Edible Buffalo Winter 2010 : Page 19
Around the year 4,000 BCE (Before the Common Era), Mother Earth was the home to a cluster of mysterious civilizations comprised of mystical ancient folk people of all traditions-who despite language, geographical location or the pantheon of gods and goddesses they worshiped-managed to live a very balanced and harmonious lifestyle, while still maintaining a strong and respectful relationship with nature, the land and the food it provided them with. For these magical folk, the general belief was that the divine manifests in all creation; as a result, plants and other living creatures were considered to be partners and teachers and were tended to with love and devotion. They understood the seen and unseen forces of nature, a trait that made them brilliant alchemists and masters in the practice of energy manipulation. Their celebrations centered on the birth and rebirth of the earth’s seasonal cycles-particularly on or around the years’ solstices and equinoxes. These are significant points in time that occur at a certain determined time of day; where the summer and winter solstices mark the longest and shortest day of the year, and the spring and autumn equinoxes mark the days of the year in which daytime has the same time-span as nighttime. Understanding the earth’s seasons and cycles is crucial to understanding the behaviors and beliefs of ancient folk people, and the reason they stuck firmly to their food habits and spiritual traditions. People had no option but to pay attention to weather patterns, and were forced to live close to nature if they were to survive. They were aware of how to sow their land, when to collect their crops, how to take care of their animals, and how to preserve the foods that would provide their sustenance throughout the different seasons of the year. Ironically, food preservation techniques such as salting, drying, smoking, and pickling have not changed much throughout the millennia. Preserving food in honey -as it is acidic and antiseptic-is not of common practice these days, and regrettably; some of our current food preservation methods involve the use of harmful additives. In those moments of times past when sugars, holly and mistletoe were considered sacred medications; in a time when coffee, tea, chocolate, vanilla, spices, and other foodstuffs were centuries away from being introduced to the whole world; when distilled spirits were still distant thoughts, and sweet wines and syrups were made of carob, figs, and dates…soups, stews, and pottages brewed in gigantic cauldrons to feed everyone in the village were already legendary. Certainly a far cry from the fancy soups we enjoy today, but as we begin to move away from the dead of winter, I invite you to gather dried peas, carrots, leeks, celery, onion, dried thyme, dried marjoram, bison meat, and oatmeal to brew your own Bronze Age Style Stew, who knows…it might even bewitch you! e B Laura Anhalt is the author of Mexican Flavors: A Journey Inspired by the Folklore and Traditions of Mexican Cuisines. Fueled by her fervor for learning about rare and exotic foods, and their anthropological impact on modern society, she has backpacked her way around the globe, picking up recipes and lifetime adventures along the way. She is the founder and co-owner of A Taste of the World, a gourmet sauce manufacturing business dedicated to bringing the flavors from around the world to the tables of Western New York. Hearty Bean and Chipotle Soup 1 lb. of dried black beans 2 ½ cups bean broth, from cooking the beans 6 cilantro sprigs 1 Vidalia onion, cut in 4 pieces 2 garlic cloves, minced 4 dried bay leaves 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper 2 canned chipotle chiles 2 cubes of chicken or vegetable bouillon ½ cup half & half ¾ cup heavy cream 6 corn tortillas, cut in thin strips and fried in vegetable oil 1 cup vegetable oil, to fry the tortillas, to garnish 1 small red cooking onion, finely chopped to garnish 2 jalapeño chiles, finely chopped to garnish 1 cup grated Muenster cheese, to garnish ½ cup of sour cream, to garnish Salt & Pepper as needed Rinse the beans under cold water. Bring 12 cups of water to a boil in a large soup pot and add the beans, cilantro, onion, garlic, bay leaves, oregano and pepper. Cook covered over medium-high heat until the beans are well done and the bean broth is somewhat thick. Add more water if needed during the cooking process. Meanwhile, cut the tortillas into very thin strips and fry them in the vegetable oil until golden brown and crispy. Grate the cheese. Lastly, finely chop the jalapeños and the onions, mix them together and set aside. When the beans are fully cooked; blend the beans, the ingredients they cooked with, the bean broth, the chipotle chiles, the chicken bouillon, the half & half and the heavy cream until you get a thick liquid. You may have to work in batches depending on your blender’s capacity. Return the blended soup to the pot and allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately and garnish with the sour cream, grated cheese, the fried tortilla strips, and the chopped jalapeño and onion mixture. Yields 4-6 servings. EDIBLE BUFFALO | WINTER 2010 19
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