Daily dilemma

Nothing let's you know how much your family values you like coming home to a sink full of dishes, a cluttered house, and piles of laundry - after driving to the Bronx.  Each day I have to remind myself that I am not Sandra and Sattiya (my friend's housemaids) but I am a God-fearing wife and mother, so I don't mind the domestic responsibilities associated with my gender role.  Besides, I am an dishwashing expert - my father would inspect the dishes and make me rewash the ones that did not meet his cleanliness criteria.

The other dilemma I have is, what's for dinner?  This has been an ongoing issue because of my obsession with food.  I realize most people are happy to rotate through the five things  they know how to cook (as someone commented at the potluck ) but that rotation gets old fast.  There's a entire culinary world out there just waiting to be discovered.

I could easily map out my plan by continent and go online and find recipes - that just seems so inauthentic - I like the personal touch; I meet someone and extract information; or I just get a taste for something.  I was trying a regional approach, however last night I was thinking I could go with a more dispersed approach by following colonies - this is my rationale for jumping from Eritrea to Italy...and my husband is taking that class so it's six degrees of separation.

The Italians never amassed colonial holdings comparable to other European crowns (yes I am aware the the Europeans were not the first to have empires or subjugate people; but their empires were global and resulted in a significant redistribution of people, cultures, and goods throughout the world), but Christopher Columbus was Genoese and the present-day City of Genoa is now part of Italy.  Christopher Columbus' voyage to the New World opened up the Caribbean and the Americas to the Spanish crown.  This convoluted explanation is my attempt to connect my culinary voyage so far and justify my next stop - Mexico.  No, I am not buying a quesadilla machine.

Par for the course

Apparently I'm on a bit of a detour.  My lentils around the world plan has been delayed for a pit stop in Italy.  First puttanesca, now alfredo.  I guess it's timely since my husband is enrolled in an Italian course to fulfill his cultural studies requirement. 

Yesterday while sitting in the ER after being rear-ended by someone traveling way to fast in the rain, I was thinking about what to eat.  I thought, alfredo would be quick, easy, and tasty; then the reality of my aching body set in and instead my cousin and I went to California Pizza Kitchen (I love the Miso salad) when I was finally discharged 5 hours later (a function of people with flu-like symptoms using the ER in lieu of a PCP). 

Today I had lots of stuff to do that I was not able to get done yesterday.  Make the pepper pot for my mother-in-law's dinner; prepare my lecture; go to the potluck dinner for my son's class. After waking up later than I planned, I wasted 2 hours on the phone planning the Girl Scout calendar through January and then decided to make the alfredo.  Lectures still aren't ready. 

Alfredo is so straightforward, it puzzles me why people buy that stuff in the jar, and what is that stuff anyway?  I think of alfredo as a fat fest - butter, cream, cheese, garlic - rich and flavorful.  We didn't have fettuccine so we ate it over farfalle with a side of sauteed spinach.  The kids loved it. 

Then I started the pepper pot.  I am so thankful for my sous chef and apprentice (my son has recently joined the kitchen ranks) - for peeling and chopping all of the veggies.  Of course I almost forgot some key ingredients, but I was able to pull it together to create a flavorful dish that everyone enjoyed.  I also 'kicked it up a notch' by using two scotch bonnets instead of one. 

A colleague of mine is from Minnesota and he always speaks of a hot pot.  I'm not a big fan of buffets, potluck dinners.  The Bellagio in Las Vegas is an exception to the rule.  While a smorgasbord can be a great means of exploring new dishes, I prefer meals that are well coordinated so that all the food is complimentary and you don't end up with a hodgepodge of stuff on your plate.  When I plan potlucks at my house, I choose a theme and let everyone bring something based on their level of expertise.  Some might call that OCD, but I like to enjoy my meals.  Too many smells, sauces, etc is a recipe for disaster.

I decided to eat beef stew at the potluck.  It had carrots, mushrooms, and pearl onions.  I love onions but pearl onions have quite a distinct taste.  The pot was attractive - indigo enamel covered cast iron with a distinctive shape.  The meat was quite tender, served over egg noodles.  I didn't venture any further but heard that the sweet potato salad was delicious.  I'm going to have to investigate that.

Post workout puttanesca

This morning I went to the gym for the first time in over a year.  My cousin (a fellow gym dropout) texted me and suggested that we go back to the gym.  I jumped on the elliptical machine and did 20 minutes and felt the burn - I haven't done a lick of cardio in who knows how long.  Then I rode the stationary bike for 10 minutes while we chit-chatted.

After the gym of course she and my husband wondered what we were having for lunch.  I'm more adverse to eating out now, so I thought I'd come home and make puttanesca.  The name of this dish just doesn't sound respectable.  I had it for the first time with my RN Trini friend a few weeks ago when we met for an Italian dinner after my class in Blackwood.  I thought it was tasty and that I could replicate it (garlic, olives, capers, anchovies, tomatoes)- she didn't think so...well guess what, I did masha Allah.

Surprisingly my cousin liked it, and had several helpings.

Everybody loves cooking

Apparently this blog has inspired a few of my friends to get back into the kitchen...I guess the feminists would have my head, but it's nothing like walking into a home filled with the aroma of home cookin'.  What's bad is the aftermath - washing the dishes and the smell that lingers - but the Saudi's have a remedy for that - bakhur. 

Today I made shiro.  Never had it, never seen it.  My plan for this week was to start my lentils around the world but that's not quite working out.  I haven't made anything since the pelau from Sunday and I'm about to buckle down on this research proposal.  Around 1pm, I was hungry and trying to figure out what to eat.  I didn't want to go out for lunch and I wanted to avoid meat.  Last night my husband surprised me and took me to Chima's...it was certainly not Fogo de Chau but there was lots of meat. 

I needed to cook something relatively quickly - I needed to leave home by 330pm at the latest in order to avoid the traffic to Blackwood.  Shiro seemed like an option.  I looked online and called my Eritrean friend to get some instructions.  After I made it I decided to go get injera...I didn't need 10 pieces, but who eats shiro with pita? 

It was quite tasty and filling.  Shiro is basically seasoned chickpea flour.  (I wonder if you could make this using besan flour).  I started it just like zigni then added the flour.  The consistency was almost like a bisque except it had bits of onions and tomatoes.  I think next time I might take the stick blender and puree the onions and tomatoes.  It makes you wonder about food production and availability when a culture uses flour as an entree, but perhaps they're on to something - chickpeas have protein and fiber.  I guess our meat addiction (in the name of protein) is just not justified. 

I just found out today that my friend has been holding out on me...there's more to Eritrean cuisine than zigni...guess that'll be my next exploration.

Precious pots

Today was a long day.  Mondays always are - driving to the Bronx, teaching, prepping, teaching, driving back to Philadelphia.  My prep time was absconded by students wanting instant gratification.  I never really got a chance to catch my breath - I graded papers then created yet another document that explains how to write a book review.

I am starting to feel a bit overscheduled - I am notorious for rippin' and runnin' but lately it seems that my days are packed beyond the point of productivity, and I have consecutive busy days to top it off.  Ok, so I'm not working a typical 40+ hour work week, but I am putting in hours - preparing lectures, grading papers, teaching classes, oh and NOT preparing a research proposal.

I ended my Trinidad exploration with a thud. The pelau I made yesterday was unimpressive.  Today I realized what I forgot to do...confirming that it was indeed flat, despite assurances otherwise.  Disappointing food aside, we had a great impromptu dinner in the company of great friends.  I don't know what my next dish will be...I want to do lentils around the world, or at least throughout my culinary cultures.  I have no idea where to start.  I guess I'd better start asking people - it is so much more authentic when an actual human provides insight about their culture through food, rather than gathering information from the internet.

Yesterday it became clear that I am going to need to purchase another pot. I'm thinking the Le Creuset 71/2 quart French Oven.  My 5 quart is not adequate, and I'm feeling a bit ridiculous having to constantly transfer stuff to the 9 3/4 roaster that I've been using.  For most stuff the 71/2 would be excellent.  Then I went online to price it - $300. Seems like a luxury item in the midst of this economic climate.  However, enamel covered cast iron is precisely what's needed for simmering.

I have a set of Le Creuset (flame).  I knew that they were high-end pots but I had know idea of the actual cost .  Grandmom Lou gave me her set of pots in 1994, after she had them for 40 years.  I also have a set of Cusinart pots that my sister-in-law bought me in 1998 - these are my everyday pots.  I remember how excited I was to get them - 18/10 stainless steel, stick resistant interior, stay cool handles.  I am thinking that I will likely purchase a comparable alternative to the Le Creuset - I can't justify the cost, particularly when there are so many people with empty pots, if they possess a pot at all.

Gorgeous gourds

I took the kids to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs today, $31 for 3-D tickets; movie ticket prices are out of control. The kids loved the movie, I was unimpressed. There were some good underlying messages - there's nothing wrong with being intelligent and pursuing your dreams...I wondered about the possible food message - is it about overconsumption/obesity; the environmental impacts of overproduction of food; processed food; or GMOs? These are all things to consider as we manipulate the food system. Woe to the sorcerer who loses control of his magic.  The earth's biogeochemical processes have been interrupted, largely due to food production; the results have been soil erosion and aquifer depletion manifesting as windstorms, desertification/climate change, and land subsidence.  As we manipulate plants to be resistant to fungi and insects while dependent on inorganic fertilizers, what is the impact on our bodies?

After the movies I stopped at the West Indian market (owned by Asians) to pick up my bacalao and pumpkin. This is actually the first time I've purchased "pumpkin"; I usually substitute some other gourd, such as butternut or acorn squash. I used to make salt fish and pumpkin in 2005 and my family loved it. I was introduced to this by my other Trinidadian friend - my two friends have slightly different cultural backgrounds which I attribute to the reported ethnocentrism on the island (I'll refer to this one as the RN and the other as the teacher).

We were invited over for a light dinner, she served sauteed spinach (it was my first time having it), curried shrimp, salt fish and pumpkin, rice, and lemonade - this had to be in spring 2005. I went home and duplicated the salt fish recipe and made it quite frequently that summer because my CSA was loaded with various gourds. I haven't made it since.

Tonight I realized I'm somewhat of a hybrid "chef", combining culinary techniques and ingredients from a variety of cultures - I did this with the oxtails and again with the salt fish - using tricks I picked up from Eritrean and Indian cuisine - greatly enhancing the flavor of the food.

The pumpkin was a little too soft but the kids loved it; they had seconds and thirds...allegedly, they do not like squash but pumpkin is a totally different story.

Lucious legumes

I've disliked lentils since I was 12 years old and my dad fed me canned lentil soup (I think it was Health Valley). I've avoided them like the plague; just the sight of them creeped me out...always opting out of daal at Indian establishments...actually I've had an aversion to the pastiness of a variety of beans for some time - including foodstuffs prepared from beans such as hummus and falafel (unless prepared exceptionally well). I will, however, eat certain dishes prepared with kidney, pinto, and fava beans.

I know better. I know all the nutritional benefits of legumes. I even know that they fix nitrogen in the soil. I know that beans would help me reduce the amount of my family's meat consumption, which I desperately want to do, but beans really turn me off. Or at least they used to.

Abay fasts on Mondays and Wednesdays...one day she offered me the timtimu...I obliged because it was Abay, and I loved it. When I made it for lunch last week it was a hit. I didn't hesitate when the APO told me to add 1/3 cup of lentils to the oxtails; I added almost a cup...those oxtails are so filling it's ridiculous.

Now I'm searching for interesting, flavorful, ethnic lentil recipes.

Thyme for tails

I love oxtails but have never considered preparing them. I usually get them from my local Jamaican take-out establishment. Keeping in line with this Caribbean theme, on Tuesday I thought I might just give this a try. I called the APO of my program and asked her for her recipe (her husband is from Trinidad). She told me the ingredients and the steps and then mentioned two seasons that I had to get - green seasoning and meat seasoning. She casually mentioned that the seasonings you get "back home" are much better than those you buy in the store...obviously I got excited because I've been known to covet powder.

The powder.

I drove to her house in Co-op City to get the key ingredients - they remind me of hara and garam masala. I was just too tickled with myself that I had authentic spices. This morning I was all set to get started, but I had forgotten a few ingredients. I spent several hours ripping and running to stores this morning because I didn't take a list while on a wild goose chase for thyme, which is a key ingredient in some island cuisine.

I went to 5 different purveyors of produce and was unable to locate thyme. I was pretty pissed off because I saw thyme at the Wegmans in Cherry Hill on Tuesday. Also, prior to becoming a "has been," I used to grow thyme (among other things) in my backyard. Needless to say, I had to resort to the dried stuff - there was a teeny weensy jar of McCormick for $4 and I just couldn't bring myself to pay it. Fortunately I went to a store with a specialty section and purchased the thyme for $1.

I deviated from her instructions slightly; I just can't help myself. The only "recipe" I follow is biryani; everything else I alter or I combine several recipes...I don't like the idea of being a cooking drone.

This, like the pepper pot, has been a lengthy process...but it was so worth it - I only wish we had a bit more meat (my husband bought 7lbs yesterday and it seems a bit sparse - it's mostly bone - I guess I shouldn't complain though, many people only have access to meat products on Eid al Adha, if at all).

I made some accompaniments - greens (I went out on a limb and experimented with these to work with the theme, not bad - I was inspired by my husband's cousin who makes the best greens I've ever eaten - I didn't have nerve to call and ask for her recipe - I doubt she would share it anyway), pigeon peas and rice - and a cake - for now I'm calling this simply tropical cake for lack of a better name - I took one of Grandmom Lou's cake recipes and made some adjustments. The cake was tasty but once again, my cake stuck - this is not looking good for the future of Lazeez Goodeez.

I forgot to make the plantains - I guess I got caught up in a mad dash...trying to get the food finished, needing to comment on rough drafts, needing to beat the traffic to Blackwood, and wanting to taste those tails.

Savory.

I was a little concerned because the color and aroma did not resemble what I was accustomed to. This stuff was delicious, lip-smacking good. The gravy is delicious by itself - I didn't need to go to the trouble of making the pigeon peas and rice concoction - plain rice would've been fine.

Trini tails are terrifically tasty.

Hybrid cultures

Once again I am sitting in the Bronx (on a Wednesday!). On the drive here I listened to the Afro-Brazilian and Merengue cds (I was drifting and needed something with pep, NPR was not helping). The musical arrangements were very different, the Afro-Brazilian using a great deal of percussion instruments and the Merengue using brass. I started thinking about the ways music expresses and reflects a culture's history. The Afro-Brazilian music seems to maintain the influence of West African music. Why then is the Afro-American (for lack of a better term) culture so far removed from its African roots - language, customs, religion, music, food, etc? What were the differences between North and South American slavery?

I teach a Cultural Geography course in New Jersey. It is a required course for students pursuing a degree in education. The textbook refers to customs and habits and reviews a variety of cultural elements broken down by chapter. Last night during the discussion of language, the term Creole was introduced. The text defines a creolized language as one that results from the mixing of the colonizer's language with the indigenous language, usually by simplifying the grammar of the colonizer's language. This explains why continental European languages differ from those found in the New World. In terms of an individual, a creole is a slave born in the master's house. Hence, creole signifies a mixing, a hybridization of people, language, and cultures.

In light of Columbus Day, I assigned an extra credit question to all of my sections - Was Christopher Columbus a hero or villain? What was his imprint on the landscape of Hispaniola?

Hybridization.

I'm certain that many sociologists and anthropologists have studied imperialism and colonialism - many people specialize in Latin American studies (this will not deter me from conducting my own culinary investigation). The bringing together of cultures in the Americas through exploration, voluntary and forced migration created a distinct, flavorful hybrid culture that does not seem to exist anywhere else in the world. How is hybridization different from a "melting pot" or "salad bowl"? How are elements of each cultural input retained yet combined to produce a unique, vibrant culture. Why, despite all of this vibrancy and resilience, are these post-colonial cultures dependent rather than productive in the global economy?

In North America, previous knowledge and culture has been almost eradicated - instead of hybridization there is a melting pot. Are there any cultural remnants? Is Soul Food truly African cooking techniques applied to the scraps provided by the slavemaster with some influence of indigenous cuisine? Is this the hybridity? Hybridity for the Afro-American is manifested quite differently than counterparts in the southern hemisphere. Essentially, it began with the same ingredients - indigenous, colonizer, slave - but the congealing technique was quite different, thus producing different results, instead of a gumbo it is condensed soup.

My daughter is very interested in "our culture" - for years I have been trying to figure that out - not really being able to move beyond oral accounts of my great grand parents that seem more anecdotal than anything else. I've come to realize that "our culture", meaning the culture that I intend to pass to my children and beyond, is what we make it. It is a hybrid based on interaction - elements that I enjoy from the various cultures that I encounter.

A pail of pepper pot

I have been wanting to make pepper pot since Friday, but first I had to distribute the biryani. Last night I made aloo palak (not too spicy) and mango lassi to accompany our biryani.

This was a long weekend and I've gotten absolutely nothing done - no grading, no writing...I did do a little cleaning and a couple loads of laundry - I need to find a balance between the domestic and academic realms.

I watched Coraline tonight with the kids, pretty good movie. I'm looking forward to gardening next summer, this summer we hardly did any maintenance, but it was a good bird habitat.

Apparently pepper pot varies by location in terms of ingredients and technique. As usual, I decided to make adjustments to the recipe...I was a little concerned that I had gone overboard but the result was a hearty stew that cost around $25, but I could've probably made it cheaper.

Corned beef (the first time ever making it...I actually just started liking it last year; of course I called Grandmom Lou for cooking suggestions); onions, garlic, tomatoes, scotch bonnet (one scotch bonnet added plenty of kick to the pot), yuca, white yam, carrots, 'pumpkin', pigeon peas - it was at this point that I realized I had gotten carried away...the 5 qt Le Creuset was almost full.

I transferred the contents to the larger pot - my daughter said "you're pulling an Aunt Mary" (my Aunt Mary always cooks way too much food, you would think she worked in a cafeteria) - then she said "are you making a pail of pepper pot?"

I added okra, cabbage (this was a major deviation, but my mother-in-law gave me cabbage yesterday so I decided to throw it into the pot), and spinach. Cabbage must be available in the Caribbean because it's served in all of the Jamaican restaurants. We had corn muffins on the side and I made a salad of boiled green bananas, cucumbers, and carrots tossed in a fruity balsamic vinaigrette that I whipped together.

If I 'mapped' the botanical families of this dinner I wonder what the branching pattern would be.

I was pleasantly surprised with the pepper pot. I have no idea how it's supposed to look, taste, or smell, but it was certainly hearty, tasty, and made our insides warm and tingly. I would definitely make it again...not a fan of the boiled bananas though. I wanted to make plantains but the plantains my husband made probably wont be ready for a few more days.

One thing I confirmed tonight is the right combination of food does not require tons of seasonings. I used a few basic things but the vegetables provided the bulk of the flavor. I once read somewhere that people who use seasonings and condiments have perverted taste buds, perhaps this is true. This brings to mind three unfinished books from 2005 that I need to complete - The Botany of Desire, The Natural History of the Senses, and Jacobson's Organ.

Banana buttermilk breakfast

I was hoping to finally go to the Radnor Hotel for brunch, but my sister decided to take my mother to Olive Garden instead...not interested. We last visited OG in June when my daughter moved up from 5th grade. I still remember everyone complaining about the food, I said - it's not Maggianos (not that that's the gold standard for Italian but it's certainly 1,000 times better than OG). Prepacks.

Perhaps I perpetuate gender roles. Since my daughter could walk and talk, I've purchased her cooking related products - miniature baking sets, I stood in line to get an autograph copy of Emeril's There's a Chef in My Soup...she does like cooking. Now that she's gone to the Restaurant School's camp, I even let her do some independent things.

What's for breakfast?

My daughter asked what we were having for breakfast...my plans for the Radnor Hotel were diminished, so I said - biryani...we have buckets of biryani - which has put my cooking spree on hold - guess I'll make pepper pot tomorrow and actually get some academic related work completed today.

I told her to make pancakes - my husband purchased some TJs mix 2 weeks ago - she got down the griddle (of course I have a griddle - I am a kitchen gadget junkie), and made the pancakes...we have no syrup (we use maple syrup, not that corn syrup, water, and carmel coloring concoction that they pass off in the supermarket), and we're out of honey as well. I will admit that we do buy clover honey, but wildflower is my favorite. Not to mention the locally produced Honey from the Hood at Greensgrow Farms. So, I made the substitute topping we use when there is no syrup or honey in the house.

Inspired by bananas foster.

I remember the first time I had bananas foster - at New Orleans Cafe in Media...it was oh so decadent...everything at that restaurant was delicious - the pecan crusted catfish, the tuna imperial, the mashed potatoes, even the whipped butter - but New Orleans is no more, I assume they over expanded - had 3 locations...we tracked the chef down at the Big Easy in Paoli - not even remotely close to what New Orleans Cafe had been. This is probably the reason I will never pursue training or a career on culinary arts - it's hit or miss and labor intensive. Ever read Kitchen Confidential?

I started the topping and let her finish it. The topping was tasty and the pancakes were beautiful and delicious. We had no protein, but my daughter said "bananas have potassium so that's good enough."

Copious crustaceans

The soccer field has become a location for impromptu family gatherings. This season my son is playing in a different league so that he could spend more time with one of his camp buddies. We will not repeat that mistake (there is no skill- building whatsoever and things are a bit unorganized)...but my nephew and second cousin are also playing in the league so this brings the folks out.

In 2006 National Geographic had an issue totally about soccer and it's place in the world. Recently we discussed soccer's lack of prominence in the US in my Cultural Geography course - the game of soccer is not conducive to ad-based television programming and it is not intertwined with a national identity - the World Cup epitomizes international athletics in a way that the Olympics just can't. Soccer (Football) is very accessible to youth around the world; my son is very passionate about soccer but has not extended his passion beyond himself as a player (he truly epitomizes his name - one who moves with swiftness) - perhaps because as a family we do not get caught up in major league sports or players (what would Bourdieu have to say about that?) - he is interested somewhat in the Kixx because of their summer camps and we'll see what happens when the Unions start playing.

Perhaps I can figure out a soccer related cooking theme.

Anyone that knows me knows that I love to go out for lunch...I don't have as much time as I used to, but I still manage. Our post soccer activity is apparently going out to lunch. The gang likes Red Lobster. When I was growing up my aunt said that Red Lobster was "the KMart of seafood" preferring at that time Seafood Shanty. This is likely an accurate assessment. The majority of chain restaurant food is prepacks - food that simply needs to be heated and plated. No, I am not a chef, but I've always want to pursue formal training in culinary arts.

I can prepare quality seafood at home, but there's Melange - oh so tasty, Devon Grill, we don't mind Legal Seafood, Georgine's used to be good, the kids like Bonefish, and the best ever is Turner Fisheries in Boston. But for crowds, Red Lobster is definitely a winner.

I usually get an ultimate feast and substitute for sea scallops...clearly the sea scallops at RL can not remotely compare to those that I purchase and sear from Whole Foods...and don't even ask me about sustainability. My cousin and I decided to forgo the ultimate feast because we had already planned to get 2 dozen crabs for dinner. My daughter chose not to get a side of crab legs because she thought it would be more cost effective to buy the legs from the supermarket.

I am not a fan of shrimp, this is likely because in high school I ate them almost everyday as an after school snack. But I do like other shellfish (clearly I do not keep kosher). Half of our table ordered endless shrimp, I ordered steak and skewered shrimp (substituted scallops for my daughter), my mom ordered wood-grilled shrimp. As I was placing my order, I knew I was making a mistake - who orders steak from a "seafood restaurant" and then I thought about the quality of the beef and pushed that out of my mind, knowing full well that it was from a cow raised on a densely populated concrete slab on a diet of corn and soy; everybody knows cows should be running about, eating grass and chewing the cud but food production has been totally transformed.

Well, we were in Red Lobster for 3 hours, and the shrimp were literally endless to the point that we had Styrofoam takeout containers filled with pasta, fried shrimp, and skewered shrimp. Someone at our table had amassed a mound of food. It was ridiculous - I had to tell the server to stop bringing refills and just bring the check. Now, let's be clear about these "shrimp" - they were in fact shrimpy shrimps (probably 50/100 count) so they were not giving away the farm. But we had a good time. Getting together with friends and family is always fun.

Somehow we were stuffed. I think it was from the high-fructose corn syrup contained in the raspberry lemonades that we were drinking.

We delayed our 'crab feast' until 7pm. I made the last pack of TJs corn and we sat there eating crabs and talking trash, then looked at the table and burst out laughing thinking about Red Lobster.

The second coming

Lazeez Goodeez was born in November 1999. The idea came about as a friend and I were planning to vend at a Temple University event. She made tart sized cheesecakes and I made carrot cake loaves (inspired by the Carrot Cake Man treats I used to get in the 80s). I wanted a professional appearance so I decided to make labels and needed a "company" name. I was enrolled in my first Arabic course and had just learned the word for delicious - liziz - and decided to incorporate that into the name.

My carrot cake sales sky-rocketed - I was a baking fool - I expanded to whole cakes and then to a variety of baked goods- eventually I was selling food as well (I was ServSafe certified of course), this went on for several years and then I burnt out - juggling school, family, and cakes. Cakes had taken over my life and then there was no more.

What's up with the carrot cakes?

The business plan was shelved many years ago. Every so often someone asks about the cakes, can they place an order - that was a hilarious question - exactly when would I have time to bake cakes? My husband has been pestering me for several years about the cakes...

Not quite.

The cake has been icing'd, sliced, and tasted - it's not bad, but it's not quite ready to bear a Lazeez Goodeez label...I explained to a friend today - it's better to go out with a bang than to attempt a comeback and be known as a has been- I had zero confidence that I could reproduce those delicious treats...perhaps there will be a second coming.

Pepper Pot

I am exhausted and my head is killing me. This is likely the result of going to bed at 2am and waking up at 6am to make raita and get the kids off to school.

My plan was to resurrect Lazeez Goodeez and make the carrot cake that my daughter requested for her birthday last year. Things didn't go quite as planned. After a series of unfortunate events, I got started with the cake around 10am and realized I didn't have any eggs...then it occurred to me that I had no idea how to make the cake - I scoured my files and cookbooks for my carrot cake recipe -my formula that I began to tweak 10 years ago - I couldn't find it...so I did the best I could - the finished product was ok, I think I could've used slightly more flour and something seems to be missing from the taste. TJs actually makes a pretty tasty Karat Cake. I haven't gotten around to icing yet (I had to dash out to pick the kids up 30 minutes late), but will get to that before the night is out. My daughter is quite excited and wainting impatiently for the icing. I made 8 loaves and 1 whole cake - the worst part is my cake stuck to the pan like a rookie but it is definitely salvageable.

I met an Antiguan tonight. We were chitchatting and it came up...of course I asked about the food - "what is the national dish?" She described something quite interesting - Ducana (a yellow sweet potato dumpling) and Foongee (something that sounds like the Trinidadian coo-coo) - she also mentioned Pepper Pot - the description sounds like something I'd like to make - I think I'll take a stab at it next week and revisit the Trinidadian salt-fish and pumpkin (taught to me by my other Trinidadian friend a few years ago).

Our conversation quickly became a inquisition about the cultural landscape - I learned that the Blacks originated from Ghana and Nigeria and that the country was under British rule until November 1981. She also told me that parts of the landscape are dominated by sugar plantations and there are some cotton plantation remnants as well. There is a distinction between town and country people but she was not able to tell me anything about the indigenous population (if they even still exist). This was a timely discussion, considering that Columbus Day is upon us. Exploration and colonialism has left quite an imprint on both the cultural and physical landscapes of the Caribbean with genocide, slavery, migration, and exploitation of natural resources.

How are the cooking techniques of the Caribbean a product of spatial interaction? What features are indigenous and what is influenced by those brought in the hulls of ships? Is Caribbean cuisine a fusion of Amerindian (for lack of a better term), West African (involuntary and voluntary migrants), and Indian (indentured servants) cooking?

Devil's brew.

Many people consider McDonald's to be the devil - for a variety of reasons - imprint on the landscape, the hijacking of food production, the promotion of fast food, the taking over of the world...the devil has roped me in with sweet tea.

I love sweet tea. Always have.

When I went to New Bern, NC in 2005 I was so excited to get sweet tea in restaurants. When Mickey D's launched their sweet tea, I was ecstatic...and it's only $1. So I drive-thru several times a week and drink the brew (yes, I do know better). The catch is, sweet tea is $1.49 in da hood (aka the color tax). Everywhere I've been, except the inner city of Philadelphia, 32 ounces of sweet tea is $1...and it should be - tea bags, water, refined white sugar - no soda syrup purchased from Coca-cola, no need for carbonation - as a result it's often inconsistent - sometimes brewed strong, other times watered down, and at times sweet enough to send someone into a diabetic coma. Nonetheless, I keep drinking it, but not in da hood...I refuse to be blatantly exploited. So headache and all, I drove out of my way tonight for the devil's brew.

Birthday Biryani

What kind of lunatic starts preparing biryani at 9pm? Me, that's who.

Earlier this week I decided that I would surprise my daughter with biryani for her birthday...I haven't made biryani in a few years so I was a little apprehensive. I make biryani using the Indian technique...I went to a friend's house so that I could learn the steps - and there are quite a few steps.

I cut a few corners with this batch of biryani, instead of the mortar and pestle, I used a cuisinart gadget - and probably made way too much - 8 lbs of chicken thighs - why?

The last time I ordered biryani it was terrible and tasteless at Tiffin.

Recently my friend made Pakistani style biryani and it came out decent...totally different taste and technique...it's really quite amazing when I think about the many varieties of biryani I've tasted - Indian, Pakistani, Punjabi...I'm sure there are lots of local variations, just as there is with garam marsala. I have identified biryani as the flagship Indo-Pakistani dish - whether this is true or not beats me.

Biryani became a bit of an addiction back in 2004 or 2005 at International Day...International Day is an event at my children's old school that allows people to showcase their culture - material, culinary, oratory, etc. For some of us that is quite difficult, considering our most distant known relative might've been a sharecropper that traveled north for the Great Migration.

Since that International Day, all we know is biryani - we have likely done ourselves a disservice by limiting our repetoire to biryani when I'm certain that these women can cook many other traditional dishes. Actually one person's biryani has become the gold standard to which all others are compared, masha'Allah.

Ummh, mendi lamb...a lamb and rice dish similar to biryani that I had in Oman. The lamb is cooked using the pressure underground for several days and is very tender and bursting with flavor.

Some cultures are meat and potatoes while others are cultivated with rice.

My chicken biryani turned out decent. I think it may be way too spicy for my son to enjoy (the spice is not on the tongue, but definitely hits you in the chest - the chilis were so hot that I was coughing just from chopping them) and I clearly used too much garlic-ginger paste. Something is lacking, rendering the flavor not quite authentic - it might be because some of my garam marsala ingredients were past their prime - but it's a good start.

My coach has turned into a pumpkin, so I will make the raita tomorrow.

Out with the old

I'm sitting in the Teaching Resource Room in Blackwood grading Discussion Topic postings. Prior to leaving home I cleaned out my spice cabinet. It's a corner cabinet but I hadn't realized how deep this cabinet is until I removed everything and wiped down the shelves.

I had seasoning galore - all kinds of rubs, blends, and concoctions that haven't seen the light of day in 5-7 years. Apparently I had been on a quest to enhance food and the many packaged run-of-the-mill spices just never seemed to do the trick. That's old hat now...the cabinet now contains my everyday essentials (trocomare & 21 seasoning salute), the pillaged blends, and some baking necessities.

The spice route

When I went downstairs this morning to prepare the kids' lunches, I was confronted with a sink full of dishes. I took out all of the dishes except the utensils, rinsed the sink, and prepared the water. As I was thinking about how I function as a 'housemaid', I recalled that during Ramadan I made a commitment to myself that I would just suck it up and wash the dishes...at that very moment, my finger came in contact with my daughter's chef knife and I ran upstairs to the bathroom as not to pollute the dishwater with the blood that was gushing from the wound.

When I returned to the kitchen, I realized that I am not that different from the imperial powers...akin to Christopher Columbus searching for an alternative route to the spice world. However, instead of traveling in the wrong direction and subsequently stumbling across a group of people rich in geologic resources, I meet people and exploit them for the culinary secrets of their culture and demand booty of spices from travelers - garam marsala, berbere, bizaara, ras el hanout - each region producing a distinctive spice blend (similar to a curry) based largely I imagine on what is naturally occurring...but instead of extinguishing these cultures, I keep them alive in the kitchen and actually wouldn't mind dabbling in the accompanying language.

It just occurred to me that my spice fetish is clustered in (or some might say dispersed throughout) one geographic area - from North Africa, to the Horn of Africa, across the Arabian Pennisula, and into the Indian Subcontinent (I have recently expanded west into Senegal) - a pseudo Ibn Battuta I suppose.

While these spice blends vary by geographic location, the cooking techniques and ingredients are quite similar- I imagine that is likely due to spatial interaction - the coming together of cultures along this trade route - why do these dishes often begin with sauteing onions until translucent then adding tomatoes? What is the hearth and pattern of diffusion of the onion and the tomato?

I dare not investigate these questions - because not only does that have nothing to do with the price of tea in China, but it has absolutely nothing to do with the correlation between socioeconomic status and position along the watershed.

Lunch from the East

This blog and the correlated cooking thing is apparently an excellent vehicle for procrastination. In the middle of my day it occurred to me that the remaining ziti was not going to be ample. I decided to make an additional entree. I went into the kitchen to see what was available - dried lentils, 3 packages of TJs frozen corn, frozen okra, frozen collard greens, and frozen spinach. I also had romaine lettuce, baby spinach, and onions.

I decided to make timtimo, basically lentil zigni - I started with onions and tomatoes and went from there - it didn't turn out as spicy as I'd hoped but was quite tasty, almost sweet. For the side dish I made okra...sauteed onions again, and a little tomato with a bit of curry...this dish was also good.

My dad texted me to see if I was hungry...I'm thinking he was either going to do Chickie's or that deli in Sharon Hill...I texted back that I had cooked and he could stop by. I realized I was going to need another dish so I tossed the baby spinach, corn, red onion, with a balsamic vinaigrette that I whipped up. My dad arrived before my husband returned with the injera and mango nectar. He also had his buddy with him, we invited him in as well. Ideally we would have all eaten from a central plate, instead I set everyone up with an individual plate.

The food was very good, masha'Allah...the old fellas were pleasantly surprised.

Domestic Diva

I'm really on a roll with kitchen related tasks...cleaning, planning, etc...this blog is definitely inspiring. For some reason, right before I was supposed to leave out for middle school back-to-school-night, I decided to clean the refrigerator and the stove and was tempted to run the self-cleaning oven, but one problem - a cockatiel named Monkey. I will have to put her in her cage outside for a few hours tomorrow so I can get the oven looking good as new.

I also decided to make chicken salad...there was a family pack of split breasts in the freezer, I partially thawed those and boiled them with my concoction...Grandmom Lou makes the best chicken salad - she is the chicken salad queen - everyone is always requesting her salad - oh, can you get your grandmom to make chicken salad, etc...she taught me her secret and yes there's a secret technique...

I forgot to get celery but that's ok...the chicken salad still turned out pretty tasty - it's for the kid's lunch tomorrow...they've been on this tossed salad kick, but tomorrow they'll have chicken salad on the side.

Now I must wash my sister's hair...10:30pm on a school night...perhaps I'm taking this domestic thing just a bit too far.

Sipping chocolate

Instead of snuggling under the covers, alone, as I planned, I am now sipping chocolate. I was converted from hot chocolate to hot cocoa several years ago at Williams-Sonoma, and have not been the same. I was pleasantly surprised, such that I exclaimed out loud when I saw that TJs stocks sipping chocolate. I am going to adulterate this chocolate with whipped cream from a can (Cabot's premium natural) - we'll see if it tastes like homemade...I'm just not there yet, but will be soon - homemade whipped cream, ice cream, etc...I'm trying to pace myself for crying out loud.

I've been keeping this blog on the D.L. because I don't want my friend ZW to find out that I've been spending time on something other than developing my research question. I'll let her know about it as soon as I have the question and methodology together.

I was just talking to my Trinidadian friend about sipping chocolate and how it differs from the pulverization that we mistakenly refer to as hot chocolate. She said after I left her house, she's been checking food labels like crazy. I think sometimes it's much better to live in the dark about what's in food...once you open your eyes, your choices are rather limited. She told me I should teach a class and let my son be my TA (he's 8 years old and learned how to read nutrition facts in kindergarten).

Packaged food is full of crap.

Many dairy products (especially low fat) are loaded with all kinds of corn derived substances and fillers...not to mention coffee creamers - some of that stuff is unrecognizable and makes you wonder why it just couldn't contain cream. As you move to more sophisticated items, there are more sophisticated ingredients. Have you ever read Fast Food Nation? I assigned book reviews this semester and that's one that I included...I'll be curious to see how the students respond.

This whipped cream really does taste homemade.

Why do I make ice cream? First, because I bought a cool Cusinart gadget a few years ago and I'm sick of that gooey stuff that they're passing off as ice cream...I like Philadelphia style ice cream - simple, basic ice cream...I will eat Haagen Daaz (I grew up on Honey Vanilla) and some of the Ben & Jerry's. Mostly I do Turkey Hill Philadelphia Style or Breyer's in a pinch...Breyer's has gotten slick, downsized the container and added a "natural" ingredient (tara gum) to their recipe which alters the taste and consistency.

Does anyone remember Abbotts Old Philadelphia ice cream? My grandmother used to eat it, I think bing cherry was her flavor, I loved the butter almond...it came in a cylindrical shaped half gallon and was very good...this had to have been the 80s. Philadelphia used to be the workshop of the world http://www.workshopoftheworld.com/...but that was before suburbanization, post-industrialism, declining populations, declining schools...

This sipping chocolate is quite tasty...reminds me of the ice cream I "discovered" (every time I discover something I think of Christopher Columbus) this past spring - Choctal - smooth, creamy, chocolatety...I love chocolate - the movie Chocolat, John & Kira's makes the best chocolate (a little pricey for an everyday indulgence), when I was younger I ate Damian's chocolate ice cream, haven't had that in years.

This label reading thing is problematic. I love chocolate but for some time now, maybe 6 years or so, I haven't been a fan of Hershey's...I'll eat Godiva, Ashers, Ghiradelli's, or whatever is in my now non-existent budget, but I do like Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. (I also like Goldenberg's Peanut Chews). Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Hershey's chocolate syrup is a concoction of water and corn syrup...I thought why, why a chocolate company do such a thing. We visited Hershey Park this summer and I was confident that I would be able to purchase actual chocolate syrup from the "Hershey Factory" - no go...the only item that I was able to purchase that contained only chocolate - was the cocoa powder. Fortunately Whole Foods and Trader Joes both sell chocolate syrups that are actually chocolate.

Pizza for breakfast?

I will admit that I'm still working the TJ freezer conveniences...namely for breakfast. I have to be careful about what I eat for breakfast - if it has too many carbs, like oatmeal, then I'm starving 20 minutes later. So I need protein - Greek yogurt is great for that, loaded with protein. I wonder why everything Mediterranean is termed Greek. Sometimes I'll have sausages, crab cakes, or fish with grits or home fries. I also do smoothies and shakes - I love the avocado shake that the Lebanese prepare ( I think the Vietnamese make it as well).

I don't like eggs...I'm not sure if it's the smell, taste, consistency or what - I hate them. Always have. Well, maybe dislike them is a better description. I will eat eggs that are so loaded with stuff such that the eggs only serve to hold it together - that's how I take my omelets - veggies (plenty of onions) and one egg. And I can only do omelets in spurts.

Time dictates my breakfast choices. grilled cheese, crabcakes and yellow grits, veggie omelets, quiche, turkey sausage and homefries...the family loves waffles and pancakes with homemade toppings - but that's definitely a weekend endeavor. I like pizza...Pizza Olympiad, BBQ chicken pizza, Pizza Margherita - all from TJs.

Manqeesh.

Breakfast varies among cultures, obviously. Breakfast in Al Ain can be an assortment of many things - scrambled eggs, baba ganoush, pita, foul madaras, assorted cheeses and creams etc...but the best breakfast is manqeesh. The pastry is so light, almost puffed, and it can be topped with anything - zatar, labneh, cucumbers & tomatoes, olives, truffles. Served with cocktail and tea. Just thinking about it makes me smile. Sitting on the floor with the food on the miata, smiling and bobbing my head because I haven't mastered the language as I should.

Apparently eating makes me smile. I was at IHOP last week in Ardmore (the one on City Ave is disgusting) eating pancakes, turkey sausage, and hashbrowns...drinking one of those sugar loaded berry splashes...and smiling...the server walked by and said "I've never seen anyone smile before while eating, the food must really be good." I thought, is the the sign of an oncoming eating disorder? I don't go out for breakfast often, but when I do I prefer the Marriott, Cracker Barrel, IHOP, or Corner Bakery - in that order.

So, I eat my pizza for breakfast because it's ready in 10 minutes, contains some protein, and reminds me of Al Ain.

Cooking is comforting

I'm sitting in my office in the Bronx, just finished my ziti and corn-syrup free Pink Grapefruit Dole Sparkler that I picked up in Canada. While driving up, I listened to the Brazilian music cds my brother sent me and thought about Brazilian grills. I realized that the first thing I ask someone when I meet them, is "what kind of food do you eat" - I always want to know the main dish, the authentic indication of the culture. I was TAing with someone from Brazil two years ago when I posed this question to her. We started trekking to Long Island City from Flushing for lunch - I was introduced to picanha and the best mashed potatoes ever. When you go to a Brazilian grill, why is it so heavy with meat? Is ranching a function of the landscape or was this culture imported by the colonizers? Where's the veggies? Do Brazilians have high cholesterol, etc? I guess these questions arise from the geographer within.

I know it's only been a few days, but I'm liking this blog - I now understand why people do it. It's therapeutic in many ways, because I think the act of writing down your thoughts clears the mind. Also, this blog is promoting cooking and for me cooking is quite comforting. When I cook there is a sense of accomplishment, a sense of giving, and an overall warm and fuzzy feeling.

I like it and want to cook more...I'm on the soup kick and have been racking my mind thinking about all the soups I used to make...yes I'm a has been but I'm on the upswing insha'Allah. The North African vegetarian stew I made for my daughter's class a few years ago - do I even remember the ingredients? The many different seafood stews...chicken soup, vegetable soup, and of course salona. Then there's the Asian soups that I love that I've never tried - wonton, coconut milk, etc...oh and this brings me to the broths that I used to create for fondues...what happened to that Martha Stewart wannabe?

Grad school.

I had the brilliant idea to commute from Philadelphia to Manhattan for grad school. It was just a quick ride on Amtrak, and I only had to stay one night in Yonkers. That quickly evolved into something far less convenient, it really did seem like a good idea at the time...Of course, I went all out with the cooking because I was away from my family. Roasted duck, leg of lamb, etc on random weeknights. Sunday dinners with the extended family. I was out of control - but that's my M.O. Something had to give - it was the cooking. I was advised by many a homemaker to take it easy - don't worry about the messy house, does your family really need a homemade full course meal every night...I discovered that I could get a lot of tasty prepared food from Trader Joes at a decent price without being loaded with all kinds of chemical compounds.

I became addicted to TJs mac & cheese...we were experimenting with all kinds of food - our freezer was full of conveniences - the idea of planning and executing a meal became daunting. So I didn't do it. I felt bad, like I was slighting my family and I wondered if this new course was hazardous to our health. I knew better though...I wasn't raised like this - my dad demanded home cooking, we ate organic food before it was en vogue...what was I doing? Even during my downtime, I didn't cook - I simply heated up. I thought, ghee, this is why they say a women's place is in the home - once a woman steps out of the home, everything goes to hell. I loved food too much to continue like that...I was getting tired of TJs and coveted dinner invitations to my grandmom's, mom's, or aunt's house - anywhere I could get a homecooked meal.

Economic downturn hits home.

The gravity of the food situation became clear when I realized how much money we spent in processed food, dining out, take out, etc - it was ridiculous. The only thing that saved us probably is that my children love fruit - nectarines, peaches, plums, pears, grapes, cherries, etc and the like all kinds of veggies...veggies are relatively quick and easy to prepare so every now and again we would have something fresh. Last Monday I made a conscientious decision to buy groceries rather than buying prepared food. I suppose I was inspired by dinner at a friend's a few weeks back - she's from Trinidad and had prepared an okra cookoo and stew fish - it was tasty and elicited memories of the stew I used to make...

I bought a piece of steelhead trout and recalled when it was $1.99/lb just a few years ago. I went home and made the stew. It felt so good to prepare a quick tasty meal. The family loved it and I guess it was the rebirth of Lazeez Goodeez.

Where's the geography?

So, I neglected to mention that I'm studying to be a geographer. When I mention geography, most people think of political geography, maps, or GIS...that's not the geography that I study...although I do teach a bit of it and cultural geography as well.

I study human-environment interaction through a critical geographic lens. Since I started this blog yesterday I have to keep reminding myself that it's ok to write about something other than geography. But, food and geography are related. Technically, the local landscape should dictate our food choices, but technologically, the sky is the limit. Our food travels a great distance from harvest/production to our table - the shrimp in my soup tonight was from Argentina and I believe some of the shellfish originated in Thailand. The creme fraiche was from Vermont and who knows where the onions, carrots, celery, and butter originated. And that's just the soup - what about the ziti and broccoli? What is the impact on the environment and our bodies when we consume food that is jet-lagged?

That's one way I could tie this blog into my "profession" but that's not that interesting...I'm more interested in regional cooking I suppose. Many cultures use similar methods and similar ingredients but the food is very distinct...how many different ethnic meals start with sauteeing onions until translucent and then adding tomatoes?

What about an exploration of cultures that don't have meat with every meal - that's could be interesting and economical; not to mention less of an impact on the landscape and the body. Why not lentils instead of chicken? I've been wanting to make the lentil zigni for some time, perhaps that'll be my next cooking task.

A few years back, I had this grand idea to tie geography into our meals - way before I thought about geography as an academic discipline - I would go to the atlas and show the kids the country the dish originated and then a few facts - that didn't last long. But when we travel, we do like to get a taste of regional flare. At the Grand Canyon last spring we had a delicious southwestern meal, in Canada this summer, we scouted out local establishments - the food was excellent...and in Canada BTW processed food - condiments, soda, etc - is not loaded with corn syrup.

What kind of insight does food give you into a culture? Ethnic dining in US metropolitan areas tends to fetishize culture but I'm thinking more about available land resources - ingredients - fuel - cooking method - taboos, etc. I'm sure someone has written a dissertation about these issues, but maybe I'll just eat my way around the world and call it fieldwork.

30 minute meal?

So, I pulled the ziti out the freezer, and for some reason it didn't store as I expected. I haven't frozen a ziti in years. First, I must say, it's not actually ziti...I use penne and rotelle whole grain noodles - ziti is a little to thick and pudgy for my taste. Oh, maybe that's it, the last time I froze a ziti it was probably prepared with enriched bleached pasta.

The sauce still tasty - turkey Italian sausage, 90% lean ground beef, onions, red peppers, baby bellas, garlic, basil, and lots of tomatoes of course. I did ricotta and a cheese blend - I think provolone, mozzarella, and asiago if I'm not mistaken.

The kids were looking forward to the sauteed broccoli, but it didn't go as planned. My daughter sliced the veggies - ever since her$525 Restaurant School camp and $30 chef knife, she's my sous chef. I got too fancy, tossing the broccoli in white balsamic vinegar before sauteing with tons of garlic. The next mistake was that after I sauteed the veggies, we had to run an errand and reheat the broccoli - the texture was off and unlike the last time when the broccoli was gobbled up quickly, this time it was just OK.

We finished the meal with sweet tea. It sure would be nice to have some apple crostada.

I'm thinking this pan of ziti and pot of soup should hold us until Wednesday...tomorrow promises to be hectic. I haven't driven to the Bronx in two weeks and I'm certainly not looking forward to it. I have lots of stuff to grade and really need to get a jump on these lectures.

Years ago, before grad school and adjuncting, I used to be so organized - I had menus planned and food prepared on the weekends (Grandmom Lou taught me to cook two meals on Sundays back in 1994). Last year we were literally scrambling for food, eating who knows what. This year, insha'Allah, I will be more organized and at least get some good meals in Friday thru Sunday.

I spent the afternoon cleaning...for some reason, this blog has inspired me. I did a bit of organizing in the kitchen and laundry room - I guess I keep thinking about "Julie's" lack of ServSafe standards - it was creepy.

I am looking forward to cooking and sharing food with the people in my life. My husband wants me to start selling carrot cakes again, we'll see about that - maybe for xmas.

My insides are all tingly

I think I'm a little excited and clearly back on the soup path. After the Girl Scout meeting this morning, I decided to go ahead and make another soup. I used to make something similar to a shell-fish chowder, so I tried to recreate it...this time though I made it less creamy, using only creme fraiche instead of tons of heavy cream.

I started with a mirepoix, like I do for many things...I did extra onions (ever since I started cooking ethnic foods, I'm totally addicted to onions, they really bring out the flavor). The flavor was pretty good, but the consistency not quite what I was looking for. When my daughter saw the soup and tasted it, she got so excited..."is this the same soup you used to make a couple of years ago?" "so, you're getting back into cooking, mom" "all that's next is baking."

Then the kids started talking about their insides being tingly. Friday night my brother-in-law stopped by with his cousin to give my son a haircut. He asked for something to eat as he always does. I offered him the salmon stew which I think I'll refer to as a cioppino, he said ok. I offered some to his cousin, he said, sure...then they saw it...my brother-in-law said he didn't think he wanted to eat it.

His cousin started looking at it saying, it has all kinds of things in here - veggies, stuff I've never seen before and my brother-in-law said, all that stuff comes from Whole Foods. Then his cousin ate it and loved it. He said it's so good, it has my insides all warm and tingly. Of course my brother-in-law tried and and loved it as well. Then they said they were going to return for the beef stew that I was preparing.

Although some might consider soup the food of peasants, it is a food that makes your insides tingly. My insides are actually tingly because the food is bringing pleasure to others.

Food for the Soul

We painted these bowls a few weeks ago at All Fired Up, and this may have been my inspiration for getting back into the kitchen.

They seemed to scream function rather than form. A bit too big for ice cream...so I thought soup. Years ago (maybe 2005) I made soups...mostly seafood - red, cream, broth, etc. Then I stopped, suddenly...just like I stopped making cakes, etc.

Every winter my daughter asks for soups, and it never seems to happen. But these bowls needed something for function. So I made soup - 3 times this week.

My biggest problem is that I can never make the same thing twice...why because I experiment AND because I never write recipes down. This pisses people off. And it's quite frustrating for me.

I made a salmon stew Monday night (Yom Kippur for some people) and it was pretty tasty. On Thursday I had a friend over for a working lunch, I was too tickled that I was being hospitable with my fawla; then I decided to prepare the stew again for her (it was totally different this time). I guess I got on a roll because I decided to make a beef stew last night, which was to be our food for today. It was my first time using parsnips (I think I "discovered" them while reading Julie and Julia).

Tomorrow there will be no soup. ..I have a baked ziti in the freezer that I prepared last week (actually I made 2 last week when I got carried away with the pasta sauce I was making - that I will likely not be able to recreate).

I've gotten so jazzed that I've gone as far as sending out an email to my extended family for First Sunday family dinners. Let's see what comes of that.

Getting Started

I've been thinking about why people blog...why joe schmoe thinks that the world is interested in his thoughts. Facebook has become in many ways a blog, with status updates, etc.

It never occurred to me to blog, because I am always busy - juggling home, school, and work - but somehow, I'm always online. I'm addicted to learning new things no matter what the subject matter.

What I should be doing now is either grading discussion postings, preparing a lecture, or working on my research proposal but instead I'm BLOGGING...that's hilarious.

I like to cook, because I like to eat. I like to think of eating as an experience - I should be fat but I'm not...though perhaps I am by pop culture standards.

I grew up eating healthy foods - no salt, sugar, beef, pork, or milk.

I started cooking in the 7th grade (20+ years ago) when I had Home Ec. I loved it. Our teacher was Ms. Mazepink, she shopped at Macy's By Appointment. We made homeade pasta sauce, stir frys, cinnamon rolls, etc. I went home and recreated the recipes, even advancing to making venison (my father was a hunter, the venison came wrapped in green butcher paper).

Eventually my mother stopped cooking. I would call Grandmom Lou for tips on how to prepare stuff. I cooked most stuff in a Sharp Carousel Convection Oven - I guess that's when I fell in love with convection cooking. I currently have a Kitchenaid convection range and a Sharp Grill 2 microwave/convection oven.

I did a lot of cooking by recipes. I fell in love with kitchenware - utensils, gadgets, etc...you should see my kitchen now, so much stuff...In the 90's I shopped at Lechters...a kitchen place in the mall and I bought cookbook - I think it was called Creative Cooking...I started preparing meals from that. Now I avoid kitchen stores (my favorites were Williams-Sonoma, Kitchen Kapers, Bed Bath and Beyond) because I can't imagine that I need another thing and I know I can't help myself.

And that's how it went. My family likes to eat. I remember as a young adult, planning what we'd eat three days in advance with my mom, aunt, and cousin. I enjoyed Good Food and still despise poorly prepared food.

I like to prepare food for company but am always anxious about if it's good...

I love ethnic food - AUTHENTIC ethnic food...not this stuff watered down to American tastes. I like to go to the source for recipes and preferably spices.

So, my husband claims it was my roasted chicken that sold him, which is why he bought the Kitchenaid oven shortly after we were married - I couldn't recreate the roasted chicken in a gas oven. You know, my favorite grandmother was a terrible cook, but made a great roasted chicken. She also made me eat bread and butter with every meal...

I guess it's my life experiences that have broadened my cooking horizons and subsequently made me restless as well. I always want something different. It's funny, my husband exposed me to Jamaican cuisine, and different methods of preparing fish...now he rarely cooks anything.

It was in 2004 at International Day at my children's school, that the ethnic cooking really took off - I was introduced to Biryani and Zigni. From traveling and meeting different people, I like all kinds of foods, especially from the East. I always want the powder - whatever the authentic spice blend might be, I want it. My sister-in-law is Filipino but I never learned the recipes even 25 years later.

I like to think that I'm known for cooking good, interesting food. Now, it's hard though because I'm juggling so many things. My family now appreciates a decent meal and I enjoy preparing one...I think it's the way I express love.

I've only recently traded in the Trader Joes "cuisine" for my home cooking, and it's been great.

I guess that's what this blog is all about.