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Articles by Michael Saatkamp
Heartbeet Lifesharing
Annie Volmer Annie Volmer writes grants for and works at Heartbeet Lifesharing, a therapeutic residence for adults with developmental disabilities in Hardwick, Vermont, USA. Connor is up at 5:30 am. He pulls on his colorful, hand-knitted stocking cap, insulated coveralls, barn boots and wool mittens before stepping out into the northern Vermont winter air. In the barn, four Jersey/Brown Swiss cows are lined up in the milking parlor stalls.
Make Hard Cider at Home the Easy Way - The Cook's Cook
By chance, one of our number was in a charity (thrift) shop a few days later and spotted a 450W centrifugal whole fruit juicer on the shelf. To our delight we discovered that our productivity was transformed with a tenfold increase in efficiency. Once again the kitchen ended up sticky and messy from apple juice spillages, so I fashioned a “juice containment and delivery adaptor” (plastic hose) to funnel juice to a “juice clarifier and solids separator” (a fine mesh bag in bucket).
Vegan in Iceland - The Cook's Cook
Thirty years ago I changed my kitchen into a tofu and soy milk factory. I was a vegan in Iceland, and back then the selection of vegan food was poor. Living on a small island between Europe and the USA was almost a miracle back then, and being vegan on that island was definitely a miracle. The years went by and everything changed. More and more people became vegan or vegetarian and the selection of healthy food increased year by year.
From Texas to California, A Forager on the Road - The Cook's Cook
“What makes you think they weren’t?” I reply to my 13-year old daughter. “I saw the chicory and figured you’d be staring at it, too. You love that plant,” is her answer. “You look at plants too much!” pipes up my other daughter, a 10-year-old who’s constantly looking for ways to correct me.
Writing About Food: Where to Begin - The Cook's Cook
Writing about something you do three or more times a day should be easy. It’s not. Since food is so much a part of the essential and the everyday, our engagement with it can be complex, compelling and — hopefully — enjoyable. Writing about it, then, should be complex, compelling and enjoyable. Because food is fundamental to all aspects of civilization and culture, the universe of worthy subjects to write about is limitless.
Finding a Closer Connection with our Food - The Cook's Cook
With the pace of life so frenetic in our technologically-connected world, it is becoming increasingly important to take time to slow down when we can. Food is often considered in terms of time, cost, convenience, knowledge, and skills. But a close connection with food can be profoundly meaningful. Whatever your circumstances and budget, small changes in how you source, prepare, and enjoy your food can be pleasurable and meaningful.
The Commercial Kitchen - What Goes Where and Why - The Cook's Cook
In our restaurant kitchen, I’ve driven some of my cooks crazy with moving things around, buying different equipment and changing how we operate. To some, it’s maddening to have a table moved six inches. During one discussion with a cook about why I’d made a change, I explained that every step matters. Every inch matters. Every second matters. Every degree in temperature matters. As we grow and learn, we evolve, and sometimes that calls for change.
Equivocal Hello, Triumphant Farewell - The Cook's Cook
One of the first wines I bought in, as it were, bulk, was a wine made solely from the Alicante Bouschet grape. It was produced by Angelo Papagni at his eponymous winery. I believe I initially bought the 1973 vintage, which was his first, and later the more acclaimed (though few wine writers bothered with it) 1975.* I bought cases of it. Cases and cases. I wish I could remember who had introduced me to the wine. I would, to the extent I am permitted, knight that person.
Cool and Hot in the Garden: Cucumbers and Chili Peppers - The Cook's Cook
I did not love cucumbers until later in life. Growing up, I considered them to be my sister’s “emergency food.” You see, some days when we returned from school or from the pool, hungry from being kids all day, sweaty from riding our bikes back, our mom would not be home yet. Without a house key, and with snacks and juice boxes depleted, my sister would go straight back to the garden, pick a nice green cucumber, wipe it down with something and start munching.
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