DIY/SUSTAINABILITY
FOOD GLITTER by Brian Garrido
As a “foodie,” I don’t know the first thing about food and glitter. In one of my worlds, the less serious side, it conjures up one of two things: drag queens or the horrible movie which starred Mariah Carey. In my other world, the world of high-end food, glitter doesn’t really compute except in smaltzy pastries, colored salt-rimmed Margarita glasses and perhaps, floating in liquor such as Goldschlager, a high-end alcoholic beverage. The German word Goldschläger (“gold beater”) designates the profession of gold leaf makers, who beat bars of gold into micrometre-thin sheets. These sheets, were once used for interiors, as wall accents, in tastefully, garish homes. Occasionally, it is used as an elegant statement, like at Los Angeles-based bakery; Susina, which has created a divinely decadent Hazelnut Chocolate Torte. Deadcenter in this nutty and creamy round of chocolaty goodness is a delicate fleck of gold. Its shimmering presence intensifies the beauty of the crushed Filberts and makes the dessert fit for a king.
As I am writing this though, I thought how would I use food glitter that might dazzle the food world or at least my streetsavvy, intelligentsia friends? My friends are smart people, the kind that are terminally-hip. Many with tattoos, some with piercings and others with both. Writers and artists. Chefs and designers. These select friends and family are intensely creative, sublimely liberal, and open to provocative ideas such as eating edible glitter—but not on Margarita glasses. Never on a glass except on a 1950’s inspired Salty Dog….a drink people don’t regularly include in their bar scene tableau (If you don’t, it’s vodka and grapefruit over ice with a salt-rimmed glass.) Instead of coating a cake with silver glitter honoring a 70s disco ball at a homosexual’s 50th birthday (belaboring the fact that he/she survived the cocaine, the drinking, the rehab…) or dusting it around a cocktail glass trying to make winter holidays just a tad more festive, I was thinking that I might use a dusting of red glitter over Paprika Roasted Cauliflower.. The sweetness of the roasted white vegetable would be the canvas for the “glitter” and paprika. This could be used a as a side dish for the Fourth of July, giving an extra “zing” to the fireworks or serve it during Valentine’s Day for a little more “passion” and “fire” during the meal. It’s simple to make the decorative salt, as is cooking the vegetable. Roasting the
cauliflower is the process of removing all the florets into bite-sized pieces and tossing them in a bowl with olive oil. Spread onto a baking sheet for about 20 minutes in an oven at 375 degrees, until tender. Once cool enough to handle, powder them with Hungarian paprika, coloring the edible flowers and dust with a dash of hand-made red “glitter.” Serve with Sautéed Cod and Cilantro, Basil or any emulsified green herb. Still smaltzy but done in a savory dish, making it fun yet smart at the same time…. kind of like Andy Warhol, The B-52’s or a still rotating ball at a gay disco.
How to Make Edible Glitter for Savory Dishes (Or Sparkly Salt) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix in a small bowl coating evenly: • 2 Tablespoons table salt • 1 Teaspoon food coloring of your choice Place colored salt on a roasting pan, spreading it out thinly. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Now, that you have your fairy dust….go work some magic.