This past Friday, Maggie and I celebrated our 10th anniversary. Given the restriction of eating locally, both of us had our minds set on a delicious, home-cooked meal, which we’d prepare and enjoy as a family, as we have since starting 100 Mile Harvest. As the week went on, we gauged the ingredients in our refrigerator, knowing that our options were more limited with each passing day, but that was alright. We could still count on a trio of steaks, salad ingredients, and of course, the bottle of champagne that had survived the arrival of the New Year, standing triumphantly on the last shelf.
On Thursday morning, I drove to a meeting, my mind registering all the restaurants that lined the highway. As I passed each chain food establishment, I imagined the supplier infrastructure that supported it – from huge conventional farms and animal feed lots, to the ubiquitous Sysco trucks that are nothing less than the life-line for those eateries. I passed local, non-chain restaurants and realized they were probably no different; the unique ethnic restaurants whizzing by were likely supplied by industrial giants, even when the fare they produce seems to deserve something more exotic. A homemade meal would be a beautiful thing indeed.
Then my thoughts were broken by a sudden recollection. A couple of years ago, we had heard some great things about t’afia restaurant, located near downtown Houston. I didn’t know much about t’afia, except that owner/chef Monica Pope had been named a 2007 James Beard Award Nominee (Best Chef/Southwest), and that she was a proponent of local food. Monica even started the Midtown Farmers’ Market at t’afia as a way of creating opportunity and visibility for local farmers, some of whom supply the restaurant with the local raw ingredients that go into each meal.
I realized I had to call t’afia. I was fairly certain that once I asked how local their menu was, I’d learn that the truly local items were few and far between. Or that business imperatives like predictability, profit margins (or even customer expectations) would dictate a compromise that we weren’t willing to make.
I talked to the hostess, telling her about our 100 mile diet, and expected a quick and polite, “Sorry.” However, she quickly answered that the restaurant offers a five-course local tasting menu. How local? She offered to check for me. A short pause later, I was speaking to Tino, who calculated that 80-90% of the day’s menu would be from within 100 miles. However, since we were considering going the next day, he offered to have Chef Monica call me that afternoon.
I hadn’t expected to get this far, much less to receive a call from an internationally recognized chef.
A couple of hours later, Chef Monica called me. Tino had already explained our situation to her, and she invited us to come in. She would spend some time Friday morning locating ingredients and would accommodate our 100 mile diet by improvising the local tasting menu. I made a reservation for the three of us.
All Things Local
On Friday, we were all more than a little excited. It was more than just having an evening out together and escaping kitchen duties. We also knew that with a tasting menu, we’d be at the mercy of the chef, and that each course would produce a new taste experience. We arrived at t’afia and were led to our table. Samantha brought menus for our reference, but let us know that Chef Monica was going to be preparing our meal a little differently.
From the first course to the last, we were delighted by the innovative flavors and textures. The three of us received different dishes at each course, offering an opportunity to taste a wide range of items. An inspired potato-leek soup had Katerina glowing through each creamy spoonful. The Texas cross quail was delicately seasoned and roasted to perfection. A dish of cremini mushrooms lept off the plate as we discovered their savory taste. Glazed red potatoes seduced us with a balanced sweetness that lingered for just a moment before giving way to the smokiness of bacon. And finally, a muscadine grape gelato delivered a sweet and tangy conclusion. Every dish had us returning to the menu that had been left on our table, to figure out what made it tick. We smiled when we saw that some menu items carry the name of the producers who supply key ingredients: “pure luck del cielo” and “jolie vue pork,” for example.
Just as we had learned in our own kitchen, Chef Monica was demonstrating day in and day out that even a restaurant can thrive when relying exclusively on seasonal, local ingredients. Moments after the last course arrived at our table, she stopped by to visit with us.
As we were leaving, she offered to show us the kitchen. We stepped through the doors into a space that, to our untrained eyes, seemed almost too small to produce the diverse menu we had just experienced. But it seemed perfect. After all, it was a reminder of just how much a chef can accomplish even when the ingredients are “limited” to those from a small area, closest to home.
It takes passion and confidence to commit to what the local growing season offers. And in that commitment, a pioneering mindset and knack for innovation are required. But Chef Monica has rightfully earned that distinction. T’afia’s slogan, articulated so succinctly, is “Eat Where Your Food LivesTM.” Yes, it’s a calling to those of us who have become conscious of our food and its resulting impact on the environment. But for anyone, it’s also just an invitation to enjoy a great meal.
And for those keeping score, our bottle of champagne is still intact, waiting for another celebration…
