The World Stands With Ukraine

President Vladimir Putin of Russia has made good on his threat to invade the free and democratic Republic of Ukraine, claiming it is historically part of Mother Russia.  

Putin had demanded that Ukraine immediately end military operations in the breakaway eastern Dombass region of the country or face responsibility for possible bloodshed.  This coming after his recognition of the so-called separatist Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics.  "We demand an immediate end to military operations," Putin said, addressing the Ukraine's leadership.  "Otherwise, all responsibility for the possible continuation of bloodshed will be fully on the conscience of the regime in power in Ukraine." Bullshit!!

Putin alone bears responsibility for this war and the death and destruction it visits on the people of Ukraine.  President Lukashenko of Belarus should also be condemned for giving aid and comfort to Putin in this unforgivable breach of international law, allowing Russian troops and equipment to use Belarusian territory to invade Ukraine. 

At the same time former US President Donald Trump has called Putin's paranoid threats "genius" and "savvy" and the invasion of Ukraine “wonderful.”  Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has praised Putin, calling him “a credible, capable statesman” for whom he has “enormous respect.”  Once again, they have made it abundantly clear where their allegiances lie, and that they run contrary to the aspirations for freedom and democracy in the United States.  Let the world take note of the succor they and their minions are giving to Putin's naked and illegal aggression against Ukraine.

And will in end in Ukraine?  I seriously doubt it.  If Ukraine falls, there is every chance that Putin will continue to make territorial claims on independent Georgia and Moldova, the latter which already has Russian military units in the separatist Transnistria region which borders Ukraine.  Putin has a dream of a new Russian empire and a new security architecture, and his military adventurism will not end until they are realized, or until his aggression against neighbors is halted and he is removed from power and made to pay for his war crimes and crimes against humanity.  

For the time being, we should support the Ukrainian people in every way we can.  They are the first domino.  How many will fall before this unfortunate war is brought to an end? 

This is a sad day, and it is still too early to know how this going to play out in the long run.  Now is the time for all people, including the Russian people, who wish to live free and in peace, to stand up and be heard and to support the efforts by the international community to end Russian aggression. 

A Tale of Two Seafood Stews, Part 1: Bouillabaisse -- Eating Vicariously

I am a big fan of stews, and I have a particularly fond regard for a well-crafted seafood stew.  They can be tricky at times, but they offer so much in return for the effort.  In addition to myriad flavor combinations, they also offer many essential nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty and amino acids, vitamins D and B2 (riboflavin), phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium, silicon, sulfur, calcium, and other trace minerals, and high-quality proteins.  Fish in all forms has repeatedly been shown to slow cognitive decline and improve memory.  A good thing to remember!  Fish stews also provide an opportunity to couple seafood with a rich variety of vegetables, especially potatoes, corn, cauliflower, and mushrooms.  A quality fish stock will take any seafood stew up a notch or two.  Add dulse and it becomes even more tasty when balanced with the flavors of various herbs, spices, and wine.  Like all seafood stews, I always prefer it with plenty of garlic bread on the side to soak up the broth.   

There are so many types of seafood stews to choose from and I have long been partial to those from the Mediterranean region.  There is Kakavia, from Greece, named after the three-legged cooking pot the ancient Ionians took with them on fishing expeditions.  In many ways it is a Greek version of French bouillabaisse using mostly small fish and prawns cooked in a vegetable stock with chopped tomatoes, oregano and chopped parsley.  Saffron was originally used for color but tomatoes do the trick just as well. 

Ekşili Balık, a popular Turkish seafood stew I enjoyed on the shores of the Bosporous in Istanbul, often includes haddock, cod, and mackerel served as fillets while others are cut into chunks.  Prepared in a rich fish stock combined with potatoes, green beans, red pepper, and other vegetables, it is accented with a zesty lemon flavor which gives the dish its sour (ekşili) taste.  Then come the saffron, capers, chopped dill, and a single chopped anchovy which in my opinion is the pièce de résistance of the entire dish.

Another delicious stew is Caldeirada from Portugal.  It is full of fish – haddock, cod, and snapper are always good choices, while scallops, mussels and shrimp along with chopped potatoes or cauliflower work equally well.  It is served in a simple saffron broth with herbs and spices added to taste.

Zarzuela de Mariscos from the Catalonia region of Spain is defined by an almond paste mixed into the tomato-based broth with saffron and garlic.  Add to this some type of cured pork such as serrano ham, prosciutto, or chorizo sausage.  It tends to focus more on shellfish than other seafood stews.

And who can forget Cacciucco, that wonderful Tuscan seafood stew?  Like Kakavia, it uses fish that are not necessarily from the main catch, such as octopus and squid, although snapper, mussels, and shrimp can always be added to the mix which is cooked with tomatoes, wine, garlic, sage, red chiles, and herbs and spices to taste.       

For this two-part “Eating Vicariously” adventure, however, I am going to focus on two of my favorite seafood stews – bouillabaisse, a hearty French concoction, and Italian-American cioppino – that have become my default choices, and two restaurants – one in Portland, Maine and the other in the San Francisco area – where I have enjoyed them.  The broth is a distinguishing factor between bouillabaisse and cioppino; the former uses a white fish stock while the latter is tomato based.  

I first learned of bouillabaisse from watching “Our Man Flint,” the 1966 James Coburn tongue-in-cheek secret agent vehicle to tag along on the popularity of the James Bond franchise featuring Sean Connery.  When one of the characters in the film is killed with a poison dart, Derek Flint recognizes traces of bouillabaisse spices from a particular restaurant in Marseille that the assassin had left on the dart’s feathers.  He finds the restaurant and goes on to save the world and get the girl. 

Bouillabaisse, although a French seafood stew, is closely associated with Marseille, the Provencal port city on the Mediterranean.  It is a simple stew originally made by local fishermen using fish they would not otherwise sell at market.  The name bouillabaisse is attributed to the manner in which the dish is prepared and the fact that the ingredients are not added all at once.  The broth is prepared first.  It is first boiled – bouillir – and then the various selected seafood items are added to the broth one at a time, waiting each time for the broth to reboil.  Once everything is added, the heat is lowered to a simmer – abaissa – until served thick with bits of fish and bone for flavored.  

The traditional Marseille bouillabaisse is served in two steps.  First, the broth is brought to the table in a tureen along with rouille – grilled slice of bread spread with aioli prepared with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, saffron, and cayenne pepper.  Local families also have their own recipes for how it is prepared in the home.  It can also be prepared with other fish and a variety of shellfish which are not part of the traditional dish made in Marseille.  The fish is served separately over potatoes on a large platter and the diner can mix broth and seafood as preferred on a soup plate. 

 Bouillabaisse recipes have evolved in restaurants around the city, and each varies depending on what fish are available on any given day, and who is preparing it and where.  As there have always been disputes on which recipe is the most authentic, a number of restauranteurs in Marseille decided several years ago to codify what can be used and how it is prepared.  The 1990 edition of the Michelin Guide Vert -Côte d’Azur specified that bouillabaisse must use three specific fish: “rascasse [rockfish, or scorpion fish, caught just offshore], grondin [sea robin, or red mullet], fielas/congre [European conger eel].”  Chapon/scorpène [red scorpion fish] is often added to the prescribed mix), with the addition of a proper fish stock broth with vegetables such as leeks, onions, fennel, tomatoes, celery, and potatoes are simmered together with quality olive oil, and saffron.  What makes a true bouillabaisse different from other fish soups is the bouquet garni – a selection of choice Provençal herbs and spices in the broth – and the method of serving.  

I tried bouillabaisse for the first time in Marseille.  It is not a dish often found anywhere in America’s Heartland unless one happens to come across it at a French restaurant.  And it seemed only fitting that its traditional home is where I should have my first encounter.  It was memorable.  I have gone on to have versions of it in other places, but most frequently, I have enjoyed it at J’s Oyster along Portland, Maine’s Commercial Street waterfront. Oyster Bar, Raw Bar, Seafood Restaurants | J's Oyster | Portland ME (jsoysterportland.com)  It is a rather cramped and dark space and very reminiscent of the Marseille café where I was first served bouillabaisse so many years before.  The late Tony Bourdain visited Portland for an episode of his Discovery Channel food and travel show “No Reservations.”   Bourdain called Portland “America’s foodiest little city” because of the number of restaurants per capita.  Season 6, Episode 12 featured Maine and Bourdain sampled J’s Oyster’s famous steamer clams which he found difficult to find back home in New York and New Jersey.  J’s was selected as Bourdain’s companion cameraman Zach Zamboni is a native of Maine and he claimed it was always the first place he stopped whenever he was in Portland.  Zamboni liked the place because it never seemed to change, and Bourdain loved the place immediately, admitting he wished he had a similar place in his own neighborhood in New York. “To me, J’s Oyster bar is a place that I loved within two seconds of walking in the door,” he said in an interview with the Portland Press Herald. “I loved the people there. I loved the people who worked there, I loved the crowd, l loved the food, I loved the look. I loved everything about the place. I wanted to move in upstairs.”  I know exactly how he feels; a “loud local joint with lots of raw shellfish, pints of cold beer, a good crowd.”  

Yes, J’s Oyster is well known for its oysters and steamer clams and that is the reason I went there the first time. And don’t get me wrong.  Being from Maryland I love oysters any time of day, be they fish shucked and raw (nude), fried, roasted, or served with other seafood.  Bring them on.  But knowing that Maine is known for its fine local oysters which had gained national, even international cachet, and this was what I had come to sample, I was just a little disappointed when I quickly learned that the oysters J’s was serving were from the Chesapeake Bay.  Still, I had a dozen served raw over shaved ice to prime my taste bud with the briny essence of the sea and then I searched the menu for dinner.  My eyes were soon fixed on bouillabaisse listed among the regular entrees and the decision was instantly easy.

The bouillabaisse at J’s Oyster is a Maine take on this delicious stew. It isn't like any other – lobster, shrimp, scallops, haddock & crab tossed over pasta shells with a light marinara both made with fish bones, shrimp shells, lobster bodies, and a variety of aromatics, including snippets of thyme, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and peppercorns – yet it is very, very good and I keep going back to it whenever I eat at J’s.  Bouillabaisse is now served in several restaurants around Portland, each following its own recipe.    

More recently I have sampled bouillabaisse a little closer to home.  Not long ago we joined our dear Francophile neighbors for a wonderful meal at Le Grenier, a family-owned French-style bistro in a former townhouse along the now trendy H-Street Corridor in Northeast DC.  LE GRENIER | Best French Restaurant in DC (legrenierdc.com)   Its Bouillabaisse des Calanques is a rather traditional Marseille offering, combining cod, mussels, shrimp, and calamari which are served in a “saffron Chablis broth” with garlic croutons.  It is named for the Massif des Calanques, the rocky cliffs and bays located along the Mediterranean south of Marseille.   

My bucket list includes a return to Marseille for a true bouillabaisse coupled with a bottle of Domaine Tempier Bandol, a most drinkable vin rouge from the celebrated terroir of this tiny appellation east of Marseille and the Calanques.  It must be 50% mourvèdre, while the remainder is generally a blend of grenache and cinsault.  Although Tempier Bandol is often coupled with smoked meats, it has proven to be equal to the task of washing down a proper bouillabaisse.   

So feast on this for a moment and stay tuned for Part 2 – the wonders of cioppino.

The True Face of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games

Beijing has now become the first city in Olympic history to have hosted both the Summer and Winter Games.  The 2008 Summer Games were held in the capital of the Peoples Republic of China and were not without controversy with calls to boycott the games due to the ongoing human rights violations in occupied Tibet.  Yet very little came from these appeals.  Sadly, Amnesty International reports that the human rights situation in the PRC has not improved since 2008; it has grown exponentially worse in Tibet along with the crackdown on the Muslim Uyghur population in occupied East Turkestan (the PRC province of Xinjiang), as well as in Inner Mongolia, Hong Kong, and beyond.  Once again there has been an international call to boycott the 2022 Winter Games as the PRC has dismissed these reports of human rights violations, forced labor and genocide as nothing more than “vicious rumors.” 

I can’t help but draw comparisons between the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing and the 1936 Summer Games – the so called “Nazi Games” – in Berlin.  The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the Berlin Olympiad in 1931 during the post-World War I Weimar Republic.  Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime came to power in 1933 and considerable debate followed outside Germany over whether the competition should be allowed, cancelled, or relocated as several countries began to question whether participation in the Berlin games might be seen as support for the Nazi regime and its racial and anti-Semitic policies.  This would have been the first such boycott attempt in Olympic history.  Although some individual athletes chose to boycott the games, these international protests were ultimately unsuccessful and 49 national teams eventually came to Berlin . . . the largest number of participating nations to that point.  The newly established left-wing Popular Front government of Spain did boycott the Berlin games and attempted to sponsor an alternative Olympiad in Barcelona which promised to be the “greatest anti-fascist spectacle yet seen.”  Several countries, including the Soviet Union and dozens of US athletes who chose not to go the Berlin, planned to participate, but the games were aborted with the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War.  The Roosevelt administration chose not to enter into the debate about the Berlin Summer Games, siding with the long-standing US Olympic Committee policy of non-governmental influence.  Although William E. Dodd, the US ambassador to Berlin, opposed the US decision to participate in the games, he did attend the opening ceremonies hosted by Adolf Hitler as the Olympic torch was carried past rows of Hitler Youth waving swastika banners.  Thousands of anti-fascist athletes and fans attended the 1936 Summer Games which proved to be a propaganda coup for the Nazis.

There is a growing tradition of boycotts and threats of boycotts at Olympic Games for political reasons.  Last July, the European Parliament called on EU governments to decline sending governmental and diplomatic representation to the Winter Games in Beijing.  Over 200 NGOs and rights organizations also called for a boycott.  The United States, which led the effort, Great Britain, Canada, and Australia, along with a number of other countries, agreed to this boycott while hesitating to sanction a general boycott of the Beijing Winter Games as was the case in 1980 when the USA and 41 other countries boycotted the Summer Games in Moscow to protest the former Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan in late 1979.  The Soviets and 19 other countries staged a quid pro quo by staying away from the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games.

The Beijing Winter Olympics have become the most politicized in recent memory and they provide many benefits for China; there are really no downsides for the country.  In the past, the PRC has used the Olympic Games to convince the world community it deserves a prominent place in the international order.   As with everything the PRC does, it wants to occupy the center stage internationally.  In 2008, the PRC mobilized labor and capital to present its best face to the rest of the world and buttress its status as a global economic and technological power.  President Xi Jinping also wants to use the Winter Games as a “bread and circuses” diversion to cultivate national pride at home, and media coverage of the Games will be highly nationalistic and laudatory, aimed at impressing the Chinese people . . . the “Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”

Historically the PRC has never been strong in winter sports, yet it hopes the success of its athletes at the Games will also enhance the country’s reputation and fill its people with a sense of pride.  The day before the Games opened yesterday the International Olympic Committee declared the PRC is now a "winter sport country." 

Beijing’s vision for the 2022 Winter Games is not fundamentally different from 2008, but the stakes are certainly higher.  I can’t help but suspect that the PRC’s threats of political and economic retribution have lessen the impact of the diplomatic and governmental boycott.  Although most countries will not join this limited boycott, its existence clearly signals international disapproval of Beijing’s domestic policies among several democratic countries.

The PRC has grown into a major global power, and countries with important trade ties with the PRC are hesitant to participate in a boycott.  Beijing would view this as an insult and retaliate, claiming its national reputation and that of the governing Communist Party would be damaged.  Yet with the emergence of the Omicron variant within the PRC, Beijing has canceled ticket sales to the public.  While allowing athletes to travel to the PRC to compete in the Games, it has ruled that only its citizens will be allowed to attend the Games citing the COVID-19 pandemic.  The International Olympic Committee issued a clarification of the ruling:

         The restriction on spectators from outside mainland China had to be put

in place in order to ensure the safe holding of the Games this winter…

This will facilitate the growth of winter sports in China by giving those

spectators a first-hand Olympic and Paralympic experience of elite

winter sports, as well as bringing a favorable atmosphere to the venues.

Unfortunately, Olympic athletes are finding themselves in increasingly tenuous positions navigating the PRC’s limits on free speech and human rights tensions while pursuing their athletic aims.  There are also very real concerns that the IOC is not doing enough to push back against restrictions put in place by the PRC authorities that undermine the historic traditions of the Olympic Games.

With no spectators and a highly controlled environment for the athletes and foreign observers, there is little chance for significant protest demonstrations to break out.  Perhaps there will be individual acts of protest against human rights violations, but they will receive no public attention, and anyone involved will likely be expelled.  The PRC’s Olympic Organizing Committee has made it clear that “[a]ny behavior or speech that is against the Olympic spirit, especially against the Chinese [sic] laws and regulations, are also subject to certain punishment.”  Some athletes have threatened to boycott the usually festive opening and closing ceremonies as a personal protest yet the IOC has urged them to avoid controversy and to attend the ceremonies.  Others fear that such protests will be punished by the PRC hosts or by their own national Olympic organizations at home.   

The opening ceremonies took place yesterday as the global spotlight shifted to Beijing.  All evidence indicates they were just what the PRC authorities hoped they would be while putting their own spin on current geopolitical issues.  An unfurled PRC national flag was passed hand to hand by representatives of all 56 ethnic groups in the PRC before the flag was raised above the stadium while a member of the Uyghur minority was one of two athletes 

participating in the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.  Despite the call for a diplomatic and governmental boycott, a few world leaders from autocratic states, including President Putin of Russia, joined President Xi to watch the opening ceremonies which were nevertheless dramatically scaled back from the 2008 Summer Games extravaganza attended by then US President George W. Bush.

The Beijing Winter Games are with us whether we like it or not, and it is important to remind the world what the PRC is doing despite its efforts to prove it is a respectable and responsible member of the community of nations.  It is not and the PRC gives no indication it intends to change its ways.  Please take a moment and use your voice and social media platforms to show solidarity with those living under PRC occupation and suffering from human rights violations, including genocide. . . the oppressed, the downtrodden, and the voiceless.  Do it for yourselves and for humanity.