Naturally Nosey #5

This installment of Naturally Nosey comes to us from the great state of Minnesota. Meghan Lafferty, a chemistry librarian at the University of Minnesota, is quite the little home spun chef. Molecular gastronomy anyone? She was kind enough to submit this recipe from the Vegetarian Times...and it is vegan!!!

CHIVE AND WALNUT "CHEESE" BITES
Makes 28 bites - Vegan - 30 minutes or fewer

The VT staffers couldn't get enough of these bite-size appetizers—and
couldn't believe they were made with tofu cream cheese. (Fresh chives mask the soy flavor.)

1 1/2 cups walnuts, divided
16 oz. tofu cream cheese
1 cup fi nely chopped chives, (4 bunches), divided
1/2 small shallot, minced (1 Tbs.)
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread walnuts on baking sheet, and bake
8 to 10 minutes, or until fragrant. Cool, and grind finely in food
processor.
2. Stir together cream cheese, 3 Tbs. chives, shallot, smoked
paprika, and 3 Tbs. walnuts until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Scoop mixture into 2 tsp.-size balls. Roll half in remaining chopped
chives and half in remaining walnuts. Serve immediately.

Much Ado 'Bout Picchu

Welcome to Much Ado 'Bout Picchu! A new reader participation segment to the rarely (if ever) updated Chive Talk, inspired by my friend Nick's sojourn to Machu Picchu a couple of years ago. Prior to Nick's trip, we settled in for a night of Brooklyn Pilsners with our friend David and Much Ado 'Bout Picchu was born. As a testament to Nick's penchant for travel, Much Ado 'Bout Picchu will highlight culinary delights experienced 'on the road.'

Please feel free to submit your tales of eating and drinking while traveling. Chives do not have to be an ingredient to be included in the blog, but it certainly wouldn't hurt. Food sustains us, food is political, food is inspiring and most of all, food is fun! Hop to it!

Naturally Nosey #4

My pal Elizabeth Zeeuw from Montreal passed on this beauty from "The Onion."

Desperate Chives Marketing Board Launches 'Big Bowl O' Chives In The Mornin' Campain

May 28, 2008Issue 44.22

NEW YORK—In response to flagging sales and plummeting prices, the American Chives Council launched a last-ditch advertising campaign Monday urging consumers to increase their daily chive intake by 12,000 percent. "There's nothing like a hearty, fragrant helping of chives to jump-start your day," celebrity spokeswoman Jessica Alba says in one of the new "Big Bowl o' Chives in the Mornin'" commercials, which feature the actress smiling broadly with chives stuck in her teeth. "But that doesn't mean eating a big bowl of chives is just for breakfast. The American Chives Council recommends three heaping servings a day. The bigger the better. Get some chives in ya!" Despite the push, analysts predict that the chive industry will continue to struggle, citing the ongoing repercussions of the ACC's ill-fated 2005 split with the American Sour Cream Association.

I Never Promised You A Chive Garden...

But, perhaps a few potted chive realities will suffice, gentle reader. There are a couple new installments of Naturally Nosey on the way! I'll post one today and another in a few days. Stay tuned and keep the submissions coming!

Time Keeps On Slipping Into The Future

Friends,

I haven't posted a damn thing since December 2007 and I feel pretty bad about that. Life has been busy--I know you are busy too-- and I am well aware that "busy" isn't an excuse. Please, rest assured that Chive Talk is alive! To quote my friend David, "Chive Talk is like a bird singing in my ribs."

My dear friend, Jodi Rhoden, has been kicking some serious ass on her blog My Life In Cake! She has inspired me to write to my heart's content about chives and the world beyond. I make no promises, chive lovers, but I hope to be a little more dedicated to this blog in the future.

All the love,
Chive Talk

Nature's Majesty

In this peaceful video, a white moth and several bees chow down on some beautiful looking garlic chives. It reminds me that I should get out to enjoy nature's majesty more often.

Naturally Nosey #3

Look what the classy Aimee Shiwal found while cleaning out her recipe book!


I like that they suggest that one not overlook chive flowers.

To Your Health

We all know the culinary use of chives, but very seldom do we talk about the medicinal use of chives. Did you know that chives contain the following: Essential oils, vitamin A, vitamin C, thiamine, niacin, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, allicin, alliin, and trace diosgenin? Neither did I!

This wonder herb has been know to treat bloating, chest pain, angina, heart disease, upper back pain, buttock pain (hmmmm), dyspnea (???), and finally coughing. The next time I'm keeping my girlfriend awake with my incessant coughing I'm heading to the herb garden...screw the medicine cabinet.

It doesn't stop there folks. Chives may also aid in the veterinary care of your livestock. For instance, did you know that if your cow is constipated, a mixture of chives and bran mash will gently cleanse its stomachs?! For real!

For more information about what chives can mean for your health, point your browser to Earth Notes.

Naturally Nosey #2

My good friend, Los Angeles based artist, C. Michael Frey, submitted the following for our enjoyment. I think the fellow in this video proves once again that it doesn't pay to drink and chive!

It's Only Natural

Tiki Chris is featuring a Halloween Skull Mask Project for his 31 Days of Halloween Madness. I submitted this piece. It's composed of chives, fennel, radishes, and corn.

Gordon Ramsey says 'You Can't Cook!!!'

Without chives, that is. Chef Gordon Ramsey demonstrates how to make the perfect batch of scrambled eggs. Pay close attention at the end when Chef Ramsey adds the chives. His words pretty much sum up the chive power punch:

"And we're gonna put a little touch of chives in there. And what that does...it just lifts the whole flavor of the scrambled egg, and just makes it a little more sexy. " "...I like putting chives in there."

So do I, Chef Ramsey. So do I.

Naturally Nosey #1

Welcome to the first installment of Naturally Nosey. My devilish friend, Tiki Chris, submitted this excellent recipe for Deviled Eggs. Chris, a native of Chickamauga, Georgia, is always on the hunt for new and interesting things to do with chives and I attribute this to his southern roots. Now living in London, Chris can often be found wandering the city streets exploring the world of English chives. His insatiable curiosity is what makes Chris Naturally Nosey!

Someone Stole My Chives

A terrifying tale of chive thievery.

One for the arCHIVE

Upon hearing that Yum Yum, a Chinese, Malaysian, and Thai “fusion” take away near King’s Cross offered a starter and main lunch combo for a mere £4.20, Londonist got the yen for some fried rice.

Our friend Tiki Chris wrote a very intriguing restaurant review for Londonist last month and he took this photo of their fried rice accented with a sprinkling of chives. Chris has certainly captured the razzle and the dazzle in the chive essence. Thank you Tiki Chris!!!

Photo by Tiki Chris © 2007

Naturally Nosey

Hello chive lovers! It's time for reader participation. I am starting a series of posts titled 'Naturally Nosey,' which will essentially be a rumor mill. Just kidding! Although if you know or want to start a rumor about a fellow chive lover or create an urban myth about chives, then this is your chance. 'Naturally Nosey' will be a place for you to share your chive stories with the world.

Email me at chivetalk@gmail.com with rumors, curiosities, or a good yarn regarding chives and I'll post it to the blog along with your name, telephone number and address (j/k!). This isn't a popularity contest, but the person who submits the best entry will get a special shout out and a crown. Oh, and this will by no means be a regularly scheduled post as I know the 10 of you who read this blog are very busy people.

Chicago and Chives

This evening, I am headed to the Windy City for a weekend of relaxation and culinary experimentation. In my pre-trip research, I discovered that Chicago and chives share much more than just 3 letters. Back in May, the Chicago Botanic Garden put the spotlight on chives with their recipe of the month...Chive Tartines with Smoked Salmon!

Fresh Spring Chives

A rather intense exploration of fresh spring chives.

These Are The Days Of Our Chives

Take Pride in Chives

"The first thing I ask new cooks to do is cut chives, to see if it’s something they take pride in," says Jason Knibb of Nine-Ten in La Jolla, California.

The above quote comes from an article in Food & Wine. It just goes to prove that when you take pride in your chives, you take pride in yourself.

New Beginnings

Wow! Time has totally gotten away from me and I've completely neglected Chive Talk as a result. Sorry! We are knee deep in summer and it's time for an update. Nick has moved on to unlock history's great mysteries at Lapham's Quarterly, which debuts fall 2007. Bye Nick, you'll always be in our hearts.

Not much new on my end, but I did have a summer chock full of chives. I will report back soon with tales of Germany, beer, lunch, dinner, and friends.