Edible Sacramento Summer 2022

Summer 2022

PRO TIPS FOR SUMMER BARBECUES

ALSO INSIDE DAIRY-FREE GELATO • HERD GRAZING TO PREVENT WILDFIRES

CONTENTS SUMMER

WELCOME TO EDIBLE SACRAMENTO 2 Letter from our publisher. Features BBQ 101 20 Breaking down the barbecue basics. GRAZING FOR GOOD 26 How goats and sheep can help fight wildfires. Departments WHAT’S IN SEASON 4 Inspiration for your summer bounty. 5 The joys of refrigerator pickles. THE GREENHOUSE 6 Banish bad bugs from your garden.

EDIBLE NOTABLES 8 Elevate dishes with edible flowers and microgreens. LIQUID ASSETS 11 Brewer and winemaker meet on Solid Ground. A GENEROUS HELPING 14 Three Sisters Gardens IN THE KITCHEN 17 Master the art of butchery. ON THE FARM 33 Local farmers crack the odd egg market. EDIBLE SPROUTS 38 Hatch eggs at home. BACK OF THE HOUSE 41 Dairy-free gelato shop dishes sweet treats. connects youths with the land.

LAST SIP 44 Take summer herbs from garden to glass. LAST BITE 48 BBQ Mix ’n’ Match. Recipes in this issue: 9 ItalianChopped Saladwith SunflowerMicrogreens 13 SolidGroundUglyNugz 24 AlabamaWhite Sauce 24 EpicGrilled Steak 35 Quail Egg andOyster Shooter 43 Mango Lime Sorbetto 45 TheMartina 47 RosemaryMartini 47 RosemaryCakeCocktail

Pleasant Grove-based Inte grazers employs sheep and goats in seasonal grazing for vegetation management and fire mitigation. Photo by Debbie Cunninghamy

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LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

T he heat is coming!

SUMMER 2022 • ISSUE 60 PUBLISHER Anastasia Murphy Anastasia@ediblesacramento.com MANAGING EDITOR Jessica Santina Jsantina@ediblesacramento.com COPY EDITOR Doresa Banning DESIGNERS Matthew Freeman Tina Bossy-Freeman WEB & SOCIAL Anastasia Murphy Mary Ogle MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS Ediblesacramento.com/contributors CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Debbie Arrington, Pam and Gary Baker, Elizabeth Penney, Laura Petersen, Shannin Stein CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Debbie Cunningham, Anastasia Murphy, Raoul Ortega, Samuel Ramos, Rachel Valley

At the beginning of summer, I always welcome the heat. Toward the middle, I am thankful for air

conditioning and swimming pools. And by the end, I am extremely grateful for our changing seasons and ready to welcome fall weather. Summer heat means tomatoes … lots of to matoes! I love a sliced beefsteak or heirloom tomato with fresh basil, salt, and pepper and an olive oil drizzle. Layer in some burrata or freshmozzarella and I’m singing praises aloud (not really, but you know what I mean). If you enjoy and look forward to that unforgettable taste of vine-ripened tomatoes (or any pro

duce, for that matter), the Greater Sacramento region is where it’s at. Whether you grow your own, frequent farmers’ markets, shop the co-ops, or dine at our plethora of farm-to fork restaurants, summer in Sacramento is undeniably and incredibly delicious. My parents always grew a garden big enough to feed a small army. I would askmy dad, “Why don’t you plant a smaller garden?” He would reply, “I want to grow vegetables to feed the neighborhood.” And they did. My mother is that wonderful person who shows up on your doorstep with crates and buckets full of every possible fruit and veggie. Since I mentioned my dad, I’ll go ahead and tell you that he loved to make a big deal out of what he coined “opening day.” This was the day the pool was finally warm enough to use after its winter slumber. Every year, as the days got warmer, he would repeatedly call to push me to set an opening date. Dad is no longer here to christen the start of sum mer with a splash, but we carry on the tradition. Now, however, we have a soft opening day for the kids because they have no patience and can tolerate 70-degree F pool water. The actual opening day is more around 86 degrees F andmarks our family’s o•cial start of summer, no matter the date. I hope you have some fond summer memories to relish and traditions to celebrate this season. And make some new ones too. My summer playlist is ready. Themargaritamachine is plugged in. So welcome, sum mer, I’m ready for your heat. Stay cool, Sacramento (aka Saca-tomato)!

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS Bambi Edlund, Melissa Washburn ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Anastasia Murphy 916-585-3669 Ads@ediblesacramento.com CONTACT US 8850 Williamson Drive #1053 Elk Grove, CA 95624 916-585-3669 Hello@ediblesacramento.com Ediblesacramento.com

EDITORIAL PITCHES Editorial@ediblesacramento.com SUBSCRIBE Annual subscription $20 (4 issues) For details, visit Ediblesacramento.com/subscribe Edible Sacramento is published quarterly and distributed throughout the Greater Sacramento area. No part of this publication may be used without written permission from the publisher Every e›ort is made to avoid errors, misspellings, and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our sincere apology and let us know. Member of Edible Communities @2022 edible Sacramento

Anastasia Murphy

Edible Communities Publications of the Year (2011)

About the cover: O.Z. Kamara, co-owner and "smokeologist" at Daddy O's Smokehouse in Rancho Cordova, grills a New York strip steak. Photo by Rachel Valley

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WHAT'S IN SEASON

California Dreamin’ Summer Produce is Here! WRITTEN BY LAURA PETERSEN

A hhh. Summer vegetable season. Those long, warm days we’ve been waiting for. Right now, all the fa vorites are at their peak of flavor — juicy heirloom tomatoes; crisp, hydrating cucumbers; colorful peppers; shiny eggplants; and, of course, the symbiotic triad important to North American Indigenous foodways, the three sisters — beans, corn, and squash. These gems from the plant world are the building blocks for memorable picnics at the river, evening barbecues, andmany a star-studdedmountain campout. Pickle It. When your garden is overflowing, pickling is the an swer. You can do it with green beans, peppers, cucumbers, red onions, and green and yellow summer squash. Add a little zing to your tuna sandwiches and bloody marys with easy refrigerator pickles. Use a mandoline for quick, uniform slices. Whether as a salad, a snack, or an addition to your favorite burger or sandwich, the no-canning varieties are always a hit. (Ready to make some? See illustration on next page.) Chill Out. A great way to rehydrate in the summer, chilled, blender-ready soups are fast, require no cooking, and are packed with flavor. We swoon over chilled cucumber soup with mint leaves and classic Spanish gazpacho made with an assortment of farmers’ market heirloom tomatoes such as Brandywines. Have you tried green gazpacho with striped zebra tomatoes, cilantro, and cucumber, or sweet corn gazpacho with yellow tomatoes and yellow bell peppers for a sunny color? Eat the Rainbow. Sure, there are fiery varieties such as jala peño, serrano, and habañero, but sweet peppers such as Jimmy Nardellos, carmens, andmulticolored bells are also a treat. Try ’em stuŽedwith rice and cheese, or for a quick, tasty appetizer for those impromptu gatherings, we love shishitos thrown in a hot skillet with a little olive oil and salt and tossed until lightly roasted. Yum! Here’s some inspiration for using these delicious garden goodies.

Toss it on the Grill. Who wants to be in the kitchen with the stove on when it’s hot outside? Fire up the grill and bring along your beautiful palette of summer veggies. We’re dreaming of grilled Romaine, halloumi cheese, and crowd-pleasing skewers. Take it to the next level with grilled veggie pizzas — be mindful not to overdo it on the toppings and keep both a hot and a cool zone on the grill. Cook the crust first over the flame, then place sauce, cheese, and vegetables on top, slide it to the cool zone and keep it there until the cheese is bubbly and golden. Pizza oŽers so many possibilities. And don’t forget the fresh basil. Please Romaine Calm. Romaine lettuce is the essence of sum mer in your bowl. No matter how you dice, slice, chop, pickle, or shred it, summer salads put the ingredients center stage. Make it a balanced meal with proteins such as eggs, cheeses, or meats; add some composed salads such as broccoli slaw or potato or pas ta salad; give it some crunch with nuts and seeds; add some fresh or dried fruit for a little sweetness; and don’t forget your leftovers from the grill or pickle jars. Did Someone Say Taco Tuesday? Everyone loves tacos, and summer produce lends itself to all the fixin’s. Make a classic tomato-based pico de gallo or salsa fresca; get creative with sweet corn and beans, peaches, and peppers; or make it verde style with tomatillos and green tomatoes. Don’t forget the California avoca dos and limes.

What’s in Season

PEPPERS STONE FRUIT SUMMER SQUASH TOMATOES TURNIPS

CUCUMBERS EGGPLANT FIGS GREEN BEANS LEMONGRASS

BASIL BERRIES CACTUS CARROTS CHERRIES CHILES CORN

LETTUCE MELONS

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THE GREENHOUSE

Squash Summer Pests Banish bad bugs from your garden this season. WRITTEN BY DEBBIE ARRINGTON ILLUSTRATION BY MELISSA WASHBURN

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S quash bugs and aphids sure can suck the joy out of your summer garden — especially if you love zucchini. Both these pests feed on the tender growth, leaves and flowers of zucchini, crookneck, and other members of the Cucurbit genus, including summer and winter squash, pumpkins, melons, and cucumbers. The best strategy to protect your crop is through prevention. Let nature help. By supporting beneficial insects that feed on other bugs, gardeners can deter pests such as squash bugs and aphids.

Gail Pothour, Sacramento County master gardener, has plenty of experience fighting pests on squash and other crops at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center in Fair Oaks Park. “Squash bugs are common pests in vegetable gardens, although our experience in the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center vegetable demonstration garden is that they are more of a problem in some years and not in others,” Pothour says. “They feed on foliage of plants in the Cucurbit genus. Leaves develop small specks that turn yellow and later brown.”

“Our goal every year, first and foremost, is to support our native ecology and build up native predators.” — Alfred Melbourne, founder of Three Sisters Gardens

“Our goal every year, f irst and foremost, is to support our native ecology and build up native predators,” says Al fred Melbourne, founder of Three Sisters Gardens, which has four farms in West Sacramento. “To fight aphids, we create habitats for ladybugs to thrive. We use bugs to combat other pests.” Melbourne plants mint next to his

Heavy infestations cause plants to wilt and can kill new transplants. After eating the leaves, squash bugs will start on the developing squash. Squash bugs can be plucked o‘ plants (with gloves) and squished; the young nymphs can’t fly and are easier to catch. Or knock themo‘ the plant into a bucket of soapy water; they can’t swim. Squash bugs tend to love some squash more than others, Pothour notes. “Zucchini seems to be a favorite, as are many winter squash varieties; however, we have never found any on butternut squash.” Before squash bug populations can build up, Melbourne puts out simple traps: double-sided sticky cards with an attractant (such as squash bug pheromone), which is available at nurseries. “We place them at lower levels of the plants,” he says. “It’s worked for us.” Squash bugs tend to overwinter where they feasted the summer before. Crop rotation — not planting squash in the same spot year after year — can break the squash bug cycle; any bugs that hatch in spring have no squash plants to eat. “We do a lot of diversity in our planting,” Melbourne says. “Crop rotation confuses them.” Best wishes for a pest-free garden this summer! RESOURCES Looking for more advice from master gardeners about these pesky pests? The University of California’s Statewide Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program is a great resource. Squash bugs: Ipm.ucanr.edu/pmg/garden/veges/pests/ squashbug.html Aphids: Ipm.ucanr.edu/pdf/pestnotes/pnaphids.pdf

squash as a habitat for ladybugs (also known as lady beetles). “Mint is really conducive to attracting ladybugs; they like it. Then when we plant the squash, they go to work [and eat any aphids].” Similarly, the folks at Three Sisters use hedgerows — two-foot wide strips of insect-friendly native plants — around the perime ters of its vegetable plots.Made up ofmixed shrubs and perennials, the hedgerows provide winter shelter for beneficial insects. “It allows the beneficial bugs to build up their numbers and get established,” Melbourne explains. To tackle spot infestations of aphids, Melbourne recommends neem oil or bug soap: “Two tablespoons of dish soap mixed with one quart water. But you have to be really thorough [in spraying foliage],” he says. Insecticidal soap, available in nurseries, offers similar results; it coats the foliage with a soapy film that aphids don’t like. Or just use a strong jet of water from the hose to knock aphids o‘ plants; they won’t survive the blast. No matter your choice, spray in the morning, not during hot afternoon sun! What about pesticide sprays? Broad-spectrum foliar insecticides (such as pyrethroids) kill aphids on contact, but they also kill all the ladybugs, bees, and beneficial insects. And only those aphids directly sprayedwill die; these sprays have no linger ing protection. Aphids then quickly rebuild their numbers with out any natural predators. Unfortunately, although it may work on aphids, bug soap — or most any spray, including pesticides — is not e‘ective against squash bugs. Few beneficial insects or birds like to eat squash bugs either, which complicates matters. Oftenmistaken for stink bugs, squash bugs taste bad and release awful-smelling chemi cals when disturbed.

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NOTABLES

Thinking Outside the [Planter] Box The Rise of Microgreens

and Edible Flowers WRITTEN BY ELIZABETH PENNEY PHOTOS COURTESY OF BASK FARM

O

nce relegated to health food stores and gourmet gro cers,microgreens andedibleflowers have come a long way. Today, they’re making a splash in the culinary world, adding unexpected pops of flavor and color to

both sweet and savory dishes. Chanel Cameron began operating Bask Farm in 2020 in Wil ton. There, she growsmore than a dozen varieties of organicmicro greens, fromnutty sunflower to peppery radish, and supplies them tohome cooks and restaurants throughout the Sacramento area. A former dietitian, Cameron says not only are microgreens de licious, but they’re also nutritious, packing 40 to 50 times the nutri ents of their full-grown counterparts. “All the nutrition is concentrated. They’re like little vitamins,” she says. Although the terms “microgreens” and “sprouts” often are used interchangeably, theproducts arenot the same.Microgreens are the first leaves a plant produces, while sprouts are germinated seeds. Cameron began her farm with micro

foodie and says she wanted her nursery to appeal to fellow foodies. She carries edible flower seeds and starts aswell as certified organic microgreen seedmixes, ranging from the tame (broccoli, kohlrabi, bok choy) to the spicy (mustard, cress, radish). “The blends are fun; some are peppery, some are more mellow. All are certified organic,” Pratt says. Pratt saysmicrogreenshavebeengaining inpopularity inrecent years, thanks, in part, to their simplicity. They can easily be grown indoors with the help of a grow dome, a mini greenhouse, and, if needed, grow lights. “They’re great for people who have limited space, such as urban farmers,” she says.

While edible flowers most often are seen atop cakes or tossed into salads, they have many other uses as well. Nasturtium leaves can be blended into pesto. Lavender buds can be baked into shortbread. Borage blossoms canbe frozen into ice cubes. Some flowers, suchas squashblossoms anddaylil ies, can evenbe stuŠedwith cheese. “Microgreens and edible flowers appeal to those seeking food adventures,” Pratt says. “They’re more exciting, more inter esting, and appeal topeoplewhowantmore bite andmore color in their food.”

greens, but the pandemic required her to shift gears. Peoplewerecelebratingathome more, and she sawan increaseddemand for edible flowers such as cosmos, zinnias, na sturtiums, and violas. “People were looking to add sparkle to their day. Edible flowers took oŠ,” she says. Angela Pratt, owner of The Plant Foundry in Oak Park, is a self-professed From top: Bask Farm's 50-count flower mix box is filled with herbs and summer blooms, including cosmos, zinnias, dahlias, feverfews, yarrows, nigellas, and bachelor's buttons; Summer birthday brownies gar nished with fresh and dried edible flowers

BaskFarm•Baskfarm.com The Plant Foundry •Plantfoundry.com

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Popular Edible Flowers I nterested in trying edible flowers in some of your dishes at home? Bask Farm’s Chanel Cameron o ers the following list of flowers that are safe for human consumption, along with their flavor profiles and suggested uses. Be sure that any you plan to eat are free of pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals. Whether you’re looking for harvested blooms or you’d like to try growing some of these at home, be sure to only purchase seeds, starts, and blooms from reputable sources to ensure purity.

Pansy/viola: Minty, earthy, floral. Used as a pressed flower for cakes, sour dough bread, and rolled cheeses Primrose: Bland, mild, floral. The flower buds also can be pickled, steamed, or fermented into wine. Squash: Delicate, mild squash flavor. Blossoms are typically stu ed with pesto or goat cheese and herbs. Sunflower: Mild, nutty. Great addition to charcuterie boards, cocktails, and salads. Can be steamed or grilled and served whole Violet: Sweet, floral. Can be candied and added to iced drinks

Daylily: Melon, cucumber taste. Used in cocktails, desserts, and salads. Can be stu ed with cheese Hollyhock: Basil-like taste. Petals are often chopped and added to salads. Lavender: Slight floral-perfume taste, sweet. Can be used fresh or dried, as a garnish on desserts, candied, pressed into baked goods, or steeped for tea Marigold: Pungent, citrus, lemon. Petals can be used in salads. Nasturtium: Spicy, peppery. Blooms and leaves are often used in salads, stu ed with goat cheese, and added to spring rolls. Seeds can be used as one might use capers.

Aster: Mild, salty. Often dried, steeped in tea, and added to salads Basil: Herbal, basil-like flavor. Blossoms can be broken apart and sprinkled into pasta. Borage: Refreshing, cucumber-like taste. Often frozen in ice cubes or added to salads Calendula: Honey, floral, peppery, bitter. Also known as “poor man’s sa ron” as it releases a similar flavor when sautéed. Frequently infused in oils, steeped in teas, and used in skin care Chamomile: Apple-like taste. Usually steeped in water for tea Cosmos: Floral, bitter. Often used in des serts, charcuterie, cocktails, and salads

ITALIAN CHOPPED SALAD WITH SUNFLOWER MICROGREENS (courtesy of Chanel Cameron, owner, Bask Farm in Wilton. Serves 4) 1 large head romaine lettuce, chopped 2 ounces sunflower microgreens 1 pint cherry tomatoes, chopped 4 ounces mozzarella, diced ⅓ cup fresh basil, julienned 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons everything-bagel seasoning mix

Himalayan salt and pepper, to taste Balsamic glaze (see recipe below)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice and toss. Sprinkle everything-bagel seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Pour a generous amount of balsamic glaze over salad and serve.

For Balsamic Glaze ½ cup balsamic vinegar 3 tablespoons maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar

Add balsamic vinegar and sweetener of choice to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Once mixture begins to bubble, reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool before serving.

Italian Chopped Salad with Sunflower Microgreens. Photo courtesy of Bask Farm

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LIQUID ASSETS

Brewer and winemaker strike gold in El Dorado. WRITTEN BY LAURA PETERSEN PHOTOS BY RACHEL VALLEY

I f you’re traveling to Tahoe, set your course for Solid Ground Brewery & Winery. Known for its award-winning lagers, sparkling wine, and ciders, the taphouse located in Diamond Springs is just five miles from Downtown Placerville. And did we men tion the fried chicken sandwich? Co-owners Scott Johnson and KC Sare are both for mally trained in their crafts and have honed their skills to produce a winning combination that keeps bringing cus tomers back for more. “We have a big local base and a big transient base. We’re a great stopping point if you’re going to Kirkwood,” says Johnson, the brain behind the award-winning sparkling wines and ciders. With Johnson’s 10-plus years in the wine industry and Sare’s background making traditional European lagers and ales, this duo was destined to create something stellar.

With their brewing team, Tommy Mills and Casey Hebard, this small produc tion crew handles the entire process, from grain to glass. What’s their secret? It’s all about consistency. “Any given day is taken up with tasks from receiv ing of barley or apple-based raw materials to filtrations, brewing, tastings, and packaging. We are a close team with very strong ties to the science of alcoholic fermenta tion,” Sare says. The beer-wine-hybrid business they launched in 2016 has morphed over the years — through a bit of trial and er ror — and now they’ve claimed their niche. “We now feel like we have an idea of where we are go ing. We are excited about growing into new markets and introducing new customers to the products we work hard to create,” Sare says. Side-pour Czech-style beer taps at Solid Ground

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Clockwise: From left, owners Scott Johnson and KC Sare in the Solid Ground taproom; Beer fermentation tanks; Solid Ground's flagship IPA, Kabru; The exterior

of Solid Ground's Diamond Springs location

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STELLAR CIDERS AND WINES In 2022, Ria, Johnson’s sparkling pinot noir rosé, won Double Gold in the SanFranciscoChronicle WineCompetition, andBest of Show and Gold at the International CannedWine Competition. “I like creating newproducts and growing the business,” he says. Johnson received his four-year degree in viticulture and enology from the University of California, Davis, and worked in the wine industry in Sonoma, Napa, and New Zealand before set tling in El Dorado County. He knows a thing or two about beer making, too, having studied under well-regarded brewing profes sor and brewing scientist Charlie Bamforth. For his wines, Johnson sources all grapes from higher eleva tions in El Dorado County. He uses lots of pinot noir from above 3,000 feet along with pinot grigio, zinfandel, and Chardonnay. Grapes are the most curated part of the business, and Johnson has built numerous relationships with local growers. The result is unpretentious and authentic. With Apple Hill nearby, Johnson has forged relationships with apple growers, too. In addition to apple, his ciders also blend tempting flavors such as blood orange, elderflower, and blackberry. “Wemake our cider like wine— light and dry,” he says. These canned varieties of sparkling wines and ciders are fa vorites among outdoorsy types. Refreshing and delicious, the packable product can be taken anywhere — from hiking, back packing and camping to biking and skiing. BOUNDLESS BEERS Sare holds a four-year degree in brewing and distilling science from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was brewing and developing recipes for big-name breweries like Young & Co’s Brewery and Anheuser-Busch’s Stag Brewery in London, and Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Ore., before bringing his passion for European styles and beer traditions to Califor nia’s Gold Country. Solid Ground’s tap list is a mix of what Sare is known for. It features Rampart, an American Helles-style lager; Šipka, a Czech-style pilsner; and Gneiss, a nitro dry Irish stout. “There is a reason those products represent the bulk of con sumed beer in this and nearly every beer-drinking country. There is a class and drinkability to them. That is the closest thing I have to a style,” Sare says. There’s something for everyone on the Solid Ground menu. Folks alsowill find such gems as Elafonissi, aWest Coast IPA, and Grange de Champ, a barrel-aged sour. What does Sare love most about brewing beer? “That’s easy,” he says. “I enjoy being part of a profession that allows us to create something from scratch that often acts as a social elixir, to lubri cate relationships and social gatherings. Secondly, everybody al ways loves the brewer.” Look for Solid Ground products at Raley’s BelAir, Nugget Markets, and Sacramento Food Co-op.

Photo courtesy of Solid Ground Brewery &Winery

SOLID GROUND UGLY NUGZ (courtesy of Sergio Raygoza, head chef, Solid Ground Brewery & Winery in Diamond Springs. Serves 1 to 2) Chicken breast from 1 whole chicken 4 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons baking powder 2 tablespoons salt 1 tablespoon black pepper 1 teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon ground mustard 1 cup buttermilk Hot sauce Worcestershire sauce Oil for frying Red onion, jalapeño, garlic, green onion, or ginger (optional) Cut chicken into small cubes for easy frying. Combine buttermilk, a dash of your favorite hot sauce, and a dash of Worcestershire to make marinade, then marinate for at least 1 hour. Prepare breading mixture. Add all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix. When chicken is done marinating, drain chicken and add to flour mixture. Once evenly coated, spread chicken out on a sheet tray, leaving room between pieces. Warm oil to 325 degrees F. Once oil comes up to temperature, fry chicken until it reaches 160 degrees F. To add more flavor, toss in aromatics such as red onion, jalapeño, garlic, green onion, or ginger pieces while frying. Remove chicken from oil and season heavily with salt and pepper. Let cool before indulging. Serve with Buˆalo, teriyaki, or any favorite sauce and, of course, a Solid Ground Rampart American Helles Lager.

Solid Ground Brewery &Winery • Solidgroundbrewing.com

Ediblesacramento.com 13

A GENEROUS HELPING

More Than a Farm, It’s aMovement Three Sisters Gardens connects youths with the land, food, and agricultural practices of their ancestors. WRITTEN BY SHANNIN STEIN PHOTOS BY SAMUEL RAMOS

T he legend of the Three Sisters is ubiquitous through out Indigenous cultures. As one version of the story goes, when the Original Woman passed, fromher soil rose Three Sisters. Each sister was distinctive in her size, dress, and temperament, but they were inseparable. The first sister was corn — tall and slender with gold, flowing locks and a green shawl. The second sister was beans; she tended to frolic into everyone’s business. The third sister was squash, the grounded pragmatist, draped in green. By embracing each other’s uniqueness, the Three Sisters flour ished and grew. Not just a fable, these three crops were the center of Indigenous agriculture and have been proven to grow to their maximum yields when planted together. Corn provides a natural pole on which the beans can grow, and the beans help stabilize the corn against wind while reinvigorating the soil with nitrogen. The wide, low leaves of the squash keep the soil moist and cool, and its scratchy skin deters animals fromeating all three crops. While the legend refers to the successful symbiotic relation ship among corn, beans, and squash, it also serves as a parable for how to grow successful communities — a lesson not lost on Alfred

Melbourne, the founder of Three Sisters Gardens, a nonprofit or ganization inWest Sacramento. “Community is family,” Melbourne says. “Youths, adults, and elders getting back to nature and reconnecting with the earth is howour communities will heal and thrive.” My Background Does Not DefineMe Born and raised steps away from Three Sisters’ 5th Street farm, Melbourne is all too familiar with the challenges faced by youths in his neighborhood. Melbourne’s personal mission is to take the skills he learned as a youngster, doing what he calls “hustling,” and turn them into something good. “School-to-prison is a rite of passage in this community,” Mel bourne says. “I want youths to see that their energy can be used positively by giving back to the community. “They begin working with the land and learn how to respect andworkwith it, not against it,” he continues, explaining that once they embrace that, “not only do they change, but they can also be gin to create change.”

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Having served his own 18 year prison term, Melbourne says that cominghome to found Three Sisters Gardens wasn’t just a job, itwas a calling. “An Indigenous, ex-in carcerated-led organization is part of positive growth in a community where incarcera tion is systemic,” he says. While Melbourne doesn’t allow his past to define him, he also knows that his story serves as a powerful example to the young people he men tors that everyone has an abili ty to change. “I love my community. I love what I do,” Melbourne says. “It’smore than just grow ing lettuce. This gives us a pos itive voice in the community. It’s our platform to highlight the disparities and dysfunc tion and to create our own suc cessful solution.”

Clockwise from left: Lettuce and beans are planted at Three Sisters Gardens' Cummins Way farm in West Sacra mento; Founder Alfred Melbourne participates in a volunteer activity and workshop day at Three Sisters' 5th Street farm; Instructor Sarah Wesley demonstrates food canning and pres ervation with beets from Three Sisters Gardens' 5th Street farm; Volunteers Mia Troches and Diana Garcia seed tomatoes in trays for transplanting at the 5th Street farm's skill share event

GROWING AND GROWING Founded in 2018 on a donated plot of land, Three Sisters Gar dens is now comprised of four separate urban farms with a total of 1.15 acres in production throughout the Broderick neigh borhood ofWest Sacramento. Melbourne is activelypursuingopportunities toexpand thepro gram to other communities throughout Greater Sacramento. Ulti mately, Melbourne’s goal is to create a model that can be replicated by other disenfranchised communities to create their own food re siliency, job skills training programs, and neighborhood empower ment through the agricultural activationof unused lots. His goal? “Fifty total plots in the next five years,” he says. With a focus on heirloom crops, Three Sisters sells its produce to Natomas Unified School District as well as to a variety of local restaurants; this includes growing specialty items for chefs such as Janel Inouye and Ed Roehr at Sacramento’sMagpie Café. Looking at the perfectly hand-weeded rows of Chioggia beets, provider beans, and assorted vibrantly colored lettuces, it’s easy to see why chefs are eager to include Three Sisters’ produce in their menus. As Melbourne boasts, Three Sisters Gardens is “growing some of the best vegetables around.” Three Sisters Gardens also offers three different commu nity-supported agriculture (CSA) plans to the public: a full season, 20-week plan with weekly customer pickups starting

June 3; a four-week plan with pickups avai lable in any four weeks during the peak grow ing season; and a single-box option. Customers can sign up at 3sistersgardens.com. While Melbourne is proud of the respect his produce has earned in the Farm-to-Fork Capital, that clearly is not what drives him or the Three Sisters Gardens team. For them, it’s all about community. Each month, the organization donates up to 60 per cent of its harvest to food-insecure individuals and families. In addition to providing aweekly delivery of produce to the Yolo Food Bank, the youths whowork on the farmreceive a small stipend and are encouraged to take produce home. Melbourne beams when he describes a picture one of these young people recently sent him—it features a traditional Indigenous dish that the teammember and her grandmothermade using produce from the 5th Street farm. “Adults being good role models; youths being exposed to new, positive skills and interests; [increasing] respect for elders and tra ditions,”Melbourne says, “this is the spirit of Three Sisters.”

It has been my pleasure to work with Samuel Ramos, a youth ambas sador from Three Sisters Gardens, on the photos accompanying this article. A huge thank you goes to edible Sacramento for oering Sam his first professional photography job!

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IN THE KITCHEN

Knives Out! Representing America’s best, two Sacramento butchers share how anyone can master the art of butchery. WRITTEN BY DEBBIE ARRINGTON PHOTOS BY RACHEL VALLEY

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minutes to break down a side of beef, a side of pork, a whole lamb, and five chickens, then create a themed retail display including a variety of specialty cuts and three kinds of gourmet sausage. “It’s intense,” Johnson says. “This is an educational forum for us. Butchery is thriving right now. This is an excellent opportuni ty to see it in action.” What better occasion to hone your own butchery skills?

t’s time to sharpen your scimitar. For two days, Sacramento will be the red-blooded center of the carnivore universe. The biannual World Butchers’ Challenge (WBC) —aka the “Olympics ofMeat” — is coming to Golden 1 Center on Sept. 2 and 3 for a competition like no other. Exhibiting innovation as well as speed, teams will demonstrate the art of butchery while racing the clock. “We’ll have 16 countries competing all at the same time,” says U.S. team captain Danny Johnson, owner of Taylor’s Market in Sacramento. “It’s like 16 butcher shops on the floor of Golden 1 — and every one of themwill be di‘erent. We all have our own style.” This is meat cutting as a spectator event. In the Sept. 3 main competition, each team of six butchers has three hours and 15

Johnson and Paul Carras, the team’s vice captain and also a Taylor ’s Market butcher, o‘er their advice to help home cooks tackle meat and poultry with confidence.

From left: Paul Carras and Danny Johnson of Taylor's Market in Sacramento show o their butchering skills with a half hog from Rancho Llano Seco

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MEET OUR MEAT STARS As an owner and butcher, Danny Johnson has been a fixture at Taylor’s Market since 1987. He and his wife, Kathy, have been sole owners of the market since 2007 and have built Taylor’s reputa tion as a destination butcher shop, particularly for local lamb. “I wanted to be a butcher all my life,” says Johnson, who grewup inLoomisandgothis initial trainingat the(nowclosed)OregonMeat CuttingSchool inCottageGrove. “It’snot something I fell into.” Captain of the U.S. WBC team since its inception in 2017, Johnsonwill be responsible for the contest lamb. “It’s the hardest because it’s precise,” he says. “There’s no room for error.” He explains that with beef or pork, the butcher can grind up mistakes into hamburger or sausage—not sowith lamb. ASacramento native, Paul Carras began his butchery career at Taylor’s Market as a “clean-up kid” in 1996. Then when he turned 18, he finally got a knife. “I started o— slow; nothing but calf’s liver, so I could learn to cut straight,” Carras says. “There’s so much involved in being a butcher! Danny took me under his wing, and I fell in love with the art of butchery.” Carras’ favorite cut of meat to eat? “My go-to cut: double-thick, bone-in ribeye steak,” he says. “It has tons of flavor, it’s easy to cook, and is enough for two people. It servesmywife andme easily.” After cutting meat all day, Johnson prefers eating something super simple. “I’m a cheeseburger guy,” he says. His burger of choice: ground chuck toppedwith Cheddar. START WITH SHARP KNIVES Butchers don’t need a lot of cutlery. But a keen edge makes all the di—erence. “[Having] a dull knife is the biggest mistake there is,” Johnson says. “Youhave tohave a sharp tool. Itmakesme crazy. You can tell when someone has a dull knife. Instead of a smooth cut, it’s shin gled, like they were sawing instead of slicing.” Johnson only sharpens his knives every six months, but he “steels” themoften so they keep their edges. A steel is a rod-shaped metal tool that, with a few strokes against it, hones a knife blade so it stays sharp. (It’s not designed to sharpen a dull blade.) Both Johnson and Carras use only two knives for their work: a 10-inch scimitar (or cimeter) and a six-inch, semi-flexible boning knife. The scimitar is a classic curved butcher knife that’s excel lent for cutting meat and fat without it sticking to the blade. The boning knife gets into tighter spaces. “When boning, keep your knife right on the bone as much as possible,” Carras says. “Youwaste less.” A good set of blades will last decades. Polypropylene or syn thetic handles help cut down on bacteria growth. Speaking of bacteria, keep meat cold (under 41 degrees F); don’t leave it out at room temperature, Carras says. Sanitize work surfaces. Keep your hands clean. Another critical warning, from Johnson: Never catch a falling knife. “Let it drop!”

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“Look for the seam at the top,” Johnson says. “Then slice right down.” Also called the coulotte or picanha, the cap can be cut up into baseball steaks, which are center cuts of top sirloin so

STUDY MEAT ANATOMY Knowing how the leg bone is connected to the hip bone can go a long way in guiding smart cuts. Familiarize yourself with butcher charts of the animal. Each side of meat is divided into “primal cuts,” such as rib, loin, and sir loin. For beef, chuck comes from the shoulder; round comes from the hip and hind leg. Themore tender cuts are in between them. Some names are misleading. A pork butt roast actually comes fromthe shoulder. Sirloin tip roast is fromthe round, not the sirloin. PRACTICE ON CHICKEN Carras can cut a whole chicken into eight pieces in 40 seconds, but for you at home, take your time. “Whole birds are your best value,” Johnson says. “With prac tice, anyone can learn to cut up a chicken. It’s all joints.” He explains his method: “Pop oŠ the wings. Flip the chicken over. Look for the seams and take oŠ legs. Tilt up the bird and pop the back oŠ. You’re left with the whole breast — and options.” Your choices are leaving it whole, cutting it in half, or boning it. TACKLE TOP SIRLOIN One of the easiest large cuts to break down at home is top sirloin. Whole beef top sirloinweighs about 16pounds, trimmed. It can be cut into roasts, steaks, and kebabs. Boneless, it separates into two parts: the cap and the top sirloin itself.

From left: Carras puts the final touches on the Taylor's meat counter contents; The cowboy steak and standing rib roast at Taylor's are dry aged for at least 30 days; A whole fryer from Mary's Chickens, which has been fully butchered

named for their round shape, or cubed for kebabs. TrimoŠ the sin ew; tough, fibrous tissue (also known as silver skin); and excess fat. Next, cut oŠ the smallmuscle (called the “mouse”) on topof the top sirloin; use it sliced thinly tomake stroganoŠ or pepper steak. The remaining top sirloin can be sliced against the grain into one-inch or 2.5-inch-thick steaks, often referred to as “Ameri can-style Chateaubriand.” Or it can be portioned into a mix of steaks and roasts. BUTCHERS’ SECRETS Every butcher has favorite secret bargain cuts. According toCarras, “Lambneck is special and very aŠordable. Braise it in redwine.” Beef chuck eye steak is one of Johnson’s favorite butcher cuts. “It breaks right oŠ next to the prime rib; it’s the best value.” For details and tickets to the World Butchers’ Challenge, visit Worldbutcherschallenge.com.

Taylor’sMarket • Taylorsmarket.com

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Barbecue Basics, Sauces, and Rubs WRITTEN BY PAM AND GARY BAKER PHOTOS BY DEBBIE CUNNINGHAM AND RACHEL VALLEY BBQ 101

From left: Pork belly burnt ends being prepared for service at Urban Roots Brewery & Smokehouse; A just-unwrapped bris ket fresh out of the smoker at Urban Roots. Photos by Debbie Cunningham; O.Z. Kamara, co-owner and "smokeologist" for Daddy O's Smokehouse in Rancho Cordova, puts a 14-pound prime brisket on his smoker, which he's named "Bigg Shirley." Photo by Rachel Valley

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F rom its origins around the caveman’s campfire to today’s Sunday cookout in the backyard, barbecuing has always been a communal and festive activity. However, not all barbecuing is the same. In fact, there are dif ferent ways to achieve that unforgettable fired flavor. With options from Kansas City-style barbecue to Tex as style, open-flame grilling to slow-cooking smokers, and rubs to sauces, how does a home cook know where to start?We turned to some local pros to find out.

TRADEMARKS OF FOUR AMERICAN BARBECUE STYLES

Across the United States, barbecuing styles vary from the Pacif ic to the Atlantic. But most barbecue experts agree the four most popular styles are Texas, Memphis, Carolina, and Kansas City. Although eachmethod generally employs cooking “low and slow” —at lowheat for a long period of time—over wood, each style fea tures distinctly di€erent rubs, sauces, and flavors. Black pepper and salt are the base of a Texas-barbecue-style rub. Some cooks add other ingredients such as co€ee, chili pow der, or brown sugar. According to Greg Desmangles, culinary di rector atUrbanRoots Brewery&Smokehouse, “Texas style favors beef, usually a brisket, smoked low and slow. And sausage is also always on a Texas-stylemenu.” O.Z. Kamara, co-owner and smokeologist at Daddy O’s Smokehouse, employs a di€erent twist on Texas-style barbecue. He calls it “Cali-cue” because his Texas-style menu also includes tri-tip, a cut of meat that originated inCalifornia. Memphis style also involves smoking meats, preferably pork ribs and pork shoulder, in a brick oven commonly called a pit. A Memphis-style dry rub typically contains garlic and paprika but sometimes also salt, pepper, chili powder,mustardpowder, brown sugar, andmore.Wet, or saucy, ribs call for a thin, vinegar-and-to mato-based sauce brushed on before, during, and after cooking. Carolina barbecue varies from north to south, with two dis tinct styles inNorthCarolina and three in SouthCarolina. But all of these regions favor pork as the preferred meat for barbecue. A thin, vinegar-based sauce dominates most of the styles and com monly includes cayenne pepper, mustard, and/or brown sugar. Kansas City di€ers from other styles of barbecue in that a wide variety of meats, including beef, pork, chicken, and tur key, are used. Meats are treated with a dry rub and served with a thick, sweet, spicy, tomato-based sauce. Low and slow is the preferred method of cooking, but grilled chicken is common, too. Burnt ends — the crispy, delicious tips of brisket or pork —origi nated inKansas City.

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They control the temperature by ad justing the amount of air they allow in. “Keep the lid closed,” Kamara cau tions about letting out the heat, “because when you’re looking, you’re not cooking.” For home cooks who don’t have smok ers, Kamara says, “You can offset your meat on one side of the grill and add wood on the other side. Wood chips, chunks, or logs all work.” The snake charcoal method, which refers to the linear arrangement of bri quettes along the outer edges combined with wood, will also turn your grill into a smoker. It’s also easy to turn your gas grill into a smoker whether it comes with a built-in smoker box, or you purchase one sepa rately. Alternatively, a DIY smoker box made with aluminum foil, or metal pan covered with aluminum foil, with holes poked in the foil to allow smoke to escape, works. Simply add soaked (for 30 min utes) and drainedwood chips to the smok er box, and place it on the burners. Be sure to o”set the meat for indirect cooking.

GRILL IT OR SMOKE IT? What is the difference between grill ing and smoking? Kamara says, “When you’re grilling, the fire touches the meat. But when you’re smoking, the fire never touches the meat.” Smoking is an ancient technique that was used to preserve food as well as meat throughout the ages. But now, in the age of refrigeration, we add smoke for flavor, not for safety. Smoking calls for adding hard woods (such as hickory, oak, mesquite, pecan, apple, or cherry) to create smoke that flavors meat on the grill. The tech nique is simple, but you need to pay atten tion to the temperature in the barbecue. At Urban Roots, Desmangles uses a combination of woods, including white oak, cherry, apple, and almond. “For beef, the favorite is mesquite wood,” Kamara says. “But for pork, I pre fer cherry wood. It creates a nice mahog any color on the meat.” He adds that pe can wood also works for all types of meat. Both chefs say the ideal smoking temperature is 225 to 275 degrees F.

Clockwise from left: Slicing a moist brisket fresh out of the smoker at Urban Roots; Chef Greg Desmangle, culinary director at Urban Roots, tends the smoker. Photos by Debbie Cunningham; Kamara seasons a 14-pound brisket before smoking it. Photo by Rachel Valley; An Urban Roots cook grills a house-ground brisket burger. Photo by Debbie Cunningham

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TIPS AND TRICKS Increase your chances of successful grilling with some of these pro tips: • White meat should always be cooked well done. Cook pork to 145 degrees F, and poultry to 165 degrees F. Use an instant-read thermometer to check doneness by pushing it into the thickest part of the meat. • Some grill masters spray their ribs with apple cider to keep them moist during cooking. At Urban Roots, Desmangles uses leftover juice from the restaurant’s home made pickles mixed with mustard. When the brisket and ribs are done, he wraps the meat in butcher paper to lock in the moisture and then places them back in the smoker. • Take an experimental approach. Kamara says, “If you’re just starting out, get a kettle-type grill. Start o‰ with something easy, like hot links. Once you master that, move up to chicken.” • “Have fun, because a whole lot of barbecuing is about socializing,” Desmangles says. “And don’t be afraid to try something new.”

Somemeats lend themselveswell to smoking, such as brisket, shoulder, and ribs. That’s because the low-and-slow method of cooking not only adds flavor to the meat, but it also tenderizes what can be a tougher cut. Others work best with grilling, such as steaks, burg ers, seafood, and fish. According to Kamara, “Steaks are best cooked on a hot grill to sear them. This keeps the juices locked in.” Chicken lends itself to both grilling and smoking. At home, Desmangles likes to grill chicken leg quarters. “Cooking the chicken to the point where the skin is crispy but it’s still moist is an underrated art form,” he says. When it’s done, he likes to toss it in an Alabama white sauce, a savory dressing com prised of mayonnaise, vinegar, spices, andWorcestershire sauce.

PICK YOUR PREFERENCE – SAUCE, RUB, OR BOTH This is where things can get interesting — combining flavors to make your perfect sauce or rub. These blends vary widely from one cook to another. Common ingredients for a tasty bar becue sauce are vinegar, tomato paste, molasses, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and various spices. Dry rubs make grilling easy and the end product delicious. These savory mix es of salt, ground peppers, spices, dried herbs, and sugar flavor and lightly cure meat before grilling. But despite the term “rub,” Desmangles says, “You don’t ac tually rub the meat; you sprinkle it on. Otherwise, rubbing the mixture in plugs up the pores. The meat needs to sweat to tenderize by rendering out the fat and

Barbecue is rustic in execution and audacious in flavor, a perfect foundation on which home cooks can expand their repertoires. Flame-fired and smoked meats, with rubs and sauces to match, create mouthwatering taste sensations. So bask in the summer sun of our crea tive chefs’ suggestions as they lead any brave, new backyard chefs to the joy of barbecuing.

Want to sample some barbecue prepared by our pros? Urban Roots Brewery & Smokehouse

collagen, and blocking the pores prevents it from happening.” Both Desmangles and Kamara make their own rubs and sauces, though when asked about the ingredients, both say the recipes are “top secret.” Kamara only uses rubs on his meats and serves the sauce on the side. For his ribs, Desmangles starts with a rub, then adds an apple cider vinegar mop to keep them moist. He finishes with a sauce cut with vinegar to give the ribs a tantalizing mahogany red lacquer.

Urbanrootsbrewing.com Daddy O’s Smokehouse Daddyozsmokehouse.com

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