An Eater's Bill of Rights

Eaters have a right to food.

Eaters have a right to safe food.

Eaters have a right to nutritious food.

Eaters have a right to food with country of origin labels.

Eaters have a right to know whether food has been genetically modified.

Eaters have a right to food produced without harming air, water or land.

Eaters have a right to food produced under socially just conditions.

Eaters around the world have a right to a secure food system.

Eaters have a right to good food at a fair price.

Eaters have a right to know the conditions of their food production 

(transport, working conditions, treatment of animals and scale)

 - taken from The National Catholic Rural Life Conference "Eaters' Bill of Rights".

A fair and just food system does not end when a person is fed.  It begins when all people have equal access to healthy and ethical choices for nourishing our selves and our families.  It requires that we pay attention, that we demand information and that we deeply value the true cost of what we consume.   It is no longer enough to simply ask "how can we feed a community?" it is essential that we ask "how do we as a community feed ourselves?".

Meet the Booch

Kombucha.  Sometimes it really hits the spot as I smack my lips after that first big gulp.   It is a tangy zingy zap of flavor that quenches my thirst.  I've started making it myself because its so durned cheap.  I flavor and ferment it to my liking and can chug it all week long.  I have high aspirations of a kombucha schedule to carry me through the summer so we never ever have to buy over-sugared, over-packaged and over-priced juice again.

The kombucha "mother" is a colony of yeast and bacteria, a living being with a complicated personality.  Sometimes my kombucha mother works hard and sometimes it is sluggish, I am slowly deciphering what it needs to be a happy and productive citizen.

First things first...I know people who grow their own mother from scratch but I have heard recent report of a friend whose kombucha supposedly drowned through this method?  I didn't get the details.  So the biggest step is to get a hold of someone who is already making their own kombucha.   Any person regularly making kombucha is going to have a mother  to give away every few weeks, so make sure you get both a mother and some of the kombucha tea.

When I'm not brewing I put the "mother" to sleep in the fridge.

These are my steps for brewing:

I put about four quarts of water in a big pot and leave it out overnight to off-gas.  (yikes!!)

The next day I brew my sweet tea using the water left overnight.  For the tea brew I have been alternating between The Republic of Teas  bulk pomegranate green tea or their mango black tea.  Both are delicious but there is a world of inspiring tea flavors out there to try.  I use fabric tea bags that I can wash and reuse over and over.  I fill my tea bag full and throw it into the pot of just boiled water with 3/4 cups of sugar.  I have yet to experiment with other sweeteners like honey and agave syrup but its worth a shot.  I let my tea steep overnight and pull my mother out of the fridge at this time so it can reach room temperature.  The mother needs to be at room temp. to be active and should not be added to hot tea.

The next day the mother and the sweet tea find themselves at room temperature and consequently it is time for worlds to collide.  I pour my tea into a glass gallon jar.   I add my mother and about 1/2 - 1 Cup of the kombucha that was carrying the mother.  Make sure your hands and the equipment are clean at this point and all throughout to avoid icky contamination problems.  I use a thin cloth with a rubber band to cover my gallon jar as this allows air flow and prevents critters.

I put the jar in a cool dark place and try not to disturb it while its doing its thang.  Originally I left my kombucha to brew for a week, but it wasn't enough fermenting time for my taste and came out pretty sweet.  Now I brew it for 11-14 days depending on when I can get to it.  This is going to be a matter of taste.  The longer it brews and breaks down sugar, the more vinegary it will get.

When I get around to bottling the booch, I remove my mother with clean hands and store it in a jar covered with more brew.  Back into the fridge it goes to rest or straight into another batch and another fermenting session.  The mother will grow another layer each time it brews a batch.  You can just peel off a layer and give it away, compost it, give it to the chickens..whatever.  I have noticed the mother works best when it is separated regularly and not allowed to build up too many layers.

I bottle the rest of my booch and let it rest at room temperature for at least three days.  (I really like these bottles I got from Ikea...3 bucks yo!!!)

This is where the fizzy fizz happens.  The longer I leave it out before refrigerating, the more carbonation happens.  When you just cant wait any longer throw it in the fridge then pop it open.

Next step...smack those lips.

hey there little dumpring.

I have a weak spot.  It's called asian dumplings.  That little pillow of perfect bounce wrapped around succulent filling kills me.  In a good way.  For some time now, my sweetie and I have been dedicating ourselves to the weekly practice of dumpling making.  And when I say dumpling making I am talking about hands-on, from scratch, "take it all the way baby" dumpling making.  We want to perfect the dough, the paper thin, translucent wrappers that cradle our various pork, shrimp, ginger and garlic fillings.  Most books suggest numerous fillings and dipping sauces and instruct the cook to purchase "wonton wrappers" from the asian grocery.  But Andrea Nguyen's book Asian Dumplings has been such a recipe resource for so many different types of wrappers.  It had always been about the filling for me, until I discovered the importance of the "vessel".

The basic dumpling dough recipe is easier than pie:
2 Cups of flour
3/4 Cups of just-boiled water (I bring my water to a boil, turn it off and use it within 30 seconds)

After making a well in the flour, I add the water in a steady stream and mix it in with a wooden spoon.  I knead the dough until it comes together in the bowl, and then transfer it to the counter to knead for about two minutes.   Kneading this dough is a pretty delightful feeling given the warmth and texture and it doesn't take much for the dough to transform into a smooth and cushy ball.  Wrap the dough in plastic and let it rest for at least a half hour.  "Earlobe soft" is the description that the author uses to describe the dough...it is very appropriate.  

Now comes the shaping, rolling, folding part (soon to be followed by the eating part).  I work with half the dough at a time and with plenty of flour on the counter, roll it into a long 1" thick rope.  Now divide the rope into 16 pieces, put them on end like a scallop and squish it down into a disc shape.  The whole time I am working with the dough, I am careful to cover it with a cloth to keep it from drying out.

I use a 1" dowel to roll out the dough into a 3 1/2" circle.  The small roller allows a quick back-and-forth motion with one hand, while my other hand is methodically turning the dough.  This creates a dough that is thicker in the middle and thin on the edges where it will be folded over on itself.  Again, keep all the dough you aren't working with covered to keep it moist and pliable.


About a tablespoon of filling in the center of the dough is followed by any number of folds.  The easiest is to just fold the dough into a half circle and pinch down the edges.  You can also pleat the edges or crimp them with a fork.  The dough is so fresh and easy to work with, it stretches and seals like a good dream.

My favorite fold is a super chubby one. 

I keep my left thumb on the filling and pull up the sides of the wrapper with my right hand.  I slowly feed the wrapper into my right hand, and pinch and pleat my way around the edge.

I just keep working my way around my thumb until there is no more room and then pinch it closed.

With a little twist n' squish its sealed.  

So freakin' cute...just look at em'!!

Now just boil them in water to add to a broth or gently  steam them for a delicate delight.  For a more dynamic texture, pan fry them till they sizzle for a couple of  minutes and brown on the bottom.  Then add 1/4" deep of water and throw a lid on to contain the sputter-fest.  Once things quiet down (literally), remove the lid, give them a minute to crisp up again and serve with your favorite dipping concoction.  Dee-lish!!!