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The post Washington Street Eats Newsletter for February 1 first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post Washington Street Eats Newsletter for February 1 appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, Rik Kleindfeldt had to change plans. The Wall was central to his research as a Ph.D. candidate at Brown University. With his plans in limbo, Rik got a job with Coffee Exchange, and found a passion that became New Harvest Coffee Roasters. Since opening in 2000, he has shared that passion many times over with anyone who has enjoyed a cup of New Harvest coffee.

Rik and former Director of Business Development for New Harvest, Gerra Harrigan (now a coffee trader with InterAmerican in Boston), moved New Harvest from a small garage in Rumford, East Providence, to a beautiful sunlit space in the Hope Artiste Village in Pawtucket. During that time, they shared their coffee with the stores and coffee shops of Providence and beyond. My first experience with New Harvest was in 2003; I was new to Providence, and thrilled to find good coffee. In the years since that first sip of their coffee, I have watched them grow in a way that is based in ethical business and care for their product that goes far beyond the numbers on the ledger sheet.

In 2007, they began traveling to Central America with the goal of connecting “directly with small farms that produced great coffee and…took care of their land and paid their workers well.” This “Source Direct” approach to coffee includes communicating and growing real relationships with farmers. It also means that New Harvest is committed to the welfare of the people who grow and process this coffee. “We pay all of our Source Direct partners at least 30% above the minimum Fair Trade price and for high-quality microlots we often pay more than double the Fair Trade minimum.”

Locally, New Harvest supports organizations that work hard to make our community better, including Farm Fresh, Southside Community Land Trust, and the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. Current Director of Wholesale and Education, Ana Mallozzi, can be found spreading the word about animal rescue organizations or dedicating her musical talents to Girls Rock RI.

Courtesy of New Harvest Coffee Roasters

For us at Ellie’s Bakery, New Harvest is one of the great community partners that shares our passion for quality and care. They have been there from the beginning of Ellie’s, helping us outfit our little bakery with a hand made La Marzocco espresso machine, a wealth of knowledge, and offering a helping hand when we need it.

We care about the quality of coffee you enjoy with us at Ellie’s. We feel fortunate to have a local resource like New Harvest to help us get that coffee in your hands.

Rik – Photo Courtesy of New Harvest Coffee Roasters

The post New Harvest Coffee Roasters first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post New Harvest Coffee Roasters appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

photo courtesy of David Dadekian

The Signature Chefs Auction 2014

Two dozen of Rhode Island’s best chefs will be serving a cornucopia of culinary delights. Chef Matt of Gracie’s has Ricotta Cavatelli with toasted pine nuts and caponata on the menu. Chef Melissa of Ellie’s will serve Flourless Chocolate Cake with a Peanut Butter Cremuex, and honeyed peanuts. Other featured chefs include Kaitlyn Roberts of Easy Entertaining, Chef Maria Meza of El Rancho Grande, Chef Edward Bolus from Mills Tavern, Chef Jennifer Luxmoore of Sin, and many more.

The March of Dimes will honor Chef Joe Simone, owner of Simone’s in Warren as this year’s Signature Chef. There is also a live and a silent auction, which will include a chef’s tasting dinner, including wine, for six at Bacaro.

photo courtesy of David Dadekian

The March of Dimes

The March of Dimes (originally called the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis) was founded in 1937 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as an institution to fund research on polio vaccines. With the successful eradication of polio, the March of Dimes altered its mission to fund research and education for pre-natal and infant health.

The March of Dimes is recognized by Philanthropedia and the Better Business Bureau as a top-rated non-profit for its charity, accountability, and effectiveness. They funded 382 research grants last year, and “brought health education and prenatal care to groups of moms-to-be, treatment and care for serious health problems, and cutting-edge education for health care providers” to 530 community programs. (2013 Annual Report)

Please join us for this very special evening in support of a very special organization. For tickets, contact the March of Dimes.

Special thanks to David Dadekian and Eat Drink RI for the photos of last year’s March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction. 

photo courtesy of David Dadekian

photo courtesy of David Dadekian

photo courtesy of David Dadekian

The post March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

American Heritage Berkshire pigs are mid-sized, weighing around 200 pounds at market weight, and standing knee-high. The pigs at Blackbird Farm live in a ½ acre wooded lot, with sheds for shelter, and plenty of room to run and play. On our tour they also seemed to be enjoying a game of hide and seek with us- a few of the younger pigs hid in the trees, darting out now and then to come almost close enough for us to touch them.

photo by Ellen Slattery

Ann Marie believes in allowing her animals to live in a natural environment, treating them humanely, and with respect. Yes, many of these animals will end up at the Blackbird Farm farm stand, or at a local restaurant. That is more reason to “let them live a nice, happy life.” Happy pigs and cows produce better meat, but there is more to it than that; it is a matter of conscience.

The cows, pigs, and chickens on Blackbird Farm deserve to be treated well. All animals deserve to be treated well, but Ann Marie is very clear about the rarity of this philosophy. There is a distinct frustration in her voice when talking about the living conditions for animals of industrial farming.

“A lot of these big farms keep their chickens indoors, with artificial lights. Normally, chickens go through stages, like molting, where they are not laying eggs.” Keeping them in a controlled environment for their entire life eliminates these cycles, allowing for greater production. This might make economic sense, but it doesn’t make ethical sense to Ann Marie. “I just tell my restaurants that I won’t have eggs for a couple of weeks.”

Photo by JWessel Photography

This same quality of life ethic applies to the Blackbird Farm cows. “We have 42 cows, but they’re not all here.” To ensure that the cows have plenty of space to graze, some of them live on rented pasture in other parts of Rhode Island. Even though they are not all at Blackbird Farm, they are all “Rhode Island raised.” When you buy meat from Blackbird Farm, it is guaranteed to be born and bred in Rhode Island, and it is also guaranteed to be 100% heritage Black Angus Cattle. In fact, Ann Marie follows the processing so closely that she can tell you exactly where your steak comes from.

Out in the pasture, a dozen cows graze under the blue skies of late spring. A dense thicket of pine, oak, and maple frames the field. From within the trees, a bull is keeping his eye on us. As we walk back along the gravel and dirt road, I ask Ann Marie if she feels successful. “You’re out in the fresh air, in nature. It is a lot of hard work, and it has taken years to be noticed for that work. But at the end of the day, I can open a beer and watch the sunset. There is nowhere else I would want to be.”

We are proud to work with Blackbird Farm. Our breakfast sandwiches at Ellie’s are made with eggs, sausage, and bacon all from Blackbird, and we are always excited to get Blackbird beef at Gracie’s. It seems pretty normal to us to work with local farmers and producers, but an afternoon on the farm helps us remember how special that working relationship really is.

The post Blackbird Farm – Field Trip first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post Blackbird Farm – Field Trip appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

photo by David Dadekian

Ann Marie Bouthillette began working with animals when she was three years old. Her childhood included showing livestock, active participation in the Future Farmers of America, and learning as much as she could about working on a farm. It is only natural that she now runs Blackbird Farm in Smithfield, Rhode Island.

Ann Marie, with her family, raises Black Angus Cattle, Rhode Island Reds (the state bird of Rhode Island), and American Heritage Berkshire Pigs. The work, and love, she gives to the farm comes through very clearly in the quality and taste of the beef, pork, and eggs that we get from her. This is one of the reasons we love working with her so much!

photo by David Dadekian

Ann Marie knows a lot about animal nutrition, biology, and life stages, but the secret to her success with these farm animals is to “let them live a nice, happy life.” Part of the “nice, happy life” is recognizing different stages in the production cycle. Her chickens, for instance, lay a lot fewer eggs while they are molting. She plans accordingly, making sure to inform her customers that the supply of eggs will be limited for a few weeks.

Blackbird Farm is not a big farm; they focus on quality over quantity. The farm is 200 acres, with 50 head of cattle, and a small number of pigs and chickens. The result of this, however, is personal attention to each animal, and the capability to track each cut of meat from the time it leaves the farm until it is served in a restaurant.

The Ellie’s and Gracie’s team will be taking a field trip to Blackbird Farm soon, and we promise to tell you all about it. In the meantime, you can enjoy Rhode Island Red eggs and American Heritage Berkshire bacon on the Ellie’s breakfast sandwiches, or buy your own at the Blackbird Farm Farmstand at 660 Douglas Pike in Smithfield, Rhode Island.

photo courtesy of Blackbird Farm

The post Blackbird Farm first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post Blackbird Farm appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

Golden Oyster Mushrooms – courtesy of RI Mushroom Company

The process begins with the arrival of stuffed growing bags (usually filled with straw) from a company in Pennsylvania. These bags are the growing medium for the mushrooms, and are placed into greenhouses. There are three factors crucial to the successful growth of mushrooms: temperature, humidity, and ventilation. All of these factors are controlled in the greenhouses through a phone app (which is way cool). The mushrooms are continually monitored to ensure they are growing healthy and properly.

Mike and Bob have a lot of passion for their product, and we are excited to use their mushrooms on menu items at both Ellie’s Bakery & Gracie’s.

The next stop was to the RI Mushroom Company’s neighbor, Proclamation Ale Company (located in the same building). This nano-brewery is a one-man show, run by President and Brewmaster Dave Witham.

Proclamation Ale Tap Handles – courtesy of Proclamation Ale Company

Proclamation Ale Company focuses on creating bold & complex beers that are unusual and outside of the typical style box. Dave plans to experiment with unusual brewing techniques such as barrel aging, as well as some unusual ingredients (we hear they may borrow some mushrooms from their neighbors).

Our last stop was at the Sons of Liberty Spirits Co., located in South Kingstown, RI. Two questions gave rise to this company:

“Why is no one distilling single malt whiskies from the beers we love?” and “Why are there so many seasonal beers, but no seasonal whiskies?”

Sons of Liberty was founded to redefine American Whiskey by challenging centuries old traditions. Sons of Liberty creates American Single Malt Whiskies from flavorful beers and has created the first ever line of seasonal whiskies. During our trip we were fortunate to taste their Seasonal Summer Release: Hop Flavored Whiskey.

“This whiskey started its life as an IPA; brewed under the guidance of Cottrell Brewing. After retaining the IPA flavors through distillation we aged the whiskey in American oak barrels. Once the aging process was complete, we finished the whiskey by dry hopping with Citra and Sorachi Ace hops for bright and complementary floral notes. The nose is hop forward with hints of lemon and grapefruit. With a malty first sip, light mouth feel and a hoppy finish the Summer Release will quickly become a warm weather favorite”.

Additionally, during our experience we were able to taste the three byproducts of the distillation process: the head, the body (whiskey) and the tail. Both the head & tail are discarded due to distasteful impurities & flavors. Tasting all three side by side gave us a great perspective on the whisky’s flavor.

All in all, a great day! We love learning more about local food and drink, and we especially love getting to know the people we partner with to share Rhode Island’s goodness with you!

Enjoying Battle Cry at Gracie’s – courtesy of Sons of Liberty Spirits Co.

The post RI Mushroom Company, Proclamation Ale Company & Sons of Liberty Spirits Co.– Field Trip | 3.09.14 first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post RI Mushroom Company, Proclamation Ale Company & Sons of Liberty Spirits Co.– Field Trip | 3.09.14 appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

The Friday night event is also the season’s debut of our very own Millie! We will have more on her in a future post, but can I just say “Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich Trike”!

Saturday morning the Dorrance will host the Grand Tasting, and then on Sunday we will be at the Providence Biltmore for the Grand Brunch. Some of our favorite restaurants and partners will be there, including Easy Entertaining, and Sin.

Tickets and information are available on the Eat Drink RI website. Hope to see you there!

The post Eat, Drink, RI! first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post Eat, Drink, RI! appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

The story of tea begins over 4,000 years ago. The Camellia Sinensis bush is native to the Yunnan Province of China, where legend has it that Emperor Shen Nong accidentally boiled tea leaves and “discovered” the joys of hot tea. As with many legends, there is little evidence for this. The story does, however, point to a fascination with tea.

We love food and drinks, here on Washington Street. We also really love the stories behind them. The stories give us a sense of tradition, and help us retain a respectful approach to preparation. We hope to honor the tradition of quality and history, while bringing creative and fun ideas to these ancient drinks and classic foods.

Sometimes, though, it is simplicity and care that makes a beverage stand out. This is what we like so much about Mem Tea Imports. Mem is located in Watertown, Ma. They source tea from the best tea producing regions in the world, and they also venture to smaller tea producing regions such as East Africa and South America. The chamomile tea we serve at Ellie’s and Gracie’s is grown on Mem’s farm in Saco, Maine!

Chamomile Tea from Karnak Farm, Saco, Maine – Photo courtesy of Mem Tea

We follow strict brewing guidelines for these teas. Each cup of tea is has a specified measurement, water temperature, and steeping time. The results are sublime. The chamomile tea is silky and rich, the Blue Flower Earl Grey is soothing and deep, and the Assam is strong and hearty.

We are happy to offer Mem Tea at Gracie’s and Ellie’s, and enjoy working with and learning from our friends at Mem. Won’t you join us for a cup?

Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future. ~ Thich Nat Hahn

The post Mem Tea Imports first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post Mem Tea Imports appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

Elmrock Farm – photo by Jessie Dutra

When it comes to milk, Rhody Fresh is as local as it gets. Rhody Fresh is a cooperative of eight dairy farms in Rhode Island. Since 2004, they have provided southern New England with hormone-free milk from cows that have ample access to grassy fields, sunshine, and fresh air.

The natural environment that the cows live in comes through in the taste of the milk. Happy cows make milk that tastes good.

We use Rhody Fresh at Gracie’s and at Ellie’s as part of our mission to offer high quality, local products as much as possible. It is also one way we try to support our local economy, and help maintain valuable farmland in Rhode Island. If you haven’t tried Rhody Fresh milk, we would encourage you to pour a glass, and taste the difference.

The post Rhody Fresh first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post Rhody Fresh appeared first on Gracie's Providence.

“How can a nation be called great if its bread tastes like kleenex? – Julia Child 

Photo by Jason Wessel

The story of bread and baking becomes complicated around the time of the Industrial Revolution. Advances in technology led to changes in production methods of bread, and even in farming and cultivation of wheat. Social changes abounded, as well; more people were engaged in factory and production work leaving less time for baking and cooking at home.

Gradual changes in farming and agricultural technology paved the way for more commercial production of food items. In the early 1900’s, large tractors began to work alongside horses on expansive farms of the Great Plains. By the mid-1950’s, tractors outnumbered horses, and modern irrigation systems helped mitigate the effects of drought. These advances in technology and efficiency allowed fewer farms to produce more goods. While the benefits and drawbacks of this change could be debated, there is little question that these changes allowed for more commercial production of food in a prosperous, post-war nation that was primed for convenience.

On the production side of the equation, the older method of stone grinding wheat was replaced with much faster steel rollers. These steel rollers were more consistent, and could produce much finer flour that was compatible with mechanized bread production. There were new machines that could knead, weigh, and shape loaves of bread, then slice and package them. Joseph Lee of Boston developed and patented one of the first mechanized bread making machines in the early 1900’s.

Rohwedder’s Bread Slicing Machine – photo by The Smithsonian Institute

In 1928, Otto Frederick Rohwedder finalized production of a bread-slicing and packaging machine. He sold the first slicer to the Chillicothe Baking Company in Missouri, which sold Kleen Maid Sliced Bread. A massive marketing campaign by competitor Wonder Bread a few years later, and the mass production of toasters, ensured Rohwedder’s success with his invention. Rohwedder sold the rights to his invention to the Micro-Westco Company during the Great Depression; however, they hired him as a vice-president and sales manager. The “father of sliced bread” created an iconic American food that is still widely sold today.

Nearly 100 years after Joseph Lee’s invention, the one-loaf bread maker became a household appliance, and sliced bread can be found on shelves at grocery stores or gas station convenience centers. Americans today consume approximately 200 pounds per person of grains and cereals each year, as compared to 150 pounds in the 1950’s. Flower Foods, which owns both Wonder and Sunbeam breads, had sales of 3.1billion dollars in 2012, and according to the American Institute of Baking, Wonder and Sunbeam sold over 150million loaves of bread that year.

Until a few years ago, hand made bread was considered an artifact, and stone ground flour can still be difficult to find. Yet our love of bread has not diminished. Those four simple ingredients have paralleled human history, they have sustained us, been a catalyst for social change, and have been subject to our advances. Those four simple ingredients; flour, water, yeast, and salt are as much a part of the human experience as the joy of a sunset or the iconic moments in history.

Photo by Jason Wessel

The post The History of Bread Part 3 first appeared on Gracie's Providence.

The post The History of Bread Part 3 appeared first on Gracie's Providence.