Hello, Guess Who, Just Right

HPR: Tom, give our readers a little background on you please.

TOM MARGIN: Charlotte and I have lived in a 100-year-old house by the river near Island Park for over twenty years, since moving here from Bismarck. I always wanted to be a comedian or an editorial cartoonist, but too many folks don’t know when I’m joking or serious—it wasn’t a good option and I can’t draw very well either. So instead, after twenty-five years of enforcing state and federal labor laws and helping people with workplace problems, I’m now retired. I’m thinking more now about the cartoonist in me yearning to be free. At 60 years old, I may even go to art school. But that’s another story. I like to cook, and I like to eat all kinds of foods.

HPR: What makes you so interested in cooking?

TM: There is an old joke about some lumberjacks and which one had to cook all the time…I was the last one to complain and got the job, but I like it. My grandfather was a cook, so it’s in the genes I guess. I don’t know for sure- maybe it is the sound ‘mmmmmm’ that I get to hear. That’s a nice sound!
HPR: Your favorite foods?

TM: That’s like asking the father which daughter he likes the best. All of them, of course, they are all great. But for me, Asian Pacific Rim foods are the most interesting and oldest on earth. I like almost anything from Vietnam, China, Korea or Japan—Japanese food is my favorite because of the simplicity, health aspects and art. It’s nice to look at. Vietnamese is a close second because of the complexity and French influence, with those bold flavors and variety of tastes in each dish.

HPR: How did your interest in taking cooking classes get started?

TM: I’d thought about it for years, but never did until this winter when my daughter, Frances, hooked me up with The Lotus Blossom Market’s offering. It’s fun and informative, and connects new people with each other at a creative level. There are a lot of interesting people who go to these.

HPR: Do you have a big garden of herbs at home?

TM: We have some: basil, cilantro, parsley, dill and mint. We want to try some different garlic this year—but I read that it takes two years to figure it out right. We grow lots of tomatoes and cucumbers. We also have raspberries and grapes.

HPR: Can you share your Tofu recipe with HPR readers?

TM: This is still in the experimental stages, but it’s simple. I tried plain tofu (must be firm and cold) with a maple syrup and brown sugar topping that I liked, but I thought it was missing something—one more dimension. This winter I tried to infuse some hazelnut liquor into the tofu, and found that it was really good!

The maple-syrup was too much of the same tone, so I tried pomegranate molasses. That was a little too tart, so I sweetened it with a little sumac syrup. Like the little bear said, “just right.” I do believe fig syrup would be good too—-but that’s hard to find. The cold, firm tofu with hazel-nut flavor is the ‘hello’ part, while the sweet/tart syrup says “guess who,” with a clean aftertaste. I am still working on this and may have to try some more variations. The only secret is… put the tofu and liquor in a plastic sandwich bag in the fridge for at least several days to get it to penetrate. One package of tofu and one sampler of Frangelico makes about four to six servings. Drizzle about a tablespoon of pomegranate molasses on top of each serving and add about two teaspoons of fruit syrup on top of that.

HPR: What’s your opinion on all the wonderful new restaurants and stores?

TM: I worry a little about survivability. Let’s hope it lasts. We used to go to Minneapolis to shop for things we can get here now. Fargo is on the world map, but small enough to avoid the problems of too many people. I am very pleased to see these new stores and eateries and I wish I could eat out every other night, but twice a week is fun and an adventure.

HPR: What would you like to see in this area for food and why?

TM-  More variety. We have lots of choices of restaurants and groceries, but the franchise eateries and big supermarkets are not the same as small, local places or even a co-op or year-round farmer’s market. I think the old SunMart location at 13th Ave and 25th St would be a great place for a bazaar—food courts and specialty markets, arts and crafts, news stand and cooking classes. They say I’m a dreamer.

HPR:  How easy or hard was it to talk your granddaughter into coming to cooking classes?

TM: She is the energizer bunny. If I say “let’s go,” the dogs jump up and Madeline is putting on her coat. These gals keep me going, and they all share a common interest in food. It wasn’t hard at all. I’m just plain lucky.

HPR: What is your favorite kitchen tool?

TM: I have an old, very thin, flexible, steel spatula that I would be lost without; it’s a flipper, scraper, mixer, chopper, and is great for peeking under stuff as it cooks. My ullu (rocker blade, not a knife) is second.

HPR: Anything you would like to share with our readers?

TM: People have three things that they can give and share with others- that’s with family, friends, strangers
and foreigners. We can share our time, share our tables and share smiles. These are the best things we can do, making us who we are, and this a better world.
Until next week stay safe and eat well. Any questions or concerns, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)