RandyClemens.com
beer, wine & culinary miscellany
NY Times Asks: “Is It Ethical to Eat Meat?”
1A few weeks ago, an interesting writing contest popped up in The New York Times, asking the seemingly simple question: “Is it ethical to eat meat?” My friend Steven Armstrong brought it to my attention, but I have to admit, I wasn’t sure why. (I’m still not, actually, but that’s beside the point.) You see, I became an ardent vegetarian close to two years ago after reading the ever-so-brilliant-and-not-at-all-preachy Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer, who also doubles as one of this contest’s judges, to boot!
So what would a chompy old herbivore like myself have to add to a topic such as this? Why did he send me the link? Heh, somebody should totally write a satire. Hey, I should totally write a satire! And off I went, undoubtedly pushing a more pressing project aside for a few hours to craft my cunning snark. (more…)
Wheat Beer Article in Edible Westside
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Click the sexy cover to check out the magazine & read my "Wheat Beer...With A Twist?" article in the debut issue of Edible Westside.
A few years ago, I wrote up a couple pretty sweet articles for a now-defunct magazine called Edible Los Angeles. (And I know what you’re thinking… but noooo, it did not go out of business because of my writing.) For reasons unbeknownst to me, and unimportant to this post, it went bye-bye. Ho hum.
Fast forward to June 2011, and I get this email in my inbox from a polite stranger by the name of Linzy May Mahoney, who tells me she’s looking to publish a new Los Angeles edition under the Edible Communities umbrella. (Did you know there are around 70 of these awesome hyper-local magazines all across the country? Even having worked with them before, I had no idea!) So Linzy introduces herself, tries to win some points (successfully) by telling me she loves Sriracha and my cookbook, and asks if I’d be interested in writing about beer for her new publication, Edible Westside. Naturally, I said hell yes.
How could I not? She was so passionate about wanting to highlight the brilliant artisans, great home cooks, dedicated farmers, and talented chefs, bartenders, and retailers that are continually working to shape and redefine our thoughts on eating and drinking. And as the name implies, Edible Westside would be focusing heavily on the west side of Los Angeles, in neighborhoods with pretty exciting culinary culture, like Santa Monica, Venice, Marina del Rey, Culver City, and Malibu, among others. I was definitely in.
For her inaugural issue, which just launched on March 1, I wrote a focus on wheat beers, explaining the use of wheat as a beer ingredient and several styles that typically use it. In addition, I put together a little cheat sheet that gives a brief overview of wheat beers made in and around Los Angeles including Golden Road Hefeweizen, Craftsman Heavenly Hefe, TAPS Hefeweizen, Manifesto Eagle Rock Wit, El Segundo White Dog Wheat IPA, The Bruery Hottenroth Berliner Weiss, and Ladyface La Blanche Wit. The entire article, and actually the entire magazine, can be read for free right here: Edible Westside, Spring 2012 issue.
(And if you’re after a physical paper copy, here’s a map of Edible Westside distribution points that shows where you can find one around town.)
It’s been really incredible to see how much work she’s put into this, and I’ve loved watching the whole thing come together. It came out looking absolutely stunning, and I couldn’t be more proud of Linzy. I mean, seriously… she started a friggin magazine! And I’m super stoked to have had the chance to be a small part of that. Now, I’ve gotta get back to writing; I’ve got a deadline for my article in the summer issue that will be out in June!
To keep up on all things awesome in between quarterly issues:
Like Facebook.com/EdibleWestside
Follow @EdibleWestside on Twitter
(P.S. It’s worth noting that I also wrote a blog post for EdibleWestside.com back in November that was all about porters & stouts, with interviews from Rob Croxall, Bremaster at the El Segundo Brewing Company, and Victor Macias, a 13-year veteran of Pacific Gravity, the local Culver City homebrew club. Dig it.)
The Craft of Stone Brewing Co.: Liquid Lore, Epic Recipes, and Unabashed Arrogance
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The Craft of Stone Brewing Co. by Greg Koch and Steve Wagner with Randy Clemens
It is with great pride that I announce the publication of my next book, The Craft of Stone Brewing Co.: Liquid Lore, Epic Recipes, and Unabashed Arrogance, gracing bookstore shelves on September 27, 2011. Not long after completing the manuscript for my first book (The Sriracha Cookbook: 50 “Rooster Sauce” Recipes That Pack a Punch), I started thinking about what on earth I wanted to do next. My answer? I wanted to write about one of my favorite craft breweries: Stone Brewing Co.
I worked tirelessly one evening back in January 2010, drawing up a completely unsolicited pitch email to Stone’s (in)famous CEO, Greg Koch, finally sending it off at 2:55am, telling myself I’d follow up if I hadn’t heard back within two weeks. Naturally, you can imagine my surprise waking up to a personal reply in my inbox at 6:53am!
Greg and I emailed back in forth a few times, coincidentally bumped into each other at a food industry trade show in San Francisco, and finally set up a meeting down at the brewery proper. I’d honed my pitch and expanded it to encompass a wide spectrum of topics–the history of beer and how it’s made, the history of Stone, its beers, and how it has grown, a food pairing primer, recipes from the award-winning Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens, as well as never before published homebrew formulas for some of Stone’s most prized beers.
Master Cleanse: My Semi-Annual Detox Plan
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The Master Cleanser detox plan
I’ve fallen in love with the Master Cleanse detox. I’m gearing up to do it again next week (my fourth time through it over the past 18 months), and I can’t begin to praise it highly enough. I get a lot of weird looks, and besides those I receive in general, I seem to get even more when I talk about the Master Cleanse. Then there are the inevitable questions and comments:
“Oh, the lemon juice thing? With the maple syrup and cayenne?”
“My friend did that. She lost like 10 pounds!”
“Is that even safe?”
“Aren’t you, like, starving?!” (Also: “tired” or “grumpy”)
And my personal favorite, “Oh, there’s no way I could do that!”
Bullshit. Yes, you can. Countless people have, of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. Far more challenging than any physical struggles is typically overcoming the perception that you will encounter any. I’ve yet to feel hungry once during one of my runs with the Master Cleanse, and I actually feel a boost of energy while I’m on it. So, how is it done? (more…)
Raw Sprouted Hummus Recipe
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This is easily my most-requested recipe, and I’m sorry it took me so long to post it. Sprouted garbanzo beans are an excellent source of protein, and their delicious, nutty — almost grassy — flavor helps to make this raw hummus a real crowd pleaser. It’s a lot of fun to make, and the unique texture that comes from using the raw sprouted garbanzo beans is what I think puts it over the top.
Sprouted garbanzo beans can be found at some Whole Foods Market locations, farmers markets, and health food stores. Or, you can always sprout your own garbanzo beans. (more…)
