hospitality

here's an interesting question to ponder: if you have a food sensitivity and you're hosting an event, do you serve that food to your guests?

It's something to truly think about. Even if you're just a vegetarian by choice, what do you serve at your wedding reception? That's the question that's been raised and discussed recently. I saw something awhile back when Chelsea Clinton got married--she's a vegetarian--that she chose to serve grass fed organic beef to her guests rather than serving a meatless meal. It was considerate to the guests; not a majority of the people in the world are vegetarians, so it's catering to them.

It's wedding receptions where this is really an issue to be debated. It's an interesting statement more than anything else. I was at a wedding reception last year where the bride was a vegetarian (so likely the groom, but I don't know for certain so I won't comment) and the meal they served was vegetarian. They also had a cupcakes and then the one layer cake for them to cut and eat themselves, but they had a gluten-free brownie discreetly sitting there for any guests who wishes to partake and had gluten sensitivities. It was very well done of them.

I will also say--i could eat the green beans, and that was it.

Which raises the question for those of us who have more than just the no-meat thing going on: do I accommodate you or do you accommodate me?

Meatless Monday is a legitimate event and I don't think that many people consider an occasional meal without meat to be a big thing. I don't think that anyone was too surprised at this wedding reception that there was no meat--a comment here and there, but it didn't hurt anyone to eat fettucine alfredo and green beans and then a rice/bean dish (side note: what does it say about me that I can remember what was served at a wedding I went to almost a year ago? this is how much attention I pay to the food when I go out!). Plenty of people eat salads and call it a day; or cheese quesadillas; or some pasta dish without meat. No big deal. So that's not a big surprise if you were to do that at your wedding. Moving on...

I've not done the gluten-free thing, but I don't consider that to be a big change in most people's meals at a wedding reception...so no bread basket, nothing breaded, and then the accommodation with the cake. I know I'm simplifying, but once again, a few comments and then we've all moved on.

What about the milk allergic people? That knocks out anything with cheese...most baked dishes...onwards. Shellfish, peanuts, soy...accommodate-able.

But then there's people like me. I could probably come up with a wedding reception menu that wouldn't raise too many questions, but the caterer would probably think i'm nutso. But then it would be MY wedding reception. Should I accommodate everyone else and serve normal food? Or should I give everyone a taste of what it's like to be me, and eat like me--while celebrating one of the most joyous occasions in my life?

I go back and forth on it. I'm trying to come up with a good place to go for graduation dinner where I'd be able to eat and so would my family. Someplace nice, so not the Mexican place down the road where I can get a cheese quesadilla. Or wherever. I don't graduate for another year and I'm already thinking about it. (I'm currently stuck on The Melting Pot...maybe. may be possible)

I'm thinking about this more now because I had friends over for Memorial Day--and what's tradition summertime food to kick off this holiday? Burgers. I bought meat and we grilled some burgers...and I ate pasta salad. We had to wrap my cutting board in saran wrap so that the meat juices didn't contaminate it while we were shaping the burgers. In fact, I didn't even touch the meat until it was cooked and then only with a spatula. Everything the meat touched went straight into the dishwasher so it would be thoroughly cleaned. And the leftover hamburger buns went home with my friends.

I also almost left the grocery store without any meat I am so used to bypassing the meat counter completely. I also stood there for about ten minutes, trying to figure out the right thing to by.

It didn't bother me to accommodate them; they're my friends and my shield when I go out--they make sure to take me aside at their parties and point out the foods that I can eat and they will sometimes email me to recheck the list and consider a Pam-safe food to serve.

Shades of grey here, hmmmmm? Who accommodates whom?

Raisin Brown Bread

Or as I call it, Boston Brown Bread. Except you all know me and it did not leap off the page as written into my baking pan because of the way that I am. Interestingly, it was a fairly straightforward recipe for me that became more challenging through the realization that I needed to go to the grocery store!

From a site called "Eat Better America" and the citation has faded because it's been in my cooking binder forever and also it's a recipe my mom found in the first flush of no yeast bread searching. I'm been pretty consistent with Bisquick based breads and recently, due to laziness/lack of time, the Pillsbury Grands pop-open tubes are yeast free. I buy them regularly because of the convenience. It's not a loaf of bread and doesn't make sandwiches the same, but it'll do. (orrrr it'll do, donkey, it'll do, muttered in a Scottish accent--thanks, bro, for that one!)

Anyway, this raisin brown bread is "created in Colonial times and also called Boston Brown Bread, this authentic dark bread is made with cornmeal and molasses. Originally, it called for rye meal, which was available at that time. If you really like rye, use 1/2 cup rye flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour in addition to the all-purpose flour. Whole Grain serving: 1/2."

As fits it being yeast free, it's a very dense bread. The molasses gives it flavor, as do the raisins--or in my case, cranberries. But without further ado...

1 c all purpose flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1 c whole-grain cornmeal
1 c raisins
2 c buttermilk
3/4 c molasses
2 t baking soda
1 t salt

Let's pause here and recap what happened in my kitchen yesterday...i glanced over this and was like, yeah, I can do this. Plus it'll use up the semi-expensive molasses I have barely touched except in poaching bagels. But wait...I used up all my cornmeal (i tried polenta...that did not work). Eh, just substitute another half cup of the other flours, the thing on the recipes says you could try rye flour so obviously there's room for change. Raisins to cranberries, check. Buttermilk...hm, but I have two cups of skim milk...add some vinegar, got it. (Safe for me vinegar, too. Have i mentioned that before--it can't be apple based? Or rice?) Great. And then at the very end, I have my general failure of I have lots of baking powder but not soda. GRRR!

Savior: http://www.myrecipes.com/how-to/ingredient-substitutions-00420000003012/?subsid=e Ingredient substitutions! And here's where it gets tricky--for baking soda, 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/4 cornstarch + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar. Well, I don't have cornstarch, but you can use flour. Nor do I have cream of tartar...but you can apparently use vinegar or lemon juice to add acidity. Great. So I used all my substitutions for my 2 t baking soda--baking powder, vinegar, and flour. It was like I was in science class, btw, particularly when I added the vinegar and it all started bubbling. Should I have started cackling like a mad scientist?

Onwards.

Heat oven to 325F. Greast 2qt casserole dish with shortening or cooking spray.
In a large bowl, beat all ingredients with an electric mixer on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Pour batter into dish.
Bake uncovered about 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Immediately loosen sides of bread with metal spatula and unmold bread; cool on wire rack.

And I just discovered that 1 serving is only 90 calories! Makes me feel better when I'm chowing down...good thing I don't know what 1 serving is! Plus with the changes I made, it could be different. 

It's one of those recipes that I bit into and I immediately understood how people used to eat just bread and butter for meals. In fact, that is what I ate for lunch yesterday. All those historical novels where bread and butter is a meal...it feel into place. 

And now I'm probably off to breakfast on bread and butter now.

drum roll please...

as some of you might be aware, i'm setting up some travel for next year. And a long awaiting dream is coming true...

Straight No Chaser "Africa"

I'm going to Africa! South Africa, actually. As in the country, not the region. Cape Town to be specific. For a month!

I am beyond excited because this has been something I have wanted to do for ages, but I had to grow up and be an adult and the opportunity never came around--until now. I'm not even going until early 2014, but I'm planning the trip myself and traveling on my own (for the most part) so there's a lot of work ahead of me.

This is relevant to you, my lovely audience, because it would probably amuse all of you that in a discussion of all of the necessities that come along with foreign travel, the topic of food of course came up. You might imagine how difficult this has the potential to be. I have been toying with eating the milder allergens recently because of knowing that different options would be opened to me while traveling. I found that I should be able to get by on the cheese and fruit breakfast and then the vegetarian dominated diet found there (hooray for the Asian influence--not that it'll help on the rice front, but where there's a will there's a way!).

As such, when I get closer to going, this will be transitioned into more a travel blog than a food blog. It'll go back after I come back, and I'm sure I'll mention the food while traveling, but I wanted to mention that at least.

Before I go on "holiday."

I have strep throat and laryngitis right now and I'm lying around contemplating all the loveliness that is in the future with this...think of the possibilities! And listen to Straight No Chaser rock out to "Africa"!

Off to scout for travel books...