Breakfast for Dinner: Craving Spring Things

Let's face it: Spring is all about sex. Call it reproduction, fertility or, to use Anthony Boutard's favorite word, fecundity, nature is having a field day making more of itself. Hens start laying eggs again, little green things (weeds included) are popping out of the bare earth and farmers are finally able to get out in their fields to plant crops, muddy and clumpy though those fields may be.

Chorizo and spring vegetables…yum!

I've been longing for spring things lately, especially after a winter diet of root vegetables and winter greens, and my freezer is looking mighty empty since we've cleaned out most of the roasted tomatoes, lamb, pork and beef I crammed into it last fall. Luckily the farmers' market season is roaring back to life now, so it's easy to satisfy my craving for these first sweet sproutings.

Homemade sourdough cubes, natch!

With that in mind, a recent article by David Tanis in the Dining section of the New York Times about a Spanish dish of eggs and spring vegetables piqued my interest. Called revueltos or huevos revueltos, it basically means scrambled eggs and usually includes vegetables of one sort or another. Often found at tapas bars or served as a light supper dish—my fondness for these "breakfast for dinner" dishes is longstanding—the one that Tanis shared featured asparagus and bread cubes toasted in olive oil and garlic.

I happened to have picked up a couple of bunches of asparagus at the mid-week Shemanski market from Leslie at Viridian Farms, and had about half a bunch of green garlic left over from an earlier trip. Dinner was still an open question and I'd just replenished the egg supply, so I decided to follow the seeming synchronicity and give the dish a whirl.

Needless to say, and anyone who's made a frittata, quiche or even an omelet can attest, it was simple, quick and delicious. Perfect for a spring supper!

Revueltos (Scrambled Eggs) with Green Garlic and Asparagus

Adapted from David Tanis

Olive oil

2 peeled garlic cloves

2 c. dried bread cubes, cut in 1/2" cubes

3 oz. diced Spanish chorizo*

1 bunch asparagus, about 1 1/2 lbs., sliced in 1" lengths

1/2 bunch green garlic, sliced in 1" lengths

8 large eggs, beaten

1/2 tsp. Spanish pimentón (smoked paprika)

Salt to taste

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large non-stick skillet (or well-seasoned cast iron pan) over medium-high heat. Add peeled garlic cloves and let them sizzle until lightly browned, then remove. Add bread cubes, lower heat to medium and gently fry until lightly browned and crisp, about 2 minutes. Remove bread and set aside to cool.

Add chorizo and fry lightly. Add asparagus and green garlic and stir-fry until cooked through but firm, 3 to 4 minutes. 

Reduce heat to low. Add pimentón to eggs. Pour eggs into skillet with vegetables and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, just until soft and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Top with bread cubes and serve in the skillet, or transfer eggs to large serving bowl, topping with bread cubes, and serve immediately.

This would also make a great breakfast or brunch dish.

* I used my friend Paul Bertolli's Fra'Mani Chorizo Pork Sausage.

Great Gifting: Book by Book

It's not too early to start thinking about the holidays, about the food you're going to serve and the gifts you're going to give. I've sworn off gifts that require displaying or dusting, preferring instead to give items that are 1) consumable or 2) useful in some way. And books rank high on my list of useful items, especially cookbooks. There are two that I'm not only planning to give but would also love to get, one brand new from a favorite author and the other a classic that is a must-have for anyone interesting in cooking.

I've been an admirer of Diana Kennedy's work for a long time, and I have several of her what are not so much cookbooks as anthropological explorations of the complex cuisines of Mexico. She writes to document and preserve this under-appreciated and ancient corner of the food world, so I was very excited to hear that her newest book, "Oaxaca al Gusto: An Infinite Gastronomy,"had just been released. At 450-plus pages and weighing nearly seven pounds, it's a thorough and engaging examination of the region through its food. Kennedy, now 87, is said to be as vital and active as ever. She moved to Mexico with her husband, Paul Kennedy, a writer for the New York Times, in 1957, and published her first book, "The Cuisines of Mexico,"in 1972.

* * *

I had the good fortune to see Paul Bertolli this last weekend. Twice. The first was at Foster & Dobbs, my source for cheesy goodness, laughter and great lunches. Oh, and the Spanish anchovy-stuffed olives that are a requirement for martinis here at the homestead. But I digress. The second was at Provvista's annual Open House the next day, an extravaganza of good food that gathers their best suppliers and some of the best food vendors in the city, along with a who's who of Portland's food culture for a five-hour marathon of snacking and schmoozing. Bertolli was there with his crew from Fra' Mani, passing out samples of their extraordinary cured meats to the slavering mobs, but he spent several minutes casually shooting the bull with me in the middle of the whole thing. World-famous author, charcutier and Chez Panisse alum he may be, but he's a total sweetheart of a guy, approachable and casual. And it's his book, "Cooking by Hand,"that's going on my gotta-give-it list. "With stimulating essays on everything from gathering wild mushrooms and types of pasta flour to a 14-page section on the wonders of balsamic vinegar, Bertolli is nothing less than a pied piper for the Italian kitchen," according to Publsihers Weekly. Having had his food and talked with the man himself, I don't doubt a word.

Check out other suggestions in the series: Classic Design, Giving From the Heart, Not Dead Yet! (food magazines you'll love) and Class Acts.

Livin' in the Blurbs: Celebrities and Class Acts

When my semi-regular bulletin came in from Luan at Foster & Dobbs, one of the city's best cheese shops squirreled away in NE Portland's Irvington neighborhood, I was floored. There, buried amid a plethora of can't-miss wine tastings, book signings and classes, were two names that sang out. One was Paul Bertolli (left), charcutier extraordinaire and the progenitor of the art of cured meat in America (no big salami jokes, please). The other was Zoe Brickley, the cave maven and "superstar affineur" of that center of all things cheesy and good known as Murray's in New York City. They'll both be at F&D in early October, and I urge you to get yourself in there for one or both sessions.

• Cheese Science for the Enthusiast with Zoe Brickley of Murray's discussing cheese basics with samples of the cheeses included. Fri., Oct. 1, 7:15 pm; $25, reservations required.
• Fra' Mani Handcrafted Salumi with Paul Bertolli, who will be on hand to share tastes and chat about his succulent cured meats. Sat., Oct. 2, 2:30-4:30 pm; free.

Details: Foster & Dobbs Authentic Foods, 2518 NE 15th Ave. Phone 503-284-1157.

* * *

The arrival of fall—and don't tell me you haven't been pulling up the comforter the last few nights—means that new class schedules have been jamming up in-boxes all around the Northwest. One of the most unusual schedules is from SweetWares, the baking supply shop-cum-cooking school in Hillsdale. From Indian curries to challah to Mexican Day of the Dead sugar skulls (I kid you not), they've got a great lineup of reasonably priced hands-on classes coming in the next couple of months.

• Big, Fat, Tall, Luscious Layer Cakes with Melissa Carey Ragland. Thurs., Sept. 23, 1-4 pm; $75 with preregistration.
• Day of the Dead Sugar Skulls with Andrea Nicholas of SweetPerennial Sugar Flower Boutique. Sat., Oct. 2, 10-11:30 am; $40 with preregistration
• Decorating Your Fall Baked Goods with Chocolate Transfers with former Baker & Spice cake whiz and Sugarhouse Cake owner, Erin Fale. Sat., Oct. 23, 10-11 am; $45 with preregistration.

Details: SweetWares, 6306 SW Capitol Hwy. in the Hillsdale Shopping Center. Phone 503-546-3737.

* * *

And the final class act in this list is my brother, Bruce, the proprietor of Sellwood wine shop Vino and the always-insightful, pomposity-popping author of the blog Eat. Drink. Think. He's moving the shop (details here) to SE 28th, involving a month-long hiatus, meaning I'll be looking forward to reading many more posts on the blog (since he'll have all that time on his hands), yet I'll be missing his hilarious and pointed weekly tasting notices that never fail to stray from the matter at hand. From his final tasting notice: "The hardest part of this move and the ensuing closure is knowing that I will miss commenting each Friday on the next election cycle and all the juicy bits that entails. The myopians who are Tea Party candidates alone provide a full buffet of opportunity. Any political party who elects a bill-evading deadbeat like Christine O’Donnell in Delaware deserves every bit of ridicule they incur. Even Karl Rove called her out, saying "there were a lot of nutty things she has been saying that just simply don't add up." Look for a Big Sale on Saturday, Sept. 18, as he depletes his stock, the better to fill up the new shop with fresh deals!

Details: Vino, 1226 SE Lexington in Sellwood. Phone 503-235-8545.

Noshing Nirvana: Provvista '08

It was about, oh, maybe three months ago that I started pestering my ever-patient brother about the upcoming Provvista Open House.

"Have you heard anything? Have they sent an invitation? Huh? Huh? Huh?"

Pizza man Mark Doxtader

I'm worse than a four-year-old begging for a puppy when it comes to this biennial event held at one of the Northwest's leading importers and distributors of specialty food products. Normally open only to account holders, I slide in on my sib's generosity to the equivalent of a day in what surely must be foodie heaven.

Mateo "Get That Camera Out of My Face" Kehler of Jasper Hill

With tasty temptations like the pizzas produced by Tastebud wood oven maestro Mark Doxtader and biscuits and gravy from Pine State Biscuits, and detours featuring paella and fideua, espresso and gelato, it was hard not to lose my bearings and stuff myself silly. But with steely determination I kept my wits about me, remembering that the real show was in the seemingly endless aisles of the warehouse where food purveyors were proffering a dizzying variety of edible delights.

Cheese mother Peggy Smith of Cowgirl Creamery

And Provvista doesn't pull any punches, luring the big cheeses of the curd world like Mateo Kehler from Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont and Peggy Smith of Cowgirl Creamery in California. Mateo was happy to talk about his new cheese cave where he's working with 11 regional cheesemakers, including Dancing Cow Farmstead Chees's Menuet from Bridport and Manchester from Peter Dixon of Consider Bardwell in West Pawlet. I'd tasted the Manchester about a year ago when I interviewed Dixon, and found the cave aging had deepened and accentuated its creamy earthiness.

Up-and-comers Amy Turnbull and Stephen Hueffed of Willapa Hills

A wink and a nudge from Tom Koolman, Provvista cheese dude, sent me searching for Amy Turnbull and husband Stephen Hueffed of Willapa Hills Farmstead Cheese. Open for only three months, they're producing some of the most promising blues I've tasted recently, including the hauntingly delicious Fresh with Ewe Hint of Blue from their herd of 80 sheep and 5 jersey cows.

Fra'Mani's ever-delightful Paul Bertolli

But the highlight for me was a hug and a kiss (on the cheek...he is a gentleman, after all) from Paul Bertolli himself, one of the progenitors of the movement toward artisanal cured meats that every chef worth his pork butt is making today. Not resting on his laurels, he brought with him some new (and mouthwateringly luscious) uncured hams (regular and rosemary) that he was slicing and handing out to the pork-loving groupies crowding his table. There were also some new patés, a Pork Liver Mousse and Paté Campagnolo, with their shimmering topping of gelée, that bode well for future appetizer platters.

Most of these products can be found at your local cheese shop or Pastaworks, but if you don't see them, definitely ask!

I Totally Want to Marry Him

And I really don't think my husband or son would mind that much, since they're both rabid devotees of all things porcine. The reason I would commit bigamy? Paul Bertolli makes the best pork products I've ever put in my mouth, no offense to Mario's dad Armandino Batali of Salumi in Seattle (who does an amazing culatello).

At last year's Provvista trade show I was able to taste Mr. Bertolli's line of hand-cured meats as it was freshly sliced by the man himself. (Maybe I should start calling him "Paul, dear.") And my sudden conversion to golddigger is a result of his most recent effort, a dead-on version of Spanish chorizo that he's calling Salametto Piccante.

Now, if you haven't had this particularly fine product, which is a key ingredient in any paella and is a featured ingredient in most tapas bars, you may be prone to confuse it with the fresh Mexican sausage of the same name. Real Spanish chorizo is a spicy, dry salami-type sausage that is a brick-red color and has a touch of heat and smokiness from pimenton, or Spanish smoked paprika.

You can purchase the chorizo online at the Fra' Mani website or go to any reputable purveyor of fine charcuterie and ask for it. Foster & Dobbs just got their allotment, and when I walked in the other day Luan was so excited to have me try it that she practically leaped over the display case. I love a woman who's as insanely devoted to interesting food products as I am! And, btw, I totally want to marry her, too. Hope her husband, Tim, doesn't mind!