Mosquito Supper Club

• WHO: Melissa M. Martin, chef/owner
• WHAT: A Cajun restaurant that seeks to redefine what it means to feed people
• WHERE: 3824 Draydes Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

“Our dinners are about celebrating the fishing industry in Chauvin, Louisiana and revolve around seafood. All of my family were in fishing and I've made it my life work to celebrate and educate on the realities of this work. One year every single shrimp we served was from Lake Boudreaux in Terrebonne Parish – caught by my cousin. We prefer inland shrimp caught by small trawling vessels rather than the larger gulf trawling double-rigged boats. I have used the same crab purveyor for ten years. If this small family in Lafitte does not have crab because of weather or family illness, then we do not have crab on the menu. We know our fishermen, crabbers, and oyster purveyors – we know the bayous and waterways they come from. We know when the weather has been rough and the product is not available and we make adjustments for those times.

“Ninety-nine per cent of all of our vegetables, seafood, vinegar, sugar, eggs, etc, are local. We go to great lengths to ensure that we hand-pick each ingredient and know the farmer, fisher or producer the product is coming from. We research each given producer and ensure our ideals align with each other – and sustainability.”

Stay tuned for The Mosquito Supper Club cookbook which will be published in Spring 2020 by Artisan Books.

To read more about Mosquito Supper Club, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

The Bookshop

• WHO: Brothers Dorian, chef & Edwin Kirk, visionary
• WHAT: A passion-project focused on crafting honest food using locally-sourced seasonal ingredients
• WHERE: 33 Aubrey Street, Hereford, UK

“We believe that food is much more than just fuel, it’s about bringing together family, friends and the community. From supporting fellow independent businesses, to organizing annual events and creating a sense of giving we unite our community. We have built trusting relationships with those around us. By fostering partnerships with local farmers who grow produce specific to our needs, fostering connections with craftsmen who inject life and soul with their skills in ceramics, art and horticulture, and fostering a drive for the independent business culture, we ensure a reliable source of supply and demand within our community. As we grow, so too will the breadth and depth of these relationships.

“Alongside our passion for serving stunning food, we are also highly conscious of the need to constantly improve and reduce our impact on the planet. All our energy is from renewable sources, our waste oil is turned into bio-diesel, our suppliers are local, and we have eliminated single-use plastics. Our plan is to keep this way of thinking going so we can help make the world a better place, showcase exquisite local food, and continue to support local businesses and our community."

News:

"The Bookshop have recently re-launched with a sharp, new look and extended food offerings which celebrate organic vegetables and grass-fed steak, with the addition of a greater choice of seasonal fish, vegan and gluten-free dishes. We continue to follow our ethos of ‘local first’, meaning we can help grow a community through food. Go ahead and book your table here."

To read more about The Bookshop, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

The Bookshop (Hereford, UK)

gēn 根

• WHO: Johnson Wong, chef/owner & Javi Tan, head chef
• WHAT: Modern Malaysian community restaurant
• WHERE: 68, Lebuh Presgrave, 10400, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia

“At gēn 根, we value the idea of keeping true to our roots using local ingredients to encourage younger generations to better understand Malaysia's gems and artisanal produce. gēn 根 recreates nostalgic flavours using bold innovative cooking methods that will bring up memories that are held dearly by Malaysians – be it childhood memories or ancestral delicacies. Chef Johnson wants to showcase his experience throughout the food industry that will translate to new Malaysian Flavours on the plate. To bring the idea to life, gēn 根 will be shifting to a new location where we will be sharing the same roof with The Prestige Hotel in Georgetown.

“At our current location Chef Johnson presents a new concept named gēn 根 Communal Table. The idea of a communal table was the brainchild of Chef Johnson who wanted to serve comfort food that is made to share amongst family and friends in a communal table setting. gēn 根 Communal Table features Malaysian homegrown produce and local flavours in an all-new à la carte menu.”

To read more about gēn 根, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

gēn 根 (Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia)

Sardine Eatery + Bar

• WHO: Mark Briggs, chef/co-owner
• WHAT: A local seafood restaurant with East Gippsland at its heart
• WHERE: 3/69 Esplanade, Paynesville, Victoria, Australia

“Telling the story of where our produce comes from is an important factor in the dining experience of our restaurant. We are lucky to have some of the finest vegetables in Lindenow – and the happiest chickens we have ever met – just down the road at Forge Creek Free Range. Fresh produce is the essence of our menu and we work closely with local producers to serve the best produce East Gippsland has to offer.

“We have also recently begun fundraising for Beyond Blue who provide mental health information and support to Australian’s by donating $1 per takeaway coffee sold.”

Event:

Land to sea – Sardine x Hogget : 25th and 26th September A collaboration of two of Gippsland’s best, celebrating the abundance of produce that both East and West Gippsland have to offer. Trevor Perkins of Hogget Kitchen will join Mark Briggs of SARDINE eatery + bar in this sold-out event. These incredible chefs will create and execute a four-course sensory feast designed to delight. Enjoy an exceptional dining experience in a relaxed regional restaurant by the water, great local wine and a feast of fresh, local seafood and delicious Gippsland produce.

To learn more about Sardine Eatery, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

Sardine Eatery + Bar (Paynesville, Victoria, Australia)

The Farmstand Market & Cafe

• WHO: Tricia Houston, chef/owner
• WHAT: A farm-to-table restaurant, bar & market
• WHERE: 9914 Old Union Road, Union, Kentucky, USA

“We believe in the local farmers and our local cottage producers – we believe in a local food system. We have the Ohio Valley Food Connection farmers bring produce direct to our door and we also have our own raised garden beds right here on site.

“We take less than perfect produce and cut out imperfections, have all eco products for takeout, we recycle and compost – we are doing everything we can to be as sustainable as possible."

To read more about The Farmstand Market & Café, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

The Farmstand Market & Cafe (Union, Kentucky, USA)

Fleurs Place

• WHO: Fleur Sullivan, restaurateur
• WHAT: For naturally good food
• WHERE: 169 Haven Street, Moeraki, Palmerston, Otago, NZ

“We live in a 'food bowl' here, not only abundant with naturally occurring food sources, there are also local families whose ancestors came to the area as miners and labourers who have acquired land for market gardening. This has been worked by the same families for generations often cultivating ethnically-diverse produce to add to the local abundance.

“The approach from the outset of the restaurant was firmly rooted in sustainability. In fact the restaurant would not have happened if not for Fleur moving to the area and wanting to ride along on the fishing boats working locally and moored in the Moeraki bay. When confronted by the enormous amount of waste that occurred when filleting fish on the boats she thought; there must be something that can be done with all of the fish-bodies, skin, frames, offal etc, which was just being thrown overboard. That now gets turned into 150+ litres of fresh fish stock per month which is used as a base throughout the menu. Even our building on the point – which is virtually surrounded on three sides by the water’s edge and houses the restaurant – was approached from a sustainable point of view. No toxic glues or paints were used in its construction and the floor is composed of sand with a plant-based sealant. All of the timber is reclaimed, window frames, doors and fittings are all up-cycled along with the tables, chairs, crockery and cutlery.”

To read more about Fleurs Place, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

Fleurs Place (Moeraki, Otago, New Zealand)

Liberté

• WHO: Amy Hamilton, chef
• WHAT: A Parisian love letter to the Great Southern, written with good drinks & small plates
• WHERE: 160-62 Stirling Terrace, Albany, Western Australia

“When I opened Liberté I knew I had a responsibility to myself, my staff along with the producers and customers of this region. I needed to make dishes that were shaped firstly from regional produce. The produce had to inform the dishes and in doing so celebrate and give voice to all the wonderful small producers and people out there that help make the Great Southern such a special and unique place to live.

“I'm passionate about discovering small producers and creating dishes that give them a voice and I'm passionate about creating a sense of community. Where possible we source the bulk of our food menu through local producers and our wine list has a heavy focus on small Great Southern producers. We will never use produce that is not in season, therefore our menu changes regularly according to seasonal influences."

Take a look at Amy’s mouth-wateringly good recipe for truffle honey fried chicken this week!

To read more about Liberté, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

Amy Hamilton, head chef & owner of Liberté (Albany, Western Australia)

Amy Hamilton, chef and owner of Western Australian restaurant Liberté, shares her delicious fried chicken recipe – the perfect way to enjoy truffles all year round.

Amy Hamilton’s truffle honey fried chicken

Serves 3-6 depending on appetite

Truffle honey ingredients:

• 2 tsp fresh black truffle scraps
• 500 ml honey

Method: Finely mince the truffle and add to the honey.

Store truffle honey in the fridge. Be aware that the truffle will start to lose its pungent aroma after the first week, so store any leftover truffle honey in the freezer to preserve its aroma.

Truffle honey fried chicken:

• 2 l peanut-blend oil for frying
• 1 kg free range chicken wings
• 150 g cornflour
• 150 ml water
• 15 g cooking salt
• 15 g caster sugar
• 60 ml truffle honey
• 60 ml butter at room temperature
• 60 ml black rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• 30 ml Sriracha sauce (or more for a hotter flavour)

Method: Combine the truffle honey, butter, black vinegar, sea salt and Sriracha in a small saucepan and bring the glaze to the boil. Boil for one to two minutes to emulsify the ingredients.

Heat oil to 180°C in a deep saucepan or deep fryer.

In a bowl, mix the cornflour, water, salt and caster sugar to make a batter.

Coat the chicken pieces in the batter and drop into the oil one by one. Fry the chicken for five minutes in two to three lots, depending on the size of the pan or deep fryer. Do not overcrowd as it will bring the temperature down.

With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken onto a wire rack to drain while you finish frying the rest of the chicken.

Once all of the chicken is cooked, place the wings in a bowl and add the glaze a few spoonfuls at a time, until the wings are evenly coated and glossy – not soggy. You may not need all of the glaze.

Dish up with any type of pickle that you fancy along with your favourite beer.

Chef Amy Hamilton

French Broad Chocolates

• WHO: Jael & Dan Rattigan, co-creators
• WHAT: We make awesome chocolate, crafted with love & served with gratitude
• WHERE: 10 South Pack Square, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

“We are so blessed to be a part of a community as beautiful and engaged as Asheville. The people of our community have come to expect generosity and participation from French Broad Chocolate and we are honoured to play a role as a community leader. In addition to providing in-kind donations for fundraisers and events benefiting our local non-profits, we also raise money for these organizations through our bumper sticker program, and organize volunteer opportunities with our employees and customers. Our annual French Broad River Clean-up ends with a sweet ice cream party as a token of our gratitude to our participants for taking care of our namesake ancient waterway. We also provide meals for five hundred people, alongside many others in our community of local restaurants, as a part of Downtown Welcome Table (DWT), an initiative to serve hot meals to anyone, with dignity and respect. DWT has now created a soup kitchen line, but rather a sit down restaurant environment with restaurant quality food, served by volunteers."

News:

"We have recently opened a new chocolate factory and café in Asheville. The 14,000 square foot space offers a gift shop; chocolate museum; café complete with French Broad's award-winning bonbons, bars, and desserts; tours and education; and, of course, a space for chocolate production.

"That's not all! We have also opened Cookies & Creamery in a revamped former factory space in downtown Asheville. The creamery highlights our beautifully made ice creams, cookies, brownies, and comfort desserts along with the integrity of the ingredients used."

Don't miss Jael's delectable dark chocolate brownie recipe included this week!

To read more about French Broad Chocolates, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

MSA

• WHO: Mehmet Aksel, founder & Cem Erol, head chef
• WHAT: Museum restaurant & practice kitchen for students serving eclectic cuisine
• WHERE: MSA’nın Restoranı, Sakip Sabanci Museum, Emirgan Mahallesi, Sakip Sabanci Caddesi, No 42, 34467 Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey

“Restaurant staff and students participate in off-campus community projects locally and abroad. During Expo Milan in 2015, MSA worked in the Refettorio Milan Project, which is Chef Massimo Bottura’s global initiative for reducing food waste. The team prepared and served dinner to over one hundred homeless people in the community, using leftover food from the expo pavilions. Bread was the main leftover product used, and the MSA team prepared köfte, a traditional Turkish meatball recipe using this bread, along with a local dessert. The effort was recognized in the project’s book published by Phaidon last year; Bread is Gold.

“Recently, the MSA team catered for more than sixty disabled children at their community housing. We are a strategic partner for the YEDI Conference which is an İstanbul-based, international food conference aimed to bring together chefs, producers, influencers and journalists around powerful discussions on food and beyond. Awareness, thought provocation, inspiration, influence and initiation are YEDİ’s founding elements. Every year at YEDİ MSA and MSA’s Restaurant coordinates and delivers breakfast, lunch and dinner to over three hundred and fifty guests prepared with leftover food and served for free.”

Check out Head Chef Cem Erol's TL&CC Q&A this week!

To read more about MSA, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

MSA (Istanbul, Turkey)

Nightbird

• WHO: Kim Alter, chef/owner & Ron Boyd, manager/owner
• WHAT: An intimate tasting menu restaurant in the heart of Hayes Valley
• WHERE: 330 Gough Street, San Francisco, California, USA

“Our main goal is to grow as a team and a restaurant every day. If we are not then we are failing. So every day I’m looking for a new technique to teach my staff or for a new group to support.

“I couldn't list all of the farmers, butchers, foragers I use, but I consider them all friends and we have strong bond. I learn something new from them every day at the market – whether it is Aommboon teaching me about how her family planted the cherry trees or Joe from Dirty Girl talking about tomatoes, Kenny from 2byC explaining the freezing process and dipping salmon in a candy wax to preserve the flesh. Each person that I have the honour of talking to on a daily basis inspires me to treat the products that they have dedicated their lives to making as perfect as possible, with the same respect and care. I would be lost without these people guiding me."

To read more about Nightbird, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

Nightbird (San Francisco, California, USA)

Greasy Zoe’s

• WHO: Zoe Birch, owner/chef
• WHAT: A tiny handmade restaurant with a DIY ethos
• WHERE: 3/850 Heidelberg-Kinglake Road, Hurstbridge, Victoria, Australia

“Most of our products at Greasy Zoe’s are sourced from small, local, organic and biodynamic farmers from The Nillumbik and sustainable producers of Victoria. We have a daily changing set menu which utilizes this local produce – taking seasonality and locality to a whole new level and making each person’s experience unique.

“We work with a local group in Hurstbridge that make Boomerang bags. A group of ladies get together every week and sew reusable bags that are then donated to shops in the town and then given out to customers to use and circulate throughout the area to avoid the use of plastic Hurstbridge is one of the first towns in Victoria to go plastic-bag free.

“We support many initiatives with in our community including charity events, not-for profit and schools. We are hoping to become involved with food education classes at one of our local schools. Educating kids early about the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables, where our produce comes from and the individual impact we can have on the environment by reducing food waste and choosing ethically-sourced meats.”

To read more about Greasy Zoe’s, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

Greasy Zoe's (Hurstbridge, Victoria, Australia)

El Siboney

• WHO: Julio De la Cruz, owner
• WHAT: Home-style Cuban cuisine, made from scratch
• WHERE: 900 Catherine Street, Key West, Monroe, Florida, USA

“El Siboney is owned and operated by the de la Cruz family along with many of the same employees that have helped make it the popular destination that is. We are proud of the recognition that our restaurant has received including Key West's Best Cuban Restaurant every year since 1993. But most of all, we are proud that so many locals and visitors have had a rewarding experience at our restaurant.

“Our off-the-beaten-path location ensures that our customers consist primarily of local residents and customers in-the-know. We are committed to upholding our reputation as a top restaurant in our community for authentic Cuban food, paella, and local seafood.”

To read more about El Siboney, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

El Siboney (Key West, Monroe, Florida, USA)

Franzina Trattoria

• WHO: Pietro Franz, chef, & Stefi Taormina, co-owner
• WHAT: Sicilian trattoria
• WHERE: 395 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, London, UK

“We are firm believers in ‘growing with our neighbours’, so we hire and source as near to the restaurant as we can. By getting to know our local suppliers in Brixton Market we have been able to find great ingredients but when unavoidable, we import produce from Sicily, direct from producers that we have personally met and whose produce we have checked.

“Ever since opening in 2017 we have opened our restaurant and kitchen for monthly pasta-making community events which are attended by young and old, able and disabled from around our neighbourhood. We also hope to bring a tortellini-making project pioneered in Modena, Tortellante to London. This is an educational workshop born to teach disadvantaged children how to make tortellini and tagliatelle and teaches how to deal with disability in a positive way, improving the future of these kids and our own future too.”

To read more about Franzina Trattoria, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

Franzina Trattoria (Brixton, London, UK)

Foothills Butcher Bar

• WHO: Casey McKissick, owner
• WHAT: Restaurant, bar & butcher shop
• WHERE: 697 Haywood Road, Unit E, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

“We work closely with our community by providing space for fundraisers, benefits and other community events. Foothills also donates to specific community non-profits each year. Our restaurants are welcoming and accessible environments for everyone regardless of race, gender identity, sexual identity, ability or religion. We also practice social responsibility, making sure we source from companies and vendors who are making a positive impact, and we empower women in every position within the organization.

“Our meat is all sourced from local farms and we create all of our deli-meat products in-house in our butcher shop. Produce is sourced from local farms whenever available, and we use local ingredients for the remainder of our menu items.”

Butcher’s Table Dinner Series: "Foothills kicks off their acclaimed Butcher's Table dinner series in October. These intimate dinners celebrate local, pasture-raised, sustainable meats and fresh, seasonal ingredients with a locally-sourced menu changing each week.

"Next month, we’re kicking off the series with guest chef Kyle Lee McKnight. Kyle’s career includes stints in Europe, Charleston, Miami, St. John, and Argentina. He’s cooked with acclaimed New York restaurateur Tom Colicchio, legendary Charleston Chefs Frank Lee and Phil Corr." Learn more and book your table here.

To read more about Foothills Butcher Bar, visit their Truth, Love & Clean Cutlery profile here.

Foothills Butcher Bar (Asheville, North Carolina, USA)

Dark chocolate brownies

By Jael Rattigan, French Broad Chocolates

Our dark chocolate brownies have a dense, moist crumb and a crispy crust. We’ve used our single origin Nicaragua cacao in this recipe, which lends a classic dark chocolate flavour profile to these sure-to-be-loved treats.

Ingredients:

• 5 oz all-purpose flour (1 cup)
• 4 oz cocoa powder (1 1/3 cup)
• 12 oz unsalted butter (3 sticks)
• 6 oz 68-72% dark chocolate (1 cup chopped)
• 16 oz sugar (2 1/4 cups)
• 2 oz brown sugar (1/4 cup)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 6 large eggs
• 2 tsp kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Line 9x13 aluminum pan with aluminum foil. Grease lightly.

Combine cocoa powder and flour together, then sift.

In 2 qt saucepan on medium heat, brown the butter to a golden tan. Stir with a rubber spatula to avoid burning. Scrape any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.

Add the chocolate to the butter and stir until smooth. Set aside.

In a stand mixer bowl, add sugars, vanilla, eggs and salt.

Mix on medium-high for 7 minutes, using whisk attachment. The mixture should be quite fluffy.

Reduce speed to low and slowly add melted chocolate/butter mixture.

Mix in flour/cocoa mixture on low speed.

Fold with rubber spatula to ensure it's well incorporated.

Pour into a lined pan and spread evenly with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick in the edges comes up mostly dry and centre is still a bit gooey. (The centre will be 210°F, or 100°C, if you have a thermometer).

Cool, cut, and enjoy!

Jael Rattigan, French Broad Chocolates