Monthly Archives: January 2011
Marmalade
Now we are just a few jars away from the end of last fall’s blackberry jam. The strawberry jam is long gone. When I was in England last summer, there was a pot of English marmalade on the breakfast table every morning. I love classic marmalade with its bright flavor and distinctive edge. I had been waiting to try my hand at making orange marmalade after Christmas was over, during citrus season.
Seville oranges make only a brief, mid-winter appearance in Seattle, and I had to do some calling around to track down my elusive prey. Once I bought ten pounds of Seville oranges, three pounds of blood oranges, several lemons, and a gigantic bag of sugar, my heart sank a little at the thought of the work ahead of me. But the clock was ticking. Those ripe oranges on the counter would brook no procrastination. “You’ve thrown your hat over the wall,” Michael observed. Indeed I had. Continue reading
Nesting
Somehow in winter I feel a bit less evolved, just slightly more instinctual. I become a mouse tucked into my home of twigs and leaves, a she-bear asleep in my cave. There is no logical reason that I should start nesting. But I do. I find myself stocking up a bit. Somehow, during these dark, wet days of winter, there is a deep, primal satisfaction in knowing that the freezer is full of meat, the crisper is rolling with potatoes and onions, and the cupboards are stocked with beans, grains, and pasta. Instead of one chocolate bar, I have a stack of four. It comforts me to know they are there. Continue reading
Filed under Environment, Food
Shiitake Mushroom, Tofu and Bok Choy Soup
At Michael Pollan’s appearance in Seattle last week, he mentioned one of his well-known Food Rules, “Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.”
The intent, of course, is to eliminate highly processed foods that are full of artificial ingredients. My great-grandmother would not have recognized Go-Gurt, or Pop Tarts, or anything made with carrageenan or guar gum or red dye #40 or “natural and artificial flavors”. Continue reading
Filed under Books, Food, Food Politics, Recipes
Michael Pollan in Seattle
On Saturday night Michael Pollan spoke in Seattle. We were lucky enough to have acquired two box seats from a friend of a friend. The presentation was classic Pollan: thoughtful, intelligent, witty, and passionate.
He arrived on stage with a giant stuffed pea pod under one arm, carrying a bag of groceries from QFC. After carefully propping his pea pod against the podium, he unpacked the groceries, or edible food-like substances, as he called them, reviewing the health claims and marketing slogans on packages of Trix, Twinkies, breakfast bars, a shelf-stable turkey dinner, Coke, and many more items. Continue reading
Filed under Books, Food, Food Politics
Pear Pancakes
Weekend breakfasts have gotten a lot more exciting lately.
Generally speaking, I have a narrow breakfast repertoire. On weekdays, it’s either toast and an egg, or yogurt. I don’t need variety. I’m boring and set in my ways I like it that way. I just want a simple, sustaining breakfast that can be made and eaten in approximately five minutes, while on full auto-pilot.
A long, leisurely weekend breakfast, on the other hand, is a pleasure to be savored. Ahhh…jammies, slippers, a giant mug of black coffee. Still, I’m happy with the same-ole same-ole, week after contented week. Scrambled eggs, bacon, bagels, sometimes pancakes. It works. It makes me happy. Continue reading
Ten Ways to Save Money on Food
Whether it’s the general state of the economy, post-holiday spender’s remorse, or you are saving for a big vacation, there are excellent reasons to trim your grocery bill this year. Here are some suggestions to help you do just that. It is possible to eat wholesome, whole foods without fiscal ruin. Continue reading
Filed under Feeding the Hungry, Food, Gardening
Drop Everything
Just drop everything. Seriously. Whatever you are doing—drinking a cup of coffee at a cafe, sprawled out on the couch with your laptop, killing time at work on the internet, just stop. Go check your cupboards and your refrigerator. Because you may very well have all of the ingredients you need. And if not, a quick trip to the grocery store is in order, so you can make the best pasta dish in the history of the world, Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Kale, and Sardines. Continue reading
