A tame quantity of cheese in hand, the last stop before heading out was Utobeer: the most respectable craft beer vendor I have yet found. After much consideration about my options and a brief chat with some fellow enthusiasts, I settled on two new beers from Scotland and Belgium. Although I had originally planned to pick up an American ale to curb my homesickness, trying new things turned out to be a good decision. That night was a satisfying return to a certain comfort zone I am used to back home and often take for granted. The enjoyment taken from the simple pleasures proved to cure what was ailing me. The Borough Market once again proves what lyrics have told us all along: the cheese stands alone.

(Note the absence of pictures of the afore mentioned street food and cheese carts: there were simply too many people.)

Adventures with Offal

There is a widely held image of the typical college-age dinner consisting of pizza/beer, tv dinners, and anything take out. In many cases, this stereotypical meal tends to hold up as truth. Although partially due to laziness, what the average student ends up eating usually comes down to whatever is cheapest. Understandably, this can be seen in the wide use of pastas, rice, and bread as the go-to meal stretchers that they have been for hundreds of years in various cultures. These dietary choices lack two main components of healthy nutrition: fresh fruit and veg, and protein. Nowadays getting respectable and inexpensive produce is relatively easy in any city, so a student who isn't getting their 5 a day probably knows that vegetables exist, and is consciously avoiding them. Protein, however, is a bit more bothersome. Outside of pre-cooked and frozen meats, protein quickly starts to put a hole in your pocket. The solution to this problem seems so simple and obvious in retrospection. Just as grain and pasta were used to stretch meals by the peasants of so many nations through tough times, why not look to them when choosing what meat is tasty and inexpensive. For the poor and desperate; it's been offal.

I decided to start with something I am comfortable working with: liver. I am unclear as to when I first encountered this edible organ, but what I can recall is a night that it showed up on my dinner plate growing up at home. Probably about 12 years old, I asked my mom, "what's this?" "Just try some." Memories return of a similar conversation that lead to an outright boycott of a vegetable for over a decade, but this was years later and I tended to discriminate less against meats then vegetables. "I'll try it, just tell me what it is." "It's liver." "From a cow?" "Yes." This was good news. I like beef. After trying it, I was not awestruck but at the same time not put off in the least. It tasted slightly similar to venison, which I love so very much, and have the privilege to enjoy it often. I encountered liver a few other occasions between then and now, but it is time for this rediscovered animal part to make a comeback. At about two pounds (British Sterling) per kilo (about 2.2 lbs.) it is tough to beat on price, and as far as I am concerned the same can be said about flavor. To put its value in perspective, that is roughly the same amount I would be paying for a kilo of butternut squash. To buy that weight of supermarket brand pasta would cost me double. The go-to cheap protein chicken is equally twice as pricey. Liver is high in protein, low in saturated fat, and stuffed with nutrients. Whats not to like?

For many people, there is a lot not to like. Some have difficulty getting past the fact that it is an organ, others that this specific organ is responsible for filtering toxins out of the body. I have heard many people complain about the texture (the whole 'texture' thing is an excuse as far as I am concerned) and of the few people who say they just don't like the taste, most are lying and have probably never tried it. If you legitimately have tried liver and find it unappetizing, I am just fine with that, leaves more for me. If not, consider the fact that although it has a distinctive taste, properly prepared it can have balance without completely masking the flavor. The liver is a muscle after all, one of the 'smooth' variety that operates outside your conscious control. Why be wasteful and discard this useful and edible organ when our culture is striving to be more eco friendly, yet has become spoiled by the availability of choice cuts?

Vino-Tarragon Liver with Onions and Mushrooms

Notes: The main players in this dish other than the liver is the red wine and tarragon. If you don't like this herb, try sage or maybe basil. Choose your liver depending on your taste: chicken is milder and a bit sweeter, calve's has that beefy taste, and lamb's is more robust/gamie.

Ingredients:

1 lbs. Liver (chicken, calf, or lamb)

2 medium yellow onions

1 medium red onion

1-2 cups chopped white mushrooms

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 small can tomato sauce (6 or 8 oz.)

1 tbs. Olive oil

1/2 cup red wine (Preferably Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon)

1-2 tbs. fresh tarragon

1 tsp. crushed red peppers

salt and pepper

Procedure: Place a medium large skillet on stove and heat to medium. Add olive oil and thinly sliced onions. Sweat onions 15-20 minutes, do not brown. Add minced garlic and chopped mushrooms 5 minutes into sweating, season with salts and pepper. When onions are nearly transparent and mushrooms have softened, remove from heat and set aside in a separate dish. Return skillet and increase heat to medium high. Add additional olive oil to pan if necessary, season liver cut into stir fry sized strips and add to pan. Briefly brown the liver, about 2 minutes per side, but do not cook all the way through. After the liver is is colored, return onions and mushrooms to the pan with the liver. Add tomatoes sauce, red pepper flakes, and red wine. Reduce the heat and stir to combine the liquid mixture throughout the pan with the liver and vegetables, allowing to reduce for a few minutes. Add tarragon and stir through allowing the mixture to further reduce and incorporate the tarragon with the other flavors. Taste to see if additional seasoning, tarragon, or wine is necessary. Serve with a side of pasta, or try a combo of mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and finely chopped carrots (I like this better as it can soak up the sauce of the dish).

Boil the potatoes in water or vegetable stock like making normal mashed potatoes then save some of the liquid and take your anger out on the root vegetables with a wooden spoon. Tasty and fun.