I was twenty-three when I began to take food seriously. Until then I ate a lot of take-out, with limited kitchen offerings of brownies, chicken stir fry, and the occasional pizza. Oh, and pasta, lots of pasta, sauced with ground beef, Prego, and too much oregano- and garlic salt! I wasn't (I don't think) a bad cook, just utilitarian, with limited knowledge of the spice rack and produce bin; forget bread, cheese, and wine. Seasonality? Organic Farming? Jicama? What's that?!
Enter Greens.
Written in 1987 by Deborah Madison with Edward Espe Brown for their San Francisco restaurant, this was the book that turned me into not just a cookbook user but a cookbook reader, as it is richly descriptive, personal, and (to me) educational. Who wouldn't be inspired to run to the farmer's market after encountering such prose: "Fresh fruits, served alone or with simple embellishments such as honey, cream, or leaves of rose geranium and mint, make an ideal dessert; a really superb piece of fruit, redolent with perfume, warm from the sun, and frosted with bloom is a rare treat". This is the first book I'd encountered that spoke of ingredients with respect, and turned the lowly vegetable, which in my world was an afterthought, into the star of the plate. It spoke of meals engaging all of the senses, and of cooking simply and mindfully. It spoke of menu planning based on what was best at the market, and of seeking out local ethnic markets for ingredients that were difficult to find then, such as tomatillos or chile varieties.
Years later, this has become how much of the country cooks, but at the time the philosophy behind what was dubbed "California Cuisine" was revelatory, with its back-to-the-fields gathering system, minimal alteration of beautiful ingredients, and unfussy presentation. Madison and Brown are only two voices of the movement, but the clarity, accessibility, and deliciousness of their recipes make them fine teachers of good eating.
You'll have to wait a few months to make the following recipe, but it was the first to grab my attention thirteen years ago, as it introduced me to the luxury of FIGS and the epitome of what the California table is about:
Fresh Figs, Honey, Cream Cheese, and Mint
4 oz fresh ricotta
3 oz cream cheese
About 2 tbl milk, cream, or creme fraiche
About 18 ripe figs, wiped cleam, with stems removed.
1-2 tsp chopped mint
honey
Beat the cheeses together with enough milk or cream to make the mixture soft and easy to work with. Pass through a sieve and refrigerate until ready to use.
Cut the figs open and fill with the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with the mint and drizzle with a thin thread of honey.
Serves 4-6
I remember when you made that one time! You know mentioning that I had that help ed get me a cafe job. The one I lasted 3 days at SF MOMA.
Posted by: Patty | February 28, 2006 at 05:32 PM
While you wait, how about a little "pudding on a cloud" to fill the void. Yum.
Posted by: Madeleine | March 01, 2006 at 04:31 PM
this sounds delicious but I'm not that into cream cheese. do the other flavors take the edge off of it, or is it the primary flavor?
and i saw the Bare Foot Contessa lady right after we hung up the phone tonight...you're right, I do look like her, but she is more pretty.
Posted by: Mitzy | March 01, 2006 at 04:56 PM