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Here's something for the pork-checkoff crowd this holiday weekend. 

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp tamarind paste
1 tsp cardamom powder
2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
2 tsp salt
4 lbs pork shoulder

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. When hot, fry onions and garlic until very slightly brown.  Stir in soy sauce, cardamom and pepper and reduce.  When the spices become fragrant, add the remaining ingredients and simmer until slightly thickened.  Cool in refrigerator, and marinate pork for at least 12 hours in the cold sauce.  Best done over a slow fire in a Dutch oven for 4 - 10 hours.

May 19 - 25 is World Vegetarian Week. Johnny Rocket is celebrating with a free veggie burger offer. Purchase is required, so get two while you are there or take a friend along!

I keep my sourdough going in the refrigerator, periodically taking it out for an overnight feeding with a mix of 1/3 whole wheat flour and 2/3 water by weight, typically 60 grams of flour and 120 grams of water. Yeah, I'm lame and use tapwater, but it has worked for me so far.

This thin mixture is perfect for straight-from-the jar pancakes. I leave the sourdough on the counter overnight and make sure the mixture is well-stirred before starting.

• 250 grams of sourdough mix
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• sugar to taste
• cinnamon if desired

Preheat a large, oiled nonstick griddle pan to medium-high heat. Pour the mix into a 2 cup (or larger) bowl. Stir in the baking soda with a rubber spatula and turn out the batter quickly onto the hot pan. When the bubbles on the top set, flip the cakes over. If you need to make two batches, cover the hot cakes with a clean dishtowel as the second batch cooks.

Makes 4 pancakes, 300 calories without added sugar.

These went over real well at the Sunrise service breakfast.  Best cooked in a flameproof casserole dish.

Ingredients: 

•  2 quarts water
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups Quick Grits
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 2 tbsp cane sugar

Method:

Salt the water and set to boil.  Mix  grits with sugar and almond butter, working it until the granules flow loosely.  When the water is rapidly boiling, stir in the grits a spoonful at a time, letting the water come to a boil in between spoonfuls.  Keep the grits and water well stirred to prevent clumping.  When all the grits mixture has been added, reduce the heat to low, and cover.  Simmer for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the grits are thoroughly softened.  

Serve immediately.  To keep, pour into a flat tray and let set in the refrigerator.  Set grits can be cut into chunks and fried, or eaten cold.

Serves 16. 

Today is the grand opening of the Black Olive store, 7122 Germantown Avenue, phone: (215) 247-5100. It is an all-organic vegetarian/vegan package store that has a lot of cool package goods like Tofutti and Tofurky, organic spices, and nut oils. They also have natural beauty supplies.

They had a nice spread of sample food that bodes well for the opening of their restaurant (in a separate location). Munchies included mock wings, meatless curry, Basmati brown rice, blueberry crisps, black olive relish & corn chips, and garden salad both vegan and with cheese tortellini.

The co-owner Caroline was still getting the stock inventorie, but the register was up and running. We bought some nice almond paste, spelt flour, apricot kernel oil, and Bragg's aminos. The location is good for the Black Olive, and judging from the amount of foot traffic they were picking up on their first day, they should be doing well in no time at all.

Also along this section of Germantown Avenue is Bitar's Mediterranean grill, a take-out eat in spot where we bought a jar of tahini and a bunch of assorted sweets. Thepistachio and shredded filo roll we bought and wofled down was nicely made with just enough honey to keep the confection together. Too often the filo on this type of dessert is saturated with honey and oil to the point where it makes your face hurt chewing on it.

Here's an idea for the Bulgur wheat sitting in my fridge: make kibbeh.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibbeh.