Date: Fri 24-Nov-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Illustration: C

Location: A-8

Quick Words:

Kavasch-Enduring-Harvests-book

Full Text:

(book review, talk w/ author E. Barrie Kavasch)

Native Traditions, Food & Festivities are "Enduring"

(with photos)

By Andrea Zimmermann

Across the nation, people slow down for a day of appreciating life's bounty,

savoring favorite dishes, and celebrating family - those who are present, as

well as those who are not. It is the day we unite to give thanks, regardless

of individual heritage or religion.

E. Barrie Kavasch of Bridgewater, an authority on Native American culture and

cookery, will celebrate the day with her mother and siblings - all of whom

share her passion for cooking. The fare will include family favorites, some of

which are included in Ms Kavasch's new book, Enduring Harvests: Native

American Foods and Festivals For Every Season ( The Globe Pequot Press, $14.95

soft cover).

"The food and food ideas really weave us together. That is why we do our

traditional recipes and ceremonies," said the author, whose heritage is part

Native American - Creek, Cherokee, and Powhatan.

"For me, food is a pathway to many things. But it is always a dance of

respect, from garden to kitchen to table to palate. [The prayers are thereby,

already woven in.] When it gets to the table, the food is especially

celebrated."

For many of us, whether we prepare humble or lavish foods, it becomes a sort

of altar to the whole process, she said. "If you can bring this concept to

food and every meal, imagine how powerful and nurturing and healing food can

be," said Ms Kavasch. "Food is the life sustainer... It must be celebrated at

every step, but it shouldn't be fancied or falsified. It's important that we

see the essence and honesty."

Although "fancy and convoluted" recipes can be "perfectly wonderful" - and

Native American cuisine has its share of sophisticated, highly-seasoned foods

- there are none to be found among the 150 in Enduring Harvests .

"It is important I be as true to the essence of the food - herbs and

ingredients. If you mask those things with too much fussing about, you've lost

something," said Ms Kavasch. "`Simplicity' does not mean `simple,' but more

earnest and honest in this presentation."

Many of the recipes in her new book were developed during the five years Ms

Kavasch taught at the New York Restaurant School, then a part of the New

School - Jicama-Sunchoke Salad for instance. But a lot of the recipes were

developed for the book, inspired by the events and people who would prepare

them. "It's not just about me, or by me, [the book encompasses] a much larger

field of energy and beauty. That's what makes it so enduring."

The author is a trustee and research associate of the Institute for American

Indian Studies in Washington, and is a frequent lecturer and food consultant

at symposiums and special events throughout North America and internationally.

She is also an author and illustrator/photographer of numerous books on Native

American foods, health and healing, and wild mushrooms. She is currently

working on two books: one on foraging and cooking with the sophisticated wild

mushroom, and one on the Native Sacred Triad of corn, squash and beans.

Enduring Harvests offers recipes for Native American foods relating to every

month of the year, as well as descriptions of 75 major seasonal celebrations.

Narragansett traditions in late October inspired Oyster-Stuffed Acorn or

Butternut Squash; Northwest Coast people enjoy the Buckskin Bread With Caviar

during winter ceremonies in February; wild plums collected at Cheyenne River

Sioux Reservation in Eagle Butte, S.D. inspired Sioux Plum Raisin Cakes;

festivals such as San Xavier Easter Fiesta inspired Empanaditas de Carne;

Nipmuck Venison Burgers and Gravy is a favorite at the Nipmuck Planting Moon

Observance and Potluck held in May in Webster, Mass.; and Choctaw Crawfish

Stew is eaten during June's commemorative Trail of Tears Walk in Skullyville,

Okla.

" Enduring reflects the countless generations of Native American

horticulturalists and food developers whose wisdom made the book possible,"

said Ms Kavasch. More than 20 recipes in the book were gifts to her from other

Native cooks who have a "deep respect and passion" for their food and culture.

"They are often their favorite recipes from Oklahoma, the two Dakotas,

Honduras, Peru, the Arctic and the Northeast," she added.

"It's a great and creative subject, profound and exciting. It is an entire

book of celebration," said Ms Kavasch, who said researching and writing it was

a great deal of work but also a lot of fun.

"It was very important that this book be contemporary, user-friendly, and as

true and representative... No musty, impossible recipes. It's a `grown-up'

version of [my earlier book], Native Harvests ," she said.

"The kitchen is the heart of the family - where we are nourished and

nurtured," said Ms Kavasch, whose good humor, personal and historical insight

accompany the recipes. An extensive resource directory for Native foods is

also found in the book.

"The more love we have, the more peace we have. It starts in the kitchen and

radiates out from there. The kitchen is the heart of the family whre we are

nurtured and nourished," said Ms Kavasch. The "dance of respect" inherent in

the author's own garden harvest and food preparation is "not done up" with

music or drums. "It is a quiet observation - age-old, time-honored in all

cults, but especially in American Indian Culture." Like the setting of a tiny

Spirit Plate to honor ancestors who have gone before.

Enduring Harvests is a book for anyone wishing to learn about Native American

culture, enjoy new taste and fragrance sensations, or simply share in the

celebration of life.

Ferguson Scalloped

Oyster Vera

« cup butter

1 cup crushed soda crackers or bread crumbs, divided

1 quart shucked fresh (or frozen) oysters and their liquor (liquid)

2 scallions, finely diced (green and white parts together)

¬ cup parsley, minced

salt and pepper to taste

2 cups cream

Preheat the oven to 350§. Lightly dust a well-buttered 8-inch square or round

glass baking dish with   cup of the soda crackers. Carefully place the oysters

on top of the crackers and sprinkle with the scallions, parsley and salt and

pepper. Dot with bits of the remaining butter and carefully pour the cream

over all this. Top-dress with the rest of the soda cracker crumbs. Place this

dish in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes. Serve hot, with reverence!

McLemore Grilled Venison

Steaks With Wild Mushrooms

« cup peanut oil

1 clove garlic, diced

¬ cup red wine vinegar

¬ teaspoon salt

¬ teaspoon pepper

8 tender venison steaks

In a medium saute pan, over medium heat, quickly saute the garlic in hot oil

for 3 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients except venison steaks and balance

seasonings. Brush this warm "dressing" over the venison steaks, covering both

sides, and immediately place steaks on hot grill about 6 inches above glowing

charcoal. Sear quickly on one side for 5 minutes, then flip steaks over and

grill 4-8 minutes on other side. Remove grilled steaks to a broad platter and

cover to keep warm while you prepare their wild mushroom complement (recipe

follows).

Mushroom Topping

« cup peanut oil

1 stick butter (¬ pound)

2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 pound bear's head tooth mushrooms, chopped

8 whole peppercorns, coarsely ground

1 pound oyster mushrooms, chopped

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

« cup vegetable or chicken stock (more or less)

Heat the oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium heat; when oil and

butter are hot, saute the onions and garlic, stirring continually, for 3-5

minutes. Add the bear's head tooth mushroom chunks and the cracked

peppercorns; stir well for another 5 minutes. Add the oyster mushroom pieces

and remaining seasoning and blend well, simmering another 5 minutes. Add

chicken stock, if necessary, to develop a nice gravy (the amount of stock will

depend on how "thirsty" the mushrooms are). Simmer just until the mushrooms

seem tender.

Serve the hot grilled steaks with the wild mushrooms spooned over and around

them. Garnish with fresh watercress, parsley branches and trimmed scallions.

Serves 8.

Smoked Blue Mussels

& Green Onion Salad

2 bunches watercress, coarsely cut

1 bunch cilantro, coarsely cut

1 small white onion, sliced very thin, as for rings

1 cup small yellow tomatoes, cut bite-size

« cup pimentos (roasted, peeled sweet peppers), julienned

1 pint smoked blue mussels

« cup wild onions (or green onions), chopped medium-fine

¬ teaspoon sea salt (optional)

« teaspoon black pepper, coarsley ground

« cup sunflower seed oil

« cup herb cider vinegar (rosemary is best)

In a broad, medium-size bowl, arrange the watercress and cilantro. Sprinkle

the greens with consecutive layers of white onion rings, yellow tomatoes,

pimentos and smoked mussels. Place the chopped wild onions and the salt and

pepper in a medium jar with the oil and vinegar; shake vigorously and allow to

stand for 15 minutes. Shake vigorously again and pour over the salad, tossing

well to intermingle these diverse flavors. Serve in a large salad bowl or

arrange small servings in peeled, trimmed, hollowed-out jicamas rubbed with

lemon or lime juice. These can be beautifully fashioned to look like alabaster

bowls! Delicious!

Spicy Pumpkin Raisin Bread

1« cups fresh pumpkin, cooked and pureed, or canned solid-pack pumpkin puree

« cup honey, maple syrup or sugar

« cup melted butter or corn oil

2 eggs, beaten slightly

« cup milk

« cup raisins or currants

« cup butternuts or black walnuts, chopped

1 cup all-purpose flour

« cup fine yellow cornmeal

« cup rolled oats

1 tsp baking powder

« tsp ground cinnamon

« tsp ground allspice

¬ tsp ground nutmeg

¬ tsp ground ginger

¬ tsp ground cloves

« tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350§. Place the pumpkin puree in a medium-size bowl and add

the honey, melted butter and beaten eggs, stirring well with each addition.

Stir in the milk, then add the raisins or currants, and butternuts or black

walnuts.

Measure the dry ingredients into a large bowl and make a big well in the

center. Carefully pour in the blended wet ingredients, stirring carefully and

blending well without overworking the batter.

Pour the batter into a well-greased 6 by 9-inch loaf pan or a greased 2-pound

coffee can. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick or knife inserted in the

center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove to a cooling rack for 10 minutes,

then slide a clean table-knife blade around the edges of the loaf to loosen

it. Turn the steaming loaf onto a board or rack to cool completely. Serve hot

or wrap up and serve days later for great flavor and fragrance.

Makes 1 loaf.

Pumpkin Maple Butter

Deeply pierce the thick skin of a small sugar pumpkin several times, using the

long tines of a carving fork. This prevents the pumpkin from exploding during

the baking. Roast the pumpkin beside a cooking fire or fireplace, turning

occasionally, or set in a baking dish and bake for 30+ minutes in a 375§ oven.

[Roasting, rather than steaming or boiling, creates a slightly carmelized

flavor.] Cool slightly and cut open, saving seeds and stringy pulp for other

uses. Scoop out the cooked pumpkin meat and puree in a food processor with ¬

cup maple syrup and « teaspoon crushed black walnuts. Spoon this golden

"butter" into carved, trimmed pumpkin gourds or small acorn squashes. Garnish

with diced onions.

Makes 2 to 3 cups.