Food With a Story

A lot of people in Seattle’s  food community are emphasizing more than just “local” or “organic” in their food requirements. The focus seems to have moved onto being able to tell a believable and compelling “story behind the food we eat everyday.”  Where was an animal raised? What did it eat? What is the farmer all about, and what else does she grow on the farm? Is any other item on my dinner plate from that same farm? Why did the chef select this particular cut of meat for this preparation? Foodie trends have taken us in many directions over the years, but the curiosity and expectations surrounding the “story behind our food” seems to be at an all time high right now. And insistence on understanding the entire “farm to plate” narrative is no exception. For the first time in my life, I feel kind of trendy. I’ve been on this “food story” kick for more than ten years, and now lots of people are talking about it.

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend the “Farmer Fisher Chef Connection” here in Seattle.  This event, hosted by the Seattle Chef’s Collaborative was a day-long conference bringing together a lot of hyper-aware (and hyper-involved) members of the Pacific Northwest food community to foster a more sustainable food supply…to everyone.  Local farmers met face-to-face with local consumers (chefs, restaurant owners, and various food producers) to understand more clearly how to work together and support each other’s efforts better. Everyone  of the 200+ attendees in the room clearly was there because they want to support small farmers, encourage responsible farming, play a role in sustainability, and spread the message to the hungry public that great food can be made without trashing the soil or bankrupting the small guys who are trying to do the right thing. It was exciting to see so many people who wanted to slow down, think, and figure out new behaviors and processes in order to step out of the factory-farmed default food supply that so many restaurants (and home cooks) turn to.

One of the most compelling topics from the day was a panel discussion involving the coordinated efforts of a rancher, a butcher, a restaurant owner, and the restaurant’s executive chef, all sharing stories about their individual role getting local grass-fed beef from the farm to the dinner plate at Canlis Restaurant in Seattle, ending up with an extremely satisfying experience for all parties involved….and creating a meal worthy of a Seattle restaurant which is really particular about its ingredients used on the menu. It took a lot of planning and effort before all four parties were able to come together to create a local, responsibly grown, custom butchered, and seasonally timed menu item, but the result seems to have been a success for everyone, and a provided everyone with a great story surrounding the final meal. I wish I could have gone to dinner that night at Canlis.

We all walked away from the discussion confirming the obvious; that food trends change quickly. Restaurant diners and foodies from very recently (10 years ago?…pre-Michael Pollan) used to look for the most exotic ingredients regardless of seasonality, geography, or the reality that it takes an embarrassing amount of fuel to go grocery shopping for a single meal by selecting ingredients sourced in different climate zones of our planet. “Organic” became a buzz word that everyone expected for a while, and some still do. Everyone in the food industry learned how to include that word or some variation of “organic” into their menu. Then, the public got focused on “eating local.” The emphasis on “local” is awesome, and so many people are embracing it in their daily life….well, at least during the summer months. Shopping at farmers markets to support the local farmers and to help everyone understand the seasonality of all their food. But now, lots of people are talking about the “story behind their food.” And many eaters expect to see the farm name on a menu. If a pig’s diet or exercise regiment is described on the menu, all the better for everyone.

Does all this transparency and honesty about the source of our food really make things taste better? Who cares….it makes me feel proud to support farmers and chefs who are actively slowing down their production and doing the right thing….and supporting each other. My prosciutto, salami, and any other meaty treats all come from sources (farms and farmers) who I’ve met, who I trust, and who have been completely willing to explain to me what their work is all about. (If I haven’t met the individual farmer, I know that the initial butcher has vetted the farmer and the source of the meat in a similar manner as I would)

It is exciting to see so many people asking so many questions and expecting/demanding acceptable answers regarding the source of our food. There’s nothing wrong with asking the waiter or the butcher or even your mother where dinner really came from.

Now, having said all that, I should give an update on Herschel. After all, this is a blog about a prosciutto.

The leg is one full month into the 12 month aging stage. That’s:

• 30 of 30 days salting completed
• 90 of 90 days of drying complete
• 30 of 365 days of aging complete.

The lard/pepper/semolina paste is still in place without any dripping or smearing. And the leg still smells and feels great. There’s a lot of waiting to do still, but not too much action to take.

Meanwhile, “Hazel” the second prosciutto is 27 days into the salting stage. Later this week, I will rinse it, wrap it in a bug tent, and hang it next to Herschel, beginning the 90 day drying process. Same process as before, but a very different pig from a different Washington farm with a unique diet of hazelnuts. The side-by-side tasting next year will be fun!