beer, wine & culinary miscellany
Posts by Randy
How to Sprout Raw Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)
1
Sprouting beans, seeds, and grains is an amazing, easy way to unlock their hidden nutritional value. The sprouting process is quite simple, and allows for easier digestion and easier assimilation of countless nutrients. Besides adding a small handful to a bright, summer salad, sprouted garbanzo beans can be used in a variety of dishes, either cooked or raw. Hummus with raw tahini, garbanzo bean burgers, and raw falafel are just a few of my favorites.
To sprout garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas, select a large glass jar or plastic food container that will allow for the beans to expand to up to three times their original size. Place dried (preferably organic) garbanzo beans in your sprouting vessel, and fill with about three times as much filtered water by volume. Cover the jar with a layer or two of cheesecloth, strapped on tight with a rubber band. Let the garbanzo beans soak at room temperature for 8-12 hours, away from direct sunlight. After their initial soak, drain the water off completely, and replace the jar in its cool, dark resting place. (more…)
Dionicess VIII: The Bruery & The Foundry on Melrose
0
Mark your calendars, kids. I’m teaming up with my good friends Gev Kazanchyan and Dave “The Gueuzehound” Watrous to bring you yet another installment of the popular beer pairing event series: Dionicess.
Dionicess VIII marks the third such event that I’ve had the pleasure to work on. This time, we’re pairing up the world class beers of The Bruery with Chef Eric Greenspan, chef/owner of The Foundry on Melrose, to bring you an epic day of hedonism… with two separate tastings featuring two separate menus!
After really going over the top with Dionicess VII at The Foundry, pairing an eight course meal with eight different beers from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, we weren’t sure how we were going to take Dionicess VIII to the next level. We’d approached our friends at The Bruery to see if they wanted to have part in our next event, and they were game from the first mention. Chef Greeny was in, no problem. And when it came time to bring them together for our first meeting/tasting, something amazing happened. (more…)
The Sriracha Cookbook Official Book Release Party
4Well, friends, as I first reported here last June, my first cookbook — The Sriracha Cookbook: 50 “Rooster Sauce” Recipes That Pack a Punch — is being released this month. January 18th to be precise, and I couldn’t be more ecstatic! It has been a long-but-oh-so-rewarding process and I can’t wait to do it all over again. (In fact, I already am. I’m working on another book due out later this year that deals with craft beer. I’ll fill you in on the details soon.)
Anyway, if you’re in LA and you’re free on the January 18th, I’d love for you to come share in the excitement of The Sriracha Cookbook’s release at Blue Palms Brewhouse. Please RSVP on the Facebook Event page if you plan to attend. Details are below: (more…)
Update: Raw Milk Open Letter to Government
4Gosh, has it been three weeks already since I asked some government peeps to explain why they’re so against my consumption of raw milk? (Check out my original open letter if you missed it…)
I’ve just been so busy, I guess I lost track of time. I suppose that’s what happened to them too, because I haven’t heard back from anybody! Well, there was a joke of a response from the FDA (see below), but to be fair, they’re probably all really preoccupied planning the next armed raid of Rawesome (my favorite little co-op of sorts) to take the time to reply to a voting constituent. (If you haven’t seen the video of the raid, I embedded it to the bottom of this post)
Just to remind them that I’m here, and that I still want to have a legitimate conversation, I sent a little follow-up email today, and in the interest of keeping all the communication open, I am posting it as well, as I will do with any of their responses. (more…)
Dear Government: Why You Gotta Be Hatin’ On Raw Milk?
2“Why?”: An Open Letter that I’ve sent to the Los Angeles County Public Health Department, Los Angeles County District Attorney, California Department of Food and Agriculture, Food & Drug Administration, and United States Department of Agriculture (cc: Los Angeles Department of Building & Safety)
“If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny.” – Thomas Jefferson
Hello there,
My name is Randy Clemens, and I’m perplexed. I try not to ruffle too many feathers in this world. I like having a peaceful existence, and try not to let too many issues upset me. But when I got an email this morning saying that one of my favorite food spots, Rawesome, was being ordered to shut down… well, it upset me. (more…)
