I love to cook because I like to eat. I may be vegetarian (fin’n’feather, no mammels) but my cooking is far from boring or tasteless. I come from a family of good cooks, I paid attention as a kid, I’ve worked in a couple of good restaurants, and have cooked more meals for more people over the years than I can count. Free form, eclectic, tasty, and good for ya too.
Make it look good because you eat with your eyes before it hits your tounge. What colors are on the plate? Do they mesh or clash? What shape are the vegetables? Garnishes, no matter how simple, do make an impact.
Use your knife deliberately Cut carefully, don’t hack. Try to cut things to the same size and shape. Bite size pieces appropriate to the food. Forks aren’t chopsticks and chopsticks make poor spoons.
Shop a circuit not just one store Get into the habit of frequenting different grocery stores, not the same one. Expose yourself (and your family) to a wider selection> You’ll bump into more sale items. Don’t forget ethnic markets in your shopping tour. We’re a nation of immigrants so eat like one!
Shop food co-ops at farmers markets. Support your local farmers and get to know who grows your what you eat. Buy on what’s in season especially heirloom varieties you won’t see elsewhere.
- homemade chai
- real eggnog our family recipe
- coffee grounds
- mushrooms
- stuffing (PDF)
- Jell-O
- homemade ice cream
- Mallomars
Shop local, especially when you travel. You’ll find foods in other places you can’t get at home, including local brands that don’t enjoy a wide distribution. Fresh fish is best where it’s caught. I look for opuntia syrup when I’m in NM or AZ. It’s heavy and expensive to ship but fits in a corner of my luggage. The East Coast in the winter? I look for Mallomars. Seasonal and regional. Start thinking of food as a souvenir.
Try to clone what you eat in restaurants When I eat something I really like in a restaurant (or at your house) I try to remember the ingredients & taste and attempt to mimic it at home. Reverse engineering a recipe. Eating out can spark your culinary creativity and inspire you to cook new things at home.
