The New Year brings about an interesting time. We all want to try and accomplish something different, kick a habit, or start a new health regimen. The problem is, we never stick with it. I’m not saying it can’t be done and that having a resolution is futile, but let’s be honest, how many resolutions have you kept to? I think that instead of having a resolution at the beginning of the year, we should try and change something that we don’t like about ourselves once a year, any time during the year. I understand that this it not a new concept, but it is definitely more approachable. Mine is (are you ready for it?) to quit smoking. Shocker, right? The point is to position myself where I can’t fail. I need time and support. That doesn’t happen overnight. So I figure, if I give myself a year, I can do it.
My other resolution(s) are food related. First, I want to eat the smallest amount of industrialized food as possible. I enjoy a McDonald’s French fry as much as the next person, but do you feel good afterwards? Second, I need to eat more vegetables. More specifically, green ones. Although I like broccoli, asparagus, and spinach, I eat them more sporadically than I should. This leads me to my final food resolution: join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) club. I think I’ve discussed this before, but here’s a refresher, CSAs are farms that cultivate various different gems of the farm that are then delivered to your door or a specified meeting place. They are also relatively cheap, about $20 a week. This accomplishes three things. It forces me to eat more locally, forces me to eat fresh, and forces me to try fruits and vegetables that I wouldn’t normally try. Here in beautiful California, CSAs are pretty plentiful. It is probably harder in other areas of the country, but it can hurt to try and find one. It accomplishes a couple of things: you’ll eat healthier, eat locally, and try something new. Plus you are supporting farmers who are supplying directly to the community instead of a large distributor. If enough of us try and do this, it will increase demand for higher quality, locally grown produce as well as drive down prices of said produce. It’s a win-win situation. Farmers get what they deserve and so do we.
I have had a pretty good time cooking for the last couple of weeks. Since I last talked to you, I was pretty ill, but I rebounded and cooked my ass off. I made crab cakes, wild mushroom soup, and a sweet artichoke and shrimp dip for Christmas Eve. For Christmas day, I made prime rib perfection with jus, asparagus and Yorkshire pudding. I used the leftovers to make some awesome Italian beef sandwiches for my Mom and my Step-
Dad (who deserved much more than that for traveling for some 16 hours that day). I’ve also made a pretty delicious roasted chicken, figured out a great method for south Indian curry, and made a 5-hour Bolognese sauce. For our New Years Eve gathering, we made cioppino where everyone brought some seafood to toss in the pot. Amazing is all I can say. I think it is now officially a tradition.
Classes start next week, and I’m pretty excited. I’ll keep you posted about how they are. Until then, try cooking something new. I dare you!
Music: I just realized I haven’t done this in a while, so the list is a bit long. The Mars Volta’s Francis the Mute, Cymande’s self titled album, Boyz Noise Power, Slayer’s World Painted Blood, the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, Felt III: A Tribute to Rosie Perez, the Roots’ Things Fall Apart, and Lamb of God’s Wrath.
