Tomorrow, World Fair Trade Day 2008 is being celebrated in over 70 countries, with free food, lectures, concerts, fashion shows and art exhibits. Surrounding WFT Day is the first-annual Fair Trade Fortnight, which is running through May 18. For this inaugural Fortnight, the theme is environmental justice.

For example, Trade Aid New Zealand is going all-out with their “Junk 2 Green Funk” contest, in which participants re-fashion trash into art. The aim is to to heighten awareness of conservation and the role of the artisan in fair-trade craftsmanship.

So what do you get out of World Fair Trade Day?
Retailers all over the country are going to be handing out free fair trade coffee, chocolate and other samples. And we’re not talking just any caffeinated swill here — this is quality stuff. Great art and film events abound, too.

What do the fair-trade craftsmen and farmers get out of it?
Where to start? Living wages; safe working environments; ecologically sound production methods; long-term working relationships between producers and retailers.

Of course, just because Mother’s Day comes only once a year (you didn’t forget, did you?), doesn’t mean you should ignore your mom for the other 364 days. So it goes without saying that it’s important to support fair-trade producers whenever you can. At zipiZape Artisans, we celebrate Fair Trade Day every day, offering handmade crafts from artisans from all over the world — Mexico, Nepal, South Africa and Peru, to name just a few of the countries our producers hail from, as well as Navajo and Zuni art from right here in the US.

Back to WFT Day: There are fair-trade throwdowns going on all over the country this weekend. These 6 listings should give you a little taste of what’s going on in our neck of the woods (New England), including trunk shows, free coffee and chocolate, film screenings and wine samplings:

Worlds Biggest Coffee Break
Saturday, May 10 | 3pm-4pm

Description: “Aiming to set a world record for the biggest ever coffee break, Amherst Fair Trade Partnership (AFTP) will stage a ‘Fair Trade Coffee Break’ on May 10, World Fair Trade Day. It will be one of hundred’s of Fair Trade coffee breaks held simultaneously around the world, and will focus on the benefits of Fair Trade for farmers, consumers, and the environment. AFTP will distribute Free Fair Trade coffee, chocolate and flowers at various businesses throughout Amherst at 3pm. Live music will be at some locations. AFTP will also distribute a guide to all the places that carry Fair Trade products in town. In order to set the world record, the events will have to draw over 5,000 people throughout the U.S. participating at the same time.”

Participating venues: Black Sheep Deli/Cafe, Loose Goose Deli, Henions Bakery, Wheatberry Bakery, Bart’s Ice Cream, Collective Copies, Tabella Restaurant

[Amherst, MA (downtown). 413.687.1434. amherstfairtrade@earthlink.net]

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Fair Trade Film Screening: “Chocolate Country”
Saturday, May 10 | 2pm

Description: “This 30 minute film won Best Short Documentary at the Seattle International Film Festival and is an exciting, positive story set to local Dominican folk music. It will take you into another world and culture and show you where chocolate comes from, how it’s grown and prepared, and how you can support a better life for the farmers who grow it. You can read about it and see the trailer at ChocolateCountryFilm.com. The director, Robin Blotnick, and the producers, Northampton locals Jill Higgins and Joe Blotnick, will be there to present and discuss the film. Chocolate Country came into being while Jill and Joe were Peace Corps volunteers in the Dominican Republic working with the cacao farmers’ cooperative and their film maker son came to visit.” Admission is $3, and apparently comes with free Pierce Brothers coffee and Divine chocolate.

View trailer (click here if you’re having trouble viewing the embedded video below):

[Amherst Cinema, Amherst Cinema Arts Center, 28 Amity St., Amherst, MA. 413.687.1434. $3. amherstcinema.org, chocolatecountryfilm.com. amherstfairtrade@earthlink.net]

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World Fair Trade Day @ Made on Earth and Lydia’s Cafe
Saturday, May 10 | 9am-5:30pm

Description: “Made on Earth and Lydia’s cafe will join together to celebrate Fair Trade Day. Lydia’s will provide free Fair Trade coffee between 3-3:30pm and Made on Earth will donate 10% of it’s sales to GALA, a local organization promoting just and equitable commerce and environmental intergrity on a local level.”

[Made on Earth and Lydia's Cafe, Wolfeboro Marketplace, Wolfeboro, NH. 603.569.9100. madeonearthwolfeboro.com

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World's Largest Coffee Break
Saturday, May 10 | 10am-5pm

Description: "Join us in Celebrating World Fair Trade Day on Saturday, May 10th. Simply Unique Boutique will join with people from 70 countries worldwide to celebrate World Fair Trade Day. We're trying to set the World Record for the Largest Fair Trade Coffee Break at 3:00pm. Come learn about Fair Trade and How you can Make a Difference. We will be introducing Fair Trade Coffee, Tea and Chocolate. Don't forget to put your name in for Fair Trade Gift Raffles!"

[Simply Unique Boutique, 206 East Main Street (Rt. 16), Milford, MA. 508.473.3473. simplyuniqueboutique@verizon.net]

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Faith Brewing Justice
Saturday, May 10 | 1pm-5pm

Description: “World Fair Trade Day Resource event for Christians and Churches (and anybody else!) in the Boston area: –Fair Trade Coffee Break –Interactive Workshops –Local Fair Trade Organizations –Ecumenical Worship.”

[Harvard Epworth Church, 1555 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA. 978.979.7878. bostonfaithjustice.org]

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WFT Day Trunk Show and Wine Tasting
Saturday, May 10 | 3pm-5pm

Description: “Autonomie Project, a new Fair Trade fashion company, is hosting it’s first trunk show in honor of World Fair Trade Day. Shop Autonomie’s new collection of Fair Trade sneakers, flip flops and hand bags; hear a presentation about the workers behind the products and how Fair Trade helps them and their communities; sample Fair Trade wines while you shop; get a free goodie bag full of Fair Trade swag and coupons!”

[Greenward Shop, 776 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA. 617.395.1338. autonomieproject.com]

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As you may recall, I promised you all D:2:E recipes … and I’m not one to make idle threats. So here it is: a semi-sprawling gastronomic crawl through D:2:E, Boston’s latest symposium on sustainable living. Two of these recipes (the Broiled Channel-farmed Catfish with Red Curry Sauce and the Haley House Ginger Slaw) actually got live demos at D:2:E; the rest I scooped up from exhibitors‘ booths or their websites.

What’s so sustainable about these dishes? Emphasis on local (and seasonal) produce, fair-trade ingredients, and responsibly fished seafood. Of course, when you’re talking about sustainability, the prevalence of brand names can be a little off-putting. So I tried to choose recipes that lend themselves to more, um, open-source culinary solutions, or transcend brands entirely. (Bonus: They’re all extremely easy to make.)

OK, enough philosophizing — let’s get to the vittles!

APPETIZERS/SIDES
Spring Leek and Asparagus Tart with Goat Cheese
Braised Spinach with Thai Flavors
Roasted Sweet Potato with Rosemary
Heirloom Tomato Slaw
Haley House Ginger Slaw

ENTREES
Some Enchanted Pizza
Baked Macaroni & Cheese
Collard, Pear and Caramelized Onion Casserole
Broiled Salmon with Dijon Sauce
Broiled Channel-farmed Catfish with Red Curry Sauce

DESSERTS
Hazelnut Coffee Brownies
Honey and Lemon Tea Cakes
Peach Crisp
Butterscotch Bananas Foster
Chocolate Hazelnut Empanadas

DRINKS
Frozen Chocolate Moo
Thomas’s Thai Iced Coffee
Green Princess

APPETIZERS/SIDES

Spring Leek and Asparagus Tart with Goat Cheese (source: Edible Boston)

Makes 1 tart.

• 1 tart shell, par-baked
• 1 bunch of asparagus, woody stems trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 thin leeks, washed and trimmed to white parts only, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
• 2 teaspoons thyme, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 teaspoons garlic, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3-4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled into pieces
• 1 tablespoons chives, chopped

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350º F.
2. Blanch the asparagus. Drain on a dishtowel and reserve 1/2 cup of the asparagus tips.
3. Puree the remaining asparagus in a food processor or blender until smooth. If the asparagus is still chunky, add a little of the heavy cream, maybe 2 tablespoon to get an even puree.
4. Transfer the puree to a bowl and set aside.
5. Heat a small sauté pan on medium heat and add the butter.
6. Once the butter is melted, add the leeks. Sweat the leeks for 2 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the thyme and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. The leeks should be soft but not browned. Season with salt and pepper.
7. In a medium bowl combine the eggs, heavy cream, grated Parmesan and garlic, and whisk to combine. Add 1 cup of the asparagus puree and season with salt and pepper to taste. (You may want to add more puree later or save it for soup.)
8. In the par-baked tart shell, layer the leeks on the bottom and then sprinkle the asparagus tips, goat cheese and chopped chives over the leeks. Slowly pour the asparagus custard base over the tart, making sure to disperse it evenly. Fill to the top of the crust; you may not use the entire custard base. Place the tart on a sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the tart in your oven and continue baking for 10-15 minutes. The center of the tart will puff when it is baked through.
9. Remove the tart from the oven and cool on a baking rack.
10. When it has cooled, remove the outer ring and transfer to a cutting board. Cut the tart into 8-12 slices and transfer to a serving platter of individual plates.

—

Braised Spinach with Thai Flavors (source: Harvest Co-op)

Makes 4 servings.

“[T]his dish will work perfectly alongside a piece of roasted salmon or halibut, sauteed turkey cutlets or medallions of pork tenderloin.”

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (suggested: grapeseed or canola — don’t use olive oil!)
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 teaspoons ginger, fresh grated
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or mashed
• 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded and sliced into very fine julienne strips
• 8 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped and stems trimmed
• 4 scallions, white and green parts, slivered or sliced thin
• salt to taste
• lots of freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat oil in a deep skillet and sautee ginger and garlic until just fragrant (about 30 seconds).
2. Add coconut milk and jalapeño; cook for another 5-7 minutes or until just starting to thicken slightly.
3. Add washed, chopped spinach (don’t blot off any water clinging to spinach) and toss until spinach is coated with sauce mixture. Sprinkle with salt.
4. Cook, covered, for another 3-5 minutes or until spinach is wilted and brilliantly green.
5. Toss with slivered scallions and serve.

—

Roasted Sweet Potato with Rosemary (source: The Frugal Yankee)

^{[image courtesy The Frugal Yankee]}

Makes 4 servings.

• 1 pound sweet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped fine
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• fresh-ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat oven to 425º F.
2. Cut the sweet potatoes into thick sticks (you can also cut them in medallions).
3. Toss with the rosemary, oil, salt and pepper.
4. Spread in one layer on a large baking sheet.
5. Roast for about 15 minutes (longer if you want them well done), shaking the pan and stirring occasionally. Eat them hot or cold.

—

Heirloom Tomato Slaw (source: Appalachian Naturals)

Makes 8 servings.

• 12 cups purple cabbage, finely shredded
• 10 green onions, thinly sliced
• 12 ounces diced heirloom tomatoes
• 12 ounces Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette*

1. Shred purple cabbage using a very sharp chef’s knife or by running it through a food processor using the grating disk.
2. Rinse cabbage thoroughly until water no longer runs purple, drain well.
3. In a large mixing bowl, toss cabbage, green onions, and tomatoes until thoroughly blended.
4. Slowly add Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette to slaw, tossing frequently. Add enough vinaigrette to thoroughly coat slaw.
5. Cover and refrigerate for 3-6 hours. Toss before serving.

*To make your own cilantro lime dressing, here are recipes from Chowhound and Eating Well.

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Haley House Ginger Slaw (source: Didi Emmons, of Veggie Planet and Haley House)

Makes 4-6 servings.

“Low in fat and practically addictive, this is my favorite way to get a good dose of raw veggies. I make a double batch of the dressing and use it in any salad or drizzled on steamed greens. It keeps for 1 month.” –Didi Emmons

Dressing

• 4 inches of fresh ginger (one continuous piece — if measuring by weight, 4 ounces.)
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 tablespoons white sugar or agave nectar (sweetener needs to be able to dissolve easily)
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• fresh chilis or hot sauce (suggestion: sriracha) to taste

Slaw veggies

• 3 carrots, grated
• 1/2 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced (or 6 scallions, chopped)
• 1/2 head Napa or Chinese cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup currants or raisins
• 1 cup slaw dressing

To make the dressing:

1. Wash the ginger well with a scrub brush and warm water, cutting off any knobby spots.
2. Chop the ginger into 1/2-inch pieces.
3. Place in food processor and mince or continue chopping until it is minced.
4. In a bowl, combine this mixture and the remaining ingredients; whisk well. (Dressing keeps well for 4 weeks refrigerated in an air-tight container.)

To make the slaw:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss well.

Note from Didi Emmons: Dozens of veggies can be used instead of those above. Try: Chopped tomatoes, grated raw beets, raw green beans, raw chopped broccoli, sliced cucumbers, sliced apples, fresh corn (raw or blanched), raw celery, raw bok choy, thinly sliced raw zuchini or summer squash, spinach, and all sorts of lettuces — including radicchio, watercress and arugula. (Whew! –Ed.)

—

ENTREES

Some Enchanted Pizza (source: Trader Joe’s)

^{[image courtesy Trader Joe's]}

Makes 4 individual pizzas.

• 1 package frozen Tandoori Naan* (regular or garlic flavor)
• 1 jar vegetable tapenade*
• 1 package chevre
• fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400º F.
2. Place frozen naan on cookie sheets and warm in oven for 5-10 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and spread a thin layer of chevre on each naan. Next, spread a light layer of tapenade over the chevre. Sprinkle with cilantro.
4. Place back in oven for 5-10 more minutes, or until chevre is softened and pizza is hot. Cut into finger-friendly slices and enjoy.

*If you want to make your own naan, here’s a video recipe from Manjula’s Kitchen; for a simple tapenade recipe, check out this one from About.com.

—

Baked Macaroni & Cheese (source: Cabot Cheese)

^{[image courtesy Cabot Cheese]}

Makes 6 servings.

• 2 1/2 cups (12 ounces) dry macaroni or other small pasta shape
• 3 cups milk
• 5 tablespoons salted butter
• 3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs (about 2 slices firm white bread)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• several dashes Tabasco sauce
• 4 cups (about 12 ounces) extra-sharp cheddar, grated

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Butter 2-quart baking dish or coat with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
3. In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente (slightly underdone), 8 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat milk in saucepan to just below simmer.
4. In another saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Pour 1 tablespoon of butter into small bowl, add bread crumbs and toss together; set aside.
5. Add flour to remaining butter in saucepan and whisk over heat for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in hot milk and continue stirring until mixture thickens and comes to simmer. Whisk in salt, nutmeg, Tabasco and 2 cups of cheese.
6. Drain pasta thoroughly in colander. Return to pot, add cheese sauce and mix together thoroughly.
7. Spread one-third of pasta mixture over bottom of prepared baking dish. Scatter one-third of remaining cheese on top. Spoon another one-third of pasta on top and add another one-third of cheese. Top with remaining pasta, then remaining cheese. Sprinkle with reserved bread crumbs.
8. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.

—

Collard, Pear and Caramelized Onion Casserole (source: Mass Farmers Markets)

^{[image courtesy Mass Farmers Markets]}

Makes 6 servings.

• 1 pound collard greens, stems removed, cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 1 pound Spanish or yellow onions, peeled, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 pound ripe pears, cores removed, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1/3 cup dried cherries
• 1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 1/2 cups smoked gouda, shredded
• sea salt or kosher salt to taste

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté onions in olive oil with 1/4 teaspoon salt until caramelized, about 20 minutes. When soft, sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and let cool.
2. In a large pot, cook collard greens, covered, in 1/2 cup water until soft, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
3. In a small saucepan, combine apple cider or juice with dried cherries and simmer over low heat until cherries are plump. Set aside to cool.
4. In a bowl, mix well together onions, pears, collard greens, cherries with juice, apple cider vinegar, coriander and 1 1/4 cups of the cheese. Season with salt to taste.
5. Transfer the mixture to an oiled 6-cup casserole dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.
6. Bake at 350º F for about 45 minutes until the pears are soft.

—

Broiled Salmon with Dijon Sauce (source: Appalachian Naturals)

^{[images courtesy Appalachian Naturals]}

Makes 4 servings.

• 1 1/2 pounds 1-inch-thick filet of wild-caught Alaskan salmon (skin on or off)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 6 ounces Wildflower Honey Dijon dressing*
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat broiler for 15 minutes. Adjust the rack so that it is about 2 inches from the heat source.
2. Lightly oil a baking sheet, add salmon (skin side down). Brush fish lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic.
3. Broil fish for about 6 minutes, then check for doneness. cook longer if necessary.
4. Remove from oven, divide up into 4 portions on dinner plates, sprinkle with lemon, parsley, and a light drizzle of Honey Dijon. Serve immediately.

If you’d like to make your own honey dijon, here’s a recipe from What’s Cooking America.

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Broiled Channel-farmed Catfish with Red Curry Sauce (source: New England Aquarium)

“Farmed channel catfish are primarily raised in large, man-made ponds … Harvesting with a large mesh seine net allows capture of only market size fish and enables year-round production. Farmed catfish are fed a mainly vegetarian diet, with extremely low levels of fishmeal, which results in very few wild fish being used for feed.”

Makes 4 servings.

• 4 6-ounce catfish fillets
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 cup green onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 2 teaspoons red curry paste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 16 ounces coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons green onions, sliced for garnish
• 3 cups hot cooked basmati rice
• cooking spray

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
2. Add ginger and garlic and cook until lightly browned. Add pepper and green onions. Stir in curry powder, curry paste and cumin; cook 1 minute.
3. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and coconut milk; bring to a simmer.
4. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
5. Preheat oven to broil.
6. Brush fish with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
7. Place catfish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
8. Broil 7 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
9. Serve fish over rice and top with sauce. Garnish with scallions.

—

DESSERTS

Hazelnut Coffee Brownies (source: Equal Exchange)

Makes 24 brownies.

• 3/4 cup (175 ml) organic baking cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) strong hazelnut coffee, boiling
• 2/3 cup (150 ml) butter, melted and divided
• 2 cups (500 ml) sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/3 cups (325 ml) flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3.5 ounces (100 g) chocolate, finely chopped)
• 3/4 cup (175 ml) hazelnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)

1. Combine cocoa and baking soda in a medium bowl.
2. Add coffee and half of melted butter. Stir until mixture thickens.
3. Add sugar, remaining melted butter and eggs. Stir until smooth.
4. Add flour, vanilla, salt. Blend completely.
5. Stir in chopped chocolate and hazelnuts (if using).
6. Pour into greased 9 x 13-inch (3.5 L) baking pan.
7. Bake in preheated oven at 350º F for 35-40 minutes.

—

Honey and Lemon Tea Cakes (source: Edible Boston)

^{[image courtesy Edible Boston]}

Makes 6 cakes.

• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup (minus 1 teaspoon) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 cup (minus 2 teaspoons) confectioner’s sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
• 1 tsp baking powder
• sliced blanched almonds
• raspberries, fresh or frozen (3-4 per cake)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Sift all dry ingredients separately: flour, confectioner’s sugar, almond flour and baking powder.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, put the confectioner’s sugar with the butter and whip until you obtain a white cream. Add the eggs, one by one, mixing well between each. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and honey, and mix until absorbed.
4. In another bowl, pour the flour, baking powder and almond flour. Mix together and add to the previous batter. Mix together, but at this point, do not overwork the batter. It should be thick and creamy.
5. Grease small molds (muffin type, silicone if you have them) and fill 3/4 full with the batter. Place a few raspberries on top and gently press them down. Add a few sliced almonds on top.
6. Place the cakes in the oven and cook for 10 min, then reduce the oven temperature to 350º F and continue to cook for 10-12 minutes. Check that they are golden in color and remove.
7. Wait for a few minutes before removing from the molds. Let cool on a cooling rack. Serve with a nice cup of tea or coffee.

—

Peach Crisp (source: Shootflying Hill Sauce Co)

Makes 6-8 servings.

• 2/3 cup oats
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup toasted chopped pecans
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (plus butter to grease pan)
• 2 jars Peach Bourbon Dessert Sauce*

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Create the crisp topping by combining oats, flour, brown sugar, toasted chopped pecans, pinch of salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl.
3. Using a fork or your fingers, cut 6 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter into the topping mixture. Set the bowl aside.
4. Generously butter a 9-inch glass pie pan.
5. Pour Peach Bourbon Dessert Sauce into the pie pan, and sprinkle it with the topping.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until the topping is brown and the sauce is bubbling at the edges. Enjoy warm with a scoop of ice cream. The crisp is even better a day later!

*If you want to make your own peach sauce, here’s a recipe from About.com.

—

Butterscotch Bananas Foster (source: Shootflying Hill Sauce Co)

Makes 2 servings.

• 1 banana
• 1 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons of Salty Butterscotch Dessert Sauce*
• roasted nuts (optional)

1. Cut a banana in half, and then cut each half in thirds. Saute the banana pieces in butter butter until soft and lightly browned.
2. Add Salty Butterscotch Dessert Sauce to the pan and cook until bubbly.
3. Immediately spoon warm bananas and sauce over gelato, frozen yogurt or ice cream.
4. If desired, top each serving with roasted nuts.

*If you want to make your own butterscotch sauce, here’s a recipe from the Washington Post.

—

Chocolate Hazelnut Empanadas (source: Shootflying Hill Sauce Co)

^{[image courtesy Shootflying Hill and Edible Boston]}

Makes 8 empanadas.

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup hazelnuts
• 1 sheet puff pastry
• 8 tablespoons Shootflying Hill chocolate dessert sauce*

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Grease a baking sheet or cover it with parchment paper.
3. In a small bowl, make an egg wash by beating one egg with a tablespoon of water. Set aside.
4. Coarsely chop hazelnuts and toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Set aside.
5. Roll out a sheet of puff pastry until it is 1/8 inch thick. Cut it into 8 4-inch squares.
6. Place 1 tablespoon of cold dessert sauce near the bottom corner of each square. Sprinkle it with hazelnuts.
7. Brush egg wash onto the edges of the square. Then fold one corner over to the opposite corner to form a triangle. Push all the air out and seal the edges with the tines of a fork.
8. Brush empanadas with egg wash and sprinkle them with sugar.
9. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

*If you want to make your own chocolate dessert sauce, here’s a recipe from Wolfgang Puck.

—

DRINKS

Frozen Chocolate Moo (source: Shootflying Hill Sauce Co)

Makes 2 16-ounce servings.

• 1/3 cup Shootflying Hill chocolate dessert sauce*
• 1-1/2 cup fat free vanilla frozen yogurt
• 1-1/2 cup skim milk

1. In a blender, combine dessert sauce, frozen yogurt and milk.
2. Blend until smooth.

*If you want to make your own chocolate dessert sauce, here’s a recipe from Wolfgang Puck.

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Thomas’s Thai Iced Coffee (source: Equal Exchange)

^{[image courtesy Equal Exchange]}

Makes 1 16-ounce serving.

“About 10 years ago I was a barista at this fantastic nonprofit coffeehouse called David’s Place in San Diego. This is where I was introduced to Thai Iced Coffee. In my years of East Coast barista experience, I had never encountered it. I am not an iced coffee, flavored coffee, iced mocha… etc. drinker. Black coffee. Single espresso. That’s what I like. But here is a drink that is sweetened and milky and still tastes like coffee. Plus, it’s absolutely addicting.” –Thomas Lussier, lead roaster at Equal Exchange

• 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
• espresso/double-brewed coffee
• ice
• cream/half and half

1. Pour sweetened condensed milk into a 16-ounce glass.
2. Add 2 shots of espresso/double-brewed coffee.
3. Stir until mixed.
4. Add some ice and stir until espresso mixture has cooled, then add more ice.
5. Top off with cream or half and half.

—

Green Princess (source: Vodka 360)

• 1 1/2 ounces vodka
• 1/2 ounce dry vermouth
• 1/4 ounce Green Chartreuse
• 1 lemon peel

Shake liquids with cracked ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with lemon.

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Yes, today is 3.14 … which means it’s time for math-flavored absurdity and geeky carbohydrates!

Historical food blogger The Old Foodie has decided to downplay the numbers to put together five neat posts examining the history of “pi(e)” itself. (Though she does note that, all punning aside, pi and pie are inextricably linked by their geometrical associations.)

Her first installment rounds up a strange bestiary of extinct, exotic or long-forgotten pies, including eel pie (1861), bride pie (1660) and pies with live birds and frogs (1665).

And if all this gastronomic archaeology really lights your fire, I should point out that The Old Foodie’s forthcoming book, “The Pie, a Celebratory History,” will (hopefully) be available in late 2008.

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However, due to the efforts of Don and Ruth Harris (co-owners of online Spanish gourmet store La Tienda), a family business in western Spain has tweaked its facilities and curing process to meet the USDA’s standards. The first jamón ibérico hit US stores in December 2007, while the prized bellota variety is scheduled to make its stateside debut in July 2008.

The bellota ham is to Spain roughly what Kobe beef is to Japan. It’s made from pigs who spend their pampered — albeit short — lives wandering around “specially maintained oak forests,” gorging themselves on acorns. Here’s a particularly vivid description of the setup, from this WSJ article:

Jamon Iberico “bellota,” which La Tienda also will be importing, can be thought of as the holy grail with a halo. It comes from Iberian pigs that toward the end of their free-range lives eat up to 20 pounds of acorns (bellotas) a day. Noting the premise that calm pigs have the best meat, Harris describes how, on their last day, these pigs “have Mozart played to them and are given hot showers,” then are gently euthanized (”sacrificed” is the Spaniards’ term) with carbon monoxide.

Wow. Of course, salivating gourmands can always turn to La Tienda as a source for this porcine ambrosia. But if any of you Boston-area foodies need a jamón fix immediately, the kind folks at Formaggio Kitchen will gladly help you out.

Really, the lifting of this restriction really couldn’t have come at a better time — after all, Hardee’s was dangerously close to running out of sodium-larded meat products to cram into its burgers. (Then again, with this pork fetching $100 a pound, you’re probably not going find it under your Monster Thickburger bun anytime soon.)

[Thanks to Apartment Therapy; photo courtesy Flickr user su-lin]

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OK, let’s explore a hypothetical situation here: Valentine’s Day is just mere hours away, and you’re totally stumped about what to do for your significant other. With restaurants booked to the seams, your options now are rapidly dwindling to raiding the much-picked-over cards and dubious chocolates and ragged bouquets at Shaw’s (or, worse, CVS). And let’s face it, even if you did manage to snag a last-minute reservation at some fancy little boîte, you’re most likely getting jacked for exorbitant prix-fixes and harried service.

Wait, this isn’t so hypothetical, is it?

Fear not, friend — it’s not too late to surprise your special woogums with a totally handmade, heartfelt, delicious meal. With our special V-Day tapas menu, all you need is a working oven, a few groceries, and a few spare hours. (Oh, and some tiny plates wouldn’t hurt, either.)

We decided to go with tapas (basically, classy finger foods traditionally served in Spanish bars) for reasons of variety and efficiency: These recipes allows you to showcase a lot of nice little dishes to dazzle your date; meanwhile, there’s a lot of overlap between recipe ingredients, so you won’t have to worry about making room in your fridge.

MENU

• crusty bread with olive oil
• cheese with quince paste (queso con membrillo)
• marinated olives (aceitunas marinadas)
• roasted peppers (pimientos)
• white bean salad (ensalada de judías blancas)
• pear turnovers (hojaldres de pera)
• Spanish omelette (tortilla española)

Now, this might look like a lot of work, but the nice part is that you can prepare the most labor-intensive dishes in advance: the pimientos keep for days, and the tortilla espanola and white bean salad actually taste better when they’ve spent a few days chilling in the fridge. The rest is basically a cinch to throw together (take it from a kitchen novice). For such minimal efforts, the results are pretty impressive. (Note: Unless your date’s a linebacker with a glandular problem, you’re probably going to have leftovers if you follow these recipes to the letter. In fact, this same menu makes for a great party spread, too — perfect for any cheerfully bitter anti-V-Day celebrations.)

Read on for recipes and more pictures.

RECIPES

Most of these recipes have been adapted from Penelope Casas’s Tapas: The Little Dishes of Spain, 1986.

CRUSTY BREAD AND OLIVE OIL
prep time: 5 minutes

• crusty baguette or other artisanal bread loaf
• olive oil
• salt, to taste
• herbes de Province (optional)

Cut up the loaf; arrange on a plate. Pour olive oil in a shallow dish for dipping. Sprinkle salt (and, optionally, herbs) on oil to taste.

CHEESE PLATE WITH QUINCE PASTE (QUESO CON MEMBRILLO)
prep time: 5 minutes

• a few hunks of quality cheese
  • suggestions: cordobes, gran queso, drunken goat cheese (pictured); manchego, zamorano
• membrillo, quince paste (if you can’t get your hands on any, fig jam or most high-quality fruit preserves will do in a pinch)

Cut cheese into wedges. If using membrillo, consider slicing it into two 1/2-inch-thick slabs and cutting with a cookie cutter (here, I’ve used a foot shape — no symbolism there; it’s just the only cookie cutter we had in the house).

MARINATED OLIVES (ACEITUNAS MARINADAS)

prep time: 10-15 minutes

Yes, you can get something like this at the deli counter of pretty much any supermarket — but these are incredibly easy, and they just taste too damn good.

• 1 jar cured olives (for this, I bought a jar of Kalamata and a jar of green olives, and combined the two halves)
• 1 tablespoon herbes de Province
• 3 sundried tomatoes (optional), minced
• a couple glugs of olive oil (enough to provide a decent coating on olives)
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 lemon, sliced thin and then coarsely chopped (try to pick out the seeds)

-Throw everything except the olives into a lidded container (any Tupperware will do); stir together.
-Add olives. Close lid. Shake well to distribute marinade evenly over olives.
-Set aside for an hour or two, or until ready to serve (refrigeration is fine, but don’t do it too long, or the olive oil will probably congeal from the cold).

PIMIENTOS
prep and cooking time: 45 minutes

A pretty standard, easy-to-make accompaniment for tapas. May be prepared well in advance.

• 4 medium sweet red, yellow, and/or orange peppers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt

-Preheat oven to 375° F. Place peppers in an ungreased roasting pan for 17 minutes. Rotate peppers and continue roasting for another 17 minutes. Remove from oven, cover pan tightly with aluminum foil, and let cool.
-Peel peppers (the skin should basically rub right off at this point); remove stem, core and seeds; and cut each pepper into 8 strips.
-Add oil to skillet; heat until warm (but not sizzling hot). Add peppers, garlic, cayenne and salt. Sauté slowly over low heat for 8 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

SPANISH OMELETTE — CHEATER VERSION (TORTILLA ESPAÑOLA )
prep and cooking time: 45 minutes

Banish any thoughts of floury burrito wrappers — this tortilla (a classic tapa) actually falls in the realm of omelettes and frittatas. As you’ll notice, this recipe produces a rather hefty portion, with 8-10 servings — it’s roughly the size of a large dinner plate. If you’re averse to leftovers, reduce the ingredients proportionally (because of its simplicity, this recipe is a forgiving one) and fry this up in a smaller skillet. The “cheat” I’m referring to in the title is that instead of doing the fancy flipping maneuver the cookbooks suggest to cook both sides of the tortilla, I pop the pan into the oven to get the top nice and firm.

• 1 cup olive oil
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/8-inch slices
• 1/2 large onion, sliced thin
• 6 eggs
• salt and pepper to taste
• brown sugar, just a pinch (optional)
• 1 tomato, sliced thin (optional)
• 2 tablespoons of grated manchego cheese, or any other grated well-cured cheese, such as pecorino romano or parmesan (optional)

-Preheat oven on “broil” setting.
-Heat entire cup of oil in a large skillet. Add potatoes and onions in alternating layers, lightly salting each layer (add potato slices one at a time, so they don’t stick together). Cook slowly over medium heat (the potatoes will actually “boil” in the oil, rather than fry), lifting and turning potatoes occasionally, until they are tender but not brown.
-Drain potatoes in a colander; reserve the drained oil. (You’ll need 2 tablespoons of this in the pan for cooking the tortilla; the rest should be set aside and used with the marinated olives or as a dipping oil — it’s got a nice flavor from the onion/potato mixture.)
-In a large bowl, beat the eggs together until slightly foamy. Add salt and pepper to taste, as well as a pinch of brown sugar (optional). Add cooked onion/potato mixture to the eggs, pressing it down with a spatula until it’s completely submersed in egg. Let mixture sit for 15 minutes.
-Wipe down the skillet to remove any stuck particles; wash if necessary. Then heat 2 tablespoons of reserved oil in the skillet until it reaches the smoking point. (It has to be hot, or the eggs will stick.) Then add the onion/potato/egg mixture, spreading it out quickly in the skillet with a spatula. Sprinkle tomato slices and cheese shreds on top (optional).
-Lower heat to medium-high. Shake pan often to prevent sticking. When the edges are looking relatively solid, put skillet in the oven, and broil for 10 minutes, or until top is done.
-Flip skillet onto a large plate. Serve at room temperature or chilled, cut into wedges.

PEAR TURNOVERS (HOJALDRES DE PERA)
prep and cooking time: 30 minutes

Sure, you could make your own puff pastry dough — but this is quick-and-dirty cuisine! So we’re all about the shortcuts here. In this case, I used a package of Trader Joe’s Artisan Puff Pastry, but I’ve had a dynamite version of these that involved Pillsbury Crescent Roll dough, so by all means, go lowbrow with this one. (Makes 4 turnovers.)

• premade pastry dough
• 1 pear, peeled, cored, and chopped
• salt and pepper
• nutmeg
• blue cheese (such as Valdeon Spanish Blue)
• membrillo (quice paste) or other complementary fruit preserves
• honey and olive oil, for brushing crust (optional)

-Preheat oven to 425° F.

-Put pear chunks in pot, sprinkle with water, and simmer very briefly until just tender — do not let the pears get soggy. Drain off excess liquid.

-Lay out pastry on a parchment-covered baking sheet (or a well-greased one). Insert pears, crumbled blue cheese, and dabs of membrillo or jam in center of turnover — fill sparingly enough to be able to fold and pinch corners of pastry shut around filling.

-Optional step: Whisk a tablespoon of olive oil and a tablespoon of honey together; lightly brush mixture on pastry.

-Bake turnovers for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

WHITE BEAN SALAD (ENSALADA DE JUDÍIAS BLANCAS)

prep time: 30 minutes

You can prepare this one up to two days ahead of time; at the minimum, it needs to sit in the fridge for a few hours before serving to let the flavors gel. (Note: White bean salad not pictured.)

• 3/4 pound canned white beans (or chickpeas)
• 1 medium tomato, cubed
• 8 pitted cured black olives (Kalamata is fine)
• 3 tablespoons minced parsley
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons white wine vinegar (to taste)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 sundried tomato, chopped fine (optional)
• 1/8 cup shaved/shredded cheese, preferably a hard, well-cured variety like manchego or pecorino romano (optional)

In a bowl, gently combine the beans, tomato, olives, and parsley. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and garlic, as well as the sundried tomato (if desired). Fold dressing into the bean mixture. Stir in cheese, if desired. Marinate in refrigerator for several hours; serve chilled.

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