The New Year (weekly menu 15)

Welcome to 2010.

To begin this new year with a healthy start, I am excited to embrace a new cookbook in our collection. This year for my birthday I received a copy of Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats. Like many others, I hope to improve my health this year by eating more nutritious foods. Almost a cult classic, Fallon’s cookbook is the one to have if you are ready to challenge the mainstream interpretations of nutrition. You may have begun this journey if you read Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food: And Eater’s Manifesto. While this relatively short book examines the history of nutritionism in America, Pollan also argues that we must revert to a more simple and wholesome diet – one consisting of more whole foods and pastured animal meat. To meet this goal, I highly suggest Fallon’s cookbook. It is the cornerstone of revitalizing traditional foods in the modern home.
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Tags: Grass-Fed, Mark Bittman, Michael Pollan, Nutrition, Soup, weekly menu
Posted on January 1st, 2010 by jared | No Comments »

Where have all the simple meals gone? (weekly menu 12)

For more than two years now I have planned weekly menus. The goals have changed over time, but the quality of life that results from my semi-obsessive planning habits remain choice and flavorful. Sometimes we find a theme for the menu- an ethnicity, a region, a cooking technique, a desire for cheeses or meats, etc. Throughout this process of reading recipes and planning feasts at home, I have noticed one big shift – my conception of a “simple meal.”
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Tags: lamb, Mark Bittman, Recipes, Soup, squash
Posted on November 20th, 2009 by jared | 1 Comment »

Cookbooks – What do you have? What do you want?

Every so often I mention a cookbook in a post. I decided it would be helpful to write a list of the books I own and the books I want to own. Ideally, readers will suggest books too. What better way to share our collective food knowledge than by creating a cookbook resource page. I will begin with books I already own. Books I highly recommend will have an asterisk.

  1. * How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman (a modern Joy of Cooking)
  2. * The Gourmet Cookbook edited by Ruth Reichl
  3. * Cook With Jamie by Jamie Oliver
  4. The Best Italian Classics from the editors of  * Cook’s Illustrated (a monthly magazine)
  5. Baking Illustrated from the editors of Cook’s Illustrated
  6. * Splendid Soups and Spectacular Sides published by Cuisine at Home
  7. Open House Cookbook by Sarah Leah Chase
  8. The Jewish Holiday Baker by Joan Nathan
  9. Fresh from the Farmer’s Market by Janet Fletcher
  10. Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan
  11. The Bread Baker’s Apprentice by Peter Reinhart
  12. What to Have for Dinner published by The Best of Martha Stewart LIving
  13. The Minnesota Homegrown Cookbook presented by Renewing the Countryside

Here is a list of books I hope to get some day (assuming my wife does not hate a cookbook library!)

  1. The Silver Spoon by Phaidon Press
  2. Other books by Jamie Oliver
  3. The French Laundry by Thomas Keller
  4. The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz
  5. Books devoted to seasonal NW cuisine

I’m leaving room here so that I can add books to my “hope to own” list. Please leave a comment on books you love to use or love to dream of owning.

Tags: cooking, Mark Bittman, Recipes
Posted on October 31st, 2009 by jared | 5 Comments »

Seasonality saves cost (weekly menu 7)

When it comes to meal planning, an important strategy to consider is seasonality. Here in America, with out lavish grocery stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and New Seasons (a Portland venue), we can purchase dozens of produce items from any part of the world and from any of the 4 seasons. It’s true that summer is hot, winter is cold, and spring and fall bring beautiful colors. But when we take the time to recognize nature’s bounty, our connection to these cycles is deepened and enriched. And for those of you who want to save money at the grocery store and eat local, seasonality is the concept to consider!
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Tags: afton field farm, Mark Bittman, Recipes, seasonal eating
Posted on October 16th, 2009 by jared | 1 Comment »

The “hidden cost” of convenience (follow-up)

Yesterday’s post on the inconvenience of convenience food has left me with rambling thoughts. I feel like I unleashed a rather humongous topic that has no real resolution. That said, the need for more people to cook for themselves is important to me and I know this topic will frequent my blog. The issue of home-cooked meals brings forth many issues, some of which are the following:

  • household priorities – health, work, family, entertainment, friends, enrichment activities (where does the hierarchy begin?)
  • women’s liberation – from the kitchen to the workplace
  • male liberation – from the workplace to the kitchen?
  • modern amenities – at what cost to do we sacrifice traditional knowledge for instant gratification
  • individual health – what are the benefits of home-cooked meals?

For those of you who are intrigued by the issues raised here, I highly recommend you read articles posted by Mark Bittman on his site. After the publication of a magazine article on Jamie Oliver the food blog world got in a huffy over this very issue:

Do we need people to learn how to cook for themselves or do we need fast-food restaurants to use healthier (whole food) ingredients?

As you might imagine, my thoughts lean towards the first perspective. Where do you think the healthy food should come from and who is responsible for bringing it to the masses?

Tags: "ethnic food", cooking, Food Politics, Mark Bittman, Nutrition
Posted on October 12th, 2009 by jared | 2 Comments »

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