Soup Herb Comforts Customers and Restaurant Pros - Santa Barbara Independent

herb.indah.link

When the pandemic hit, bouchon server Lucas Bird, like many food industry professionals, faced the emotional and financial challenges of months without work. Bird’s girlfriend, Grace Slansky, who works at the Wildcat Lounge, suggested starting a pop-up out of Little Kitchen next door when the restaurant is closed on Mondays. 

When the couple realized that some of their favorite quarantine meals were, unsurprisingly, comfort food — specifically soups and sandwiches — Soup Herb was born. Slansky stepped in to help with marketing, and Bird’s restaurant industry friends David Fainberg and Vicken Tavitian jumped into the kitchen.

“I couldn’t ask for a better team,” Bird said. “What started as a group of out-of-work food service workers has grown into an opportunity to lift up other people in the industry and give our friends an outlet to cook and make a little cash.”

---

Get the top stories in your inbox by signing up for our daily newsletter, Indy Today.

---

Every other week, they come out with a new menu, featuring several selections of creative soups and sides, advertised primarily through Instagram. Customers pre-order through direct message and come by on Mondays to pick up their meals. 

I sampled a decadent cream of broccoli soup, topped with bacon and served with cheddar grilled cheese “dippers.” These clever accompaniments round out the soup for a full meal, and past pairings have included roasted red pepper quesadillas with chicken tortilla soup, goat cheese egg rolls with carrot ginger soup, and mozzarella-filled pizza sticks with tomato soup. I also enjoyed the Lebanese-style red lentil soup with bulgur wheat and wild rice, a hearty vegan soup that tantalized with bright flavors and worked well with the house-made pita chips.

“One of the things I’m most proud of is that we’ve been able to incorporate flavors from so many different cultures, and that definitely drives our menu,” said Bird, who strives to use fresh produce and support small businesses such as Shalhoob’s, European Deli Market, and Indo-China Market.

Bird has worked in the kitchen of Petit Valentin and Elements, for catering companies, and as a private chef. When he speaks of his time at bouchon, his eyes light up with palpable passion. 

“This is really a business born out of necessity for the restaurant industry,” explained Bird. “We pride ourselves on camaraderie. At the end of the day, we just want to bring people together over comfort food.”

Order Soup Herb via Instagram at @soupherbsb

---

Every day, the staff of the Santa Barbara Independent works hard to sort out truth from rumor and keep you informed of what’s happening across the entire Santa Barbara community. Now there’s a way to directly enable these efforts. Support the Independent by making a direct contribution or with a subscription to Indy+.

The Link Lonk


March 31, 2021 at 11:10PM
https://ift.tt/3sSx4wl

Soup Herb Comforts Customers and Restaurant Pros - Santa Barbara Independent

https://ift.tt/3eCf9lu
Herb

Mr. Food: Herb Crusted Lamb with Mint Sauce - KoamNewsNow.com

herb.indah.link

March 31, 2021 1:11 PM

Site staff

Posted: March 31, 2021 1:11 PM

What You’ll Need

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, divided, stems removed and chopped
• 2 racks of lamb (about 2-1/2 pounds)
• 1 cup mint jelly
• 1/2 cup red wine

What to Do

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, combine oil, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and 2 rosemary sprigs; mix well. Rub mixture evenly over lamb and place on baking sheet. Roast lamb 45 minutes for medium-rare or until desired doneness.
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, combine jelly, wine, and remaining rosemary sprigs, and cook 6 to 8 minutes or until jelly is melted and mixture is slightly thickened. Slice lamb chops and serve with mint sauce.

The Link Lonk


April 01, 2021 at 01:18AM
https://ift.tt/2QQmEil

Mr. Food: Herb Crusted Lamb with Mint Sauce - KoamNewsNow.com

https://ift.tt/3eCf9lu
Herb

This herb garden was designed with smart monitoring tech & fits inside your kitchen cabinet to save space! - Yanko Design

herb.indah.link

We have all killed a plant or two let’s just admit it. Gardening isn’t for everyone but it is sure nice to have fresh herbs to add to your meals. Imagine making a bomb pizza and realizing you don’t have basil (gasps!). To avoid such catastrophes even those of us without green thumbs do our best to keep herbs in our kitchen. The only drawback is that having five small pots takes up a lot of counter space and also can attract bugs. Leaving herbs out on the window is not an option because they won’t survive extreme weather and maybe birds will get to it before you do. But this herb garden design takes care of all these minor inconveniences while making sure your plants thrive!

The design lets you have access to fresh greenery 365 days a year without sacrificing any counter space or causing a mess. It is compact and works wonderfully for small urban apartments or big suburban houses. What makes this herb garden unique its compactness because it makes it invisible in your kitchen space. Designer Igor Abakumov drew inspiration from his own life experience for this. “My mom is a real culinary virtuoso and she often complains about the lack of specific greens in the store. And then I got the idea to design a home garden that will be built into the kitchen and will delight with greenery all year round,” he explains.

Simply named Home Garden, this nifty design is basically a herb drawer that is built into the kitchen. It comes with an integrated smart system that monitors the moisture and temperature of plants, as well as their freshness and readiness for use. It is 2021, so of course, all of this can be adjusted directly from your phone. Home Garden is one of the entries for the James Dyson Awards 2021.

Designer: Igor Abakumov

The Link Lonk


April 01, 2021 at 12:46AM
https://ift.tt/3ubAb2m

This herb garden was designed with smart monitoring tech & fits inside your kitchen cabinet to save space! - Yanko Design

https://ift.tt/3eCf9lu
Herb

Morning 5: Herb Alpert turns 86 years old - Waterbury Republican American

herb.indah.link

Musician Herb Alpert, who led Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass in the 1960s and co-founded A&M Records with Jerry Moss, turns 86 years old today. Here are five facts about Alpert:

1) While attending the University of Southern California in the 1950s, he was a member of the USC Trojan Marching Band for two years.

2) Later that decade, Alpert teamed up with Rob Weerts as songwriters for Keen Records. A number of songs written or co-written by Alpert during became Top 20 hits, including “Baby Talk” by Jan and Dean and “Wonderful World” by Sam Cooke.

3) Winner of nine Grammy Awards, he has sold 72 million records worldwide, achieving sales of 14 platinum albums and 15 gold albums.

4) Alpert is the only musician to hit No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 pop chart as both a vocalist (“This Guy’s in Love with You,” 1968) and an instrumentalist (“Rise,” 1979).

5) He has a second career as an abstract expressionist painter and sculptor with group and solo exhibitions around the United States and Europe.

Source: Wikipedia

Related

The Link Lonk


March 31, 2021 at 05:22AM
https://ift.tt/3whbhAs

Morning 5: Herb Alpert turns 86 years old - Waterbury Republican American

https://ift.tt/3eCf9lu
Herb

Ready For A New Hobby? Our Complete Guide To Herb Gardening Is Here - mindbodygreen.com

herb.indah.link

According to Greg Pongetti, the Living Collections curator at the California State University Fullerton Arboretum, herbs need rich, well-draining soil in order to grow well. "Herbs do not like their roots to be constantly wet, so if your soil drains poorly, they are likely to die," he says.

You can test your outdoor soil drainage by digging a hole about 1-foot deep and 1-foot across. Fill the hole with water, wait 12 hours, and then fill it with water again. This time around, set a timer and see how long it takes for the soil to absorb the water.

Well-draining soil should soak it up in under two to three hours. If yours doesn't drain quickly, you might want to bring some bagged soil into your garden that's specifically for herbs and vegetables.

If you're growing directly in your garden's own soil, Pongetti adds that it's a good idea to "amend" the soil by mixing in 1 to 2 inches of compost into its top layer before planting to help ensure your herbs will thrive.

If you don't have a spacious yard or patio and are limited to a porch or balcony, you may prefer to plant your herb garden in pots. This is also a better choice if your garden area doesn't receive sufficient sunlight.

"Use a high-quality potting mix to fill your containers," recommends Enfield.

Most herbs can grow in a limited space, making it easy to experiment and have a variety of herbs within reach. "An 18-inch container has enough growing space for around five herbs, and a 14-inch container will successfully hold about three plants," says Enfield.

The Link Lonk


March 31, 2021 at 03:04AM
https://ift.tt/2PjyXU5

Ready For A New Hobby? Our Complete Guide To Herb Gardening Is Here - mindbodygreen.com

https://ift.tt/3eCf9lu
Herb

Casey O'Neill: Thoughts on spring, community & how the Mendo Herb Guild ties them together (column) - The Mendocino Voice

herb.indah.link

The following is an op-ed from semi-regular columnist Casey O’Neill. O’Neill is the owner operator of HappyDay Farms north of Laytonville, and a long time advocate for the cannabis community in Mendocino Co. The opinions expressed in this column are those of the writer. If you would like to submit a letter to the editor feel free to write to info@mendovoice.com.

BELL SPRINGS, 3/28/21 — Spring arrives, though winter has not given up as evidenced by the hard freezes of the past couple mornings. This is the time of year when we love the warmth of the afternoon sun, but struggle with the cold dawn. Breath is as smoke in the morning, and I break the ice on the water dishes as I feed the animals.

We may soon see baby rabbits. One of the does that we bred last month has begun pulling out hair to make a nest for her kits. The cycles continue — new beings are born and others exit this life. This week we’ll slaughter one of the three pigs we’ve kept over the winter, bringing nourishment and sustenance into our households for the season to come.

As the days tick off the calendar we move through the motions that bring the farm to life, prepping, sowing and transplanting crops into the space in which they will live their lives. Beginning, growth, harvest and consumption is the cycle of the farm and of the community that supports it. We are glad to exist in a shared journey of mutual support, anchored in the land that offers so much unto us. 

I had the opportunity to vend at the spring market that was put on by the Mendocino Herb Guild to mark the equinox. It was a deep joy to see so many faces and to exchange love and energy in the sharing of interaction.  We are community, drawing back together after long absence caused by pandemic. 

Throughout history humans have survived plagues and diseases, and though caution is still appropriate and masks are still needed, it feels like there is light at the end of the tunnel. Seeing everyone made me reflect on how important interaction is for our health and well-being as humans, a fundamental cornerstone of life. 

Read more local news:

We are social creatures, defined as much by the relationships we form in life, as we are by genetic makeup. When we gather as community, the sum is greater than the parts, an expression of human solidarity and togetherness. We form groups based in shared interest, holding space for mutual learning and connection. 

I appreciate the Herb Guild for fostering a sense of connectedness around land, plants and community.  We humans have always been sustained and succored by plants, yet the industrial paradigm strips us of knowledge and gratitude by severing this connection. We learn in sharing, from elder to youth as the teachings are passed on, and this is the joy of responsibility.   

Humans have always gathered in celebration and counsel, working together in shared effort to survive and thrive. The past year of distancing and fear have been so difficult, yet reflection on this has often been elusive as we’ve placed one foot in front of the other. We’ve known we were missing parts of life that matter to us, but the feeling is brought into sharp relief by the contrast of gathering again. 

Perhaps more than any point during the pandemic, I feel the importance of seeing people and participating in shared activities. I value the opportunity to market our goods and connect with people, more so now because it’s been so long since we’ve seen each other.  

I value the structure that markets offer, a baseline for conversation and connection that fosters a rotational set of interactions. I get to see and interact with so many people, anchored in my identity as a farmer. I think about how my sense of self as a farmer is fundamental to my reality and the way I relate to others.  

To farm is to serve as a conduit between land and community, fostering life that transitions into sustenance to foster life for others. This deep responsibility is a calling, a ministry that guides the actions we take. Like breathing, this relationship is often in the background, taken for granted in the routine of life. I try to focus on my breath and hold space for reflection, bringing into gratitude that which I might take for granted.   

Read more local health news:

I look forward to the season to come, to the warmth that will grow as the days lengthen, and to the cool breezes that caress the skin on hot afternoons. I look to the cycles of birth and growth, to death and decay.  The sharing and exchange of nourishment and energy moves me through the journey and I try to be conscious of that which I bring to interaction. I give love and am loved in return, sharing joy and difficulty alike on the path of life.

As always, much love and great success to you on your journey!

---

The preceding article was an opinion column, or letter to the editor, and the opinions expressed therein are the author’s not necessarily those of The Mendocino Voice. It was not necessarily edited for punctuation, capitalization, spelling etc. While, we reserve the right to copyedit and fact-check opinion pieces, and letters to the editor — and to annotate such pieces with fact-checking — we do not habitually do so.

The Link Lonk


March 30, 2021 at 04:04AM
https://ift.tt/39sgtYf

Casey O'Neill: Thoughts on spring, community & how the Mendo Herb Guild ties them together (column) - The Mendocino Voice

https://ift.tt/3eCf9lu
Herb