A La Carte Pages Peek

A LA CARTE

A VISUAL EXPLORATION OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD

FOREWORD Richard Olney’s softly abstract painting (p. 122-123) of an oval platter with simply cooked, springtime asparagus
represents his influence on me as a chef, and how I see food.

He orchestrated lunch and dinner service with rules—guests must be seated “at table” and perhaps enjoying
the last of an aperitif, while he lowered the “peeled” jumbo asparagus into a large copper pot of heavily
salted boiling water. Once tender, the asparagus were lifted out, drained, and placed on a large, clean, cotton
kitchen towel to absorb any moisture. He then instructed each guest to place a healthy pinch of sea salt onto
their plate; grind a mixture of black and white pepper with a few allspice berries included; drizzle in some of
his homemade red wine vinegar; and with the tines of the fork, mix in a little fresh green, fragrant Provençal
olive oil. Forks were no longer needed, as each person’s fingers are used to douse the warm asparagus into
the puddle of vinaigrette. Richard would probably pour an aged Chablis, or perhaps a chenin blanc-based
Savennières from the Loire Valley, a region he loved, with bread and butter available. Nothing could be better
to me. Pure heaven!

Richard shared this artistic vision of an aesthetic based on harmony, balance, and the attempt to find perfection
in the infinite little details of careful French cooking.

While not performance art, cooking reaches an artistic moment as it offers a glimpse of the divine. This sensation
begins with a love of ingredients, respect for the farmer and land, and it comes from sharing love through food
to provide a sense of beauty and well-being for guests. “At table” becomes a connection to our ancient history
of celebrating breaking bread together. There are no boiled eggs made to resemble penguins in top hats—this
search of beauty is not about tricks; rather, an understanding of the sociology of how a traditional provincial
dish came to be. The landscape plays a role—flavor coming from a living soil—and determining the ingredients
to leave out is just as important as the ones to include. This approaches art. There is an existential pursuit of
authenticity that stirs my soul.

Food as art? I do not know. But this pursuit of pleasure, striving for beauty is a lifelong quest for me.

Frank Stitt
Chef /Owner,
Highlands Bar & Grill,
Chez Fonfon and Bottega

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A LA CARTE “A la carte” by definition is a listing or serving of food that can be ordered as separate items rather than part of
a set meal, and we approached curating A La Carte in a similar way. This exhibition took on many conceptual
John Fields and iterations over the course of several years before we arrived at the version laid out in this book, but the final
Tina Ruggieri incarnation was accidentally nudged into fruition by Alys Stephens Center Director of Programming Eric Essix
when he booked legendary food writer and personality Samin Nosrat for an on-campus event. Knowing we
The Lydia Cheney and wanted to coincide our exhibit with Nosrat’s event, we finally had the proper motivation to begin working on
Jim Sokol Endowed what would become our most ambitious exhibition to date.
Director of AEIVA and
AEIVA Assistant Curator As we explored potential themes and narratives for the exhibition, we realized that our culture’s relationship with
food is even more complicated than we thought we knew, and food, in fact, permeates every facet of our culture.
When we began our selection process, we felt that including a variety of artists representing a diverse spectrum of
visual styles and conceptual concerns was equally critical to our desire to explore as many culturally and socially
relevant food topics as possible: advertising, popular culture, nutrition, activism, food disparities, globalization,
sexuality, spirituality, worker’s rights, cultural identity, sustainability, and many, many others. Most of us have
memories, experiences, or mental associations that involve food; some are good, and some are perhaps not
so good. Even if they are not at the forefront of our minds, we all have connections to food, and we wanted this
exhibit to highlight as many of these connections as possible.

As with all our exhibitions, we try to put equal effort into both the exhibition’s conceptual narrative and its visual
aesthetic; our exhibits must be both through-provoking and visually striking. It’s the not-so-secret weapon that
helps our exhibitions at AEIVA feel accessible, no matter how challenging the subject matter may be. Take
Mike Bouchet (p. 16), an artist based in Berlin who outsources the production of his large-scale cheeseburger
paintings to artists living in China, addressing contemporary notions of ownership, consumerism, and globalism
in both the art world and the food industry. Or acclaimed chef and visual artist Roscoe Hall II (p. 72) whose
passion for food and art collide in his painting Seed In, Seed Out, which addresses the impact systemic racism
has had on the accessibility of nutritious food within minority communities, but also the complex connection
between slavery and the history of soul food in the South. Or Christina Nicodema (p. 114), whose intricate and
historically dense vanitas question humanity’s very position on the food chain. These are just three of the thirty-
eight artists featured in the exhibition, and within the pages of this book you will learn more through detailed
images and descriptions.

A La Carte was initially scheduled to open in June of 2020; however, like much of the country, AEIVA closed its
doors to the public and went to an exclusively virtual programming model in March 2020 due to the COVID-19
pandemic. Even though our doors remained closed, we eventually installed the exhibition during the Fall 2020
semester, creating a virtual exhibition and experiences accessible to the general public.

In recent decades, Birmingham has made a name for itself as a food destination. And the pandemic’s affects
on not just our area, but across the world, made the themes of this exhibition more thought-provoking and
timelier than ever. The food industry has had to reconsider how the customer consumes their product. The very
foundation of food distribution and handling has drastically changed, as has the dining experience, potentially
for years to come. Considering this reality, if through this exhibition we had to single out just one aspect of
our culture’s complicated relationship with food, it would be that eating is an integral part of helping us stay
connected as a culture. Soon, we all hope we can be together again, dining with friends and family.

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ARTISTS

BOB ADELMAN // MAARTEN BAAS // JOHN BALDESSARI // RICK BECK
MIKE BOUCHET // JENNIFER COATES // SUE COE // CHRIS CUNNINGHAM

DARRYL CURRAN // BRUCE DAVIDSON // PATTY B. DRISCOLL
NICOLE EISENMAN // EMILY EVELETH // SKYLAR FEIN // FRANK FLEMING

ROSCOE HALL II // HENRY HARGREAVES // PAUL KREMER
FUTOSHI MIYAGI // JIHA MOON // ANDREW MOORE // CELESTIA MORGAN

MARGARET MORRISON // VIK MUNIZ // CHRISTINA NICODEMA
RICHARD OLNEY // CHARO OQUET // SEAN RASPET

ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG // WALTER ROBINSON // DAVID SANDLIN
CEDRIC SMITH // LUCY SPARROW // ROBERT VON STERNBERG

WAYNE THIEBAUD // MOSE TOLLIVER // ANDY WARHOL // MEG WEBSTER

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PATT Y B. DRISCOLL Defiant
2018
(b. 1969) Oil on panel
Patty B. Driscoll is a Birmingham-based artist who 20 by 20 inches
subverts the long-revered tradition of representational
food painting while also displaying an exceptional Detail:
mastery of the craft. Driscoll uses the titles of her Following Page >
symbolic still-life paintings to subtly evoke feminist
ideals and explore the dichotomy of Southern Collection of Camille Butrus
femininity. Hearkening to the Dutch vanitas still-life © Patty B. Driscoll
paintings, Defiant delicately depicts fruit and flowers Photo Credit: Sheleka Laseter
together in a delicious harmony. But rather than
conveying the ominous looming eventuality of death
in everyday life, the flowers remain strong and
beautiful despite losing a stem and budding flower.
In doing so, the flower, as many women have, has
grown stronger in facing adversity.

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EMILY EVELETH Big Pink
2016
(b. 1960) Oil on canvas
Massachusetts-based artist Emily Eveleth has mostly 78 by 60 inches
focused on a singular and signature image for nearly
two decades. Her interest in common food turns into a Detail:
sensual and technically accomplished painting. Eveleth Following Page >
masterfully creates her thick and flakey doughnuts
with photorealistic detail. They become fleshy and Courtesy of the artist, Miles
sexual as the frosting cascades and the custard oozes McEnery Gallery, New York
from the broken center. These monumental paintings and Danese/Corey, New York
are meant to engulf the viewer within the gestural © Emily Eveleth
brushwork and dramatic lighting. Eveleth’s emphasis
on the doughnut is expressive of the potential and
ability to equate our relationship with food in almost
sexual or sacred ways.

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RECIPE

Roscoe Hall II
Chef and Artist

0 1N O .

CHITTERLINGS & Roscoe Hall II
OXTAIL BOLOGNESE Seed In, Seed Out
February 2020
Run chitlins under cold water and discard any odd materials. Save some of the fat for it helps not
only to add flavor but creates the base to thicken the sauce later. 177

Once cleaned, soak in an ice water bath for another 5 minutes, water should be clearer, if not soak
one more time.

Fill a large pot halfway with water. Add 2 bay leaves , 1 tbs peppercorn , 1 parsley stem, ½ cup white
wine, 2 tbs salt, 1 tbs fennel seed and 2 garlic cloves. Bring this to a boil and once boiling turn down
to medium low heat and let simmer for 3-4 hours. We’re looking for a bit over al dente. Tender but
we’re going to be adding more liquid once mixed in with the oxtails later so al dente is spot on.

Oxtail:
Grab carrots, onion, garlic, thyme and 5 lbs oxtails. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Dry oxtails with
paper towels.

Take a heavy pot and add 2 tbs oil over high heat. Once hot begin to sear oxtails. Turn once you see
brown and repeat on all sides. Once golden and crusty, remove from the pan and set aside.

Rough chop onions, garlic, carrot and finely chopped chitterlings. Add to the pan, turn to medium
heat and saute for 5 minutes. Hit with 2 cups of Hennessey, nicely chopped parsley, a bay leaf.
Let the alcohol burn off. Stir to coat all ingredients. Now add oxtails, add 3 cups Dashi, 3 tbs tomato
paste, 2 sprigs rosemary and season with 2 tbs salt & pepper. Keep the pot on medium heat covered
with a lid and transfer the whole pan to 325°F oven. Leave in the oven for 3 hours.

Once time is up remove the pot from the oven and let ingredients cool in its own liquid. Now strain.

Now here’s where I’ll stop with pure intent to just push the issue of this recipe being a take on
an Italian mother sauce made with what was once considered cheap cuts sold in mostly brown
neighborhoods. Sodium intake used within the cooking methods to produce classic recipes of
Europe, etc., were used in the same way.

RECIPE

Kenneth Moore, CEC

Purchasing Manager /
Executive Catering Chef
Culinary & Hospitality
Institute at Jefferson State
Community College

0 2N O .

A CHOCOLATE AFFAIR

GLUTEN FREE | YIELDS TWO 8-INCH ROUND PANS

3 cups water Preheat oven to 325°F. Nicole Eisenman
6 oz sugar
4.5 oz butter, diced Spray two 8-inch cake pan with non stick spray. Line bottom of All Types of Fat International
18 oz premium bittersweet pans with parchment paper. 1997
chocolate, chopped
6 large eggs Combine water and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to boil over
medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes.
Chocolate Ganache: Remove from heat.
8 oz premium semi-sweet
chocolate Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate and
4 oz heavy cream whisk until smooth. Whisk sugar syrup into chocolate; cool slightly.
Add eggs to chocolate mixture and whisk until well blended.
Garnish:
Whipped cream and Pour batter into prepared cake pan (batter will be loose).
Fresh berries Place 1 cake pan in a 2-inch pan. Add enough hot water to hotel
pan to come halfway up sides of cake pans. Bake cake until center
no longer moves when cake pan is gently shaken, about 35-50
minutes. Remove from water bath, transfer pan to a cooling rack.
To serve it out of the pan, refrigerate over night.

The Chocolate Ganache:
Cook chocolate and heavy cream in a double boiler over
simmering water until smooth and warm. Stir occasionally. Pour
over the cake after it has cooled.

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RECIPE

Margaret Ann Snow

Co-owner
Snow’s Bend Farm

0 3N O .

ART SHOW SALAD Walter Robinson

3 oz mixed lettuce Art Show Salad
Small handful of arugula leaves 2016
Small head of treviso, roughly chopped
2 medium carrots, grated
2 small watermelon radishes, quartered and thinly sliced

Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette:
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 to 4 cloves of garlic
2 tsp salt

Mix all of the vinaigrette ingredients together in a pint mason jar. Place the lid on the jar and shake
vigorously until the ingredients are well blended.

Place all of the greens in a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.

Next add the carrots and watermelon radishes and barely toss, more of a ‘fluff’, making sure that
the roots remain mostly on top.

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RECIPE

Chef Scott Peacock
Chef and Author

0 4N O .

CHEF SCOTT PEACOCK’S
BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

YIELDS 2 DOZEN 2-INCH BISCUITS

5 cups sifted, unbleached Equipment: Baking sheet (or half-sheet baking pan), parchment Celestia Morgan
all-purpose flour paper liner, large deep bowl, good rolling pin, 2-inch biscuit Flour, Milk, Salt from
cutter (any size will do), whisk, wooden spoon and dinner fork the Momma Jackson’s
1 tbs + 1 tsp baking powder Biscuits series
or homemade baking powder Heat oven to 500°F. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking 2010
(see recipe below) powder and salt. Dice very cold butter into ½ inch pieces and toss
into the flour. Use fingers to press butter into the flour. Work quickly < Opposite Page
1 tbs kosher salt (Diamond so you have butter pieces of varying sizes throughout the flour. Photo by Becky Luigart-Stayner
Crystal) Make a well in center of flour and pour in cold buttermilk. With spoon, for Edible Marin & Wine Country
quickly stir ingredients together. Then incorporate all the stray www.sunnyhousestudio.com
10 tbs butter, cold from floury bits; dough should be very sticky. Lightly flour the countertop
refrigerator and immediately turn sticky dough on to the counter. Quickly and 183
gentley gather dough and shape into a ball. Do not add more flour.
2 cups buttermilk, cold from The dough should be craggy and sticky. Use your hands to gently
refrigerator flatten dough to about an inch thickness. Flour rolling pin, but not
over biscuits. Center rolling pin over dough. Roll once from center
Homemade to top and lift. Center again, roll from middle to bottom and lift.
Baking Powder: Repeat one or two times, to even out tops of biscuits. Dip dinner
fork in flour and pierce dough every inch or so. Dip biscuit cutter
¼ cup cream of tartar in flour and stamp out biscuits. Cut out biscuits, but do not twist.
(organic preferred) Twisting deflates the biscuits. Gentley flip to lift biscuits from dough.
Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheet. Also place extra dough
2 tbs baking soda bits wherever they fit on pan.

Sift together and store in a Place tray in 500°F oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until biscuits
glass jar. Sift again before are crusty and deep golden brown. (For convection oven: 475°F
using. (Ingredients may clump for about 10 minutes. If your oven heats unevenly, rotate the pan at
when stored. Store in a cool, the 7 to 8 minute mark.) Remove from oven and let cool for a few
dry place for up to 6 weeks.) minutes on counter. Serve biscuits warm with a pat of butter and a
drizzle of honey or spoonful of jam.

RECIPE

Chef
Geri-Martha O’Hara

Co-owner
Big Spoon Creamery

0 5N O .

Margaret Morrison

Full Steam Ahead
2017

BROWN SUGAR
CARDAMOM ICE CREAM

YIELDS 4 QUARTS OF ICE CREAM

2,320g whole milk Heat milk, cream, milk powder, granulated sugar to 180°F.
412g heavy cream
(35% butterfat) Temper egg yolks by whisking the hot liquid into the yolks.
180g nonfat milk powder Add the warmed yolk and cream mixture back to your medium
480g granulated sugar pot of hot liquid.
120g dark brown sugar
80g inverted sugar Slowly stir with a rubber spatula, ensuring even cooking
400g egg yolks throughout the custard base. Temper the ice cream base to 185°F.
⅓ tsp black ground Once that has been reached, remove the pot from the heat
cardamom source. Whisk in the brown sugar, cardamom, and salt.
¼ tsp kosher salt
Pour through a fine mesh chinois. Place the hot ice cream base
in an ice bath, stir to cool the liquid quickly. Store in an air-tight
container and place in the refrigerator overnight to mature flavors.
Churn after 24 hours maturation or within the next 3-5 days.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your ice cream maker to
churn your ice cream base.

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INSTALLATION VIEWS

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special thanks extended to all the artists, galleries, and collectors involved in the exhibition.
Thank you to our UAB Visual and Performing Arts members and all supporters—without you this

exhibition and programming would not be possible. Thank you to the Alabama State Council
on the Arts, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, Jemison Investment Co., Inc., and

Mike & Gillian Goodrich Foundation for their generous support of this exhibition and programs.

CREDITS

This catalog is published in conjunction with the exhibition
A LA CARTE: A VISUAL EXPLORATION OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD

on view at the Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts, UAB
September 8–December 12, 2020

Co-Curated by
John Fields, The Lydia Cheney and Jim Sokol Endowed Director of AEIVA

Tina Ruggieri, Assistant Curator
Catalog Design: Patrick Powell

Foreword: Frank Stitt

A La Carte Essay: John Fields and Tina Ruggieri
Installation Images: Sheleka Laseter

© Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts, UAB // All Rights Reserved

Interpretive Texts: AEIVA staff: John Fields, Sheleka Laseter, Christina McClellan and Tina Ruggieri

All artworks © by each individual artist or artist’s estate
Publication © Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts, UAB // All Rights Reserved

ISBN #: 978-0-9976393-9-1

Cover Image: Emily Eveleth, Big Pink, 2016, Oil on canvas, 78 by 60 inches
Courtesy of the artist, Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, and Danese/Corey, New York

Page 6: Rick Beck, Knife, Fork, and Spoon, 2010, Cast glass
37 by 4.5 by 2.25 inches (knife), 34 by 7 by 2.5 inches (fork), 32 by 6.5 by 2.5 inches (spoon)

Collection of Karen and Joel Piassick // © Rick Beck // Photo Credit: Sheleka Laseter

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uab.edu/aeiva