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	<title>Oyster Food and Culture &#187; food</title>
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	<link>http://oysterfoodandculture.com</link>
	<description>a place to exchange ideas and learn about culture through food</description>
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		<title>Pebble Beach &#8211; Food and Wine</title>
		<link>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2010/04/15/pebble-beach-food-and-wine/</link>
		<comments>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2010/04/15/pebble-beach-food-and-wine/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Apr 2010 01:34:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[California]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[oysters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[celebrity chefs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chefs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pebble Beach]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pebble Beach Food and Wine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://oysterfoodandculture.com/?p=7934</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival claims to be one of the premier culinary events.  I feel further research on my part is required before I support this claim, but, thanks to Foodbuzz, I attended this event on Sunday, and holy cow!  In a recent post, I touched on the current culinary obsession of elevating chefs to celebrity status &#8211; well this event takes it to the next level.  We rubbed elbows with some of the best and brightest and sampled an incredible array of food, all while sipping on fine wines.  I could get used to this lifestyle, although I&#8217;d have to sacrifice my current dress size. I&#8217;m going to apologize right off because my photos turned out like, well crap.  But I linked to some other bloggers that also attended so you could see the results of some talented photo takers, and some other impressions of the event. As I said, I&#8217;d heard about the Pebble Beach Food and Wine Event (PBFW) and seen many references to it in the food magazines I read, but had not given much thought to attending.  As I am still trying to get my bearings in terms of places and distances in [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2010/04/15/pebble-beach-food-and-wine/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>25</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Seaweed &#8211; a tasty treat beloved around the world</title>
		<link>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2010/03/04/seaweed-a-tasty-treat-beloved-around-the-world/</link>
		<comments>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2010/03/04/seaweed-a-tasty-treat-beloved-around-the-world/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:48:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[United Kingdom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[England]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ireland]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lavar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[seaweed]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[United States]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://oysterfoodandculture.com/?p=5129</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If I took one of those psychological word pairing tests and the first word was seaweed, hands down my response as a match would be sushi.  I suspect I am not alone that since my first introduction to eating seaweed involved this wonderful finger food, it would be a life long association.  However I&#8217;ve come to realize through my travels, meeting people and general nosiness of what is on the other person&#8217;s dish that seaweed is found well beyond the confines of sushi restaurants and  I&#8217;ve been selling the versatility of this wonderful foodstuff short, for example, in England &#8211; laver, in Ireland &#8211; dulse, in Latin America &#8211; carola, and karengo in New Zealand.  In fact, its uses like so many ingredients, are limited only by the imagination of the cook, and I felt the need to expand my wings a bit. A bit about seaweed If your idea of seaweed is similar to mine was, that dried sheet that tasted briny, and if you were not careful could stick to the roof of your mouth like glue.  Well there&#8217;s more, many more, to the tune of 7,000 varieties although only 160 are commonly used as food &#8211; with [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2010/03/04/seaweed-a-tasty-treat-beloved-around-the-world/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>32</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Kinsale &#8211; Ireland&#8217;s Foodie Town</title>
		<link>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/12/10/kinsale-irelands-foodie-town/</link>
		<comments>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/12/10/kinsale-irelands-foodie-town/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:18:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Ireland]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[libations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fishy Fishy Restaurant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kinsale]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[seafood]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://oysterfoodandculture.com/?p=6184</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Kinsale was one of my favorite destinations while in Ireland.  How could it not be?  It&#8217;s very picturesque and known as the Gourmet Capital of Ireland.  I will not comment on that claim, as I have not the depth of knowledge of Ireland&#8217;s food scene, but my limited exposure tells me, if its not tops, it is certainly near the summit. If you are not driving, Kinsale has regular bus service to Cork via the Cork Airport &#8211; it takes about 20 minutes. You do not need a car to explore Kinsale proper itself, and in fact, I strongly recommend walking.  It has its fill of twisty roads filled with wonderful shops and restaurants to explore.  If you drive you might miss something. A Bit About the Town Kinsale is a town of about 2,500 souls in County Cork, Ireland. Located some 25 km south of Cork City on the coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, and at the mouth of the River Bandon.  Like a lot of tourist focused towns, its population swells during the summer months when tourists, and the boating fraternity descend in large numbers. Kinsale is known for its many gourmet restaurants and leisure activities [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/12/10/kinsale-irelands-foodie-town/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>32</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>When is bread more than bread?</title>
		<link>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/11/01/when-is-bread-more-than-bread/</link>
		<comments>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/11/01/when-is-bread-more-than-bread/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:23:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Italy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mexico]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Portugal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[United Kingdom]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[celebrations]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[religion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[traditions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bread]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[France]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Germany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sweden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Thailand]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://oysterfoodandculture.com/?p=4367</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A topic  smoldering in the back of my mind for some months as I&#8217;ve seen variations on this theme for months because of numerous holidays. When is bread more than bread?  Or perhaps a bit more generally, when do baked goods serve a higher purpose? I&#8217;ve unearth a few instances, and I am sure there are more, in fact I know there are.  I thought with the Mexican celebration of Day of the Dead and the preparation of Pan de Muertos this was the perfect time to consider the possibilities.  This glimmer of an idea took hold when I saw several articles on bread shaped like people, or at least various body parts; specifically the post of a baker in Thailand that created some of the most disturbing lifelike creations I&#8217;d seen.  Around the world bread fashioned to convey something more than calories and nutrition has held cultural significance.  The following are a few samples of what I&#8217;ve encountered. Ecuador On November 2 (Día de los Difuntos, literally Day of the Deceased, or All Soul’s Day) families gather at cemeteries to clean gravesites and feast with their deceased. Blueberry-based colada and bread &#8220;babies&#8221; (guaguas) are traditionally served. Families remember their deceased loved ones [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/11/01/when-is-bread-more-than-bread/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>26</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>A little goes a long way &#8211; fish sauces</title>
		<link>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/07/21/a-little-goes-a-long-way-fish-sauces/</link>
		<comments>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/07/21/a-little-goes-a-long-way-fish-sauces/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 2009 03:28:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[China]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Italy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Phillipines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Thailand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[condiments]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[region]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[traditions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[England]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fish sauce]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Korea]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vietnam]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://oysterculture.wordpress.com/?p=3783</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;d been cooking with fish sauce for a while and knew well its potency and pungency, but until I broke a bottle and liberally doused myself and had to suffer through folks quickly backpeddling to give me &#8220;breathing space&#8221; did I really get it &#8211; this stuff is strong &#8211; really, really, strong!  No wonder the Vietnamese say breaking a bottle will bring bad luck, and its been duly noted that the Vietnam Airlines bans this sauce from luggage. This odyssey into the different kinds of  fish sauces started when I was in my local Asian market and staring in bewilderment at the options looking blankly back at me &#8211; no help whatsoever.  Fish sauce from Thailand, the Philippines, Korea and Vietnam.  I started to question: how many types existed?, where were they from?, which was best?  Before I knew it, I was more confounded than ever.  I also knew that in addition to the Asian varieties there was Colatura di Alici from Italy, and Worcestershire Sauce from England.  I wanted to understand what made each sauce unique and how they came to be so popular.  If you&#8217;ve been reading this blog, I&#8217;ve already written of the other versions so that in the [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/07/21/a-little-goes-a-long-way-fish-sauces/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>24</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Sustainability: San Francisco (USA)</title>
		<link>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/07/13/sustainability-san-francisco-usa/</link>
		<comments>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/07/13/sustainability-san-francisco-usa/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Jul 2009 21:15:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[San Francisco]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[United States]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sustainability]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food security]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://oysterfoodandculture.com/?p=4725</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[People who know me, know that sustainability is a subject close to my heart.  Starting this blog and getting to know bloggers around the world made me curious to see if we were all approaching sustainability the same way, or if there are some new practices that we might share.  I an not sure we can talk about culture and food without considering sustainability, I hope never to see a day that I cannot replicate a recipe from a different culture &#8211; not because my local market does not carry the necessary ingredients, but because that ingredient is extinct.  Understanding what is involved in the life cycle of  the food system is eye opening, and goes a long way to explaining why cultures adapt certain food in the manner they do.   Every day I meet people passionate who balance great food and preserving the environment.  I had the pleasure of meeting Will Allen last year for a summit on sustainable agriculture I helped put on, and I have to say there is a reason he is in the New York Times and various other periodicals, he is just inspiring, and what he is doing for the community of Milwaukee [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>19</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Nam Bplah (Pla) &#8211; Thai fish water</title>
		<link>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/07/06/nam-bplah-pla-thai-fish-water/</link>
		<comments>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/07/06/nam-bplah-pla-thai-fish-water/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:58:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Thailand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Washington, DC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[condiments]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fish sauce]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sauce]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Washington]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://oysterfoodandculture.com/?p=4668</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Fish sauce are ubiquitous even though we may not always be aware of where they pop up &#8211; take Worcestershire sauce for example, or the Italian Colatura di Alici.  In Asia, these sauces are considered core components in cooking and the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam all have their own versions of this wonderful condiment.   There is good reason for their appeal, they impart a umani element to foods, and also replace salt in cooking due to their naturally salty nature.  If you look at recipes from Asian cookbooks, you&#8217;ll rarely see salt listed as an ingredient and that is because sauces such as fish and soy sauce make the further addition of salt unnecessary. In case you are not yet familiar with fish sauce, it is that salty, fragrant brown liquid made from fish that is the single, most important flavoring ingredient in Thai cooking (also beloved in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma and the Philippines). Used like salt in western cooking and soy sauce in Chinese cooking, good-quality fish sauce imparts a distinct aroma and flavor all its own. It is considered indispensable in the Thai kitchen. Fish of Choice Fish sauce in Thailand is called &#8220;nam bplah&#8221; or [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>20</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Japantowns the world over</title>
		<link>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/06/27/japantowns-the-world-over/</link>
		<comments>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/06/27/japantowns-the-world-over/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2009 02:57:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Germany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[San Francisco]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[San Francisco neighborhoods]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[United States]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jazz]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[omiyage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[San Franciso]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://oysterculture.wordpress.com/?p=3515</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When I first discovered San Francisco&#8217;s Japantown, I was in awe.  I thought it was such a fascinating place, and it reminded me of those snow globes &#8211; a miniature of Japanese culture, and in my adopted city at that, what a happy coincidence.  Part of the appeal for me, was that Japan was my first destination in my foreign travels and so holds sway on my ideas and perceptions; it will alway be a special place to me.  Visits to Japantown are like mini-reunions, and great reminders of all the wonderful experiences, definitely not the same as an actual visit, but a nice second.  I immediately gravitated to the canned beverage dispenser as it had all the wonderful creative drinks that I remembered from that first trip.  I was disappointed to see no Asahi, as I loved the marketing expression they used when I was there &#8220;Live Asahi for Live People&#8221;, because really, who else is going to buy a nice cold brew, and it is nice to have a broad customer base like that. Until I saw this post by Frugal Eats on the Japantown in Dusseldorf, Germany, I had naively thought the sole Japantown in existence was in [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/06/27/japantowns-the-world-over/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>19</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Special Ingredients:  Avocado Leaves</title>
		<link>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/05/30/special-ingredients-avocado-leaves/</link>
		<comments>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/05/30/special-ingredients-avocado-leaves/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 30 May 2009 23:25:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Mexico]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Special Ingredients]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[spices]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[avocado leaves]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cuisine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://oysterculture.wordpress.com/?p=3969</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In a recent bout of Mexican cooking (I go through periods, I just wrapped up a long stretch of Italian).  I encountered, or more specifically, paid attention for the first time to the ingredient &#8211;  avocado leaves (hojas de aguacate).  In most cases, they list this ingredient as &#8220;optional&#8221;, but I had to wonder what authentic flavor have I sacrificed in my acceptance of a short cut, and perhaps more importantly what exactly are avocado leaves? Please note, that when I refer to avocado leaves in this post, I refer specifically to Mexican avocado leaves, not Haas, or any of the other varieties.  They have a toxicity issue, which I&#8217;ll expand on.  Besides, the desired taste in the leaves applies only to the Mexican variety, the more tropical varieties of which Haas is one, lack this aroma. Harold McGee tells us theses avocado leaves are of the laurel family, and so are related to bay leaves and sassafras or filé.   Its can be used fresh or dried.  This ingredient is common in the dishes of south central Mexico. Fresh leaves are used in Oaxaca as abed for barbecuing meat and flavoring tamales. Dried leaves are common additions to soups, stews [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>24</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Peru &#8211; Land of Plenty</title>
		<link>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/05/24/peru-land-of-plenty/</link>
		<comments>http://oysterfoodandculture.com/2009/05/24/peru-land-of-plenty/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 24 May 2009 17:58:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[China]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Italy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Japan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Peru]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[spices]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cerviche]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[corn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ethnic food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[France]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spain]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://oysterculture.wordpress.com/?p=3831</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[photo from sfgate.com In preparing a recent post on raw fish, I developed a craving for cerviche, and really who could blame me?  Living in San Francisco, there was one restaurant on my radar that I knew could offer me an authentic, or at least close proximally, of the Peruvian cerviche I desired: that restaurant is La Mar Cebicheria Peruana, the first US foray for Chef Gaston Acurio.  Immediately after I pressed the &#8220;publish&#8221; button for that post, I booked my reservations.  I had the added privilege of having Daily Spud, a potato aficionado, accompany me on my exploration, and a more perfect lunch is hard to imagine. I knew that Peruvian cuisine had amazingly range, but its diversity is hard to comprehend.  The challenge is determining how to approach Peru&#8217;s food &#8211; by the diverse cultures that made their mark on its culture, with their food preparation and choices assimilated into the cuisine?  Or, by the incredible food stock that exists in Peru and has incorporated into its recipes, such as corn, tomatoes, potatoes, quinoa?  If ever a place was at the cross roads of diversity, it is Peru. To appreciate the cuisine, some knowledge of Peru&#8217;s culture, history and geography is required. Geography Peru is physically isolated [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>26</slash:comments>
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