The Vegetarian Guy

When I was in Michigan recently,  I participated in events ranging from cooking demonstrations and classes to lively talks about how food is medicine.  After all the work was done, my favorite past-time was hanging out with the organic farmers in the local farmers markets.

One of my more memorable stops was at the historic Eastern Market in Detroit, which is in the midst of a revival due to recent restorations and an explosion of interest in local, farm grown foods.  On this early spring day in April, the market was teaming with people buying food for the week ahead. 

The chatter between the farmers and shoppers was accompanied by music from talented musicians scattered throughout the market.  It was exciting to see the market still thriving as the heart-center of the Detroit food chain.

While there, I was thrilled to see my old friends Randy and Shirley Hampshire of Hampshire Farms in Kingston, Michigan.  Hampshire Farms was one of the original farms which participated in the Inn Season Organic Growers booth at the Royal Oak Farmers Market in 1990 and 1991.

They have been at the forefront in the push for more certified organic farming in the Midwest region, a breed of farmers who I consider to be the real heroes of the modern food revolution.

Join me as I walk through the market, talk with Randy Hampshire and look at some of the market’s incredible produce.

I encourage you to visit this landmark, which is open every Saturday, and participate in the timeless grandeur of our local fresh food system. Take a look at a video of my visit and hear Randy speak about his extraordinary products.

 

 

 

Join Chef George on his website tour

Watch the tour video

Vegetarian Traditions Video

Cranberries have been part of the American diet for a long time. Early immigrants learned about them from the native, indigenous tribes in New England where they became synonymous with late Autumn and, of course, Thanksgiving.  While various health benefits have been touted for years, such as the cranberry’s unique ability to prevent UTI’s, only recently has the true super-food quality of the berry become evident.  The anti-oxidant properties of the cranberry surpass even the heralded pomegranate.

Often, we are uninspired when working with cranberries.  Thanksgiving dinners have been adorned with the same cranberry-orange relish or the compulsory cranberry jello mold for a hundred years, usually made with large doses of refined sugar to counteract the tartness.

While cooking at my restaurant, I was inspired by the local organic cranberries at the Royal Oak Farmers Market and used them in savory dishes to counter balance the sweet flavors of squash or corn.  In my cookbook, Vegetarian Traditions, there is a recipe for Quinoa-Corn Arepas with a Chocolate-Cherry Salsa.  Recently, I adapted the salsa recipe by replacing the cherries with cranberries, making a new and exciting cranberry dish for the Thanksgiving table.

Cranberry Chocolate Salsa

Makes 2 1/2 cups

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic, finely minced

1/2 cup sweet onions, finely diced

2 1/2 cups fresh cranberries

1 1/2 teaspoons toasted and ground dried pasilla (ancho) chiles

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 1/2 ounces organic semi-sweet 70% chocolate

1/4 cup evaporated cane juice

1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt

1 cup water

In a 4 quart sauce pan on medium-high heat, cook the oil, garlic and onions until the onions become clear around the edges.  Add the cranberries and the rest of ingredients.  Turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Uncover, mash the cranberries and simmer for another 4 minutes.  Serve warm.

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