Kids in Mind

As kids head back to school, we offer up a host of events the whole family can savor, from a new PBS series that serves up inspiration, humor, and music about food to a book signing party (plus popsicles) at the Edible Schoolyard in Berkeley.

 

Sundaes & School Supplies

Sunday August 24, noon–4pm
Fentons Creamery
4226 Piedmont Ave, Oakland

Join Fentons and the Lend a Hand Foundation to raise funds for school supplies. Help to equip 5,000 homeless and underserved Oakland students by the start of the school year. On Sunday August 24, the first 100 people to donate a new backpack or $10+ worth of new school supplies at Fentons Creamery will enjoy a free scoop of ice cream. And, for the entire month of August, 25{94d79dd6af1e87a94e700e4c297236468333f22e27ed5757b44711974a9a4b91} of proceeds from Fentons’ special “Lend A Hand Myrtle Special Sundae” will be donated to the foundation.

 

 

Forward Thinking

by Rachel Trachten

From edible crickets to composting human waste, the new PBS series Food Forward TV serves up visionary ideas about growing and eating food. Premiering September 4 at 11pm, the show introduces us to farmers, fishermen, chefs, teachers, and scientists, all with innovative solutions to America’s food challenges. Each of the 13 half-hour episodes also treats viewers to lush cinematography and original music by local artists.

Earlier this month, series creators Greg Roden and Stett Holbrook (both Bay Area journalists) were on hand for a screening at the Emeryville headquarters of project sponsor Clif Bar. Roden, who also produced and directed the series, initially brought the show to KQED in 2010, and the pilot aired in 2012. Additional sponsors include Chipotle, Applegate, Lundberg Family Farms, Annie’s, and others. 

The evening featured a full screening of episode 3, “Seeds of Change,” highlighting Seed Matters, an initiative of the Clif Bar Family Foundation that promotes crop diversity and protection of organic seeds. The filmmakers visit a popular seed library in Tucson, Arizona and show us what crop diversity can yield: corns with gemlike kernels in shades of green, gold, blue, and purple. A clip from episode 4, “SOS: Save our Soil,” introduces UC Berkeley professor Whendee Silver, who is figuring out how to take carbon dioxide out of the air and put it back into the soil, and adjunct professor Gary Andersen, also at UC Berkeley, who is busy developing ways to create compost from human waste. 

In highlights from episode 7, “The Future of Food,” shoppers at the Ferry Building sample chocolate-covered salted crickets. Farmed insects, we learn, are an excellent protein source requiring far less water than livestock. On screen, a mariachi band plays as Monica Martinez, owner of Don Bugito, cooks up spicy superworms at San Francisco’s La Cocina. 

 

Back at the screening in Emeryville, the same mariachi band appears live on stage, along with UC professors Silver and Andersen, insect-chef Martinez, and others for a discussion of the far-ranging ideas they’ve brought to the series. 

The show sparks optimism by spotlighting people who are coming up with solutions for America’s food challenges. “Each episode of Food Forward TV delves into one facet of our food system,” says producer and director Roden. “From seeds and soil to the Farm Bill and food psychology, we show how complex feeding ourselves can actually be. Our hope is that regardless of who you are—a hard-core foodie or a convenience store connoisseur—Food Forward TV inspires you to make conscious choices, each and every day, about what you eat.” 

Read more about Food Forward TV in this 2011 article by Kristina Sepetys in Edible East Bay. 

Viewing times may vary. Check PBS listings in your area.

 

Remember and Rebuild Tuolumne Camp

On August 25, 2013, Berkeley Tuolumne Camp was devastated by the largest recorded wildfire in the Sierra Nevada, the Rim Fire. It destroyed 92 of the camp’s 111 structures, including all of the main buildings. The nonprofit Friends of Berkeley Tuolumne Camp has announced three events to commemorate the first anniversary of the fire and keep the camp spirit alive as families unite to rebuild the camp. 

Friday August 22, 5:30–8:00pm 
Campfire Sing-a-Along with S’mores 
Codornices Park, Berkeley 

Monday August 25, 7:00–8:00pm
Candlelight Vigil 
Martin Luther King Jr. (Provo) Park, Berkeley 
Please bring a candle and a friend. 

Friday September 5, 11am for golf; 5:30pm for dinner and auction
Tee Off for Tuolumne! 
Tilden Park Golf Course, Berkeley 
All proceeds from this event go towards rebuilding camp. Cost: $150 for golf tournament and dinner; $25 for dinner and auction. Info: scott@fobtc.com or www.fobtc.com/category/events/

 

 

Social Eats

A Conversation with Samin Nosrat
Wednesday August 27, 6–8pm
Doña Tomás, 5004 Telegraph Ave (btwn 49th and 51st), Oakland

Local writer, chef, and teacher Samin Nosrat shares stories from her experiences cooking and eating around the world. Social Eats, a part of Alice Waters’ Edible Schoolyard organization, hosts the event. Social Eats educates young Bay Area professionals about global food systems and the sustainable food movement. Cost: $15. Tickets: here.

 

 

Yummy Supper Book Party

Sunday September 7, 2–4pm
The Edible Schoolyard
1781 Rose St, Berkeley

Join local author Erin Scott at the Edible Schoolyard to celebrate her new book, Yummy Supper: 100 Fresh, Luscious & Honest Recipes from a (Gluten-Free) Omnivore. All are invited for a book signing and popsicles in the garden. You can read Sarah Henry’s article about Erin Scott in the new fall issue of Edible East Bay. 

 

Book Review

Delicious Dinner Inspiration!

Review by Kristina Sepetys

Yummy Supper: 100 Fresh, Luscious, & Honest Recipes
from a [Gluten-Free] Omnivore
by Erin Scott (Rodale, 2014)
Following from Scott’s award-winning blog of the same name, her new cookbook has the same clean, visual aesthetic and family-friendly recipes that emphasize naturally gluten-free ingredients to create easy, tasty meals. Scott likes to experiment and cook with greens, herbs, and citrus harvested from her backyard garden. Sample her fresh, seasonal recipes like Watermelon Punch with Fresh Lime and Mint, Poached Eggs with Lemony Spinach & Crispy Hash Browns, Parmesan Polenta with Garlicky Rapini and Black Olives, and Peanut Butter Cups with Dark Chocolate and Flaky Sea Salt.

 

RECIPE

Quinoa Tabbouleh with Tomatoes, Scallions, Parsley Leaves, and Blossoms

Reprinted from Yummy Supper by Erin Scott. Copyright (c) 2014 by Erin Scott. By permission of Rodale Books. Available wherever books are sold.

I’ve been making this recipe for years and find it so satisfying in the late summer, when tomatoes are at their peak of sweet abundance. When the weather is warm, the last thing anyone wants for dinner is a hot meal. This quinoa is filling while still being light, refreshing, and full of herby, lemony zing. It’s easy to forget that traditional tabbouleh is made with bulgur–quinoa is so good here that it feels made for this Mediterranean classic.

This is one of my favorite dishes to bring to a picnic or potluck. And leftovers are delicious, if you have any!

This dish is best made at least an hour ahead of time so all the flavors can mingle and the quinoa can soak up all the goodness.

Serves 6 to 8

1 ½ cups quinoa
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups chopped tomatoes (bite-size pieces)
1 ½  cups finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼-½ cup finely chopped scallions
¼ -⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
Flaky sea salt (Maldon is my favorite)
Parsley blossoms, for garnish (optional)

First, rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer under running tap water. Place the rinsed quinoa in a large saucepan with 3 cups of water and let the grains soak for at least 15 minutes. Bring to a boil. Add the kosher salt to the pot. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy and tender, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, toss the quinoa with the tomatoes, parsley, scallions, lemon juice, olive oil, and mint. Add salt and additional lemon juice to your liking, and you’ve got your tabbouleh.

Serve the quinoa at room temp. Feel free to add a little more flaky sea salt and an extra drizzle of nice olive oil at serving time, and top with the blossoms, if you have ’em.