Memorial Day weekend is a great time to try our newest favorite recipe – Grilled Whole Wheat Margherita Pizza. It is important to roll the crust out VERY THIN, otherwise, the whole wheat crust is a little doughy.

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Pizza Margherita

Crust:
3 ¾ c. white whole wheat flour
1 Tb. instant dry yeast
1 ½ tsp. instant dry yeast
12 oz. water, 120 degrees
1 Tb. honey
1 Tb. olive oil
2 tsp. seasoning mix
1 Tb. dried oregano
1 Tb. dried basil
½ tsp. cayenne

Method:
Bloom the water and the yeast for ten minutes and bubbly. Add the oil and the honey.

Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix with a dough hook until smooth (about 10 minutes). Let rise and double in a warm, draft free place (about an hour and a half).

Punch down and divide into three pieces. roll out on a lightly floured surface. Make sure that you roll them THIN.

Brush very lightly with oil and sprinkle with a light sprinkling of seasoning mix. Grill on each side.

Garnish the Pizza with fresh, sliced tomatoes, julienne of basil, and torn fresh mozzarella cheese. Put into the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese. Serve with a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil & a sprinkle of seasoning mix.

Every chef has a love affair with food. We have the awakening – a knowledge that there is more to life than eating to live, or eating food that’s “just ok”. Then, there’s the exploration phase, eating, tasting and cooking all different types of foods and ingredients. Soon, courtship, the world of professional cooking is exciting and emotional. Once swept into the scene, we’re all but done for, addicted to the adrenaline, the heightened senses, the romance, the dance; now we’re committed.

The honeymoon phase begins, everything is as intoxicating as the scent of fresh vanilla beans and good quality bourbon. As we pass through the honeymoon stage, we settle comfortably into our relationship with our career and then… some of us might get a little restless. There’s nothing “wrong” per se, but there’s the inkling that there’s something “more”. Foods we haven’t tasted, ingredients we’ve never seen up close, meals we haven’t indulged in. Curiosity is piqued and we often start looking at other options, having grown tired of what we’ve relied on to satisfy our palates and senses up until just then.

The thing about food is that it’s all been done before. I’m always appalled to hear chefs refuse to give “their” recipes to other chefs or their well-intentioned groupies. It’s as if these chefs think they’ve really invented that particular dish themselves. Last I checked, none of them were named “Careme” or “Escoffier”, which means, with very few exceptions, no one’s recipe or cooking technique is actually original.

All of that aside, I, myself, find that I tire of certain cooking techniques or only eating a certain range of foods, and have ventured off into what some consider the “fringe” aspects of the culinary realm. After a trip to the now defunct Capital Poultry, I found myself an instant vegetarian. Once meat-free, I gradually went vegan. At about that same time, I ceased eating cane sugar products, and instead used sweeteners like maple and barley malt syrups, agave nectar, etc. (avoiding honey, though, since it is technically not a vegan food). After about 3 years of this, my lifestyle was derailed by a month’s long craving for a corned beef sandwich, and it has taken me 5 years to get back on the veg-friendly track, which I am happily 95% on once again (I eat a limited variety of seafood).

Once again, I’ve found myself in a restless exploration phase. Tired of preparing the same types of foods, I long to learn more about whole grains and to reacquaint myself with natural “cane-free” sweeteners – even better – explore the culinary world without “white foods”. Chefs are one part scientist, one part artist, and two parts obsessive. With all of the natural and sustainable foods on the market now, I am curious to develop recipes that are healthful, delicious, and “whole”. Think whole grain dinner rolls, fruit crisps with seeds and oat flour, and even transforming some of my favorite “refined” treats into something more nutritious and full of nuance.

My culinary philosophy has always been about eating “real food”, nothing “processed”, and this is just a continuance of that ideology. Sure, cane sugar is natural, but anyone can make something delicious with cane sugar or white flour. The real challenge I’m taking on is making irresistible foods with some of the homelier ingredients we find in the grocery store.

After some tinkering around in the Mirepoix Cooking School kitchen (our very own “test kitchen/laboratory” I’ve come up with this Blueberry Crumble recipe we’ve enjoyed this week. This recipe still uses some cane sugar derivatives, but none of them are refined white granulated sugar. I hope you enjoy it as much as we have.

Blueberry Crisp

Blueberry mixture:
2 lb fresh blueberries
4 tablespoons cornstarch
2tablespoon finely grated fresh lime zest
2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup. Sucanat

Topping:
1/2 c. oat flour or whole wheat flour
1 1/3 c. old fashioned rolled oats
1 c. Muscovado sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 c. chopped pecans, toasted
½ c. pumpkin seeds, toasted
½ c. canola oil

Method for the blueberry mixture –
combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix to just combine. Do NOT use frozen blueberries in this recipe! Set aside and prepare the topping.

Method for the topping -
Combine all dry ingredients together with a fork until uniformly moistened. Add oil and mix.

Place the blueberry mixture in individual ramekins or a 8X8 casserole dish. Top with the crumb mixture. Bake at 350 until bubbly, about 30 minutes.

It’s no longer uncommon to hear the phrase “farm to table” or “farm to plate”, which refers largely to local foods. Organics, on the other hand, are a much bigger business.

The word "organic" refers to the way farmers grow fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products and meat, as well as other crops like cotton. Organic farming practices are designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution. Farmers who grow organic produce and meat don't use conventional methods to fertilize, control weeds or prevent livestock disease.

Growing organic isn’t as easy as just casting the chemicals aside. Farmers who wish to grow organics must go through a lengthy years-long and expensive process to rid the soil of any chemicals that may have been in the soil from previous use or exposure before growing anything that can be considered as “organic”. Because of this, organics cost more to grow than their conventional counterparts. Also, there is more loss per crop because organics do not have the protection against pests and spoilage that conventionally grown products do.

Organics are regulated by the USDA, and are easy to spot with a voluntary
“certified organic” seal. These standards regulate how such foods are grown, handled and processed. Any farmer or food manufacturer who labels and sells a product as organic must be USDA certified as meeting these standards. The only exception to this is producers who sell less than $5,000 a year in organic foods are exempt from this certification.

There is much debate as to whether or not organic foods are healthier and safer for us to eat. Many people suggest that the pesticides and other chemicals used in conventional farming practices are toxic to our bodies as well as the planet. Others say that only certain fruits and vegetables are adversely affected by conventional farming practices and that other foods are perfectly safe and nutritious when grown conventionally.

Production volume is another thing cynics of organics site when weighing the pros and cons of organic vs. conventional products. Since there are billions of people to feed, some argue that an organic farm system couldn’t produce enough food to feed the planet. By contrast, foods grown conventionally are much more available and productive in terms of yield.

The environment is also a consideration that many advocates of organics reference when making their argument in support of chemical free farming. Since organics are grown without the use of harsh chemicals, there is no “run off” of the chemicals into our lakes, rivers, etc.

Whether it be the environment, food supply, or health concerns, many people see the value of buying and consuming organic products either exclusively or a combination of conventionally produced and organic items. As you can see, food can be a very substantial political and emotional issue for many people, and we’ve just scratched the surface. Our next post will discuss the local food movement. Until then, whether conventional or organic, if it’s not food – don’t eat it!