Photo Credit: Alison Picard
I am pretty blessed to have some extraordinary men in my life and one of them happens to be my butcher. Don’t laugh, if you are a meat eater who cares the slightest bit about where your meat comes from one of the best ways to get to the source is to find and befriend a great butcher. Not to mention that butchery is one of those old school careers that has made a serious comeback and garnished some much needed attention. My butcher’s name is Joe, he’s a stocky, slick talking Italian guy who gets all of his meat from two farms that are less than 45 minutes away from his shop. Yes he’s a little pricier than my local supermarket but he will get me anything I need and at a moment’s notice and its always the best quality. He knows what my family likes and even when our money’s tight he gets me the best bang for my buck. If I’m up against a recipe testing deadline and there’s something I just know the supermarket won’t have all I have to do is call Joe, he is a Food Writer’s best friend. But the gentleman in the photo above is not Joe. No that blow torch wielding impresario would be Berlin Reed, “The Ethical Butcher”. Berlin is the Chef, Butcher and Writer for The Ethical Butcher, The Butcher’s Guild, and 718 Farm + Table. He currently calls Brooklyn home and in addition to all of his cleaver slinging activities he’s working on his first book and film project. Berlin grew up in Seattle where he was once a vegetarian and trained as an EMT Medic, he fell into his profession quite accidentally. He went to a local shop and applied for a one particular job but instead found himself donning the signature white butchers coat and falling head over heels in love with the craft. His business ventures have been driven by personal relationships with small local farmers, a deep love of food and the utmost respect for the animals we eat and the environment on which we depend. But let’s hear from the man himself…
TBTB: What is your first great Food Memory?
Berlin: My first great food memory…Well, I was mostly raised by my German grandmother, who moved to the states in the late 50′s after marrying a GI after WWII. My “Oma” (German for Grandma), goes to a German bakery/grocery once a week for her staples and has done so for decades. When I was younger, she used to meet a group of German ladies there on the weekends for coffee, cake and catching up. I loved to go with her. Sitting in that cafe, with murals of the German countryside, and surrounded by the chatter of her mother tongue. I was enthralled and every sense was engaged. The shop is lined with cases of cakes, tortes and strudel that tempt the eye, and getting to choose which cake I’d eat that day was my favorite part, naturally. That, and getting to drink coffee out of my very own fancy porcelain cup! Germans start their kids early on coffee- I’ve been drinking it since before I can remember. My brother and I would both get a small amount of coffee with lots of milk and sugar on most mornings, but when I accompanied her on these coffee clatches, the waitress filled my cup and I got to dress it up myself. An “old soul” as they say, I always appreciated any gesture that made me feel more “adult”. I took my time lightening my coffee, dragging my spoon back and forth slowly through the liquid before gingerly placing it on the table next to the cup, just like my Oma. The way that room filled with people every weekend, people who were coming to get a little taste of home- that was where I first understood the importance of food and how deeply connected it is to our identity as people within a community. It wasn’t just the evenings of polka music in our backyard or shared language that made us German- it was the sauerkraut and kaffeekuchen, too.
TBTB: Who or what inspires you most in the kitchen?
Berlin: I have drawn inspiration from many of my colleagues, teachers and chefs I’ve worked under and those I am friends with now. But again, my Oma is definitely at the top of the list. She is an amazing cook and lives to feed people. I feel like it’s a theme of most cultures, grandma with pots and pots of food, forcing…err, offering plate after plate until you finally break her heart by saying “I’m full”. The generosity of previous generations that you don’t really see these days is humbling. From her, I learned how to pour myself into my food. My Oma works magic with both traditional German food and Soul Food! So, my childhood menu went a little like this: Fried chicken and collards one night, sauerkraut and schnitzel the next and gumbo the night after that. I think that’s where my penchant for re-envisioning traditional foods comes from, both are comfort food cultures that leave so much room for new inspiration from culinary traditions that utilize fresh, bold flavors and color. My training as a butcher and my personal politics also deeply influences my cooking. I am a stickler for ethical sourcing and seasonal, local ingredients. I love to get my hands in every part of the process; I am very literally a farm-to-table chef and really lean on traditional methods for food preparation. I go to farms, pick out my animals (I’ve even helped to slaughter a few), butcher and cure meats, and then whip out full menus bursting with fresh produce from the market. My menus are ingredient-driven. I pickle, ferment and start all my sauces from scratch, and I am obsessive about doing nearly every step myself. I have kept chickens before and plan to again here in Brooklyn…I also have high hopes of adding apiarist to my culinary talents.
As a chef and butcher, my role is as conduit between farmer and eater. It is my job to transform their hard work into a meal that respects their efforts. For me, it is all about sharing deliciously decadent food that is full of flavor AND healthy AND responsibly sourced. I spent way too many years eating what I call “vegetarian slop”, food that serves solely as nutrition. Don’t get me wrong, my food isn’t meat-heavy and you can have an over-the-top amazing meat-free meal, but many people just eat to put food into their stomachs. Food nourishes our bodies, but eating must equally nourish our souls. Food has to be good, that’s it.
TBTB: Favorite Ingredient?
Berlin: Where to begin? I love so many foods!! As I said, my style is entirely ingredient-driven, so my favorite ingredient right now is not my favorite ingredient in June. I’ll to nail it down for you, though. I love working with fruit in savory ways. I think we revel in the sweetness of fruit so much, that we ignore the vast flavor profile of many fruits. Watermelon is incredibly savory, almost like tomatoes, as are strawberries, so I use them a lot in summer. Figs, avocados, melon, plums, berries of every kind…this list is making me miss summer. The entire allium family are indispensable and I love heat, so when fresh chilies are around, I’m like a kid in a candy store at the market. I get really stoked on short-lived early season jewels like nettles, ramps and fiddleheads. Flowers are fun to cook with in spring and summer; too, roses and elderflowers are the best. I am totally into using whole animals, so I dig offal- heart and liver of almost any animal=heaven. This time of year root vegetables and citrus are super exciting. Parsnip, rutabaga, celeriac, black salsify, sweet potato, BEETS! I LOVE gold beets! Oh, I love cooking with coffee and teas and though I am not a drinker, I really like to work with booze. Sauces, marinades, dressings, curing/brining, you name it; booze will kick it up a notch. My go-to choices are tequila, gin, champagne and all manner of liqueurs.
TBTB: Favorite Kitchen Tools?
Berlin: An easy one. I’m a simple man- knives, a steel and WOOD cutting boards- after that, it’s all icing. My favorite toys in the kitchen would be: a good whisk, vitamix–best for smooth sauces! ice cream maker, juicer, twine, waffle iron, cast iron EVERYTHING and a wood-fired oven and/or grill. I really like cooking over fire…that whole traditional method thing creeping up again. I also really like gargantuan stockpots, I don’t know why.
TBTB: I am a firm believer in the art of the Sunday Dinner. Every Sunday after church I sit down with my parents, husband, kids and countless other relatives to what is arguably the best meal of the week. The conversation is good and the food is always great. What do you do for Sunday Dinner, and can you share a recipe that would be appropriate for my next Sunday Dinner?
Berlin: Sunday dinner wasn’t really a big part of my childhood. Or, rather, not in the way you refer to. My Oma cooked and we’d eat, but that happened every day. I guess we just started a little earlier on Sundays. Nowadays, I am a traveling chef, always on the road and sharing space with others. I have almost no routine to speak of, and since I’ve been doing this for a few years now, I’ve sort of lost the flow of the week-Friday doesn’t feel much different than Tuesday. Mondays are my only landmark, important both spiritually and for my business. However, I am working on this new Sunday Brunch project that I am super excited about. In my adult life, going to brunch with friends is the closest to “Sunday Dinner” that I get. Now that I am settled in NYC again, I look forward to creating more structure in my life. This new Sunday Brunch project is really exciting. I am into making a space where people can come with friends and family to waste away their Sunday over 4 courses of food, drinking fresh coffee and mulled cider and digesting to the sounds of DJs and live musicians. We are curating a full event, a Sunday that says, “Slow down”, something New Yorkers aren’t too good at.
TBTB: Best piece of advice you can offer to the next generation of Chefs, Writers, Restaurant Owners, etc. who are aspiring to enter the Food Business?
Berlin: That’s a hard one. I guess, as any business, figure out what YOU are good at and kill it, every effing time. Don’t give up and never slack off. Find your market and go after it, but also, be ready for setbacks and instant adjustments. Be strong and principled, but open to new information. Don’t fall into the trap that says you have to abandon your conscience to get ahead. Use your ideals to drive your ideas. I think community investment, collaboration and cooperative learning are also important, especially as people in communities of color. Our ability to feed ourselves, and our families was stripped from us for generations through systematic oppression. Now, as leaders in the food world, it is our duty to bring that back. To shine a light on our history, to become examples of self-sufficiency as entrepreneurs and as people who share our passion for food as we help our friends, family and community access the skills to feed themselves. This is an honor that can’t be overstated. Take pride in your gifts and share them openly, believe in your dreams and fight for them relentlessly. My godmother says, “the universe moves at your speed”, truest and best advice I’ve ever gotten.
Check out Berlin’s contribution to my next Sunday Dinner.
Tea and Plum Roasted Rack of Lamb
(This recipe also works well with Pork)
2 racks of lamb, frenched
2 tablespoons Earl Grey tea leaves
1 cup strongly brewed Earl Grey tea
1 1/2 tablespoons 5-spice mixture*
1/3 cup plum preserves
kosher salt
*5-Spice Mixture:
1 teaspoon szechuan peppers
1 teaspoon star anise
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon or cassia bark
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Sprinkle salt, tea leaves and 5-spice powder onto racks and rub in. Place racks and loose tea/spice mixture into shallow container. Cover and refrigerate. For the best flavor, let this marinate for 4-12 hours. When ready to prepare, set oven to 500 degrees F. Remove lamb from fridge. Pour on 1/3 of preserves and spread all over rack. Set racks bone side down on a baking sheet. Allow lamb to warm at room temp while oven preheats. In a small dish, mix brewed tea and rest of preserves, set aside. Once preheated, place sheet into oven for exactly 8 minutes. At that time, immediately turn oven down to 325 degrees F. Open oven and brush or pour about 1/3 of glaze on racks. Return to oven and allow racks to roast for 8 to 12 minutes. Check for desired temperature: rare-135 degrees, medium rare – 140 to 150 degrees, medium – 160 degrees, well done – 165 degrees.
Glaze the lamb again immediately after removing from oven. Allow racks to rest a few minutes before cutting. Cut between every second rib bone, each rack should yield 4 of these double chops. Drizzle any remaining glaze over ribs at service. This dish is great next to something creamy with a little this could be a mac n cheese made with a bit of funky cheese, a gratin or creamed potatoes/parsnips. I also dig this with a bright, citrus-led slaw made of napa, radicchio, and whatever else strikes your fancy, dressed with a simple vinaigrette of caramelized citrus and shallots, maybe a bit of pomegranate molasses and red wine vin. I keep things lose and create on the fly. Just trust your palate and go with whatever sounds good!
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