Munch Magazine - Issue 2 - Summer 2013

MUNCHSUMMER 2013 - ISSUE 2

- PEPPERS - PORK BELLY - STRAWBERRIES - SALT - GHORMEH SABZI -

CONTRIBUTORS

Eric Ellenwood

Comedian, host of the Various Deli Meats podcast, and expert seasoner Eric Ellenwood, shares one of his favorite bachelor food tricks with us. A recipe for peppers you can put on pretty much anything from baked potatoes to cheesecake. - Onions and Peppers that any dude can master on page 13 -

Becky Carman

Singer and guitarist of the band A.M.P, and a prolific home cook, Becky is a total femme fatale. She showed us what’s what - the ins and outs of pork belly. She also kept us company late into the night discussing indie rocks, Hanson, and her culinary history.

- her Korean-influenced tacos are an easy introduction to pork belly on page 33-

A.J. Hyatt

An Oklahoma City expat, A.J. is now living life large in rural Talihina with her boyfriend, three dogs, five chickens, one cat, and a vegetable garden to die for. Our first Munch-Trek was a huge success thanks to her hospitality and her willingness to let the editors couch surf. We owe you one, A.J.!

- comfort food done right, try her classic family reci-pe on page 23 -

2 - MUNCH SUMMER 2013

Also special thanks to: Lucas Dunn and Becky Carmen for their help copy editing in addition to their articles, as well as Liz Drew for her sweets, Austin Tackett for his illustrations, and our instagram participates ... keep up the #munchmag!

CONTENTS

FEATURES

P 14CHEWING THE FAT - a chatwith a chef

P 18DOG DAYS OF SUMMER - Trip to Talahinia

P 24CABIN WITH THE DUDES - an essay by Lucas Dunn

P 34SALT- a brief history and long love story

P 40#MUNCHMAG - our favorite instagram shots

RECIPES

P 9cold fried chicken

P 13grilled peppers

P 23ghorbeh sabzi

P 33kimchi pork belly tacos

P 37 & 38strawberry jam & cookies

P 39lavendar ricotta pound cake

EDITORS

I was recently asked to make an appetizer for my brother-in-law’s wedding. It was an outdoor affair for over one hundred guests. Lacking experience with providing food to so many, I decided on bite sized Caprese, one of my all-time favorites, knowing I should choose something I could accomplish in any kitchen.

The night before, I got there early for the rehearsal dinner and to prep food. The chairs were already standing in the spacious backyard, which was lush and perfect for a summer wedding. I pulled together fresh balls of Mozzarella and cherry tomatoes, tossing them with olive oil and herbs.

It was June 1st, and as I worked I could hear the other guests attention becoming more preoccupied with the weather updates on television. This has been a stormy summer to say the least, and with a large and destructive tornado in Moore only a couple weeks before. We were all on edge, and rather than setting up tables and hanging lights, we ended up inside glued to the television.

While I was prepping food I felt calm. I saw the wind coming in stronger as it pushed the small landscaped trees in the yard toward the ground. I started thinking I should be more nervous. Eventually I take a break from Caprese to wash my hands, and eat some food. Suddenly things turn dark, and I hear someone say a tornado is headed for the State Fair Park, a mile or two from my home in Oklahoma City. My neighborhood friends call to say they are heading south to get out of the storm, but I take comfort in the fact that our homes were built in the 1930s. They’ve stood their ground before.

After we ate rehearsal dinner, the electricity went out and I found myself ushered into a tiny safe room with thirty of my close, and quickly becoming closer, relatives. We heard the rain and wind pounding on the house but the tornado took a path avoiding us. Eventually it became apparent that the electricity was not coming back anytime soon.

Creating a simple dish for a complicated event turned out to be an especially good choice. We chilled the mozzarella and tomatoes in an ice chest and the next morning my ingredients were safe. The electricity had not returned. Power or no power, I knew I could complete my appetizer without using a generator. It was one less thing for my future sister-in-law to worry about. Their vintage-inspired wedding was gorgeous, and the lack of electricity just added to its charm. It really was one of the most beautiful weddings I’ve been to.

Storms roll into kitchens, as they do during Oklahoma summers, and during trying times I am grateful for the simple things: tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, olive oil, salt and people to enjoy food with. This issue of Munch Magazine is about simple dishes that satisfy, and learning to appreciate what nature gives you and the people you share it with.

Lacey Elaine Dillardphotographer/editor

Kimberly Hickersondesigner/editor


SEASONAL

Eggplant

Garlic

Grapes

Green Beans

Greens

Lemongrass

Lemons

Limes

Mangoes

Okra

Peaches

Pears

Peppers

Shallots

Squash- Summer

Strawberries

Sweet Corn

Sweet Potatoes

Tomatoes

Tomatillos

Watermelon

FRUITS & VEGETABLESArugula

Avacado

Basil

Blackberries

Blueberries

Carrots

Cantaloupe

Chanterelles

Cherries

Cilantro

Cucumbers


HOT AMERICAN SUMMER PICNIC:

COLD FRIED CHICKEN By Kimberly Hickerson & Lacey Elaine Tackett

We are not rewriting the classics here. Our recipe sticks closely to traditional home-cooking territory with a bit of special seasoning to help enhance the scrumptiousness. What we have accomplished is fried chicken fit for a Danish prince that you can take on a picnic, perhaps to a “Shakespeare in the Park” outing. There maybe something “un-bardly” about eating fried chicken and listening to Elizabethan English, but it seems more period correct then smoked Gouda, and I'm sure that crowds in the 1600's ate wings and drumsticks in the Globe Theatre. As a bonus, it must be satisfying to throw the bones on stage when displeased with a performance (Editor's Note: Munch Magazine does not condone the assault of “Shakespeare in the Park” players).

Fried foods seem to be intimidating to even some of the more accomplished home-cooks, but there is no reason to fear. Fried chicken requires only a good cast-iron pan, a few basic ingredients, and your undivided attention. That last step is a big part of the process. While the chicken fries, it needs your uninterrupted focus. Pay attention to the way it is cooking. Show the fried chicken you care and it will pay you back with golden crispiness.


COLD FRIED CHICKENIngredients

How To

Picnic for 4

3 1/2 pounds of chicken cut up in to 8 serving size pieces2 cups of buttermilk

Flour Mixture: 2 1/2 cups unbleached flour3 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika2 teaspoons ground white pepper2 tablespoons kosher salt1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine chicken in with 2 cups buttermilk use a bowl or bag and let sit covered in fridge for 2-12 hours. (When you get ready to cook take the chicken out and let it come up room temp a little, (leave it wrapped while its doing this.

Toss flour mixture ingredients together in a shallow dish, you can take a pinch before you add any chicken to make sure you have the right balance of flavors.

Take a 10-inch cast iron skillet over high heat and add 4 cups of canola oil, 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings (optional, but tasty.) Let it reach a temp of

about 375 degrees or test the oil by adding a little flour to see if it sizzles

Then dredge a piece of chicken into the flour mixture on each side then give it a little shake to knock off the excess and add your chicken into the skillet with tongs place meatier side into the oil first. (Do half the chicken at a time 4 pieces)Let sit in for 8-10 minutes on each side (time varies by thickness) Flip over and repeat with other side. It helps to check it with your tongs as it cooks for consistent browning. Place cooked chicken on paper bags or towels in platter to soak up

some excess oil. It's important not to cover it so you get a crisper crust, let the chicken come to room temp before packaging it, once that's done put it in the fridge.

Refrigerate or add to your ice chest for a few hours to a day before serving. Your chicken is ready to go on a trip take it to the park or the lake, your backyard, or even your couch for a picnic. The hardest part is attempting to not eat the chicken before the picnic. Good Luck!

THE MEAT MAN


COMEDIAN ON CUISINE

a recipe by comedian Eric Ellenwood

2 red bell peppers2 orange bell pepper2 yellow bell peppers2 yellow onions5 cloves of garlic4 tablespoons of olive oil1 teaspoon red pepper flakessalt to taste

Slice peppers and onion lengthwise creating thin strips of each. Then heat the olive oil in the bottom of a heavy saucepan on medium high heat. Add the peppers and onion, coating with oil.

Salt the veggies with about a tablespoon of kosher salt, and sauté until softened. This will take around 15 to 20 minutes. The onion should be beginning to caramelize but not becoming crispy.

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, tossing to combine. Turn your heat down to medium and sweat until the flavor of the garlic mellows.

Set aside to cool. Jar, or store in plastic-ware and refrigerate up to 6 days. It's the perfect topping for any bachelor dish!

How To

THE MEAT MANS BELOVED

PEPPER RECIPE

WHERE CAN I PUT MY PEPPERS?

Sausage Angel Hair PastaLeftover RiceGrilled CheeseBaked PotatoesBlack Bean TacosGrilled Chicken Mac &CheeseBurgers SteakEggsNachosFishPizza

Ingredients

CHEWING THE FAT

Kimberly Hickerson & Lacey Elaine Tackett

talk with Chef Ryan Walters at The Mule

Ryan Walters is one kick-ass Chef who spent time working his way up the line throughout the Midwest. His path eventually lead him from the innovative Foreign & Domestic in Austin, TX back to his home town of Oklahoma City, where according to the New York Times he makes “gourmet grilled cheeses in a building that used to be a brothel“. This comic book lover and former pizza blogger had no idea what he was in for when he sat down with Munch Magazine for our first interview.

______________

KH: How did you get started with The Mule?

RW: When I left Austin and came back to Oklahoma City, I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do with myself, but I knew some of my sister Erin’s friends were opening this place. I stopped in and they were doing all the build out themselves! I talked to them a little bit about what the concept was. So at the time they said, “When we open, if you’re still looking for a place, we’ll hire you.” I went home and that night they called me saying, “Actually we want you on from the get-go.” So I started then.

KH: What made you decide to go to school to cook food? What drove you into food as a profession?

RW: Growing up everyone had food related assignments, my sisters did dessert and breads, my dad’s favorite thing in the world is doing dishes, everything else kind of fell to me. I always enjoyed doing that kind of stuff. I ended up going to Baylor and during my sophomore year I had to have a long conversation with myself, “Do I want to stick with this or go to culinary school?”

LT: What were you studying at Baylor?

RW: (laughs) well a little bit of everything. Started out in philosophy then it switched to a university scholars program, then history and political science, and after all that I went back to UCO and did special education. At one point I ended up doing a catering job, while I was working at UPS and as a paraprofessional and at the catering job on the side I ended up doing everything, I was lined up for the special education job but it didn’t pan out, so I just ended up pulling the plug on that and sticking with food. I liked doing it, I liked doing it consistently, so I was like let’s pull the trigger.

KH: So you were like, “screw it! This is what I’m going to do?”

RW: Pretty much.

KH: Any foods from your childhood you really liked to eat?

RW: Um, well my mom cooked. She was a really good cook, but didn’t cook that often as she was head of the household and busy getting all of that together, but actually for my 30th birthday I had my favorite childhood meal: Chicken Parmesan,

alfredo sauce and roasted veg. It was nice instead of going out and doing the whole restaurant thing.

LT: What king of roasted veg because there are many different types of roasted veggies out there?

RW: All right, [laughs] that’s true. Yeah, squash and zucchini. Oh, and my sister made focaccia bread. The other sister made coconut pie, key lime pie and drop cookies.

KH: So is your sister a pro baker?

LT: Hobby baker?

RW: A really awesome hobby baker.

KH: So who are your culinary inspirations?

RW: Absolutely, Will from Platt College. Absolutely, Ned Elliot the chef at Foreign & Domestic [where Ryan worked before coming to The Mule]. Originally I went down to Austin for a friends wedding we hit up Foreign & Domestic. We went there with 6 people had 4 apps: pig brains, huckleberries, beef tar-tar all sorts of really, really fun stuff.

KH & LT: Woah, cool!

RW: Came back here, worked a week, flew out to Chicago and then ate at Alinea Chicago, 18 courses with wine pairings.

LD: So you did it up!

RW: Yeah, and then we went to the Aria and Prohibition Room, so that night alone I blew way to much money, but I got to eat at some amazing places, and Grant Achatz who runs Ailnea, a lot of people focus on

his use of the cutting edge techniques fun chemicals and stuff. But you just see it statically in the book. What’s really interesting about his restaurant is that it has a huge sense of humor. It’s a lot of fun to play with peoples expectations, at Ailnea, after the first course the whole thing about food allergies, going through what they have going on the menu that night, and then just before he walks away he turns around and goes wait and reaches down to an heirloom pumpkin in

the center of the table, grabs it by the stem and pulls it up and there’s the first course! It’s actually pumpkin bread and it’s just fun to play with people expectations.

KH: So would you be interested in some of that (Molecular) Gastronomy type stuff?

RW: Some people get really into the chemical aspect and I’d rather focus on flavor, taste, texture, the fundamentals, but if I can use a little agar agar to set this honey to set into a jelly on the spoon and add a little orange blossom into the granola in away that makes sense then I definitely will. But it’s all about the big picture for me rather then playing into all those little things.

LD: So what do you eat most of the time when you’re not working?

RW: (getting bashful here) Honestly like, any chefs best friend is literally place that’s open past 10 o’clock, so in this town that means Bueno, Buffalo Wild Wings, places open late, but in terms of what I like making the most for myself is chilli and I never make it the same way twice. I do all kinds of random stuff.

LD: What was literally the last restaurant you ate at?

That night alone I blew way too much money, but I got to eat at some amazing places, and Grant Achatz who runs Ailnea, a lot of people focus on his use of the cutting edge techniques, fun chemicals and stuff. But you just see it statically in the book. What’s really interesting about his restaurant is that it has a huge sense of humor. It’s a lot of fun to play with peoples expectations.

RW: When I do have time to eat, Tuesdays my day off-ish, I have a pretty standard date with Pho Lien Hoa. You guys ever been to Szechuan bistro? The tripe and tongue dish there on the menu is so good. Oh, and the duck at Golden Phoenix.

(Editor's Note: Basically here Lacey and I yammer at Ryan about our favorite Vietnamese and Chinese restaurants in OKC. We deleted it mostly because of us talking over Ryan. We’re opinionated. We both love the three restaurants mentioned above and we also really love Chow’s, like really love Chow’s)

KH: You’re at a gas station in the middle of nowhere what is your go to snack?

RW: Peanut butter M&M’s! (I get a little protein.)

KH: So could breakdown your average day at the Mule and what goes on?

RW: Come in .. first thing you do is make the order, take stock of what we need, stock the breads and then get as much prep work done before 11’oclock when we start getting a little bit of trickle and then by 11:30 it’s going full force and then try to survive the initial wave. Post 1:00, pull off the line a little, come up with seasonal items, soups that kind of thing, planning ahead trying to get that lined out for the rest of the week. Make sure the line

is set for the dinner crew ... Produce everyday.

KH: What do you drink at the end of the day?

RW: I really like the hoppy stuff so, Happy Camper. Right now we have the 8-Bit Pale Ale from Tallgrass. That’s good and every now and then just a Genesee.

KH: Bacon vs. Egg - if you had to live with just one of these things, which would it be?

RW: That’s a tough one ... it’s a stumper, and can I have other cured meats?

KH: I don’t know I haven’t thought about it, damn this is my hard-hitting questions.

LD: What about Prosciutto, can he have Prosciutto?

KH: Maybe, but no pork belly. It’s to close, that would definitely be cheating.

RW: Then I would say keep the egg, lose the bacon. Eggs go in so many things. It’s hard.

LD: An egg man!

KH: How do you feel about being a part of a restaurant the Plaza District?

RW: I’m very excited to be working with guys that have a DIY mentality and then beyond that, to be a place

that’s growing and fun. Like just today I saw DNA galleries moving into the old mattress place. To see that and now Tree & Leaf is here. The Plaza Walk is a lot of fun.

LD: Kim and I were talking about chicken breading options for the Summer issue and we put a good one together, but the onion ring breading at The Mule is so tasty. What do you put in it?

KH: Tell us your secrets!

RW: Milwaukee’s Best and spices. I’ll keep the spices a secret but I’ll give you that.

KH: What misconceptions do you feel people that are home cooks, like ourselves, have about what it’s like to actually be a chef?

RW: One of the biggest reasons I love what I do, and I’m going to steal a line from Terry Practhett here about a conman who in the middle of the con feels like he’s dancing on an avalanche, I feel like that is a chefs life. You’re always moving and you have to be able to perform under that. Just that adrenaline rush, that kind of everyday you can say, did you figure it out? Did you conquer the day? Yeah, everything worked people are happy.

______________

Oklahoma is known for its flat, wide-open plains, mostly because of a Hamerstien Musical and a book most people are required to read in High School. However, Talihina is a lush land of rolling hills and tall trees. The scenery is beautiful, but since my friend A.J. moved there, it is her food and lifestyle photos that I drool over on the internet. Writing an online magazine seemed like a good excuse to take a short trip to Talahinia, have AJ cook some amazing food for us, and take in the beauty of Eastern Oklahoma >>>

The Dog Days of Summer

Top left, clockwise, lunch galette by our hostess, fresh picked vegetables from the garden, Winston the dog from Sandlotand lastly our Talihina limo.

The Dog Days of Summer by Kimberly Hickerson with A.J. Hyatt, Lacey Elaine Tackett & Diana Troung

We took her pick-up truck up a rocky road to catch a view so luxurious, for second I thought I was in Siena, Italy overlooking the plains and villas. With A.J. as our tour guide, we hiked through the woods to a place most people in the community didn’t even know about (or perhaps want to know about), an ancient cemetary for stillborns. Next, we drove to the family garden A.J. slaves over, and picked more vegetables then the four of us could carry. Her produce included the largest cucumber I’ve ever seen in person, as well as a bounty of peppers, carrots, and cucumbers. A.J. whipped up a delicious galette using the ingredients from her garden. Then, she shared one of her favorite family dishes with us, a slight alteration on her mother’s recipe for Ghormeh Sabzi and Persian Rice. It featured slow braised meat and huge handfuls of fresh greens. We hoped to repay her with a Kimchi Frittata and powdery Italian cookies.

There is something naturally romantic and transcendent about country living, that always came through to me in A.J.’s snapshots and after spending some time in Talahina, it’s easy to see why.

Top left, clockwise, the view from Buffalo Mountain, a flock of chickens, Persian dried limes, and ZeeBee (our new favorite dog)


Ghormeh Sabzi and Persian Rice

Serves 4

2/3 cup chopped spinach

1 bunch green onion

2 bunches of cilantro

2 bunches of Italian parsley

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 onion chopped

1 ½ lb chuck roast, cut into bite size pieces

salt and pepper

2 whole dried limes

stockpot

In a food processor combine parsley, cilantro, and green onion, and process until finely chopped. Fry in hot oil till dark green in color, set aside. Brown the chuck roast in the oil, set aside and add onion and cook till brown, Add garlic and cook just a few minutes. Then add the meat, spinach, parsley and cilantro back in. Pour water just till it covers the meat about 2 cups. Add salt and dried limes (pierce limes a few times with a knife.) Cook on medium-low heat till the meat is tender around 2 to 3 hours. Serve with lemon, radishes, yogurt or cucumber.

By AJ Hyatt

4 cups long grain rice (basmati is preferable)

8 cups of water

salt

butter and oil

There are several different ways to make Persian rice. However boiling the rice till it is not quite cooked is the same way everyone starts out.

Bring a large pot of water (double the volume of rice) to a boil. Add rice and about ¼ cup of salt. Boil the rice, stirring often, till the rice is soft on the outside but still hard on the inside. Drain the rice and then return pan to stove. Add good amounts of butter and oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Then put the drained rice back in the pan and poke a few holes to let the steam escape. Lay a towel over the lid of the pan and then place the towel and lid on top of the pot. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes then lower heat to low and cook for 1 hour until the rice is done. Scoop out the rice and then take out the crispy rice at the bottom. Use a thin spatula to pull up crispy rice then toss with the rest of the rice and plate to serve.

We plated using a ramekin as a guide. Crispy rice goes in first, the top, then fill the ramekin with the more fluffy rice. Grab a shallow dish, plate the rice, and surround with the Ghormeh Sabzi.

C A B I NDUDESAND

THE

THE

You think you know the story.


Minutes after arriving, we had strewn our belongings across the cabin—knapsacks, overstuffed sacks of food, and fluorescent coolers heavy with soda and beer. The seven of us unloaded supplies from our vehicles, moving back and forth, bumping into each other like hapless ants.

Austin, my best friend, was getting married and his plan for the bachelor party was to camp at Elephant Rock Nature Park in Tahlequah with the dude-crew. Together in a forest, high on life, floating the river, cooking food over fire—it all sounded so groovy. Unfortunately, days before our trip, heavy storms battered most of Oklahoma. The Illinois River elevated to a fierce level, and we were not rugged enough to attempt camping during such a violent bout of weather.

So we did the next best thing. We went city-boy camping and rented a cabin with a bathroom, television, air-conditioning, and—best of all—a complete kitchen and outdoor grill. It’s not the same bonding experience as sleeping in mud and shunning electricity, but it beat catching pneumonia and coming home with trench foot.

Lucas DunnCabin Cook

OreosNative Amber

It’s difficult to plan comfort-food to satisfy men with a wide range of dietary preferences. Half of the dudes are manly-eaters: burgers, sausages, bacon and other types of meaty goodness. I also had to cook for Aaron the vegetarian, James the vegan, and myself the pescatarian. Regardless, omnivorous or not, some of us dudes are just plain picky eaters.

Everyone contributed an impressive array of junk food, which we stored above the fireplace, soon dubbed “the snack mantel.” You can learn a lot about your friends by observing their junk food weaknesses: sweet, salty and everything in between. Artificially flavored snack chips lure some, while others are satisfied simply by mixed nuts or trail mix. For me, it was difficult to keep my hands away from the giant bag of cardboard-y animal crackers and the Oreos.

I tried to stick to basics for our kitchen utensil arsenal but ended up with a large bag of cooking tools to haul. My cheap, 8” Kiwi knife was indispensable, as were a few pairs of tongs (designated meat and non-meat), a set of plastic cutting mats, and some inexpensive serving platters. Four kitchen towels got me through okay, but I wish I’d brought double that. Seasonings and condiments are a must, and having a few interesting and varied spices available provides a pretty open palette to choose from.

~~~~~

Our bellies grumbled even before we could finish unloading. A meager bagel and latte meant my hunger had been building over the long drive, and I propelled into food prep mode. We decided to grill hamburgers and hot dogs—easy to prepare and comforting to the road-weary. Austin stacked charcoal briquettes into the boxy camp grill, and Eric made the hamburger patties.

We grilled corn as a vegan option, so I pulled the husks away but left them attached and removed the silk strands. I brushed the corn with olive oil and seasoned it with smoked salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and bay seasoning (though chili powder makes a wonderful substitution). I then folded the husks back over the corn. We roasted them for about 8 minutes, turning often and served them with a fresh squeeze of lime. There were also some herbavore-friendly hot dogs and Field Roast sausages.

I brought some rainbow trout fillets and gave them the Cajun blackened-spice treatment, then gently wrapped them in aluminum foil pouches with olive oil, garlic and onion. The trout fillets steamed in their packets, leaving them moist and tender. This method is also very effective for poultry or really anything you want to cook slowly on the grill.

Eric EllenwoodMeat Man

Peanut PretzelsGlenlivit

James CooperAnti-Meat Man

BBQ LaysLeft Hand Milk Stout

For the meat-eaters, Eric’s burgers were the main event. Eric is known in our circle as “The Meat Man”, earned by his penchant for deli meats, grilled meats, and any kind of meats. He used the ingredients on hand to improvise. Jeff brought two bottles of Zing-Zang but forgot to bring the vodka, so the mix turned into a convenient way to season hamburger meat, along with sriracha sauce, minced garlic and onion, black pepper and salt: Bloody Mary burgers. After they were formed and grilled, we served them on soft, doughy bolillos, a type of white bread roll I buy at my local panadería.

~~~~~

We broke into the Glenlivet as the prep work was winding down, passing out two-ounce neat pours. It was the perfect way to slow down and relax after a long day of driving and cooking. The scotch followed by several beers and a large amount of food, led to a deep drowsiness.

~~~~~

I awoke around nine to the sound of men giggling. Atlee packed a Super Nintendo, and half the guys stayed up until four in the morning playing NBA Jam. They had already risen to continue the game. I was a little bummed about missing out on the late-night festivities but glad I had gotten my rest. My mission was already upon me: breakfast. I was clearheaded, despite the alcohol, so I arose and shuffled into my clothes.

The first order of business was to get beverages started. With my handy Kiwi blade, I halved a few dozen oranges and hand-juiced them. The juice went into a large pitcher with an entire bottle of champagne. Atlee went to work with some freshly roasted beans from Elemental and a porcelain pour-over cone to brew a few pots of strong, delicious coffee.

We had two dozen eggs in the refrigerator, so I beat them all with half-and-half, kosher salt, black pepper and

Sriracha. I always scramble eggs when cooking for a large group because it’s the most efficient and fool-proof method. I cooked them in three batches, with lots of butter; they were fluffy and good.

Pancakes are another essential group breakfast food, so we brought a box of Shawnee Mills mix, a tried-and-true local brand. Jeff brought rolled oats, which I mixed into the batter making sure the mixture wasn’t too thick. They were delicious and hearty—made even better with butter and maple syrup.

I have never worked as a short-order cook, but I imagined myself manning the griddle at Jimmy’s Egg. The guys gobbled down the food as fast as I could dish it out. Thankfully, my patrons were patient and content to sit at the table and talk, soaking in the morning light through the windows

and sipping their mimosas. A few of them lounged around still wearing their sweatpants from the night before. We had a satellite feed tuned into the 1997 Harrison Ford flick Air Force One. Staying in rented room makes watching terrible movies seem appealing. I had to duck out of the kitchen at the very end of the film so I could catch the “GET OFF MY PLANE!” line.

~~~~~

When breakfast was finished, a few of the grateful eaters threw down on the cleanup. We made plans to spend the afternoon exploring the park. Robber’s Cave is in the beautiful southeastern part of the state, near the Arkansas border, and is rocky, hilly and dense with sycamore and oak trees. Because of the unusually rainy spring, the foliage was lush, the country in full bloom.

Robber’s Cave is known for being a hideout for the outlaws Jesse James and Belle Starr in the late 1800s. There is an area filled with shallow caves to explore and piles of rocks to scamper on. The terrain is varied enough for those wishing to rappel or just casually climb around, like we did. Spending time in nature was soothing and reverted me to a childlike state. Nothing else was on my mind other than making it to the top of that giant rock or wondering if there are any poisonous snakes lurking in a nearby dark crevice.

After a few hours of scrambling on boulders, we were pooped, and returned

to the cabin for decompression. Jeff and Aaron

stayed behind, full from breakfast,

and had already pounded a few

beers. They were a bit buzzed and

adamant that the group should

play Monopoly. It’s not my favorite

pastime, but I was coaxed into it along with the

rest of the crew. It became much more interesting

when we brought in a bottle of

Jägermeister and established a set of drinking

rules. Every time a player was

penalized by a “Chance” card, sent to jail, or otherwise

fucked by the rules, he took a drink. It wasn’t long until

things got silly and perhaps a little too competitive.

Luck was not in my favor, and I was on the road to becoming severely smashed. I still had to prepare the evening’s dinner, so I bowed out early, willing my estate to the player in last place.

~~~~~

I skewered big chunks of Portobello mushrooms and doused them in good balsamic vinegar, marinating them for twenty minutes. I also loaded veggie kabobs with yellow summer squash, zucchini and onion, brushing with olive oil and finishing with sea salt and cracked black pepper. For my shrimp kabobs, I preferred to leave the shells on to keep them them juicy inside while the outside got a nice crispy char. We ate them whole,

Austin TackettGrill Master

Chicken SaladTequila

enjoying the combination of textures. Austin manned the grill as I ran skewers back and forth.

We also brought a few pounds of past-its-prime salmon. I know fresh fish, and salmon should smell like melon, like a ripe cantaloupe split apart on a summer day. However, it can also manage to stay fresh a good while longer than many other fish. This salmon was not quite raunchy, but it needed a strong spice to overtake its age. Enter the Cajun blackened seasoning. Smoky, spicy and a bit salty, this masked the “fishiness” while playing up the natural charcoal flavor. We ate this with our bare hands as it came off the grill, slightly charred, but moist inside, and we talked to each other with full mouths about how good it was.

Again the scotch came out to play, and while I took sips here and there, it was the bomber of Prairie Artisan Ale that I was excited about popping. Prairie is a new Oklahoma brand of beer that specializes in barrel-aged beverages. The bottle of Okie I brought was an Imperial brown ale with a hefty 13% alcohol by volume, so I had to share. For a brown ale, it was very malty with hints of vanilla and appropriately boozy—a good slow sipper while I worked through my kitchen work.

Austin grilled the kabobs, the salmon, plus veggie dogs and chicken sausages, and I started the dish I was most excited about: mashed potatoes. There is no more satisfying or comforting side dish to me; I’ve even consumed them as a main course. I knew they would be a crowd-pleaser. I quartered and boiled, skin on, two pounds of red potatoes with a head of peeled garlic cloves and a chopped onion. When the potatoes were tender, I drained the pot and shut off the heat. I added a few tablespoons of butter, a half-cup of half-and-half, salt, pepper, and bay seasoning to the pot.

Suddenly a panic washed over me. I had no potato masher or anything close to it.

Improvising is my forte, so I grabbed the nearest whisk and went to work. It was an arduous task but after a good amount of hand-cramping, we had the long awaited mashed potatoes. They were a bit chunky, which is how I like them, but the whisking also made them super creamy. Maybe it was the afternoon’s Jäger talking, but they tasted damn near perfect—the best I’d ever made.

~~~~~

By the time the last sausages and salmon fillets came off the grill, we’d all had so much to eat and drink that the festivities were slowing down. The coals faded into the dark night.

Our evening was highlighted by a stumbling walk to the rocky gorge behind our cabin. A bright moon illuminated the otherwise dark chasm. There was no sound but the occasional shuffling of rocks under foot. We sat in the darkness, drunkenly, and for the first time on the whole trip, no one spoke. For all the weekend’s raucousness, that moment had no joking, no menial banter, not even the deeper conversations we’d had that would soon be forgotten in the beery haze of the weekend. We were left in the dark, lost to ourselves.

The walk back to the cabin started out equally quiet, but we soon became cheerful and lighthearted again. After all, this trip was a bachelor party. Austin could enjoy some bro time before falling into the loving arms of matrimony, but where most trips of this kind are full of strip clubs and an explosion of Bacchanalian pleasures, we were content to go the epicurean route. We helped each other make and eat good food and enjoyed some brotherly company in the solitude of Oklahoma’s foothills. We cleaned up the mess in the morning, the dishes and leftover soda cans, and left the cabin to the next family, taking with us memories of Glenlivet and kabobs.


PORKBELLYTACOSWITH

KIMCHIby Becky Carman

I grew up in a house fortunate enough to have a home-cooked meal nearly every day. We had dinner as a family, but while eating was a group affair, cooking definitely wasn't. It always was, and always will be, my Mom's kitchen. Never having to fend for myself culinarily meant that when I moved out, a decade ago, I had no idea how to cook anything from scratch—certainly not the Korean food I'd grown up eating.

I cook, I think, far more than the average person who lives alone, but it wasn't until recently that I started weaning myself off recipes and feeling confident enough to not have to ask, “Wait, is that a thing?” For anyone in the same boat, I highly recommend tacos as a starting point for inventing your own

meals. The wrap-it-in-a-tortilla format is very forgiving and suitable for pretty much any sort of protein-veggie combination you can dream up. Hot sauce is a great cover-up for flavor combinations that end up less than stellar.

As I move on from recipe-based cooking in all other cuisines, I'm also tweaking basic Korean recipes to suit my own tastes (sorry, Mom) and using Korean flavors in a variety of foods: gochujang mayonnaise, sesame oil-based salad dressing, ginger cocktails.

Pork belly is a prevalent cut of meat in Korean cuisine, and it requires light accompaniments and strong flavors to cut the richness. It's often eaten grilled, dipped in a sesame oil dipping sauce, and wrapped in lettuce or perilla leaves with rice. This recipe isn't that much of an aberration. As much as the term “fusion cooking” makes me cringe, that is basically what this is ... some strange Mexican-Korean-barbecue hybrid. I'm a huge fan of sweet-and-spicy foods, and I think the combination of soy caramel and kimchi coleslaw is both accessible and super easy to prepare.

Score pork belly skin in a grid, then lightly salt and pepper both sides. Wrap very tightly in two pieces of foil, and slow roast in an oven-safe dish for two hours at 275°.

DO NOT OPEN THE FOIL!

Cool slightly at room temperature, then refrigerate at least four hours or overnight.This method of precooking the pork belly retains a lot of the fat content (sorry, but also not sorry) and the shape of the piece of meat itself. Where an open roast would let the fat melt away, the foil keeps it all tight in a delicious, fatty brick. Cooling before slicing solidifies the fat for some nice, bacon-y striping.

Day of

One day beforeIngredients

1 lb. boneless pork belly In my experience, most chain grocery stores without a full meat counter don't carry pork belly, but if you can find a good Asian market or butcher locally, you shouldn't have any problem.

salt and pepper1/4 cup water 1/4 cup brown sugar3 tbsp. soy sauce Black pepper8 corn tortillas 3 c. shredded cabbage, red or green, or a mix2 T. mayonnaise 2 T. rice vinegar1 t. white sugar1 c. cabbage kimchi, thinly julienned

(If you have my mom's phone number, you can get this in convenient gallon jars from her with alarming frequency, considering she knows it's just you and that there's no possible way you could have already eaten all that kimchi. And make sure you give her jars back. Otherwise, I recommend trying to find a Korean grocery store; they're more common than you think, especially in central Oklahoma. Often, they'll have small portions of kimchi (sometimes even made by the proprietor of the store) available for purchase. The jarred brands I've tried have been okay, and in a recipe like this will of course work, but they do vary pretty widely in quality, taste, sweetness—even in ingredients—so if you love kimchi but don't want to make it at home, it's definitely worth some brand experimentation to find the one that suits you best.)

Slice pork belly into strips, about 1 inch thick. The pre-roasting makes the skin totally edible, but it is a bit chewy, so feel free to cut that off if you're not into that sort of thing. In a skillet, heat water and brown sugar until it starts to caramelize (you will see large bubbles form, a little bit like a foam). Stir in soy sauce. When bubbles reform, add in the pork belly slices in a single layer. Allow slices to fry and caramelize, turning occasionally, until sauce has reduced. Turn off heat, and add black pepper to taste. Caramel will thicken as it cools.

Mix mayonnaise, rice vinegar and white sugar. If you have other coleslaw things that you love, throw those in there, too. Celery seed is classic. Ground mustard could be good here, as well.Kimchi is an...ahem...assertive...flavor and unlikely to be thrown aside by whatever you add here.Fold in shredded cabbage and kimchi. Salt and pepper to taste.

Eat!


SALTby Lacey Elaine Tackett

It has been referenced, or used ceremoniously, in almost every religion. It was recorded that Muhammad said, “Salt is the master of your food. God sent down four blessings from the sky - fire, water, iron and salt.” We’ve all heard the term “salt of the earth”. Salt binds us to our chemistry, to history, and to matters of the metaphysical. Salt is the stuff of magic. The first time that salt struck me as important, I was fourteen and watching my boyfriend's mother cook dinner. She remains the most influential cook I've known; the one who taught me that food is a connective thread that binds us together. She was the first person I remember actively tasting her food as she cooked. Hovering over the stovetop, she added ingredient by ingredient, salting-to-taste each element in the dish. Her methods of seasoning, as well as her personal palette, involved much more salt than I'd seen used in my own family's kitchen. Her dishes had more tooth, more savor. She was a legendary chef within our circle and I remember my friends and I rushing to the table to wolf down her Lebanese classics and turkey burgers alike. We laughed together and enjoyed each other's company. Those meals inspired me to cook with my heart, and to taste food as you prepare it is an act of love and a tender display of care. It’s culinary experience and essence combined to fill your belly and make others feel welcome. You are sharing your taste, your heritage, and your art with your loved ones. Salt is also political, which I learned as I got older and took a job at a smoothie shop providing soy protein and wheatgrass to the masses. Suddenly

There is an ancient and essential mineral

which etched the rivers and valleys of our

landscape. It sustains the oceans, with all

of their bounty, and gave early humans the

ability to preserve meat and take it with

them. Before pressed coins, printed bills,

and PayPal it was a form of currency. That

crystalline substance is salt.

carbohydrates, antioxidants and sodium levels were a part of daily conversation. I knew that tepid water was more easily absorbed by the body. I accepted that fresh produce yielded more nourishment than Flintstones vitamins. I also learned that salt was seen as an American enemy, causing ailments and stealing our health, leaving us obese and lethargic. Presently I have not seen any research that contributes poor health to salt, unless it is ingested as part of a poor-quality diet rich with fast foods. I smoked my first cigarette in the back parking

lot and counted on the pungency of squeezed orange juice to hide the stink from our customers. Feeling rebellious, I wondered when salt and nutrients stopped being about togetherness, and became the subject of self-help books and Oprah episodes. Alton Brown, one of my food idols, was recently lambasted for his partnership with a big-industry sea salt producer. Brown appeared in a multi-part educational web series on salt; its chemistry, its origins, its uses. He said, “Never be without a few great salts in your kitchen.” This statement was detested by many socially-conscious foodies. To encourage Americans to embrace salt was madness and a breach of their trust. Regardless of the blogosphere’s harsh renunciation of his expertise, I respect Alton. It’s the love of salt and its usefulness that bind us. Salt does not instantly rot your insides, or diminish your amount of health-fanatic cred. It is not high-minded to villanize salt and demand that it be replaced with Mrs. Dash or lemon pepper for the sake of our nation's wellness. It is far more socially responsible to encourage everyone to cook more, eat out less, to buy fresh rather than frozen, and to make the dinner-hour an opportunity to reconnect. Salt is no danger when used moderately while avoiding chemically-stabilized convenience foods. There are those who are pre-disposed to sensitivity. High blood-pressure and other unfortunate ailments may require them to limit their salt intake, but surely it's importance can be universally understood. Salt is part of the human formula. Salt gave us our sense of society, our togetherness, our sense of taste and sharing. Salt is the stuff of magic.

by Liz Drew

Strawberry Balsamic Jam


Mix the lemon juice and balsamic vinegar in a bowl on the side.

In a big ol’ pot, with a wooden spoon that does not taste or smell like soup, gently combine the strawberries, sugar, and half the lemon juice/vinegar mix.

Get the juices flowing by cooking over medium-low heat for 3 or 4 minutes. Get out your pepper mill and crank it about half a dozen times. Stir, and take a whiff - it should tickle your nose! Really tickle! Don’t be afraid of using too much pepper. It is pretty hard to overdo it, and that’s not just because I really dig black pepper - it simply gets hidden in the flavor if there’s not enough. You want to know it’s there.

The fruit will change right from the start, when you douse those hardy berries in the acids and grainy sugar. The berries become tender and gentle to the touch as the liquid is drawn out of them, and the liquid thickens with the

1 lb. of fresh, hulled strawberries1 oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice2 oz balsamic vinegar10.5 oz sugarFresh black peppercorn

Note: Copper is the most magical pot for cooking fruits, if you can afford this very nice piece of equipment. I have a 6 quart Dutch oven I like to use. If I'm doing way large batches, I team it up with a 6 quart stainless-steel pot and ladle back and forth between the two to keep the batches mirror-consistent. Non-reactive is the key, anyway - avoid aluminum, basically. Thicker bottom is better. Also, these times are for gas stoves - electric may take a bit longer.

Ingredients sugar and acids, in turn breaking down the strawberries and drawing out the pectin. It is beautiful to behold. I suggest you watch the changes closely not only because it will teach you how fruits cook down, but because it’s fascinating. Over time, the sugar and pectin knit the whole thing together, more gently or powerfully depending on how long you cook it.

By now, the liquid should be foaming just a wee bit around the edges. Crank that pot up to high and boil, stirring continuously. This small batch requires a short cooking time. It can burn on the bottom of the pot easily, so keep your eye on it while you are stirring. It will first rise as it bubbles and foams, then fall back down a little as the liquid becomes glassy. This takes about 10 minutes. Turn the heat back down to medium-high and stir in the rest of the lemon juice and vinegar. Heat it for just a moment until the acids mix in completely, and take it off the burner.

Dip your spoon in the pot and hold it vertically, letting the sauce drip off. Does it cling to the spoon at all? If it’s running off like raw juice, it’s not quite cooked enough. Return to heat and keep testing. You don’t want this to drip as a full-on jam would - it should still be runny. Regular jams will cling and droop in sheets from the spoon - this should be a real quick, smooth drip.

You can use this right away, storing in glass or plastic, and it will flow smoothly. If you’re saving it for later, put it into a microwaveable container. Keep it in the fridge and use it in a few weeks. You can nuke it a few seconds before you want to use it, so it flows more easily, or let it come to room temp overnight.

Inspired by and with Great deference & respect for Rachel Saunders, author of Blue Chair Jam Cookbook.

How to

1 cup room-temperature buttah1 cup sugar2 eggsA pinch of salt1 cup molasses2 tsp baking soda4 cups flour

Set oven to 325.

Cream together buttah and sugar then beat for about 5 minutes, more if you can. As much as you can take it, before it gets liquid!Then add eggs, salt and mix until combined. These cookies are somewhere between chewy and cake-y, so it’s not a big deal if you go a moment long mixing the egg in this one.

Ingredients

How To


In a separate bowl, mix molasses and baking soda. (This should gently bubble and the molasses will turn a lighter brown. The fun of swirling a little galaxy of baking soda into a pool of sticky molasses should be lost on no one.)

Pour this into the wet mixture. Use 1 teaspoon of hot water and a spatula to get the last bit of molasses from the bowl, then mix all it all together. Gradually add flour ½ cup at a time.

Roll out the mixture onto a well-floured surface and cut with a floured glass.

Bake about 8 minutes, than leave the cookies to cool on a wire rack. These should keep for a few weeks, which is surprisingly long if you actually have the willpower to save them! Molasses teamed with flour are a secret pair of badasses when it comes to keeping a cookie moist and most brown breads/cakes just a bit longer than most other baked goods. Thanks, Mom!

MolassesCookies


1 1/2 cups cake flour1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons kosher salt3/4 cup butter room temp1 1/2 cup skim milk ricotta1 1/4 cup of sugar mixed1/4 cup lavender vanilla sugar 3 large eggs1 teaspoon lavender extract1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 lemon zested8 large ceramic ramekins or small bowls that hold about a cup each

Set oven to 350 degrees

Grease small bowls or ramekins with butter. In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cream together the butter, ricotta, and sugar until fluffy. (This may take 3 to 5 minutes.) Continue to blend, adding 1 egg at a time, allowing each to incorporate before adding the next. Add the vanilla, lavender, and lemon zest and mix until combined. Begin to add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, until just blended. Pour the batter into the ramekins and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes. The individual cakes should begin to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes and then transfer upside-down to a baking rack to cool completely.

Ingredients How To

Ricotta Pound Cake

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Rumble, as prepared by Nani OKC

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carne asado chicken and quinoa

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Yummmmmm

vegetable garden don't judge

salmon salad with homemade blueberry balsamic dressing


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CALL FOR ENTRIESMunch Magazine is a quarterly, independent, online food magazine produced in Oklahoma City. Our magazine features recipes, essays on foodstuffs, and local Oklahoma restaurants. We are seeking like-minded individuals to get involved, so if you're interested in submitting a piece or recipe, please let us know. We hope to foster a sense of community for local food lovers and would love to hear your ideas and feedback!

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Munch Magazine - Issue 2 - Summer 2013