Pizza war winner: Sally's Apizza

Anybody from Connecticut, and perhaps New England, is aware of the pizza wars originating in New Haven. Who makes a better pie? Is it Frank Pepe? Or Sally's Apizza? If we were judging by volume, then it might be said that Frank Pepe is the clear winner, and pizza devotees don't need to travel to New Haven to enjoy. They can stop by West Hartford, Manchester, or other locations to enjoy their favorite. But is that the end of it? Recently a friend and I decided to go and find out. Although it was a wednesday night, Sally's Apizza was humming and we were considerably lucky to get the one table that had opened up, close to the tantalizing smell of the ovens, and within sight of the steady line of hungry customers at the front door.

So what is the secret? Well, honestly, I think it's in the pie's simplicity, and in the deeply flavorful sauce. We decided that it made most sense to do a 50/50 split so that we could try both styles. Maybe the secret lies in the fact that the same coal fired oven has been used for over eighty years, and there is some sort of flavor infusion effect happening. While we pondered this, and sipped on our white birch beer sodas, we looked around the place and admired the photos. At the time, we were not sure if the photos were of actual patrons, but a glance at their website says that they are! "Many dignitaries, athletes and stars have dined on Sally's over the years. Pictures and memorabilia from these visits line the walls. Notables include Frank Sinatra, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Kathleen Turner, Don Rickles, Jimmy Durante and Gary Trudeau (look for the Doonesbury tribute to Sally's the next time you are there)." 

We anxiously watched as pie after steaming by came out on rectangular metal sheet pans, to other eagerly waiting patrons. We made a quick mental note to ourselves that we wouldn't arrive at the point of starvation on our next visit. Conversation at this point strayed to references to the Chinese food restaurant episode of Seinfeld, and the eggroll dare.

We were almost to that point when our pie was placed down. Ignoring the fact that it was steaming hot, I quickly folded up a slice (like a New Yorker) and savored the tang of the tomatoe sauce. That sauce. It is like eating fresh tomatoes, with that lingering acidity on the tongue. Fellow diners appeared to be as won over as I was, and "this is the best pizza I have ever tasted" resonated from several booths. The half with the mozzarella cheese was a close second, and soon the pie had disappeared in front of us. I know pizza preference is a personal thing. But for me, Sally's Apizza is the clear winner of the pizza war. I have tried Frank Pepe's on three separate occasions and been under impressed. Every time, the pies lacked in flavor, had a soupy and rather uncooked center, and too much crust. But maybe that's how other people like their pies.

If you are in New Haven, and have time to wait in the line, give Sally's a visit. But be prepared. It is a cash only establishment, no credit cards accepted. Personally, I am ready for another.

237 Wooster Street, New Haven, CT
http://sallysapizza.com/index.html

HOURS:

Monday        CLOSED
Tuesday        CLOSED
Wednesday   4:00 to 9:00
Thursday      4:00 to 9:00
Friday          4:00 to 10:00
Saturday       3:00 to 10:00
Sunday         3:00 to 9:00

Roti, Roti...

If there is one place on this earth that I could call a home-away-from-home, that place would be the Virgin Islands. The effects of an island childhood has irrevocably shaped the kind of woman that I have become. Wherever my life takes me, I walk to a reggae beat, heal myself with local plant wisdom, keep myself open to new cultures, and crave the flavors of the tropics. These flavors are unforgettable. 

On my last trip to the islands, my father had a surprise for me. He had scouted out a local food destination on the way from Charlotte Amalie to the ferry at Red Hook. He pulled our jeep over at “We Never Sleep” food truck which consisted of a refurbished school bus, painted bright red with a eating area created immediately behind it. I was immediately excited because their main dish is roti, something that I have been curious to try. Roti, which is also known as chapati, is an unleavened flat bread. 

It is made from stoneground wholemeal flour and originated in India, but became popular as well in Guyana, Pakistan, Nepal, Maldives, South Africa, Suriname and the Caribbean. Most notably, roti got an upgrade in Trinidad and Tobago. Here the bread, which had been used to accompany meals or sop up soups with, became transformed into a carrier vessel and roti became known as a sandwich! 

Of course the options are endless for filings. We were lucky that day to have been offered saltfish, which wasn’t on the menu. The roti bread is too thick to roll, so it is folded loosely over the abundant filling. Our filling consisted of saltfish with potatoes and garbanzo beans with rich and slightly curried flavors. 

Another pleasing discovery for me was that they sold Moringa tea. Recently I had been studying up on this “miracle tree” which is a virtual powerhouse of nutrients. The leaves contain more than 90 nutrients 46 antioxidants! The list of benefits is almost too long to mention, but it has been used for ages with traditional healing methods, with great success. So naturally, we had a cup. That’s my medicine for the day! 

If you happen to find yourself visiting the Virgin Islands, and specifically St. Thomas, look for We Never Sleep on the way to the ferry. It is very close to the Coki Beach area, on the side of the road. 

Foodie News: Going to Japan? Consider a Ramen-Themed Outing for the Whole Family

Love Ramen? Probably not as much as these people. 

It’s no surprise ramen has grown into something of a craze (because it's unspeakably delicious), but the people of Hakone, Japan have taken their love of country’s most popular dish to a new level: bathing in it.

Yunessan Spa House offers noodle baths—tubs of pork broth that clients soak in to reap the benefits of the soup—a fun (and delicious!) treatment option.

Along the same lines as those who sip broth, people that plunge into noodle baths say it boosts collagen and increases metabolism (though we’re not sure the noodles are completely necessary).

Source: http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/ramen-bath-japan?xid=soc_socialflow_facebook_tl&adbid=10153495249249073&adbpl=fb&adbpr=25440929072 

The Angry Tofu- A Korean Adventure

On one not so lovely New England winter day, I was feeling rather glum. To cheer me up, my mother suggested we go to lunch at a place that I had been eyeing, and have ourselves a foodie adventure. And this is how we ended up at Angry Tofu, looking over the extensive menu with a combination of apprehension and excitement. Before stepping foot into the unassuming restaurant, with the clever logo, I hadn’t been overly curious about the cuisine because when I thought of Korean food, my mind clung to the phrase Korean BBQ and stopped there. Natural inclinations leaning towards a mainly vegetarian diet, this phrase alone was enough to kill my curiosity. But today was different. 

The lure of something with tofu had gotten my attention. Now there was one problem. Tofu was everywhere on the menu, but alongside some sort of meat. I decided on the Kimchi soup with soft tofu. If there is anything that Korean is known for outside of its isolationism, and Kim Jong-Un would be Kimchi! This delicious fermented vegetable mixture has been praised for fighting aging, improving cardiovascular and digestive health, boosting immune system and fighting cholesterol. It’s chock full of antioxidants, flavonoids and probiotics. Sounded like the perfect choice for my lunch. My mother went with a classic Bibimbap, which is mixed rice, lean meat, seaweed and vegetables, topped with an egg. 

Very shortly after we ordered, the waiter brought over a selection of fermented and pickled dishes. I could have very happily called this my meal. Each one was delicious!!! Especially liked the fish balls (or at least what I think they were), and the kimchi cucumbers. Next came out the entrees. I was a bit surprised when I started poking around the inside of my bowl. What I had thought would be a vegetarian dish, seemed to have some interesting strips of meat inside. I think they were pork, but I am no expert. 

After they had been fished out, and designated to one of the empty side dishes, I have to say, I fell in love with the flavor of my soup. It was warming, a little spicy, and all around comforting. The straw mushrooms and tofu were perfectly complimentary. My mother’s dish was also beautiful. 

All the ingredients were organic and it was a pleasure knowing that we could order something healthy with that assurance. We finished our meal with a chilled glass of cinnamon tea that had two pine nuts floating in it. It was definitely a foodie adventure! I will be planning a return trip, to do some more tasting, and looking for that perfect vegetarian friendly item on the menu! I know its hiding there somewhere! 

Location: The Angry Tofu, 1030 Silas Deane Highway, Wethersfield, CT 

Phone: 860-513-1004

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Angry-Tofu-Korean-Cuisine-710177472446403/info/?tab=overview (you can see the menu here ahead of time!!)

Foodie Event: Cacao Ceremony, Sound Journey & Live Music (January 2nd)

 
Join us for a sweet evening combining the heart-opening medicine of ceremonial grade cacao with an interactive musical experience & sound journey. Heartblood Cacao will share the wisdom of this sacred plant, serve cacao (similar to hot cocoa), share its uses, and lead a meditation to tune into the plant and its energy.

Explore the realms of sound and silence with the light-hearted practice of kirtan featuring Andrew Biagiarelli. Andrew will offer sacred songs to trance to, dance to and sing along with. Kelli Joy, Vibrational Visionary will take us deep into our heartspace with a sacred sound journey with Singing Bowls and Gongs.

Before the invention of chocolate as we know it, cacao had been used for centuries by Mayan, Aztec and other indigenous people as traditional plant medicine. It is served in community for the purpose of healing and connecting with each other and higher consciousness.
Eat lightly prior to attending to allow for fuller absorption of the cacao. Bring blankets, cushions, or pillows to make yourself comfortable. 


More info on Cacao @ HeartbloodCacao.com
Pre-registration requested
Cost: $30 pre-registered $35 day of (If there is space, this event tends to sell out) 
Pre-register at VibrationalVisionary.com
Time: 6-8:45pm
Location: Toivo, 399 Franklin Ave, Hartford, CT  

"Students revive extinct squash with 800-year-old seeds"

Gardens may be popping up in schools everywhere, but one school garden in Winnipeg, Canada is making news after growing a squash thought to be extinct for hundreds of years.

It all started with an archaeological dig on First Nations land that unearthed a small clay vessel estimated to be about 800 years old. Inside the vessel, the archaeologists found preserved seeds of an ancient squash.

Students at Canadian Mennonite University successfully grew one large squash from the seeds, but they aren't stopping there. The plan is to save the seeds from that first revived squash and then grow even more squash from those. The goal is to never let this squash go extinct again, according to APTN National News.

Brian Etkin, Coordinator of the Garden of Learning in Winnipeg, sees this revived squash as much more than a vegetable.

"This squash is representative of a tribe of a large community and everybody in that community having a place and food being a right on citizenship," said Etkin.

When the seeds were first put into that clay vessel all those years ago, they were likely meant to be used much sooner than now, but the discovery of them is a reminder that saving seeds is the best way to ensure plant varietals survive. The fruits and vegetables seen in the grocery store and even at the farmers markets are just a fraction of the varieties that exist.

Over the past 100 years or so, we've decreased the variety of produce grown and instead focused our efforts in cultivating species that produce a high yield or are able to travel long distances. But, we're discovering we're close to losing so many varieties, and seed savers are working to bring back varieties that most people have forgotten.

Thanks to the ancient indigenous person who put those seeds in a clay vessel hundreds of years ago, this squash varietal won't be lost to history. And thanks to more modern seed savers, we're reviving and preserving other fruits and vegetables — like this exquisite-looking Glass Gem corn:

SOURCE: http://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/blogs/students-revive-extinct-squash-800-year-old-seeds

Foodie News: "To Cut Food Waste, Spain's Solidarity Fridge Supplies Endless Leftovers"

"At a Basque restaurant nestled in the green hills just outside the Spanish city of Bilbao, head cook Itziar Eguileor gestures toward a dumpster out back. "This all used to go into the garbage," she says, lugging a huge pot of leftover boiled artichokes. "But now, these artichokes, we pack them in Tupperware, load them into our old Land Rover and drive them over to Solidarity Fridge.” Deliveries like Eguileor's arrive several times per day at the Solidarity Fridge, a pioneering project in the Basque town of Galdakao, population about 30,000. The goal is to avoid wasting perfectly good food and groceries. In April, the town established Spain's first communal refrigerator. It sits on a city sidewalk, with a tidy little fence around it, so that no one mistakes it for an abandoned appliance. Anyone can deposit food inside or help themselves. This crusade against throwing away leftovers is the brainchild of Alvaro Saiz, who used to run a food bank for the poor in Galdakao.

"The idea for a Solidarity Fridge started with the economic crisis — these images of people searching dumpsters for food— the indignity of it. That's what got me thinking about how much food we waste," Saiz told NPR over Skype from Mongolia, where he's moved onto his next project, living in a yurt and building a hospital for handicapped children. Saiz says he was intrigued by reading about a scheme in Germany in which people can go online and post notices about extra food and others can claim it. But Saiz wanted something more low-tech in his hometown of Galdakao — something accessible to his elderly neighbors who don't use the Internet. So he went to the mayor with his idea for a Solidarity Fridge. "When he came to city hall with this idea, I thought it was both crazy and brilliant! How could I say no?" says Mayor Ibon Uribe. "We approved a small budget of 5,000 euros [about $5,580] right away to pay for the fridge and an initial health safety study, as well as electricity and upkeep. And we granted this fridge a special independent legal status, so that the city can't be sued if someone gets sick.”

There are rules: no raw meat, fish or eggs. Homemade food must be labeled with a date and thrown out after four days. But Javier Goikoetxea, one of the volunteers who cleans out the fridge, says nothing lasts that long."Restaurants drop off their leftover tapas at night — and they're gone by next morning," he says. "We even have grannies who cook especially for this fridge. And after weekend barbecues, you'll find it stocked with ribs and sausage.” When NPR visited on Monday, the fridge was filled with fresh vegetables — tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini — from a local community garden, along with unopened cartons of milk and jars of lentils and baby food. There were also pintos— Basque tapas — wrapped in plastic and labeled with the date, from a local bar. The pintxos were especially appetizing to Issam Massaoudi, an unemployed Moroccan immigrant who stopped by to check out the Solidarity Fridge's offerings."Sincerely, it's wonderful," Massaoudi says, chuffed about the pintxos. "When money is tight, to be able to come here and open this fridge and find really good food — bread, tomatoes, vegetables, meat — it's amazing."

Galdakao Mayor Ibon Uribe (left) and volunteer Javier Goikoetxea pose in front of the Solidarity Fridge, Spain's first communal refrigerator, shared by citizens in Galdakao, a city outside Bilbao.

The Solidarity Fridge may be the legacy of Spain's economic crisis, during which frugality became a necessity. But in Galdakao, the unemployment rate is about 13 percent — nearly half that of the rest of Spain. The Basque region's welfare state is robust, and few residents go hungry. The Basque country has a special relationship with food, says Uribe. The region is famed for its gastronomy, especially in nearby cities like Bilbao and San Sebastian.

"Here, food is sacrosanct — it's something that's venerated. We have one of the highest concentrations of Michelin-starred restaurants per capita in the world," Uribe says. "So we value eating well, and conserving food. It's part of our culture, and the Solidarity Fridge is part of that."

The idea is catching on. Another Solidarity Fridge has opened in Murcia, a town on Spain's Mediterranean coast. And elementary schools have been organizing field trips to the original fridge in Galdakao to teach children how to cut down on food waste, and share.

SOURCE: http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/08/13/431960054/to-cut-food-waste-spains-solidarity-fridge-supplies-endless-leftovers