In Memorium...

Since October, it has been difficult for me to sit down and write for this blog, or even cook an inspiring new meal. In my family, there was always a cooking matriarch, my grandmother, Serafina Nankervis. In previous posts, I mentioned that she taught us all we knew about Italian cooking, but she was also an avid reader, if not the only reader, of my blog. She fiercely loved her family. She was relentlessly proud of the cooks in our family, and credited it to our Italian heritage. Last August, she was diagnosed with cancer, which very rapidly took over her vibrant life. We lost her in October.

It is quite unusual to be blessed with having your grandparents so active in your life, especially entering your thirties. A few years ago, I was lucky enough to live near them, while I attended graduate school. I lunched with them every Friday, where Grandma would make the world's best sandwich, which she was not modest about- at all. We sat and talked, sometimes joined by A., about their lives before children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. I learned so much about my grandparents, and how they started their lives together. Although Serfina loved her family, and was the first to ensure we were together for all occasions, there was more to her than familial traditionalism. My Grandmother was a working woman, an award winning artist, a talented cook, and a funny story teller. Growing up, we painted with her, attended gallery openings, and spent every Christmas at her house. My last memory of her, well my last memory before the horrible cancer news, was sitting on my parents patio with her. My Grandfather and her best friend joined us, talking about politics, my PhD program, sewing, cooking, and the arts. Having tea with the June sun on our faces, I remember thinking how lucky I was to have grandparents who were so interesting and interested.

I don't have many memories without her, and now I am marking a new stage in my life where she won't be able to participate. We were able to tell her about the new baby, but the new baby will miss knowing her. Lately, I slowly started making things from scratch again, and I am interested in new foods. My new pregnancy diet is cracking up our family, including my Grandfather who watched me eat meat and chocolate at Christmas, a shocking site for people who have known me all my life, and my Grandmother would have found hysterical. I am hoping my cooking lull was just a form of mourning. It is time to nag my mother for my grandmother's recipes, so I can ensure Serafina is always present, while we are making new memories with Mini-Minard.

Suistanable Cooking in the News....

Another plug for Barton Seaver....
This month, Esquire magazine featured Barton Seaver, the famed chef of Blue Ridge and former chef of Hook, as he received chef of the year. A former classmate of A., Barton is a great example of a fantastic chef using sustainable cooking techniques. I might try the broccoli recipe at the bottom of the article. If you do, let me know how it goes!

Click here for the article on Seaver

NPR and the Sustainable Fish Movement.

On Fresh Air, Terry Gross interviewed Daniel Pauly about sustainable fishing. He gives specific advice for responsible purchasing, and explains why certain fish are considered to be more problematic. For example, farmed salmon requires an extremely large amount of chum, whereas wild salmon is much better for you and our resources. I also tend to think wild salmon tastes much better. Additionally, eating fish like catfish and tilapia are much better for the environment, and you.

Click here for the interview with Pauly

Vegetarian Chili....yum

Every Fall, I get in the mood for chili. Since I didn't grow up eating it, I have a very unofficial approach to chili throw a bunch of things together and taste constantly to prevent a crisis. So, the recipe below is a bit of a mess, and ridiculously simple, but people tend to love it.

Vegetarian Chili

• 4 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 tb of olive oil
• 1 large can of crushed tomatoes
• 2 chopped green peppers
• 2 cans of kidney beans
• 2 cans of navy beans
• 2 cans of cannellini beans
• 2 tb of cumin
• 3 tb of chili powder
• 3 tp of hot sauce, or more to taste
• soy crumbles (optional)
  
• salt/pepper
• Garnish with shredded cheese, chopped green onions, sour cream, etc
  

1. Heat olive oil, saute in garlic, in a large sauce pan. Stir in green peppers and saute.
2. Pour in tomatoes, beans, and spices. If you would like soy crumbles, throw them in now.
3. Simmer for 1-2 hours. Stir once in awhile so it doesn't burn too much on the bottom.
4. Add Salt and Pepper, and garnish.

This is very good reheated.

An apology....

Due to various reasons, I am not much of a cook the past three months. In fact, due to a very small, but quickly growing, munchkin, I can't stomach many of my past recipes. Instead, I subsist on pasta, egg&cheese, and....yes....poultry. In fact, I haven't been able to stomach vegetables or fish in four months. Alas, the Pescetarian is eating meat again. Anyways, I am starting to cook again, so I will be sure to post some of my recipes, and forgive my inclusion of poultry...

More soon!

Our (d)evolving relationship with food preparation.

Do you see cooking as a spectator sport? Watch the Food Network, but think heating frozen 'food' is dinner? Well, it is time to re-think your relationship with meal preparation.

My kind sister-in-law sent me this Times article by Michael Pollan. Using the new movie Julie and Julia, Pollan examines our relationship with food preparation and consumption. Definitely worth the read, Thanks J!


http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/magazine/02cooking-t.html

Lemon Zucchini and Artichokes

Because I wanted to cook from my garden....

Lemon Zucchini and Artichokes on Rice

• 1 cup of basmati rice
• 1 tb of butter
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup of white wine
• 1 squeezed lemon
• 2 zucchini (or one GIANT one given to you by a fellow gardener)
• 1 cup of grape tomatoes, yellow and red
• 2 cups of green/yellow beans
• 2 cups or 1 can (drained) artichokes
• 1/2 cup of chopped basil
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Romano cheese to taste.
  

1. Boil 1 cup of basmati rice in 2 and 3/4 cups of water (a dab of butter or a little olive oil)
2. Chop veggies, and salt the zucchini.
3. Saute the chopped shallot and garlic in 1 tb of butter until translucent.
4. Add white wine, lemon, and zucchini. Saute until the zucchini is medium softness.
5. Add grape tomatoes, beans, and artichokes, saute until cooked.
6. When finished, plate and sprinkle basil on top of each serving.
   
7. Add salt/pepper/ Romano cheese to taste.

Daring food of the week...

Earlier I said I would try new fruits and veggies that I was scared of preparing. Although I did not update the blog religiously, things have been a little busy this summer, I have been trying new ones.

This week, I bought a pineapple. Now, I know pineapple is not exotic. However, the past 10 years, the span of my grocery shopping existence, I ran from the sight of an entire pineapple. I mean, they are big, heavy and they can hurt you-- those spikes! So, I usually resorted to purchasing canned pineapple. So, on a whim we bought pineapple last week, because after close examination I saw they now come with directions. I can handle carving directions, Right? Well it has sat in my fridge since I took it from its fellow spikey-mohawk friends. I hear its laughter every time I open the fridge, like those oinking pig fridge alarms. And then, last night I was publicly shamed. A dear friend of mine, and food lover, completely chopped through a pineapple. At their house for a summer bbq, A. explained that I am afraid of REAL pineapple. And well, I realized then and there I needed to get over my fear of punk fruit. Not one to ever back down from a challenge, I anialated that sucker.

A little Moules Marinières for your Bastille Day...

The Francophile that I am, I make July 14th a mandatory feast. Tonight, I purchased mussels from Slavins and Sons, a good bottle of French wine, and turned up Edith Piaf.




Moules Marinière

• 2 bags of Mussels
• 1 Shallot
• 1 cup of onion
• 8 cloves of garlic chopped
• 1 pint of grape tomatoes sliced in half
• 2 tb of butter
• 2 cups of white wine, I use a white burgundy
• pepper
• 1/3 cup of flat leaf parsley chopped.

1. Rinse, soak for 5 minutes, then drain the mussels.
2. Meanwhile, saute the rest of the ingredients in a giant stockpot. Turn the heat down.
3. De-beard the mussels, which involves taking off the small hairy part of the mussel. Any open or cracked mussels should be discarded at this point.
4. Throw the mussels into the stockpot
5. Cook for 2 minutes or until the mussels open.
6. Voila! C'est fini!

Today, instead of making pommes frites, under my sister's suggestion, I went to the frozen food aisle. I am usually pretty lost in this section of the grocery store. However, next to the classic french fries I saw from childhood, sat a bag of organic fries by Alexia. No added chemicals and made with sea salt- excellent. We started cooking these before prepping the mussels, which takes only 10 minutes with two people. I drizzled olive oil infused with chilis over them before putting them in the oven, and they were crispy and ready to dip in the mussels when we were done!

Bon Appetit!!

Another Salad, and a yummy one!

This salad is super easy to assemble, and because of the flavors and ingredients, does not need dressing. In fact, by storing diverse ingredients to toss in salads, you can make this very fast. Usually, I use leftover sauted mushrooms from dinner in this salad, but if you want uncooked mushrooms are great, too.

Mo's Nicoise

• 1 cup of assorted Lettuce, the more variety in color the better!
• 1/3 cup of packaged Tuna (I prefer the kind in the packets not cans; less water)
• 1/4 cup of purple cabbage
• 1/3 cup of sauted mushrooms (Baby Portabellas are amazing this way)
• 5-6 Sugar Snap Peas
• 5 green olives (sliced is nice, but you can do this when you sit down to eat)
• 1 tb of chopped red onion
• 1 slice of goat cheese crumbled (I use the type in a roll; it is a superior texture and taste)
• Sprinkle pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds on top.

Toss ingredients together and Bon appetit!

Testing Animals, I mean really, is it necessary?

I love Vegetarian magazine. Even though I am a pescetarian, my consumption of fish is rare, and the recipes provided in the magazine are flexible and easy. As the blog shows, many of my good cooking innovations include fish, but I am learning more and more how to cook a meal that is independent of fish. More importantly, this magazine includes environmental education, which I now take to heart. They give reviews of companies who abuse and test on animals, as well as review companies who don't test or produce an organic product.They especially focus on animal testing, which is a ridiculous holdover from the dark ages of early industrialization.

The more I think about it, I would never want my cats, or any animal, to be tested on by chemists. When The Body Shop opened in the early 90s, I casually followed their slogan. But in the past ten years, during summers and awkward employment moments, I worked for the organization and I realized, testing on animals is unnecessary. It is a superfluous method of product control. We all know that certain chemicals are not healthy for the body, but companies insist on putting them on animals that we would consider pets. When A. and I married, I mentioned these ideas, and A. was more than more supportive. All I needed to do was mention our two cats, Cleo and Pokey, and he agreed. There is no reason to test on a being, when we know the results. So, for the past three years, I made a particularly serious effort at having only animal-testing-free products in our home. It is surprisingly easy once you do the research. For household products we use Method (some, but not all, of their products don't test) and Seventh Generation. For tough to clean spots, we employ a book on home cleaning that A.'s mom donated to us called Home Comforts. It is amazing. For hair and beauty, I rely on NARS, Almay, Aveda, The Body Shop, and a few smaller companies for hair products. Although I have never been a big fan of PETA--because their methods alienate people who would normally agree-- they have a fairly reliable list of which products to purchase, look here. It is no-longer about being a hippy-dippy liberal, but more about what is necessary. The question really is: If there are wonderful products that are equivalent to your mainstays, why torture an animal?

A little comic relief.

My new editor suggested that I post our favorite Eddie Izzard clip. It is food appropriate, especially in regards to Italian**, and after watching it for two years, we still laugh.

Click Here for Eddie Izzard.

** Please note: Do not eat Italian in anything called a canteen.

Thanks be to Cod.

After we travel, A. and I go into a sort of cultural withdraw. After our trip to the Yucatan, we sought out tacos and guacamole. Not only do we go to restaurants, but I make many attempts at mimicking our favorites, such as the best brunch ever. After France, we used tablecloths and listened to Edith Piaf, while I perused my Julia Child and Ina Garten books to find the best French recipes. When we travel, we take our time to enjoy the culture, and don't check things off our list. We feel really lucky to even be there and to take in the moment. Often, our long meals are what we remember best. The bliss of a conversation over a meal cultivates our passion for the food of different cultures. When we returned from Ireland, this of course occurred again.

Growing up in Alexandria, I was one of a few people with immediate Irish heritage, and certainly, I was the only dual citizen that I knew. There were the people who said they were Irish, ugh, loudly broadcasting their greenness on St. Patricks Day-- ironically, the day my grandmother loathed. In a town of Anglo-Saxon and Scot descendants, I grew up around the Scottish Games and the oldest Episcopalian church in the country. Alexandria was decidedly Protestant. With wild curly hair, big cheeks, and a Gaelic profile, I just didn't look or feel like my peers. In fact, after our last trip, I remarked to my mother how walking around Ireland I realized how much I looked like everyone. I fit in there. However, in the past ten years, the Irish finally arrived. Up and down King St, Irish chefs litter the various establishments. Upon returning from Ireland in April, we rushed to Eamonn's, named after the chef's son, and not the revolutionary. The best fish and chips this side of the Atlantic, we decided it rivaled most in Ireland. But, A. didn't stop there. For my 30th birthday, he took me to Restaurant Eve. Considered one of the best restaurants in the city, he went all out, and I still can't get over it. Dining with the likes of Denis Leary, we enjoyed a perfect meal. The food was fresh in such a way that reminds you that most food is not. I could not get over the dinner, or Denis Leary- that petite man, and it probably explained why we were pretty silent eating. No reflections about eating in Dingle at this meal. Upon leaving, they gave us a packet to make homemade scones in the morning. We jumped over to Daniel O'Connell's, this time named after the revolutionary, and shared pints in the most authentic pub in the city. I love the place, it reflects a modern Dublin pub-- because Ireland evolves, like the rest of the world. So much better then Fado's, Murphy's, or the 4 P's. Reflecting now, I can't get over how odd I felt growing up being Irish Catholic in D.C, but how hip it is now.

As if I need another reason to love Eamonn's and Restaurant Eve, yesterday the chef, Cathal Armstrong, was on NPR talking about sustainable eating, and all sorts of wonderfulness, take a moment to listen. Thank you NPR, the conversation brought me back to thoughts of Ireland again...

Please, no chicken, bacon, cream dressing, or ham.

Going to restaurants, I often need to rearrange the salads. "I would like the BBQ Chicken Salad, please. But, can you remove the chicken, add more tomatoes, and put the dressing on the side?" Ugh, I sound like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally. However, salads in restaurants do not contain enough vegetable ingredients, so when the meat is removed you usually only have lettuce and carrots. I knew it was bad last summer when the waitress at Cap City knew me just by my odd order. Last night, in an effort to recover from the gluttony of a vacation in Mexico, I made the following salad. Restaurants should follow suite.

The Right Restaurant Salad.

• 1 cup of edamame
• 2 slices of a purple cabbage chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup of arugula
• 1 cup of carrots shaved
• 1 cup of bean sprouts
• 1 cup of green onions chopped
• 1 red bell pepper sliced
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1 orange segmented
• 1 cup of rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup of lemon juice
• 1 tb sesame oil
• 2 tb soy sauce
• 2 tb of chopped fresh ginger
• 2 tp of honey

1. Mix edamame, cabbage, arugula, carrots, bean sprouts, green onions, red pepper and almonds. Plate the salad mixture, add orange pieces on top.
2. In a small bowl, whisk rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, sesame oil, soy sauce, honey and ginger.
3. Pour vinaigrette over salad.

This serves two, but if you chop up more ingredients, and put them in storage containers, you can have this for lunch the next day like I will . Creating a good salad is actually easy, if you make sure you chop the ingredients ahead of time. Assemble the dry ingredients in a Tupperware, and the wet ingredients, including dressing, in a Ziploc bag-- voila a healthy lunch. As someone who allows herself only 20 minutes to get ready at 6 in the morning for work, I can say there is no excuse for not packing yourself a healthy lunch.

"I judge you when you use poor grammar"

There is a Facebook group called "I judge you when you use poor grammar." It irks me. Although it is supposed to be a joke, I know the people who are in the group actually do judge people for grammar. One can improve their grammar and writing, and I work with my students all the time to help them with this. I also get corrected by colleagues; I love them, but it makes me very frustrated. I do believe that all people make grammatical errors, and to judge, or comment on, a person for their grammatical mistakes is ridiculous. In teaching, I see there are many, many reasons someone might make grammatical errors (learning disabilities, types of intelligences, ESL, certain academic strengths, weak elementary school focus on grammar, speed, colloquialisms, basic human error), and none of them worry me. We are all works in progress. To me, it is the content of what someone is saying, not the comma or spelling. So, really, I want to make a Facebook group that says "I don't judge your grammar; I judge idiocy."

Well, this rambling is to apologize for my grammatical errors, and there are many. Blogger does not have a good spell check, and I have a propensity for flipping then/than, except/accept, effect/affect. I re-read each entry twice, and try to read it again after publishing. But, as you can see, that does not guarantee perfection. I wanted this blog to be about a love for healthy food, and not repeating the hours of meticulous academic writing which I must complete for my PhD program. I wanted this to be fun, and not for me to be afraid of the grammar fascists. I wanted to share with the friends and family who often ask for recipes. Luckily, I married one of those meticulous grammar people, and he will now run a quick eye over the entries to appease those of you who are writing structuralists. Us idea people? We will go cook a good meal, while you grammar judges focus on the minutia.

You say Frittata, I say Italian Omelet

When I was little, I thought Richmond was centuries away from D.C. All I knew of the state capital was that my grandparents, artists from Brooklyn who lived in a beautiful old Victorian, lived in a house with enough music and sculpting equipment to start a commune. Richmond was the center for my family, abstract sculpture, jazz music, innovation, culinary perfection, and Italian New Yorkers. So hysterical, now that I think about it! We would drive the long, hard, one hour and fifteen minutes, to arrive in time for lunch. A young vegetarian, rejecting meat at age 12 because of a monumental viewing of a cow slaughter on TV, my Grandmother found ways to appease me. She set out the cold cuts for the family, and an Italian omelet for me. I never knew what was Italian about it, other than the fact that my grandmother, from Bari, created the meal. Now this omelet was nothing like Dad's Sunday omelet, enriched with flavor, filled with depth, the omelet allowed me to eat at Grandma's without feeling empty at the end. It tasted like family, and was never found at Italian restaurants.

After college, my roommate F. cooked dinner for the two of us. She announced, "Oh, I am going to make a frittata." I was clueless. What is this wondrous Spanish dish? Why did it sound so fancy? She poured the eggs in the pan, with spinach, and potato. It looked familiar, but I wasn't sure how. We sat down and gobbled up our meal, and then, it dawned on me: frittata= Italian Omelet. Now, eight years later, a frittata is trendy-- a brunch staple. However, 20 years ago, this remained lunch or dinner for our family, and reminded us all of our grandmother, the champion of all familial folklore. Apparently Serafina translated all her meals to her silly grandkids, who would eat anything called Italian. We ate Italian eggballs, or pasta, or sauce, or bread. Now, I know them as arancini, or penne/fusilli/farfalle/cappellini, or puttanesca/bolognese/al burro e panna, or focaccia. By the way, the name cappellini always threw me through a loop. I would beg my mom for the cheap angel hair pasta served at friends houses, where her box of de Cecco cappellini was the superior version. Oh, kids.

And now, I introduce my interpretation of the Frittata, but please realize the measurements and timing are estimates.

Serafina's Lunch

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 tb olive oil
• 1/2 bunch of asparagus/ chopped
• 1 potato sliced thinly
• 1 tb Herbs Provence
• 1/3 cup scallions chopped
• 1/3 cup feta
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

1. Preheat oven 400.
2. Mix the eggs, milk, Herbs Provence, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk.
3. Pour olive oil in a saucepan, heat medium.
4. Saute potato slices, 5 min.
5. Cook asparagus 1 min in microwave with water. Drain.
6. Pour egg mixture into saucepan, let sit for 2 min. Meanwhile, use a spatula to loosen the edges.
7. Add scallions, asparagus, feta, and let eggs sit. Still run the spatula under the mixture.
8. When the mixture has solidified, place in the oven for 10 minutes.
9. Serve with a side salad and bread.

Serves 4-8 depending on sides.
FYI: Frittata doesn't work on the spellcheck

Try a few new ingredients tonight...

I used to be afraid of Barley and Leeks. As exotic ingredients, I was convinced I would never know the mystery behind how to cook them. Instead of using a new recipe in one of my cookbooks, I altered a fairly familiar fail safe recipe I use with pasta. And, I found, I actually love Barley. Cooked in enough liquid, it can be creamy like risotto, but it is also a very filling grain. Leeks can be intimidating because you need to soak them. However, this only takes one extra step, and such a payoff to eat an interesting alternative to the onion. When we vary our ingredients, home cooked food does not bore us.

Veggies and Barley

• 2 Cups of Pearled Barley
• 3 Cups of Water
• 3 Cups of Veggie Broth
• 2 Leeks
• 1 cup of chopped Carrots
• 4 cups of Baby Spinach
• 2 Zucchini
• 2 Yellow Squash
• 1/2 Purple Cabbage
• 1 package of Baby Bella Mushrooms
  
• 2 cups of Fresh Basil
  
• 1 -2 tb of Kosher or Sea Salt
• 1-2 tb of Olive Oil
• Pepper to taste
  
• 1/2 cup Romano cheese

1. Preheat oven at 375.
   
2. In a large pot, boil water, veggie broth, and barley. Once water boils, turn it down to low, place to lid on top of the pot, and let the barley cook. If it is stiff, feel free to add more water to make the barley moist.
   
3. Meanwhile, chop the leeks. Place them in a bowl of water to soak out the sand. Continue chopping the zucchini, squash, carrots, mushrooms, cabbage, and basil. With a slotted spoon remove leeks from the water.
   
4. Lay veggies and basil on a large sheet of aluminum foil, which sits on a baking sheet. Mix in Salt, Olive Oil, and Pepper. Cover the foil, and place in the oven for 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender, but still a little crunchy.
5. Once everything is cooked, ladle barley into a bowl, add the mix of veggies on top, then the Pepper and Romano cheese.
   

This recipe serves 6, but freezes really well.

Tony may hate Vegetarians...

Anthony Bourdain hates vegetarians. As a chef he fosters a real hatred for people who only subsist on veggies, which rests on a theory about microorganisms which haunt vegetarian digestive tracks. Now, I don't let his crackpot theory limit me. His show, No Reservations, and his books assist any chef who is interested in exploring new foods. We often watch his show, which travels across the world looking for the most unusual foods, as well as the best. Some of the meals he ingests bring up other issues for the digestive track.

The other day, while driving out to a horse farm retreat with my students, I listened to his book Kitchen Confidential. Despite his brief anti-vegetarian moment, I found the book to be an amazing help for my understanding on how the restaurant industry works, as well as how to build my own kitchen. I learned when to eat fish in restaurants, what not to order, as well as which restaurants to avoid. He also gives many unbelievable stories about what happens behind the swinging doors. In many ways, he reassured me that my path into teaching was more appropriate than the wild ways of the gourmet restaurant-- which come to think of it got me worried about my cousin who works at Bertrand Chemel's new place, 2941 (I am never above plugging family accomplishments). Anyways, Bourdain's stories, sometimes boastings, create a fun and informative read, which I recommend, even for the vegetarians.

Don't call me Martha.

I continue to be suspicious of Martha Stewart.

My mom and I used Martha's early holiday specials as potential entertainment. We laughed ourselves out of our chairs each time she uttered "all you need to do is just..." which she always followed with the most complicated task in history. My mom-- a woman who went back to school, held a full-time job, raised three children, sewed, and is an amazing chef-- scoffed at Stewart's insistence that all women have time for her complicated tasks. Now as an adult, working woman who went back to school, I finally really get it. I do not dislike Martha for her white collar crime, her pimping of her brand name on her show, or her general idea of creating quality thoughtful goods from scratch. The problem with Martha Stewart is she projects an image of feminine homemaker which traps women into an impossible ideal. The woman sleeps three hours a night, which explains her testy demeanor. As a fellow insomniac, I do not trust a woman who irons with a Milele Rotary Iron at 4 am; when I wake up that early I can hardly manage a book or the remote. Entrenched in upper-class, white values, Martha recreates the 1950s myth that women can/should keep a perfect home. However, she is not old-fashioned, Martha believes women should work as well. Her well-sculpted image traps women in an ideal of material perfection. However, Martha's modern domestic loses the point of the various activities because they focus on image, not enjoyment. A home is not a place to outfit with perfect Pottery Barn furniture, Williams Sonoma kitchenware, and a scrap booking room. A home is a collection of memories which meld together to create a mosaic.

What I hate even more? Being called Martha Stewart. Yes, I cook, sew, and garden, but I don't think these activities should trap women into a 1950s myth. For a man to participate in these activities, he is modern and strikes interest of all in conversation. For a woman, she is Martha. A man who cooks at home is a gourmand, a woman is just fulfilling centuries of domestic separation. A man who sews should be on Project Runway, a woman Holly Hobby. A man who gardens is communing with the earth, a woman is beautifying. I cook because I enjoy excellent food. I sew because I can make gifts/clothes/bags better than what I see in the store. I garden because I want fresh ingredients for previously mentioned excellent food. What is lost on many Americans is the enjoyment of slowing down activities and becoming a part of the process of creation. Many of my friends say "I don't cook" or sew, or embroider, or garden because there is a negative image attached to doing formerly domestic activities. It is time to remove the gender from the activity, and understand that creating is something everyone can do. So no, I do not read Martha's magazine, buy her goods, cook her recipes, search her website, or watch her show. I refuse to believe that her image is the modern solution to the female domestic past.

Beans Beans are good for your heart....

I eat lots of beans, and no, it creates no ill-effects on my body. Over time, your body adjusts to the negative effects of beans, and if you soak your beans, you can completely rid your body of gas. In one of my extreme bean phases, in trying to build up my iron to give blood, I tried to cook a new bean recipe every other night. But I read one too many recipes. Thinking I found a golden new recipe, which sounded perfect during the summer, I cooked a gem from the Moosewood cookbook. Two hours later, I realized I made regular old baked beans, which apparently are called Boston Beans. I still shudder at the oops-I-must-be-a-complete-idiot-moment. Although, those beans were nothing like my mother's baked beans, which are famous.

I always loved her baked beans growing up, often requesting them for my birthday, but her beans are mostly famous due to an awkward moment seven years ago. At my twenty-third birthday, AAM. came to my parents house for his first meal, along with fifteen friends. We were all eating classic cookout food, including my mom's beans. All of the sudden, there was that moment of silence, the rhythmic lull in a conversation which naturally occurs every ten minutes. Right at that moment, A. loudly says to my mother in the kitchen "MRS. S. THESE ARE THE BEST BAKED BEANS I EVER HAD!" The entire group started hysterically laughing, but we all know the truth, A. couldn't be more right.

I don't have the exact recipe, but I mimicked it tonight, and we decided they were the best Boston baked beans I ever made.


Vegetarian Baked Beans

• 2 cans of B&M Baked Vegetarian Beans
• 1  chopped  onion
• 1/2 cup of maple syrup
• 1/2 cup of bread crumbs
• 2 cups of shredded cheddar
• 1 stick of butter

1. Preheat the oven at350
2. Pour beans into an oven safe casserole dish
3. Mix in chopped red onion and syrup
4. Melt the butter in a bowl, then mix in bread crumbs and cheese.
5. Place cheese mixture on top of the beans
6. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes
7. Let cool slightly, but serve warm

Before going into the oven 

And after coming out:

Tonight we feasted on...

Shrimp and Asparagus Lemony Risotto

Risotto Liquids:

• 3 cups of veggie broth
• 1/2 cup of white whine
• 2 tb of fresh lemon juice

Other Ingredients

• 1/2 Vidalia Onion
• 1/2 cup of Italian/Flat Leaf Parsley
• 1 lb of Shrimp
• 2 tb of fresh lemon juice
• Olive oil
• 1 bundle of asparagus, chopped
• Salt and Pepper
• Romano Cheese

1. Throw 1 tb of olive oil in saucepan, Heat med. Saute Risotto until it slightly darkens.
2. Steadily pour any of the risotto liquids on top. Stir, whenever the risotto looks dry, add a bit more; the order does not matter. When near the end, add chopped parsley, salt and pepper.
   
3. After 8 minutes on the risotto, add 1 tb olive oil in a different pan, saute shrimp, drizzle lemon juice. Cook until pink, remove from heat. The shrimp can sit in lemon oil and heat a little more.
4. Steam asparagus, you can do this in a steamer or in the microwave (put them in enough water to cover and cook for 2.5 minutes).
5. Mix shrimp, asparagus, risotto, add salt/pepper to taste, and sprinkle romano cheese on top.
   

We enjoyed with champagne to celebrate the end of the school/work year, but that might make a sommelier gasp.

Eating in Ireland.

One month ago, or centuries depending on what time of day you ask, A. and I ventured to my father's homeland, Ireland. Because we pinch every penny, budget every moment, and heavily use trip advisor, A. and I are lucky enough to have traveled to some pretty amazing places. The key to our travels remains budgeting. We realize the importance of a comfortable bed, breakfast/dinner, and good advice. Each trip, we usually save one night for a good, nice meal and the rest or searches for the best tasting pub/brassiere food we can find, which requires tons of research.

In Ireland, we listened to a hotelier in Dublin who told us about a great neighborhood place. In Sligo, we stayed at a bed and breakfast that would not stop sending us food. In Doolin, we ate a gorgeous meal at a B&B with a gourmet cook. The owner sat and talked with us for thirty minutes about politics and life. In Galway, we perused the farmers market. And that night, we tried some very old pubs, some in old churches, and ate at what is considered the best fish and chippery on the west coast. Now, wait, considered? I say considered because only two days later, we were speeding by the Cliffs of Moher. We whipped past small towns, but my stomach started growling. Normally fiscally conservative travelers, we like to grab lunch on the go, a baguette with cheese or a taco. In Ireland, this became harder-- there are no small meals in Ireland. My stomach roared, and we pulled into Vaughns.

Moments later, We sat in the front section of the pub, next to the peat fireplace, and ordered the fish and chips. Now Vaughns is a true neighborhood pub. The men of different ages were loudly debating whether a wall had been built in the last 5 or 30 years, many expletives spouted, two men departed and, the bartender spitting nails, the debate was resolved. After thirty minutes, families flooded in with grandparents and grandchildren, mothers and fathers. Everyone going to the pub to talk, socialize and eat. Most who visit Ireland know that the pub is not a drinking space, but a social space. On that Sunday, it was a way for families to mingle and not have to cook. This atmosphere, amazing in itself, could not even explain the fish and chips. Crisp, hot, and tender. The fish and chips at Vaughns were the best of the trip, and the best I ever consumed. A mammoth plate, normally, I could never finish that much food, but that afternoon, I treasured the entire plate.

.....other writers who back eco-eating.....

"Eating is an Agricultural Act."- Wendell Berry.

For more food for thought click here: Wendell Berry, Farmer/Writer.

There is no FOOD in your food...

During lunchtime, I often repeat to my middle school students, "There is no food in your food." When they take out their packaged lunches, packages wrapped in colored plastic, their food becomes an advertisement for preservatives. As a teacher, I get to witness the big sort-- the distribution of what children eat vs. what came in the brown bag. My classroom has a microwave, which means I get an interesting display of packaged dinners, loaded with chemicals and sodium. Paired with trendy drinks, the students lunch on additives on top of additives, and not a fresh veggie in sight. When people wonder about the health of American youth, I immediately think of micowavable paninis and the loss of handmade sandwiches. The students always laugh when a colleague of mine regularly searches through lunch bags, finds an interesting specimen, and holds it up in horror and reads the ingredients. Because of their Health class, taught by the same fantastic teacher, they can regularly chat about ingredients and organics. In fact, my high school students are pretty picky eaters and have a gourmet palate, with understandable lapses in teenage judgment. It is trendy to know what you are eating and try new things, and being urban students they can seek out many affordable outlets for good, real, food. They understand there is no food in their food, but why don't most adults know this?

The phrase, there is no food in your food, could describe the new book by In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan. An easy read, I picked up the book at the airport last night and finished seventy pages in an hour. Although he does not need to convert me, reading Pollan's research behind the legislative and advertising industries, which created a movement away from real food into the realm of processed food, delineates an interesting argument for changing how we eat. In particular, I enjoy his hesitancy to be self-righteous. Pollan admits to eating processed foods, but he creates a fascinating exploration into how we got to where we are, and why we are in the position to change what we eat. For Pollan, the separation of the nutrient from food opened the Pandora's box for the food industry. If they can advertise a certain food as containing a nutrient, or lacking so-called bad nutrients, then consumers will grab the flashy new item. We become alienated from food, because food is a part.

Now, I want to bring your attention to a certain portion of Pollan's argument. He feels that since we focus on subtracting ingredients, such as fat or carbs, we end up not focusing on the right problem. The studies on heart disease, which conflict on the issues of fat, don't examine the type of food people are consuming, just the ingredient. Despite the research on animal protein's connection to heart disease the public focuses on the bad nutrition ingredient, saturated fat. Perhaps, cutting down on meat, and filling our plates with vegetables might help lead to a healthier lifestyle. Pollan's not a vegetarian, but he does raise wonderful points about hormones in our food, and how this could be another link to health issues. He does my favorite approach to statistics, break them apart to show the fallacy of numbers. In the case of saturated fat, it could be hormones in meat and dairy, lack of vegetables or exercise, smoking or drinking, or cultural factors, etc. As he says, "We just don't know. But eaters worried about their health needn't wait for science to settle this question before deciding that it might be wise to eat more plants and less meat." Stop focusing on the nutrient, and eat a diversity in types of food: Real food, no chemicals. We all should have food in our food.

Pescetarian Wisdom from a Chef.

Last weekend, at various events I heard the whisper of sustainable eating. The question became, what is good eating? and how do we qualify it? A true history teacher, my response encouraged us to look backward at our food, towards our grandparents and great-grandparents. Today, our food contains chemicals not nature, and depletes resources at a phenomenal rate. People talk about the emphasis on meat and corn in America, but really all food needs to be consumed responsibility. Vary your ingredients, your palate and the environment will be pleased.

For our anniversary last June, A. and I went to Hook, a sustainable fish restaurant in Georgetown. Started by a high school friend of A., Barton Seaver, the restaurant truly practice what it preaches on conscientious pescetarian living. After leaving the restaurant, Seaver continued his sustainable eating path, with a focus on fish, and opened other venues in D.C. Always an interesting one, Seaver creates a reasonable argument for looking at ingredients.
Take a gander at the article on Barton Seaver in the Washington Post, definitely worth a pause.

AAM's Meal

When I drove to Williamsburg, while AAM attended law school, I often ended up cooking upon arrival, as well as meals for the next week. Throughout those years, AAM worked hard, and I loved learning how to cook, so this was not an odd relationship. However, this became a big focus of time. So, on one visit, he surprised me. AAM called his dear sister, who directed him over the phone on the basics of cooking with this recipe I will always be thankful because she gave us a wonderful weeknight meal, which will always remind me of his triumphant face upon his first creation.

Ingredients

• 1 lb of wild shrimp
• 2 broccoli stalks
• 2 cups of rice (whole or white)
• 1 bag of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 tb mesquite seasoning
• salt and pepper
• Gratin Container (Crate and Barrel makes wonderful and affordable gratins, which I use all the time for different dishes)
  

1. Cook the rice.
2. With 5 minutes left, steam the chopped broccoli.
3. When finished, mix the rice with 2 cups of cheddar cheese
4. Peel shrimp, put in bowl, and mix with mesquite/Cajun/or spicy seasoning
5. In a gratin individual container, put 1/2 cup of rice mixture, broccoli, and top with 5 or so raw shrimp. Sprinkle with cheese.
6. Cook @375 for 15 minutes. **Be sure to use an oven mitt to remove gratin containers.

Cooks for 5 or 6 .... or for 2, and then lunch for a few days.

Growing your Goods.

I gardened yesterday. Yes, I, did. In high school, under the 90 degree D.C. heat, I used to proclaim: I will never garden. Cursing my parents enormous yard, I declared their desire to have a beautiful garden an abuse of plants and children. Up to a year ago, I would tell friends about mowing the lawn before or after running four races in track meets, in order to garner sympathy due to my obviously abusive parents. However, I turned a new leaf (haha, puns are annoying).

I can blame basil, really. When A. and I lived on the thirteenth, yes the thirteenth, floor of an Arlington building, I planted my first basil to save money. I became oddly proud of our freakishly large plant. Look! I can keep a plant alive! Considering, I managed to keep two cats alive, one who needs a daily I.V, one would think this wouldn't be a hard feat. However, I never managed to keep plants alive. When we moved to our townhouse, our deck became littered with odd herbs. At first, I could only keep edible plants alive. However, last year, my mom came and helped me plant our front lot. I realized I could keep all sorts of plants alive, and became obsessed with my hydrangea. A., look at my beau-ti-ful hydrangea! Isn't it gorgeous! Do you think it will grow to be a huge hydrangea? huh? huh? He almost issued divorce papers.

This year, I am taking the jump, plunging into the deep, taking a risk. A friend negotiated a plot at a community garden for me. The past three weeks I weeded for hours, mowed, mulched, planted marigolds, A. even helped. Now, I am ready to plant my veggies. I could not be more excited to have homemade organics. So, I guess this the spot where I need to say, I am thankful for knowing the pleasures of gardening. OK, Mom and Dad, you win.

Entering the Public Sphere

The past semester, I spent much time, perhaps too much time, contemplating the role of citizens in the public sphere. In class, we debated the role of government and the individual, as well as whether subjects have agency. We talk about humans as bodies, which live in a system that controls our cultural trends. We become bodies of consumption. Always the optimist, I do not like the concept of bodies who can not dialogue with the state structure. I will not remain a victim of institutional problems.

I believe that blogging is a moment to pass information, with the hope for agency. My students blog about their readings in my history class, which they analyze scholarly works and their frustrations with history. I started debating blogging five years ago. About that time, seems a world away, I learned that I needed to modify my eating in order to lead a normal, less uncomfortable life. When my diet changed, there was much confusion about what I could and could not eat, and I thought about writing about my diet problems. However, in the meantime, I discovered a blog by an old housemate, someone who I don't speak to anymore. She wrote a rather mean story and comment about me on the internet. It hurt. I was frustrated. The internet creates a permanent, but fluid, forum for people to express their ideas. There is always the possibility for recourse and written revenge. Her blog raised issues I put to bed years ago. C. and F., my dear sister and best friend, calmed me with their words about how pathetic it must be to still be saying horrible words about people 8 years later. I agreed, and worried that a blog could hurt anyone unknowingly. I do not want to participate in negative dialogue. Blogs can replicate divisive social politics, which hold us in our social stagnation.

So when deciding to blog, I thought about the things in my life that I love, and create positive change. There are so many things, but most would bore everyone to death. I mean, I love sewing, but I am sure no one I know will want to hear how to make a cute onesie or pocket quilt. My PhD program teaches me so many fascinating ideas about how people operate, but I am not comprised of a bunch of theories. My life as a high school teacher makes each day an amazing adventure, but those moments are between my students and myself. However, in my life, food centers our conversation. Food bonds people. I created a wonderfully strong relationship with my mother-in-law over our love of cooking. I taught my sister how to cook when we lived together. My friends and I discuss great recipes, or have each other over to share good food. My best friend from high school peruses my cookbooks, made our dinners as teens, or cooks feasts for his adult friends.

How we cook and eat is a moment of agency as well. When you purchase an ingredient or meal, you create a small ripple in the economy towards that product. As consumers, we can create trends, and the market, even the shaky market, will follow. When I buy organic or buy groceries with no meat on the conveyor belt, I am making a statement about what people should be eating. If people stop buying processed food or meats, we can demand a better food choice. That is not to say I am a perfect consumer. There are moments that I create fissures in my movement towards positive eating. I have been known to eat Taco Bell or even, as my father loves to remind me, eat Five Guys (I was sick for 48 hours over that crack). The important message is to return to your goal the next meal. To become an agent in change, improve the condition of animals, and send a message about how you feel about your body. To eat well is to care about your body and your environment. How do you ensure change in your daily consumption?

Choosing to be Picky

"My parents let me be a picky eater," said the new acquaintance seated across from me who decided to abstain from the meal.

I stared back in shock. My-Parents-let-me-be-a-picky-eater. I let the words run over me with a stutter step. This response, a poor excuse, occurred in a trendy metropolitan restaurant, one where mini hamburgers and sorbet martinis graced our table. The speaker, a man in his mid to late twenties, explained why he was not going to enjoy the meal, because of his parents' decision 23 years before, to let him be picky. The hosts, who were celebrating a wonderful familial right of passage, arranged for a American Bistro meal, and prepared for a variety of diets and tastes. Still, the man, an adult blaming his parents, choose not to eat.

Pickiness is a state of mind.*** My niece eats sushi, Indian, and pretty much anything. Granted, there was an unfortunate incident involved with her eating some vindaloo by accident, which she followed with licking the tablecloth at a restaurant. But, the point is, that as a child she is exposed to a plethora of tastes and foods, she also knows that what is put in front of her should be eaten. Teaching a variety of ages, I witness many so-called picky children, who try unusual foods, and realize-- shocking-- they love it!

So, in honor of avoiding becoming a picky eater, I will try cooking a new ingredient each week this summer. I will no longer pass the unusual ingredient because I did not grow up on it. This game is my usual solution when I am in a cooking rut. Instead of pushing a million new recipes, I set a goal of one new ingredient a week. From past summers, I learned that I love bok choy. Barley is not challenging. Purple cabbage can be tasty, especially on tacos. Despite my rather subdued, or subtle, childhood palate, I actually like spicy food, and I don't even lick the tablecloth.

****By the way, I am aware of the gene that makes for bland eating, but I still don't believe you can't improve upon this and more importantly: try new things. There are many bland things around the world that are new.

Yummy Brunch......

The best brunch I ever tasted can be found at Hotel La Tortuga in Playa del Carmen Mexico. A rich omelet with tomatoes, beans, and whipped potatoes on the side. Savoring the fresh ingredients, we left every meal smiling and not hungry until dinner. For months after we returned, we tried and tried again to recreate it, which of course is impossible. Instead, I started making the following as a quick and easy alternative,

La Tortuga breakfast (recipe for 1, double for 2, triple for 3)

• 1 Slice of wheat bread
• Slice of sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup of black beans
• 1 egg
• Fresh salsa
• Pinch of cilantro
• 3 avocado slices

1. Toast the bread, with cheese on top.
2. Fry the egg, while also heating up black beans in a separate pan.
3.Cook the black beans ,strain, and place on top of the toast.
4. Place beans on top of cheese toast, then egg, then cilantro, salsa and avocado.

Eat open faced with fresh orange juice, preferably outside on a patio or porch.

My Italian influence, and love of my family.

Most people are unaware of my love of Italian cooking. Well, that is to say, most people don't know I cook, mostly because I don't talk about it often, and most see me as only Irish-- and really not much there in the cuisine department. It took a long time for the chef in me to blossom. My best friend, since our adventures in playing teacher, photographer, marine biologist, or chef, Tay always told me I was a great Italian cook. A completely bizarre concept, as a young teen, I would make her cappellini with tomato sauce. I taught Tay how to test pasta, what was good sauce, and how parmesean is a joke (and it is! always flavor with Romano). I grew up on bruschetta and basil before it hit American eateries (by the way, spellcheck tells me that I need to substitute brisket for brushetta). However, I never thought this was special, maybe I thought it was weird. It was not until college, when all my roommates showed me their Italian in tin cans, that I realized that being raised by an Italian mother and grandparent is unique, which A. added to by referring to Italian food as ethnic when we met.

When my grandmother married the Welshman, she tried to imitate the meals from her mother and Bari, without written recipes, but she missed the mark. Instead of consulting a cookbook or TV show, she tried again, and again. The ultimate Italians, my family doesn't pass down recipes, we learned them through trying them. I still am very proud of my heritage. 3/4 of my family did not enter the U.S. until after 1910, and the other 1/4 makes me Welsh, which is also original (2/4 Irish citizen+ 1/4 Italian + 1/4 Welsh mutt= perfect). Now, the cooking fell down the Rammuni line to my mother, who will never admit it, but she is the best cook. She is the first to acknowledge another cook in the room, but she is very humble about her own creations. However, her desire to cook a good meal for us, despite going back to school and working, made me appreciate quality. V. would never be satisfied with O.K food. She never criticizes, but always looks for taste perfection. Now, taste perfection does not mean fancy, or trendy, or expensive, or reservations. Probably without realizing it, my mother taught me that a good dish needs simply divine ingredients, without fuss. Mostly, when I think of V.'s cooking, I think of all the items that are trendy grocery store regulars. I was raised on zucchini, asparagus, and then... yummy stuffing, tomatoes/ cucumbers and balsamic, minestrone, rigatoni, lemon chicken, tortellini, (sausage with tomato sauce, don't tell anyone), vegetarian lasagna, and... egg balls.

Now, egg balls are amazing. They are like meatballs but comprised of breadcrumbs with an egg binder. We have them on the side of pasta (and pork chops, and sausage, and garlic bread, and salad, and asparagus, and... everything). Vegetarians are not common in Italian-American families, and it is the same in my family. But, my Mom and Grandmother make me egg balls served with pasta. However my grandma and my mother have not helped me with that recipe yet....

I neglect, because I stress.

My wonderful cousin, a great cook, demanded that I update the blog. Unfortunately, I have been suffering from a whirlwind of chaotic academic life. Since the last post, I spoke at two conferences, taught my adorable students, visited the homeland, and started preparing for the end of the semester with 5 more papers to go. I will be sure to be better at adding in the future.

Until then,
In high school, all track meets began with my mother's tortellini recipe. Post-college, this is the meal that got me through borderline starvation, which involved stealing the ingredients from my parents. Shhh! they will never know. It is an easy and tasty way to carb up before a good run, and a low stress date dinner, which A. thinks is classy cooking.

This is not the healthiest meal, but serve with a side salad of Italian blend, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, onions, and pine nuts.

V. N. S. Tortellini

• 1 package of premium tortellini or ravioli (Italian Store in Arlington has great stuff!)
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 1 tb butter
• 1 tb nutmeg
• 1/2 cup of romano cheese
• salt and pepper

1. Boil the tortellini
2. Drain it, and toss it back in the saucepan
3. Cover the bottom of the pan (and part of the tortellini) with cream
4. Toss in the butter, nutmeg, salt, and pepper
5. Turn the heat back on, let it simmer until it boils, then immediately turn the heat off.
6. Add the romano cheese, mix in together.

It is best to actually let it sit for a minute, the sauce blends wonderfully. Serve with the salad on the side.

The Art of the Veggie Burger

Veggie burgers are not burgers.

Never fear, vegetarians/vegans/pescetarians understand that the veggie burger does not taste like, look like, or feel like a burger. Please, refrain from asking us questions about beef burgers and how they taste better. To me: they are apples and oranges, when the orange is really a cow.

I used to not order veggie burgers on menus. For a long time, they carried the same status a salmon, a food with great potential, but largely ignored. I refuse to pay for a reheated Morningstar Farms patty, especially since a package of four sits permanently in my freezer. Restaurants create two types of veggie burgers: a plate designed to include vegetarians on a menu, or the the dish, which I prefer, created of yummy goodness. In the past year, various casual eateries began experimenting with the patties, so I began taste testing, which is not a new hobby. I spent the last 15 years testing out crab cakes, and still have not found the perfect combination of crab, mayo and Old Bay. I even tried to make my own, which ended up looking like a shedding blob and sadly fell into pieces, quickly followed by the chef.

The two places I presently recommend are Bourbon and Science Club. Bourbon, an eatery in Adams Morgan and Glover Park with a bourbon menu which rivals many wine lists, is known for its tater tots, baked beans, and burgers. At a place like Bourbon, a veggie burger should be an after thought. Instead, the varied mixture of vegetables, BBQ sauce, and cheese make the patty well-worth slowly enjoying. My only complaint is that the burger is so fresh, it has the tendency to collapse on you. Secretly, I get pleasure from this disintegration because it means I can eat the veggies intermixed with my tots. The Science Club, a funky bar near Dupont Circle which serves only vegetarian snacks, veggie burger holds together better, but is served with classic ketchup. Be sure you get yours with the fries.

However, I am still looking for a home-made veggie burger I am brave enough to try. If I find a good recipe, I will be sure to post one. But, assuming it is similar to making crab cakes, I am terrified.

A Valentine's Day Delight.

A. and I never really celebrate V day. At first, this abstention occurred out of coincidence. The majority of our first four years together we lived in different cities, then there was the year in which I contracted Ebola from kindergartners. In the end, we never developed a habit for flowers and heart shaped chocolate boxes, except that might be my dislike for both items. This year, February felt like a tornado, one where I am being swept away by grading, reading and writing. With this in mind, we continued our past habits. On V day, we explored the Pompeii exhibit at the National Gallery which is worth a trip, but try to go when the tourists aren't swarming. Although, we stopped to enjoy the floor show at the end of the exhibit. Sometimes watching people speed through a museum tells you more about humanity, then learning history.

Instead of venturing to my favorite restaurant, Hook (started by a chef and high school friend of A's), we elected to cook that evening. After scouring the internet for recipes, we settled on Almond Crusted Salmon found on the Whole Foods website: I know, I know, I knock it and I love it. Cooked with honey mustard and almond meal, the salmon is topped with caramelized onions. I served the salmon with rice pilaf and their Roasted Spice Carrots. The carrots blended Moroccan flavors with spices in any kitchen. Starting with a glass of prosecco, we cooked the meal together. After a night of trying a new recipe and talking, I remember how much more enjoyable an easy Saturday together can be.

Here are the links for the recipes:

Almond Crusted Salmon

Roasted Spiced Carrots

On Missing Meat...

Last weekend, while visiting my sister in Ohio, she turned to me with a grave expression and asked, "M, what do you miss most about me?" Surprised, I immediately looked at her husband. I wondered if this was another pregnant hormonal question, the sort that you should not answer but just smile and nod, feigning momentary hearing loss. Potentially treading on unsafe waters, I giggled a bit and asked,"What was your question?" She replied, "What do you miss most about meat?" Relieved we weren't going down some sort of minefield, her husband and I relaxed and laughed at her, not with her, mind you. It took me a minute or two to answer her though...It had been a long time since someone asked me that question. Most often, people are more concerned with what I can eat. There are long discussions about the health benefits of a low-fat diet, my absent gallbladder, and whether one would call me a vegetarian or not. But actually, C's question is the most interesting inquiry that I have gotten about not eating meat, what do I miss about it. The answer, nothing.

I never miss meat. To miss meat, would imply that there is something addictive or necessary to eating meat. Kind of like the question one might ask someone who used to smoke, drink, or even shop at Saks too much. I don't see someone eating meat and wish I was too, because well, I was never addicted to meat. What I do miss? Options. I miss going to a restaurant and being able to look at the entire menu. During my brief meat eating years, age 22-25, I loved being able to open the over-sized menu and order like a king. I would loudly declare, "I WILL HAVE THE MEAT!" Confused, the waitress would ask me to specify what type of meat, "um," eyes squinting the continuous rows and rows of options, "the COW!" A would quietly explain to the waitress that I was new to this meat thing. Now turning to me, like a small child wearing a bib at a four star restaurant, "Now, sweetie, how would you like that meat cooked?" "So its dead!" I would announce. Well, to tell the truth, it didn't go exactly like that, but sometimes it felt close. To be honest, I never understood how to order meat. A would tell them if I wanted the steak bloody or leathery. The plate would arrive, and I would sit and stare, grab the wrong knife, and saw. A few bites of chewing and I would quickly get flashbacks to childhood dinners, which was always exciting with me choking on steak, bi-weekly, at the dinner table. Panicked, I would look at A and wonder if he knew the heimlich, or would he do the heimlich after my embarrassing steak-less knowledge on how to properly chew, and then be reminded on why I don't eat meat. I don't need a production to my meal.

As I said, what I miss most is options. At home, A and I cook millions of recipes and find delicious meals where he doesn't miss the meat. What frustrates me most, is that I wish restaurants wouldn't treat vegetarians and pescetarians as a side show, someone they remember they might have to feed, but don't care for them to return. I refuse to go to a restaurant where my only choice is to decide between pasta marinara and salmon. Those dishes are usually poor in quality; I could make a much better version at home. Meat is a cultural dominant that appears to be the only choice to a good meal, which is simply not true. In fact, often meat distracts from quality ingredients, spices, and recipes. When the meat is gone, the cooking must be strong. Yes, you can tease me for that last one.

A little Southern Charm....

Sometime in high school, I began to adore grits. The textures and flavors are a wonderful home-cooked meal. In college, I settled on microwavable cheese grits, but the flat texture and lack of creaminess meant the meal was just a glorified version of ramen.
A relatively new restaurant on U Street, Creme makes some really, really good Shrimp and Grits. On my friend Dan's suggestion, we sat in the swanky restaurant, soaking up the ambiance and $10 glass of Shiraz. Note: Sometimes the house wine is not so much of a household price.

Last week, after A's panic attack in organic trendster hell, we found some yummy grits/ polenta meal.Of course, in the spirit of the new year and saving money, we jumped on the opportunity for making them at home last week.

Modified Neely's Shrimp and Grits.

• 4 cups veggie broth
• 1/2 half and half
• 1 cup grits
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup Romano Cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

Directions

1. In a heavy saucepan, simmer the veggie broth and half and half. Then, whisk in the grits and a pinch of salt. Stir constantly and return to a low simmer. Cook until thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in the butter and cheese.

2. Large saute pan over medium-heat. Melt butter and saute onion, garlic, and green bell pepper. Saute until tender and translucent, then add the shrimp and saute for about 2 minutes. Add white wine and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

What makes you 'mushy'?

Recently, a student, writing for the school newspaper's Valentines Day issue, asked me what makes me 'mushy'? I replied, "nothing." Mostly, because I didn't need students to know what makes me 'mushy.' I mean, can't some things be kept secret from the students?

In all honesty, I find something oddly wonderful about.... The Neely's. For those of you who have cable, and watch Food Network, you may have stumbled upon Down Home with the Neely's. Patrick and Gina Neely are a young couple who own a famous BBQ place in Memphis, and have a show. The TV show displays their roots in Southern cooking, which relies on a healthy amount of meat recipes. However, their vegetable and carb-rich sides, could substitute as a normal vegetarian dish. Sometimes the recipes could use a modification or two in order to create a low-fat dinner, but really I watch the show because I enjoy watching them interact. Normally, I can not stand cheesy hosting, but for some reason I adore their loving banter. In the future,through discussing my issues with Rachel Ray, I will reveal my low tolerance for saccharine interactions. As a husband and wife team, they work in the kitchen teasing and flirting with each other, while demonstrating a talent for explaining the basics of cooking. Watching their friendly interactions, I smile and sink under my quilt, content with the world. What I find particularly pleasing is that despite an initial appearance of a gendered and heteronormative show, they actually do not gender their place in the kitchen. Patrick and Gina complete the entire meal together, both experts in cooking and entertaining. True, sometimes Patrick focuses on the meat and Gina on the baking, but that has more to do with their professional backgrounds; and in many episodes, both take a hand at each other's expertise. Personally, I hope this is a way to outline a changing trend occurring in American kitchens. For many people of my generation, our mothers did most of the cooking. Wonderful jobs they did, but the woman in the kitchen approach just is not practical when both people work. However, now, there is a plethora of answers to the question of "Who does the cooking in your house?"

And last night, in the spirit of the Neely's, I came home from my first class of the semester to a glass of wine and a home cooked meal made by A. Friends, when asked by my student 'What makes me 'mushy?' that is precisely what popped in my head.

Alex's Meal: Neely's Zucchini Gratin

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 6 zucchini, sliced into half moons 1/4-inch thick
• 2 plum tomatoes, chopped and seeded
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 cup grated sharp white Cheddar
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 8-inch casserole dish.
In a large heavy bottomed saute pan over medium heat, melt butter. Saute onion and garlic until translucent. Add zucchini and tomatoes, about 7 minutes Add thyme, and flour. Season with salt and pepper. Add mixture to the buttered casserole dish.
In a medium size bowl, add brown sugar, eggs, and half-and-half. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the milk mixture over the zucchini and sprinkle with both of the cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes.

Veggie Fried Rice

In the spirit of the previous posting, I must be honest. Last night, I had the best of intentions. I was going to make a Ginger Bass with Garlic Spinach recipe. But after a wonderful day spent with my brother and his wife, I realized I forgot to go to Harris Teeter, and all I could do was muster enough energy to dial for Moo Shu Veggies. So, instead of giving you the wonderful recipe I was going to try for you, I will give you my version of veggie fried rice. This recipe is more of a meal then a side, with a emphasis on veggies and healthy and less on fried. It is absolutely wonderful, but just don't forget to grocery shop before!

Ingredients:

• 2 tb seasame oil (separated)
• 3 large eggs beaten
• 3 green onions chopped
• 1.5 cup of frozen peas
• 3 tb minced ginger
• 4 cups of broccoli
• 1/2 lb chopped asparagus
• 2 carrots sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic minced (or get a garlic press to make your life easier forever)
• 4 cups of spinach (at least)
• 3 cups of cooked brown rice
• 2 tb. of soy sace
• 1 tb hot sauce
• 2/3 cup of toasted sliced almonds (amazing addition)

1. Heat wok at medium, add 1 tb of oil, Cook eggs scrambled. 2 minutes. Remove from wok.
2. Add more oil to wok, throw in green onions and ginger. Saute until onions are soft.
3. Stir in broccoli, asparagus, carrot, garlic, stir fry 8-10 minutes.
4. Stir in spinach and peas, until cooked
5. Throw in rice, soy sauce, hot sauce and almonds.
6. Place veggie fried rice mixture in bowls with a bit of egg on top.

If you don't have a wok, you can use a large skillet. However, I recommend purchasing a wok because it is useful for many types of cooking, especially messy cooking. Since there is a lot of chopping in this meal, two people working cuts down the amount of time. It could take just 20 minutes, and there will be plenty leftover for a few workday lunches.

The Question of Take Out

By most accounts, I started cooking when A. and I started dating. Before then, my roommate and I would heat up frozen mixed veggies or a bagel. In fact, I remember calling a high school friend over for an evening to teach us how to cook. He made a delicious meal, but we were amazed that he was using the oven instead of the microwave-- the Ohhhs! and Ahhhs! When A. and I began to see each other, we were both living on very meager salaries, and there was no choice, but to cook. After many emergency clarifying conversations with my mother, I produced a few decent meals. Graduate school intensified the need to cook, and well, we both had more time to cook. In fact, we enjoyed cooking, and we tried complicated recipes. Although there were still incidents of cooking incompetence, like the Pizza Crisis of 2004, which occured in the spacious kitchen of my modified studio flat. In trying to emulate my friend's homemade pizza recipe, I burned the top and undercooked the bottom of the pizza- destroying all hopes for date night. Screaming and kicking, I ran to my bed and swore off cooking forever. However, even in that moment we didn't order out. A. quietly went to the kitchen and looked up my mom's tortellini recipe, and made it. Since the stove broke the next day, I still maintain it was the oven and not me. Even today, we reserve making homemade pizza for special days, where my patience is extra generous.

Due to the chaos of trying to juggle a busy job and graduate school, cooking turned into a chore, much like cleaning, an activity where I enjoy the product more than the production. Coming home from class late, or A. from work, we would both look in the fridge and realize we forgot to go shopping. Instead of spending the hour at the grocery store, it just seemed easier to get sushi or Indian. At least, we always make sure the takeout is something I could never make. We won't eat at most Italian or American-style restaurants because we both agree the equivalent could be made at home. However, we just got lazy. Last year, my first year of the PhD program, I went from saying only Asian cuisine, to eating a cheese sandwich at Mason. I mean really, a cheese sandwich? Hence, a period of time when we were paying too much for food. Thankfully, we changed this bad habit this year, and A. even helps out! I pack my dinner for school, or I plan ahead for those potential late nights by cooking a big meal the night before. Now, eating out or take out occurs only on the weekend. Perhaps a tradition started by my busy mother who went back to school as well, I don't cook Friday nights, which I maintain is perfectly fine, if we don't go have a five course meal at Cafe Milano (and who at my age does that anyways?). But even then, I, or we, wonder what is the average number of nights people eat out? And if you don't want to eat processed frozen food, how do you move around the general problem of cooking exhaustion?

Quesadillas with a twist....

A. and I stumbled on this meal last year, and soon became obsessed. It is super easy and yummy. Last night, while we enjoyed our quesadillas and Thursday night TV, I was reminded that good tasting food does not need to be complicated. I am sure this would be a favorite with children. You will need tortillas, a pound of shrimp, green onions, monterey jack cheese, and roasted red peppers.

• Preheat oven at 375
• De-shell shrimp, and sprinkle with cayenne pepper (maybe 1/2 tablespoon?). Chop pineapple into inch squares.
• On a grill pan, grill the shrimp and pineapple until cooked. Shrimp can be slightly undercooked.
• Meanwhile, chop 5 green onions and the roasted red peppers, and then the cooked shrimp.
• Assemble 1/2 cup of monterey jack cheese, green onions, and roasted red peppers, chopped shrimp, and pineapple on a tortilla. (Recipe makes 4 separate quesadillas.)
  
• After adding a little more cheese on top, which will make a glue-like seal to keep food inside, place another tortilla on top.
• Bake for 7 minutes, or until the cheese is melted
• Optional flavored sour cream: Mix sour cream, garlic salt (or powder), and juice of half a lemon. Put a dollup of sour cream on top of each quesadilla.

Inspired by Ellie Krieger's Quesadillas 

My tormented relationship with Whole Foods.

Whole Foods, which I still refer to as Fresh Fields on a regular basis, continues to be a place that gives me too many emotions at once. First, the idea of a place where organic foods are heralded, environmentally sound practices are exercised, and animal testing free/vegan products are sold, give me great comfort. There is something about entering with your cute mini-cart and grabbing intriguingly labeled goods, which I am always sucked into (see my collection of wine), that gives me a calming feeling. There is no other place in Arlington that provides such a beautiful display of poisson: exotic types of fish or pre-made crabcakes, oh glorious crabcakes! Or go to the cheese section, where the cheese incident of 2005 occurred. In her sweet intentions, my sister, C, took a trip to Whole Foods to buy dinner for the rest of us, a welcomed gesture while we frantically packed to help her move out. Entranced by the varieties of gouda, cheddar, and brie, C found a wonderfully tasteful camembert cheese. One she could not resist. When she returned to the apartment, and unpacked her cloth shopping bag, she discovered.....the manna she fell in love with was a $20 cut of fromage. The horror!

In that moment lies the problem: it is everything that calms me which also disturbs me about Whole Foods. In that display of fish, where the heads remain attached so the fish can track your movements, a pound costs $20. The cheese arena, because it is not an aisle, but an arena of cheese, tricks you with displays explaining how it was handmade on a farm in Normandy by an artisan named Delphine. It is only later you discover how you spent $40 on Delphine's hand designed mold. Additionally, I experience problems of class while I am in Whole Foods. Why is it that if I want to eat healthy, hormone-free vegetarian food, must I go to the most expensive food showcase on the East Coast? If my food is without ingredients, shouldn't it be cheaper? Does this mean only privileged Americans should eat healthy? As I swing down aisles looking at the 37 varieties of almonds, I am reminded that at my local grocery store the choice between sliced and whole seemed to work fine for years. I just wish my Harris Teeter provided more organic choices then spinach. After all, as a sailor, even Popeye didn't just eat spinach.

Dutch Risotto, blaspheme!

The other night, after procrastinating on a textbook chapter pretty much all day, I decided to venture into creating Dutch Risotto. No, there isn't actually anything authentically Dutch about Risotto, or Dutch Risotto, but I have concluded that is decidely what I created. Using the Moosewood Simple Suppers cookbook, an amazing cookbook, I found a recipe for beer, risotto, cheese and broccoli-- and thought: Brilliant!

1. Pour a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan, add half a cup of chopped onions and let them saute until transparent.
2. Add two cups of risotto. Let the risotto brown.
3. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, warm veggie broth.
   
4. Pour one beer over the risotto, and here is the Dutch part... Amstel Light seemed to flavor it perfectly. While stirring, let the risotto absorb the Dutch import.
5. Once the risotto has been absorbed, add veggie broth a cup at a time.
   
6. Chop broccoli. Either steam the broccoli in a steamer, or put a little water in a bowl and microwave it for 5 minutes.
7. Toss in the broccoli, two cups of cheddar cheese with the risotto. Let the cheese melt.
   
8. Salt and pepper to taste

With this recipe, I added tomatoes. But, I think the acidity of the tomatoes took away from the yumminess. All of this took twenty minutes, a perfect weeknight meal. My husband, A, confirmed later that night that it is excellent reheated...

Yet another blog....

Sitting in the faculty room, family dinners, or generally with friends, I often get asked about my food. It never bugs me. In fact, I enjoy long conversations about ingredient choices and substitutions. Due to my particular diet, low fat and no land animals, I get many questions about how to create culinary treats that are not boring. Well, in order to streamline recipe emailing and perhaps track my cooking habits, I decided to create another blog. I don't claim to be a writer, but as a historian I love documentation! This year, my goal is to create two new dishes a week, and I hope to post it on the blog for my family and friends to try out or learn about pescetarian living. Because really, a former Salmon should only eat fish.