when you start the day caramelizing onions it's slippery slope to some delicious comfort food.
In between barely memorable, prescribed meals we have those rays of sunshine that inspire a rainbow of flavors that make comforting meals a reason to continue in our otherwise grey and monotone existence. While it is easy to stop by the corner Burger King or the House of Eight Happiness and exit with a sodium charged complete meal is it fulfilling or memorable?
Do you remember a meal or a single plate that awoke your palate to the possibilities of a whole rainbow of textures and flavors?
People ask me, "are you a cook?" I wonder how can one question be so complex and vexing? I do not cook for a living, I cook because it makes my life complete and brings joy to myself and those who are the innocent recipients. Cooking is not just a means to an end, but a bare white plate upon which to create a symphony. I have the utmost respect for those chef restaurateurs who recreate that consistently exquisite salad of blue lake beans, mint, mizuna, cilantro and parsley topped with ribbons of jamon serrano and a harissa vinaigrette night after night, month after month for their adoring patrons. The thought of doing it renders me dizzy with boredom. For me, cooking is an art like painting or sculpting a mound of cool damp clay into a functional work of art. We all have our medium, for me it is great fresh ingredients grown by proud farmers and crowning jewels like lavender honey and za'atar. Can you imagine a steaming bowl of Pho without that perfume of star anise?
The concept of following a recipe is way too restricting. I want the chance to play with flavors and textures and bring my own personal magic to a meal or just a simple salad.
Whenever the time (20-60 minutes) presents itself, I bound to my humble kitchen, open the fridge and gaze in as if it held simple answers to the universe's most complex questions. One must never be rushed when in the kitchen, this is not a remake of a Chopped marathon. I don't want anyone to risk a knife accident while practicing the fine art of culinary meditation. You get to chose the ingredients and channel the flavors that come from within. There are no rules to this game, only lessons that will give you advantage in future meditations. Imagine that sweet potato chopped into bite sized morsels massaged with sweet Thai chili sauce, some smokey paprika roasted to caramelized perfection.
This morning my caramelized onions met with an autumnal fusion of sweet potatoes and butternut squash pureed into a creamy soup topped with smokey chips of bacon.
Cooking is like riding a bicycle through the French countryside, if you see a bakery, for gods sake go try a few of their delicacies. They may have three day old donuts, but they may have maple drenched golden puff pastry studded with crunchy pecans. If you don't like what you've created, there is always that Thai restaurant down the street or a peanut butter and honey sandwich on whole wheat. The next time you attempt the practice you'll feel different and the dish will be more studied. Don't be afraid to try.
Remember you have to allow yourself to try new flavors and cuisines so that you can begin to construct or deconstruct a symphony. Try a cuisine that you scares you. I'm not saying to rush out and find place that specializes in roasted armadillo. How about Thai, Indian or Burmese if you've never permitted yourself the journey?
Dare to cook, it might just nourish you in ways you never imagined.
Bon Appetit
In between barely memorable, prescribed meals we have those rays of sunshine that inspire a rainbow of flavors that make comforting meals a reason to continue in our otherwise grey and monotone existence. While it is easy to stop by the corner Burger King or the House of Eight Happiness and exit with a sodium charged complete meal is it fulfilling or memorable?
Do you remember a meal or a single plate that awoke your palate to the possibilities of a whole rainbow of textures and flavors?
People ask me, "are you a cook?" I wonder how can one question be so complex and vexing? I do not cook for a living, I cook because it makes my life complete and brings joy to myself and those who are the innocent recipients. Cooking is not just a means to an end, but a bare white plate upon which to create a symphony. I have the utmost respect for those chef restaurateurs who recreate that consistently exquisite salad of blue lake beans, mint, mizuna, cilantro and parsley topped with ribbons of jamon serrano and a harissa vinaigrette night after night, month after month for their adoring patrons. The thought of doing it renders me dizzy with boredom. For me, cooking is an art like painting or sculpting a mound of cool damp clay into a functional work of art. We all have our medium, for me it is great fresh ingredients grown by proud farmers and crowning jewels like lavender honey and za'atar. Can you imagine a steaming bowl of Pho without that perfume of star anise?
The concept of following a recipe is way too restricting. I want the chance to play with flavors and textures and bring my own personal magic to a meal or just a simple salad.
Whenever the time (20-60 minutes) presents itself, I bound to my humble kitchen, open the fridge and gaze in as if it held simple answers to the universe's most complex questions. One must never be rushed when in the kitchen, this is not a remake of a Chopped marathon. I don't want anyone to risk a knife accident while practicing the fine art of culinary meditation. You get to chose the ingredients and channel the flavors that come from within. There are no rules to this game, only lessons that will give you advantage in future meditations. Imagine that sweet potato chopped into bite sized morsels massaged with sweet Thai chili sauce, some smokey paprika roasted to caramelized perfection.
This morning my caramelized onions met with an autumnal fusion of sweet potatoes and butternut squash pureed into a creamy soup topped with smokey chips of bacon.
Cooking is like riding a bicycle through the French countryside, if you see a bakery, for gods sake go try a few of their delicacies. They may have three day old donuts, but they may have maple drenched golden puff pastry studded with crunchy pecans. If you don't like what you've created, there is always that Thai restaurant down the street or a peanut butter and honey sandwich on whole wheat. The next time you attempt the practice you'll feel different and the dish will be more studied. Don't be afraid to try.
Remember you have to allow yourself to try new flavors and cuisines so that you can begin to construct or deconstruct a symphony. Try a cuisine that you scares you. I'm not saying to rush out and find place that specializes in roasted armadillo. How about Thai, Indian or Burmese if you've never permitted yourself the journey?
Dare to cook, it might just nourish you in ways you never imagined.
Bon Appetit
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