Illustration by Troy DeShano

I’m excited to announce my exhibit opening at Right Brain Brewery in Traverse City next weekend!

All the work is already up, so you can stop by anytime to check it out, but I’d really love it if everyone could come to the opening next Saturday night!

If you are anywhere near Traverse City or even in Grand Rapids or lower Michigan wondering what to do for fun next weekend you should definitely make the trip up to beautiful Traverse City! Nothing’s better after a long day at the beach or hike along the dunes than a hand-crafted brew from Right Brain Brewery!

My reception will be from 7-9pm so please stop by and say hello and hopefully you or a friend can go home with some radical new artwork for your walls.

TCFF John Huges Posters behind the bar

If you’ve never been to Right Brain then you’ve been missing out! Each beer is hand-crafted with the same kind of TLC that we visual artists know is required to create something that we can be proud of. The atmosphere is really fun and relaxed—way cooler than a bar with no big-screen TVs in sight!

Come support local art and just have an awesome Saturday evening at Right Brain!

Let me know if you can make it by Likeing the event on Facebook.

Here’s the details

Right Brain Brewery July Artist Reception

• Date: Saturday, July 16th
• Time: 7-9pm
• Place: Right Brain Brewery in Traverse City’s warehouse district. (map)

More on Right Brain and the Artist Reception

• RBB’s July Artist Reception announcement
• RBB on Facebook

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I love the idea of mixing foods that don’t normally go together… last summer I had huge success with a burger experiment (we in the Cherry Capitol are always looking for new applications of our local crop).

So while scrounging through the fridge in search of an adequate platform for my morels I spotted it… The Great Organic Uncured Beef Hot Dog.

We usually have some Goat Cheese on hand, so that seemed a natural choice and wild leeks (you call em ramps?) always pair perfectly with morels since they tend to grow together.

So I fried up those mushrooms in a crap pile of butter and the aroma alone was knockin my socks off… I even took a taste test and my knees buckled ever-so-slightly…

However…

What I thought may have been my greatest hot dog idea ever (possibly even rivaling this one) turned out to be a miserable failure.

It didn’t taste bad of course… it was fine. But the flavor of the dog was far too strong… totally drowned out the morels..

So this post title is just a little misleading… could have easily added the tagline “or how to waste perfectly lovely morels.”

Dang!

Next spring we might have to have them for breakfast again.

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While in Kenya I lived in the city of Kisumu. Honestly, the city is very, very different than my hometown of Traverse City, MI—in a lot of ways opposite even (like the fact that it is always hot and sunny)

But even with all the differences I felt right at home from the moment I stepped off the plane.

Everything, despite being so different felt really familiar, but the one thing that actually was similar is that the city is right on the shore of Lake Victoria. The funny thing is that I don’t know how many conversations I had trying to describe how large Lake Michigan is (trying to calculate miles to kilometers in my head is hopeless), and my descriptions were never met with the astonishment I’d expected.

Come to find out Lake Victoria is actually larger than Lake Michigan… in fact it’s larger than any other freshwater lake in the world—except for Lake Superior of course.

So as you’d expect, fish is the main export for the region and catching, buying and selling fish is the main source of income for a large part of the population.

And everyone I met gave me the same answer when asked their favorite food—Tilapia.

As common as the fish is, it’s not everyday fare for most locals… more of a special treat. So whenever anyone has a chance to eat it they get really excited (kind of like me & Chalupas).

I got to have a home-cooked Tilapia meal on my first evening in Kisumu and it was easy to see why everyone loves it. While most of the east African diet is hearty and delicious, it can be a little light on flavor (at least after you’ve had the same beans & rice for nearly every meal). So to dig into this flavorful fish is a great exercise for what might be a slightly bored palate.

(of course the fruit is absolutely insane too… no lacking in daily flavor when it comes to fruit)

The next morning I actually got up early with the team to take a boat ride on the peaceful waters of Lake Victoria.

One thing I had in the back of my mind while eating the fish was this YouTube video that I’d seen addressing the fishing industry and the fact that many impoverished widows must prostitute themselves in exchange for fish. So floating around in our little boat and looking into the eyes of the fishermen, some of whom you know will be trading in their day’s work later that evening for some quick pleasure & feeling of power & control was an incredibly surreal experience.

It made made me realize that the value of last night’s dinner was much more than just the few bucks of the purchase.

For many of the women it costs them their bodies and life. If you’re involved in trading fish for sex, chances are you’ll get AIDS. The fishermen don’t really care and the women don’t have any other choice.

This is one reason why in the States we really like the fact that we are so disconnected from our food. You know it doesn’t really come from a farm anymore, but a factory… and that’s just as well with us. It’s one less thing to think about and if you can get cheap chicken… well that’s what America is all about, isn’t it.

We really don’t want to know about the human beings on the other end. We don’t want to know that the American farmer is an endangered species. We don’t want to know that the Columbian coffee picker once had a home and a farm of his own… but now has no other choice but to pick beans for cents a day because all the natural resources in his region have been decimated. We especially don’t want to know that those perfectly melted Nestlé morsels in our cookies may have been produced by slave children in Cote d’Ivoire…

Because knowing that stuff makes me feel guilty.

In fact a lot of proponents for ethical and healthy food production want us to feel guilty. Guilt is a heckuva marketing tool after all (the church has been using it for millennia), and if they can make us feel guilty we just might support their cause.

But I don’t think guilt is necessarily the right response to newfound knowledge of the truth behind our food. I definitely know that it shouldn’t be a deterrent to accepting the truth—because whether we accept it or not, the truth is always true.

So once I’m able to look at my cookie and say “this chocolate has come at a very great price,” it makes me appreciate it a little bit more. It also invokes a bit of compassion and respect for whoever is around the world on the other end of that chocolate, whether it’s a child forced into labor, a woman with no choice or a man unjustly underpaid but doing everything he can to provide a home for his family.

When I know that truth it is inspiring. It makes me want to support those who are trying to create better systems of production. It makes me want to make purchases that I know are better for my neighbor (even if she does live on the other side of the world).

It makes me want to find a way to show my gratitude to those making big sacrifices so that I can eat.

So for me it could be a big move—like one to Africa to minister to the widows and help them find healthier ways to run their business, or it could be a small move—like moving two shelves down to buy the fair trade coffee.

Either way it’s something I can do that’s not a result of guilt, but rather a result of accepting and knowing the truth behind my meal.

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In our never ending quest to find fulfillment in the new, we regularly miss that the most wonderful and satisfying things are often the most humble.

Last night’s dinner for example.

Homemade everything bagel & egg sandwich with american cheese and cream cheese. Served on a paper plate.

It really doesn’t get much better than that.

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It must be fall because we’re eating a lot of soup.

Last week my wife fed two hungry construction workers with a big batch of broccoli cheese and another of butternut squash.

Since grocery-shopping happens rarely these days, creativity with garden vegetables (grown or gifted) is key in our house. On this day, all we had was some tomatoes, so the hunt for a good soup recipe began.

We found it very interesting that most recipes online for “homemade” tomato soup actually call for a can of tomato soup…

Wha??

Well we found one real recipe and it turned out pretty dang good. Especially with the homemade french bread.

Tomato soup is one of those things that I didn’t eat until I was an adult.

Over the past few years I’ve been making myself eat the foods that I don’t like but always thought that I should.

I didn’t eat olives until about 5 years ago and now they’re my favorite. Just thinking about olives makes me start slobberin.

When I was a kid I loved cottage cheese but hadn’t had it since then… until a couple weeks ago I made myself eat some.

Not too bad…

I can actually list quite a few foods that I considered pretty gross until I started eating them regularly that I now consider my favorites – coffee, grapefruit, stinky cheese, spinach, beer, sweet potatoes, asparagus, and more…

It’s like the more adventurous I get with my eating, the more I discover the things that satisfy me the most and bring me the most pleasure (and the surprise at how many of those things are healthy)

It’s kind of got me thinking about how many things in life we tell ourselves “I don’t like that.” Until we really give it a fair chance.

Which sometimes means making yourself eat it until you develop a taste for it.

(I’ve been doing this with hip-hop lately)

You might think you hate camping or dancing or travel or excercise or the stock market or church  or reading or facebook or foreign movies or action movies or quiet or noise or politics or charity or sushi or swimming or sex or football or Carrot Top or close proximity to teenagers or roller coasters or tomato soup.

But the truth is those may be some of your most favorite things in the world (you just don’t know it yet)

It might take some force-feeding for a while—real commitment and discipline to giving something new a chance…

But adventurous living may lead to discovering the most delectable and healthy experiences you never knew you loved so much.

Comment: What is something you once hated that you now love?

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We used to live in a magical place called Montana.

We were obsessed with Big Sky Brews, even though we could only afford it once in a while as a treat. It had been a half-decade since I’d had one of their finely crafted beverages, but we finally started seeing Moose Drool here in Michigan. In fact, we even found our favorite seasonal from Big Sky – Summer Honey!

We’ve already got quite a few amazing micro-brews to choose from right here in northwest lower Michigan, but I’m pretty excited about this new development.

Plus it takes me back… ah Montana…

Check for it in Burritt’s in Traverse City

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Wrapped a hot dog in bacon.

Grilled it along with some skewered mushrooms and red onions.

Topped it with some Annie’s Mac & Cheese.

It was pretty amazing, as you can imagine.

Hot Dog & Bacon are both from Applegate Farms.. Pretty rad company that you should check out. Here’s a brief overview from their website:

When you pick up an Applegate Farms product, you can be assured that…

• Our animals are never given antibiotics. Healthy animals don’t need medicine. Instead, we give them space, fresh air, and a healthy diet, which we’re certain beats the alternative.
• Our livestock eat a completely vegetarian diet with no animal by-products. Cattle are grass-fed, just as nature intended. Hogs and poultry are fed a grain diet that includes corn, soy, barley, and flax.
• Our animals are never given hormones or artificial growth promotants. They grow at their natural rate.
• All of our products are made with natural and organic ingredients. If you aren’t familiar with a particular ingredient, email us and we’ll tell you what it is.
• Our products are all minimally processed, allowing for a wholesome texture and taste.
• Our products never contain artificial nitrates or nitrites. Instead, we use celery juice and sea salt to preserve our products the natural and old fashioned way.
• Our deli meat, hot dogs, burgers, and bacon are gluten and casein free.
• Our products are made from natural and organic whole muscle meat. Yes, even our hot dogs! No mystery here.

I also got to grill myself a steak this weekend! Never eat it because (a) I’m poor, and (b) I feel bad chowing down on beef in front of my vegetarian wife. Check it out!

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When my wife is working I’m in charge of dinner.

I like to cook, but we usually end up eating mac & cheese or hot dogs.

Since she’s been a vegetarian ever since watching Food, Inc., we sometimes like to have burgers when she’s gone (so we don’t feel so guilty eating in front of her).

For whatever reason, I get adventurous when I’m cooking for myself.

This week we had some goat cheese in the fridge. So I stuffed it inside the burger. (this is one of the best decisions I’ve made lately, food related or otherwise)

Then I started scrounging around trying to find something that would go well with a goat-cheese-stuffed burger.

I found spinach and red onions and wished I had some olives.

But then I saw our cherries.

Traverse City is the “cherry capital of the world,” and this past week people from all over the world traveled to TC for the annual National Cherry Festival. I try not to leave the house during that week, but my wife and kids bravely ventured out among the fudgies to pick some cherries for jam, etc.

A quick google search led to the discovery that sweet cherries pair well with horseradish.

So here’s my goat-cheese-stuffed burger with a cherry-horseradish slaw…..

I just shed a tear remembering it.

Any restaurant in Traverse City who adds this to the menu is guaranteed to sell about a million of them.

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Okay, so this three bean salad only has two beans. But it is really good and we’re eating it all the time this summer, so who really cares.

You can make this salad ahead of time and then toss with the dressing just before serving. Keep chilled until you’re ready to eat.

For a lower-calorie option, we cut out the salami.

For the Salad

• 2 cups dry ziti pasta (4 oz)
• 2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed (12 oz)
• 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (15 oz)
• 2 oz deli-sliced Genoa salami, chopped (optional)
• 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup thinly sliced red onion
• ¼ cup pitted, sliced black olives
• 4 oz fresh mozzarella, cubed
• ¼ cup minced fresh basil
• ¼ cup minced fresh parsley

For the Vinaigrette

• 1/3  cup grated Parmesan
• 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• ½ tsp. Dijon mustard
• salt/pepper to taste

Directions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked pasta to a colander. Cook green beans in same boiling water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes; drain.
Rinse pasta and green beans under cool water; transfer to a large bowl.
Add garbanzo beans, salami, tomatoes, onion, olives, mozzarella, basil, and parsley to bowl with pasta; toss until well combined.
Combine vinaigrette ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid; shake until well mixed.
Drizzle vinaigrette over salad just before serving; toss until evenly coated. Serve cold.

Per 1/2 cup: 187 cal; 9g total fat (3g sat); 12mg col; 274mg sodium; 17g carb; 3g fiber; 8g protein. Recipe taken from Cuisine at Home

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These grilled pizzas are awesome. We had a couple of pepperoni and one Greek and it was so sad to see them disappear…

Since they are a little smaller, it’s fun to make two or three different pizzas too. I included a few of our favorites for inspiration, but the fun is to get creative, make it your own, be adventurous and try new things

Grilled Pizza

Dough Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 envelope quick rise yeast (2¼ t.)
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 T. kosher salt
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 T. olive oil

Directions

Combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a food processor; pulse to mix.

Add water and oil; process mixture for 1-3 minutes, or until dough forms into a ball. If the dough does not adhere, add more water, 1 T. at a time until a ball forms.

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour). Prepare sauces and toppings while dough is rising.

Once dough has doubled in size, divide into four balls. Roll out one of the balls of dough as thinly as possible (don’t worry about making a perfect circle… irregular shapes give it character)

You should have your grill preheated on one side to high heat, and the other side on low.

Use both hands to transfer the dough to the grill. Drape it directly onto the hot side–the directhigh heat will set the crust. Once it starts to bubble, check the underside for browning, rotating the crust to prevent burning, if needed. Use tongs to flip the crust over onto the cooler side of the grill, brush the crust with olive oil and add your toppings.

Move the pizza back to the hot side to finish cooking the crust and melting the cheese (watch out for burning).

Pizza Ideas

• Old School – pepperoni and mozzarella (i like to throw some sharp cheddar in too)
• Greek – olive oil, feta, kalimata olives, tomatoes, baby spinach, red onion, etc
• Pesto – fresh pesto, tomatoes, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, a little mozzarella
• Cowboy – grilled steak (sliced into thin pieces), black beans, salsa, monterrey jack
• Buffalo – grilled chicken (marinated and basted with Frank’s), monterrey jack, more Frank’s, celery, more Frank’s

Recipe from Cuisine at Home

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