Diary of a Chef: Karl Derry
Posted on Friday, July 9th, 2010
by block club
KARL DERRY
CHEF, MERGE RESTAURANT
When it comes to eating, I keep two thoughts in mind: sustainability and personal health. Here in Buffalo we have a vast community filled with a variety of locally owned stores that sell great products that are affordable and good for you as well. The main shops I tend to visit on a regular basis are the Pu Thai Asian Market, Guercio & Sons and The Lexington Co-Op, all of which are locally owned and sell food that is hard to find in an ordinary grocery store.
Every morning I follow the same eating routine: a shot of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar with a blueberry juice chaser followed by two rice rolls filled with either a hard-boiled egg or sardines along with mesclun greens and any other veggies I have in the fridge. I eat this every day because of my father, who fought a bout with colon cancer, leaving me with a high risk of contracting the same disease. So, it is very important to me to keep my digestive system in track. Also, breakfast is the only time I can eat a meal in peace because working in a kitchen requires me to work late afternoons and into the night, leaving no time to eat a full lunch or dinner.
To acquire my food I usually visit the Pu Thai Market at least twice a week where I purchase Three Sisters brand rice paper for only $1.35 a package. Comparing the price to the same brand sold at Wegman’s for $4 a pop, it’s a steal. Other items sold here are inexpensive, such as chili sauce and sesame oil. They also sell a variety of hard-to-find produce such as Asian plums, lotus root, Thai basil, fresh coriander, cassava leaf––the list goes on––all on average at a cost of $1 to $3 a pound. Shopping here supports local immigrants as well as their awesome business. I consider the Pu Thai Market my hidden sanctuary of the West Side.
Most of my conventional produce comes from either Guercio’s or local farmers’ markets. I choose these because their product is always changing with the season. This tells me the produce is either local or came from an ordinary farm, not a corporate-owned plantation.
When going out to eat I tend to stick to places within walking/biking distance. One of my favorite places to eat is JJ’s Diner on Kenmore Avenue. It isn’t exactly the healthiest place to eat but the restaurant is cozy and the owner is the nicest guy you’d ever want meet. They’re known for their 99-cent breakfast––well it’s now $1.50 but it was only a dollar when I was a kid. In this meal come the best home fries you’ll ever try, two eggs and toast. Add a bottomless coffee for just one extra dollar.
