Welcome to the blog for Salt, Fire and Time. Check back here often for updates on our classes, feasts, events, and specials.

2 February 2010…

I am feeling completely reinvigorated around the idea of endangered foods ie: food traditions and preparations that time forgets to pay attention to in lieu of industrial food choices and most dangerously —TIME constraints. It really breaks my heart to think that we cannot, as a culture, take the time to not only feed ourselves but to feed our food heritage. This concept being something akin to pouring a shot of whiskey on the grave of a loved one or leaving an extra plate at the table for an unexpected visitor, we are bound to pay our respects to the places and people that developed a culture around feeding the generations of people to follow. I want to remember now. And my little toast this month goes out to the native people of this “Salmon Nation.”

Once upon a time… the tribal nations of this area organized seasons of people and celebrations around the salmon returning, spawning, then being available to hunt, for preservation of nutrition, the land and the coming months. They respected the fact that safe and responsible fish harvesting ensured future generations of salmon to be available. The people ate with respect for future generations of people and with the intention that they were responsible for nourishing them. The salmon nutritionally were great sources of protein, good fats, Omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamin D3 and Astaxanthin, a powerful carotene-type antioxidant 100s of times more powerful than Vitamin E.

Despite being over-fished, irresponsibly harvested, struggling pollution concerns that threaten native populations of not only these fish but these people, the salmon are still a sacred food and all the more a precious resource… Specifically for those who live in this region of the country — native foods feed all of us local people and help us seasonally to survive the elements and allow our health to flourish. In the last 40 years, a lot of hard work has been done to restore habitats and protect salmon populations, the result is that they are beginning to thrive again.

This month — a potted salmon is on the menu and is is an adaptation of a traditional native recipe, using pastured butter and hazelnut oil to cream the king salmon meat. I hope that as you enjoy it you can feel a wee bit closer our landscape and people-scape knowing that it was sustainably caught, traditionally prepared and shared locally.

Small Bites: Urban Growth Bounty classes

By The Oregonian

February 23, 2010, 12:00AM

ON OUR RADAR

MICHAEL RUBENSTEIN

Urban Growth Bounty sustainable-food courses

Last year, the city really touched a nerve when it first offered Portlanders a chance to learn how to transform their yards into urban farms, how to preserve the harvest, or keep chickens and bees. More than 700 of you signed up for those classes and, in response, this year’s program offers three times as many courses and a cornucopia of topics. The program is presented by the city’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability and features experts from Oregon Tilth, Salt Fire and Time and Abby’s Kitchen, as well as such folks as Ivy Manning, FOODday’s Vegetarian Flavors columnist.

Even the most confirmed city slicker will find something of interest: How about “Fermentation and Condiment Making,” “Italian Cheeses: Mozzarella and Ricotta,” “Eating for Balance and Body Type,” “Sea Vegetables and Oysters” or an entire series on vegetarian cooking?

Classes are for all skill levels and are held at several locations. But don’t delay in signing up because some classes start this month. For details and registration go to www.portlandonline.com/bps/ugb; for further information, send e-mail to food@ci.portland.or.us.

If a class sells out, send an e-mail to the same address and let the folks at Urban Growth Bounty know you’re still interested. They’ll try their best to schedule new sessions. And check back at the Web site for additional cooking classes and an announcement of the city’s organic garden tour at the end of July.

– Katherine Miller