C6 Sunday, July 29, 2012
FEATURE
National Geographic grows mission with chef fellow
ALEX DOMINGUEZ ASSOCIATED PRESS Aviators, mountain climbers, deep sea divers and jungle trekkers are getting some company at National Geographic from an explorer known more for his skill with a paring knife than a machete. Officials at the Washington, D.C.-based society that since its 1888 founding has sponsored expeditions to the South Pole, the bottom of the ocean and the deepest jungle, say the selection of chef and seafood sustainability advocate Barton Seaver as a National Geographic fellow fits perfectly with the organization’s pledge to inspire people to care about the planet. “We’re looking for all kinds of different people and messengers here to help sort of inspire people to care about the planet. That’s our mission,” said Miguel Jorge, National Geographic’s ocean initiative project director, who was among those that selected Seaver as a fellow. “Barton has a personal passion for helping people connect their meal to the broader world around them and where it came from and who helped generate
that meal. How did nature play a role in that? How did fishing communities play a role in that? How do folks working in the seafood sector trying to make living play a role in that?” Seaver is among an increasing number of chefs whose interest in food has grown from creating dishes for fine dining to considering the impact of our consumption, from the oceans to farm fields, feed lots and even on ourselves. “The guiding hand of natural selection is fir mly holding a fork,” Seaver said in a recent interview. In addition to fellows such as Seaver, National Geographic supports explorers from a variety of fields not often thought of as the society’s territory. That includes mobile technology innovator Ken Banks, digital storyteller and zoologist Lucy Cooke, futurist Andrew Zolli and musician activist Feliciano dos Santos. Seaver, 33, a Washington, D.C., native whose parents were adventurous cooks and shoppers, said his interest in food has always been more than purely sensual, serving also as a window into cultures across the world and as a vehicle to lear n about
Roswell Daily Record
AP Photo
In this publicity photo provided by Wild River Fishing Guides Company, chef and seafood sustainability advocate, Barton Seaver, trains guide Oliver Merrill, right, to maximize yield at the Stuyahok River, in southwestern, Alaska.
nature. Now, he is using that same vehicle to spread what he has learned. Alex Moen, who runs the society’s explorer program, says fellows like Seaver help break down what has been a bit of a divide between the public and explorers. “The whole point of this is to make them more accessible and more real for people to connect with them,” Moen said. “Historically, there was a bit of a wall there, really. There
was kind of this image of National Geographic sending people out, and you know, you’d find out about it in the magazine.” Seaver, author of “For Cod and Country,” which he describes as a guide for environmentally minded cooks, said he has been spending his time as a fellow visiting fisheries, including salmon farming operations in Chile and Norway. Seaver also has produced a web series, “Cookwise,” contributed to
Grilling greens — a new way with kale for summer J.M. HIRSCH AP Food Editor When I created this recipe, I was aiming for something akin to a saute. What I got was so much better. When you saute kale, it acts like spinach. That is, it wilts, releases a lot of moisture and becomes very tender. Prepared this way, it’s delicious in stirfries, tossed with pasta or seasoned and used as a bed for roasted or grilled meats. But on a recent waytoo-hot day, the idea of standing at the stove just didn’t appeal. And since I already had the grill going, I figured I could get the same effect if I seasoned the kale, dumped it on a baking sheet and set it over the grill for a few minutes. Except that the intense heat of the grill never gave the kale a chance to wilt.
In just minutes, the greens went from fresh to toasted and lightly crisped. It also happened to be delicious and paired particularly well with the sausages I also was grilling that evening.
And you don’t need to like the seasoning blend I created to use this technique. Flavor the kale however you see fit (some red pepper flakes would be a fine addition). But however you season the kale, watch it carefully. Every grill heats differently, and kale is so delicate it can go from perfect to per fectly bur nt rather quickly. One note about grilling with a baking sheet. The intense heat of the grill is likely to warp inexpensive baking sheets. If you don’t have a heavy duty baking sheet, I suggest using a disposable foil one, which most grocers sell in a vari-
AP Photo
In this image taken on July 9, garlicky grilled kale is shown in a bowl in Concord, N.H.
Report: US has fewest cattle in at least 4 decades WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A new report shows the U.S. with the fewest cattle in at least four decades as a widespread drought forces ranchers to sell off animals. The National Agricultural Statistics Service said Friday that the number of cattle and calves in the United States totaled 97.8 million head as of July 1. That’s 2 percent less than a year ago. It’s also the lowest number since the agency began a July cattle count in 1973. The agency now estimates the size of the nation’s herd each January and July. Kansas State University agriculture professor Glynn Tonser says cattle numbers have been falling for several years, but that sped up last year with the drought in the Southwest. Many ranchers sold animals then, and more are selling this year amid widespread drought.
ety of sizes.
GARLICKY GRILLED KALE Start to finish: 15 minutes Servings: 4 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 large bunch kale 2 tablespoons olive oil Heat a grill to mediumhigh. Line a heavy baking sheet with foil, or use a disposable foil baking sheet. Coat the foil or baking sheet with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Set aside. Trim off and discard the thick stems from the kale. Coarsely chop the kale
leaves, aiming for pieces about 2 to 3 inches. Place the chopped kale in a large bowl, then drizzle it with the oil. Use your hands to toss the kale to coat evenly with the oil. Sprinkle half of the seasoning mixture over the kale, then toss again. Sprinkle the remaining seasoning and toss again.
Spread the kale in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Place the baking sheet directly on the grill and cook with the grill covered for 7 minutes, or until the kale is crisp and begins to brown. Serve immediately.
Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 130 calories; 70 calories from fat (54 percent of total calories); 8 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 13 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 3 g fiber; 770 mg sodium.
AP Photo
In this image taken on July 9, garlicky grilled kale served with a burger and fresh tomatoes makes a perfect summer meal as shown in Concord, N.H.
Plains ranchers sell cattle as US drought spreads
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Cattle are streaming into auctions across the country as ranchers sell animals amid a spreading drought that has shriveled pastures and driven up the price of feed corn. Beef from those animals will start showing up in grocery stores in November and December, temporarily driving down meat prices. But prices are expected to rise sharply by January in the wake of dwindling supplies and smaller livestock herds. The number of cattle has been dropping for years, but the pace picked up last year as Texas ranchers liquidated herds. Experts say that while the drought in the Southern Plains last year was bad, the cattle industry nationally was able to absorb the impact. This year’s drought is much wider, so the market implications are larger and more industry players are impacted.
National Geographic’s seafood guide and written for the society’s blog. Much of what he has lear ned can be distilled thus — we must control our appetites and have some vegetables along with that protein. “We know how to sustainably farm shrimp. We know how to sustainably farm salmon. But none of our alchemy will ever create a sustainable all-youcan-eat shrimp buf fet,” Seaver said. “Even the most responsibly raised salmon isn’t sustainable in a 16ounce portion. And so, it’s not just about creating sustainable products, it’s also about using them sustainably.” Seaver says he has great hopes that once we “rationalize our expectations” of what we can take from the oceans, they will continue to provide for us. Sheila Bowman, senior outreach manager of the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, said that program often uses chefs to help teach consumers to make sustainable seafood purchases. The key is not to get the public to eat more or less seafood, but the right seafood, avoiding overfished species or those
whose capture harms other species or the environment. Chefs can help the public “try something dif ferent and, you know, put it in their mouth,” Bowman said. While many people are working to save small farms and farming communities, fisher men aren’t always viewed in the same light, said Seaver, who says he would like that to change because responsibly harvested seafood is one of the most environmentally friendly, efficient and healthy food sources available. “Ultimately, we’re not trying to save the fish. We’re really trying to save the fishery because what we are really trying to save is our access to those fish,” Seaver said. “And, therefore, saving fisher men becomes as much of a goal as does restoring ecosystems.” “And so to me, it’s about creating a dialogue in which a fisherman is seen as a vital and necessary part of our community and the role of the fisherman is protected as much as any fish so long as the responsible fisher men and the fish are seen as equal and complementary,” Seaver said.
Chefs of world leaders boost diplomacy with food
PARIS (AP) — They feed the powerful and are most at home in the kitchen. But French President Francois Hollande contends that the chefs who cook for the leaders of the world have a behind-the-scenes role at the negotiating tables of international diplomacy. “If your dish is a miss, it’s more difficult to plead a cause,” Hollande told nearly 20 chefs on a visit Tuesday to the presidential Elysee Palace. What could be the world’s most exclusive gastronomic association, the Club des Chefs des Chefs — a club of chefs for political leaders — brings these gastronomic masters together each year in a different country. The elite club has been in Paris since Sunday, after a five-day visit to Berlin that included a meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel. Their reception by European leaders underscores that diplomacy is one part negotiations and one part the delicious sauces cooked up in their chefs’ kitchens. Hollande and Merkel have bumped heads over the European financial crisis — and whether to sweeten the austerity pot with growth incentives. “He gave a very nice speech on the role of gastronomy in diplomacy,” said the club’s president, Christian Garcia, the chef to Prince Albert II of Monaco. “He said that when our cuisine is top quality, he can dare to hope that accords, discussions are positive.” Donning impeccable white toques and white aprons, the chefs toured the kitchen of the Elysee Palace. “There are copper pots that date to 1845,” some from the Chateau of Fontainebleau, Garcia said. “It was truly moving.” Among those present were White House Chef Cristeta Comerford, the chef to Queen Elizabeth II of England, Mark Flanagan, and Hilton Little, chef to South African presidents, including Nelson Mandela. Bernard Vaussion, the Elysee Palace chef who has fed six French presidents, was the host for the Paris visit. Colleague Ulrich Kerz, who cooks for Merkel, led the group during their visit to Germany. “It’s already difficult to bring together heads of state, but (to bring together) chefs who cook during those times ...,” Hollande said admiringly as he surveyed the gathering of tall white hats. The elite chefs’ club was created in 1977 by Gilles Bragard, a businessman who created the outfits worn by international chefs, and had its beginnings at the French gastronomic temple in Collonges au Mont d’Or, outside Lyon, where the celebrated chef Paul Bocuse now reigns. Earlier Tuesday, the chefs dined on langoustine and lamb from the Correze region of central France, where Hollande served for years as mayor. That meal, topped with wild strawberries and mascarpone sorbet, was served at the Jules Vernes restaurant in the Eiffel Tower, prepared by another famed chef, Alain Ducasse. Hollande noted that during his recent meeting with Thailand’s Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, the two discussed a “joint venture” to promote a hybrid French and Thai cuisine. “I consider gastronomy not just part of the art of living, of diplomacy but also a veritable economic motor,” said Hollande.
AP Photo
French President Francois Hollande, left, shakes hands with Cristeta Comerford, chef at the White House, the US president official residence, as Vakhtang Abushidi, center, chef at the Kremlin in Moscow looks on during a reception at the Elysee palace in Paris, Tuesday, July 24.