Menu for a New Year

Well, here we are...
It has again been months since I last posted. This reminds me of the diary I used to keep as a little girl: months of absence, then obsession, then back to neglect.

Ahem.

So, my Xmas is going to be a bit of a downer this year. Working + no family + friends all going home = sad season. But I've decided to throw my holiday spirit into a New Year's Eve meal with new friends. I'm going out on a limb here considering my biggest entertaining fear is that I'll throw a party and no one will come but nevertheless, I'm hoping for about 14 people. I've had to relinquish some of the meal to friends but that's good practice for my control issues, right? Anyway, here's the menu:

Hummus with smoked paprika
Toasted pita chips and cucumber coins
Baked samosas with mint/cilantro chutney
Falafel with tahini sauce and raita
Fennel pilaf
"Indian" soup with chicken (this is the dish that's been delegated)
Mango with lime

...and...

Dessert. Which I couldn't decide on. My friend suggested something light, like fruit (hence the mango) but I feel like people could probably use something small and sweet. So, my big idea is to take a family recipe for "Butter Balls" (akin to mexican wedding cookies or russian tea cakes) and divide the dough. In one half I'm going to add cardamom and pistachio and in the other, vanilla and rosewater. I'm really excited to try this out. I imagine that they'll be delicate little mouthfuls, melting on the tongue and releasing their exotic flavors. Cross your fingers that it works...especially since I'm trying to woo someone with my cooking that night. :)

Happy Holidays and a Joyous New Year!

Oh food, I missed you!

Well, here we are again.

It is just past mid-terms and I feel like I've been treading water for months, just trying to stay afloat. And the eating. Oh, the eating. I haven't eaten this poorly for years. I started working at a hospital and they have an enormous amount of comfort food (not surprising) at very cheap prices (sort of surprising). Things like macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese and soft pretzels with cheese. Notice a trend? Also, chocolate cake, soup, pizza and wedge fries. It's sort of like being at a carnival without the rides. Though I do get on and off the elevator about 11,000 times a day. Anyway, the point is I've started succumbing to the lure of salty, warm food that I don't have to make. Not that I don't want to cook, it's just that I so rarely have the time (truthfully). It took a long time to come to terms with that fact. And then, because I'd never had that problem before I didn't know how to handle it (really, I still don't) and started just eating protein bars and scrambled eggs. It's been rather depressing around here culinarily.

But today (!) I have a day off from class and work through divine circumstance, and even though I still have lots to do (midterm paper to write, MUST clean apartment) I had the luxury of having a leisurely morning. Since I haven't had time to go grocery shopping in a while I was scrounging around for breakfast. Eggs? Meh. Cereal? Meh. Crackers? No. Special K protein bar? Hell no.

Then I had a revelatory thought, "I can cook something!!" So I did. I made polenta and stirred in some aged gouda, then topped it with some homemade chunky tomato sauce. It was SO gratifiying to stand at the stove and do a bit of light stirring, then eat something warm and hearty and seasoned just the way I liked it. God, how I'd missed that.

So, I have to attack this problem and figure out how to eat well while still eating cheaply and quickly. Tall order.

But the sun shines and my belly is satisfied so things are looking up.

School has started and it's a bitch. I won't even begin to tell you how much is being asked of me this semester, because a)it's ridiculous and would take forever, and b) no one really wants to hear about it. Suffice it to say, I'm not the only one...poor G. actually cried during class because our schedule is so demanding and overwhelming.

Anyway, despite all that...I'm still completely confident in my choice of career. I'm not confident that I'll make it or that I won't be homeless and broken by the end but whatever. The reason I'm so confident is actually two-fold. Today I actually went out to observe one of the sites where I'll be doing my practicals and I was actually able to answer a client's question that even the dietitian couldn't. Also, I'm sitting here tonight with the Food Channel on in HD, and a laptop in my lap watching Mark Bittman on the Times website. Because I CANT GET ENOUGH.

So, moving on....I stumbled across another blog started by a woman who decided to cook her way through Thomas Keller's French Laundry cookbook (ala the Julie/Julia project). I, of course, am familiar with Keller and have seen the cookbook but I thought "Hm, I should look at that again" so I picked it up today at Barnes & Noble and started looking through it...and I was like, "Damn."

Keller is smart, and really is an artist. One of his quotes "Respect for food is really a respect for life" I can't agree with more. But..Damn. His stuff is just so....involved. For example, several of his recipes require resting times of hours or days, for several parts of an individual recipe! ...I completely understand WHY but most of his stuff is just so beyond my means/abilities/desire. I want to touch food, prepare food, but I don't want to turn it into art - refine it to the point of making it ...I don't know...inaccessible? I'd love to eat at one of his restaurants someday though...Bouchon, Per Se or the French Laundry. I won't be able to sit still in my seat. Cornets with Salmon Tartare and Red Onion creme fraiche...someday you will be mine....

Where was I going with all this??

Sick Soup

I am feeling under the weather. On top of soreness from an invigorating run yesterday, I have general woman-related malaise. And. Last night. The dreaded sore throat.

Dammit.

So I immediately fizzed up some Emergen-C ('Lite' Lime) with some sparkling water and put myself to bed early. I slept in, ate some fruit, had another Emergen-C (Super Orange) and then layed in bed for another two hours listening to archived episodes of The Splendid Table.

But now I'm hungry....a little bit actual hunger and a lot craving-something-warm-and-brothy. Having finished Mario Batali's companion book Spain: A Culinary Road Trip earlier this week I recalled a Sopa de Ajo that had caught my eye and decided to take a crack at it.

However, I do not have 3 cups of staled bread (luckily), nor do I feel like going out to buy smoked pimenton (though I would like some). So, I'm making do.
I have a huge fresh head of garlic from the community garden, of which I sliced up about 6 cloves. I pricked holes in a tiny, red hot chile I had in the freezer and sauteed them both in lots of olive oil. Then I poured in about 2 cups of stock I'd defrosted. Now they are all simmering together and causing a nice aroma to waft around the apartment.

It got me to thinking though about how, lately especially, I'm doing a lot of that kind of culling of the pantry/fridge/cupboard to create nearly-instant dishes. I've always loved having this ability...to open the door, look inside at a myriad of randomness and extract...a meal!

I think mostly it has to do with always having the big 6 on hand: salt and pepper(we'll count that as 1), olive oil, garlic, onion, parmesan and lemon. Also, if you have eggs, potatoes and pasta around you will never, ever go hungry. I am almost never without these things in my kitchen.

For example, earlier this week I had a pile of leftover beet greens, so I pulled together a quick, yummy pasta. Frittata/omelets are always in the realm of possibility, as are fried or poached eggs atop damn near anything. And clearly I can make a soup out of garlic, oil, and a chile. Hurray. It gives me such a nice sense of self-sufficiency. When the larder is a little more full, I love the feeling of luxury that comes with being able to putter around for a few minutes and turn out something rich and delicious and palate-pleasing without having to run to the store. And if people are around, they think I'm a damn genius. Which makes me laugh.

*******

I just tasted the "soup." It's slick from the oil, with a simultaneously biting and soothing flavor from the chile and pungent garlic. Oh, so good. And the heat (temp and spice) feels wonderful on my throat. Here's hoping it kicks my cold to the curb.

A New Love

I never liked chicken salad. Nor did I enjoy "curry powder" (the stuff my mother used to have in a plastic McCormick's shaker that lived in our pantry for years).

Recently, however, I started eating meat again (an experiment) and have been poaching a few chicken breasts at a time in order to use the meat on (green) salads. I had about a 1/2 a chicken breast leftover the other day though and inspiration absolutely struck. Chicken salad! But new and improved! I had the ingredients I needed: soft and nutty whole wheat bread, fresh green leaf lettuce and yogurt. Yes, yogurt.

I shredded the chicken and dumped it in a bowl with a squeeze of lemon, a splodge of plain yogurt (about a Tbls.), salt, pepper and a sprinkling of cumin. Then I added a dash of my curry powder (the stuff that I create from whole seeds bought at the co-op, that are toasted and then ground - this stuff lives in my pantry in a glass jar to seal in freshness and never lasts more than a month or two). I mixed it up and slathered it onto lettuce lined slices of bread. It is really good. Bright, fresh-tasting, tangy, lemon-y, chicken-y. Because I used yogurt instead of mayo it isn't heavy or guilt-inducing. This super simple chicken salad is my new recipe darling - I've had it 3 times in the past two weeks!


1/2 chicken breast, shredded or diced
1-2 Tbls. plain yogurt
1/4 lemon, juiced
large pinch each salt, pepper, cumin, curry powder
2 slices bread
2 leaves lettuce

You don't really need instructions do you? Enjoy!

Herbaciousness

All foodies know about the magic of herbs and spices. We learn to covet these lovely, fragrant powders and leaves, and we actively use them; a pinch here, a dusting there, a shower on top to "spice" up our meals ("herb" up?). But those outside the foodie realm seem to be mostly in the dark about the gloriousness of herbs and spices. They frequently don't even know the difference between an herb or a spice, let alone how to use it and what dishes each one complements. I recently came up with the theory (I'm full of theories) that the reason is that herbs and spices are just so damn expensive that people don't have the opportunity or desire to burn through piles of the stuff, experimenting and learning.

Except that they're NOT that expensive...well, at least not when you live near a co-op or have access to a garden or farmer's market. Co-ops allow you to buy miniscule amounts of the stuff, or just as much as you need for a recipe, allowing you to dabble to your hearts content without breaking the bank. This fact has had a huge impact on my cooking, allowing me to make delicious, richly flavored food without a lot of added cost. For example, last week I bought $0.37 worth of thyme. Everyone can afford $ 0.37. And of course, if you have access to fresh herbs straight from the ground, well, you've been smiled upon by universe (as long as you don't have to buy the sad ones in the plastic containers at the grocery chains).

Anyway, my point. Wait, what was it? Oh yes. Herbs and spices are that special, not-so-secret ingredient that sets my cooking apart. It is the element that raises simple dishes to new heights (eggs, vegetables, pasta), and is the potent background that lends complexity to recipes that rely on levels of flavors for greatest impact (usually ethnic or long-cooking foods).

What I'd like to offer then is a sort of herb tutorial here; successive posts focusing solely on one herb or spice, talking about its flavor, properties, origins, and complementary foods, and then offer a recipe/suggestion that really highlights its attributes.

But first things first; the difference between an herb and a spice. Here's the simplest explanation I can give (of course there are finer points and exceptions but we'll address those later):

Herbs are leaves.
Spices are everything else (stems, seeds, roots, even bark as is the case with cinnamon).

Herbs are typically used whole and fresh.
Spices are mostly dried and ground into powders.

Straightforward examples:
Herb - parsley
Spice - black pepper

Less-straightforward examples (for my amusement):
Herb - chervil
Spice - asofoetida

So, that was herb tutorial #1.

Stay tuned.

Mastering Salad

Of all the things I could be writing about, and I'm going to write about salad? Well, yes, because it's been my go-to meal lately and not out of self-deprivation but because it's refreshing and (fairly) easy. And I've just been craving simple and green and cool lately. However, I'm not a big fan of "crunchy" salads if you know what I mean - chunks of raw vegetables like bell pepper or carrot, and dry, shattering croutons. And I don't love dressings, whether they're astringent balsamic ones or creamy, dull ones from Hidden Valley (which seem to be the ones most commonly on offer). I like soft, balanced salads - squares of ripe avocado, tender lettuces, chewy, garlicy homemade croutons, etc.

Anyway, I was inspired by a chicken caesar salad recipe I saw in my new favorite cookbook, but (of course) I couldn't make it as instructed; I had to tweak it. First, baby shrimp instead of chicken. Why? Well, because I'm a "vegetarian" and yes, even though I know farmed shrimp is just as bad as CAFO chicken, there is the benefit of it being, well, cheaper. Only a buck-fifty for 6 oz, cooked and frozen. Hey, I'm poor and shrimp sounded good. My greens were organic, ok? My mantra is "progress, not perfection."

There's also the matter of the dressing. The particular recipe I was looking at called for ingredients to make a fine and tasty looking caesar dressing. Did I particularly want to go out and buy "egg product" (to replace the raw egg in a traditional dressing)? Did I want to purchase a tube of anchovy paste? No and no. So, of course I fell back on "my" dressing, which is to say, a fairly standard vinaigrette. But what I love about my version is that I'm pretty easy on the acid (red wine vinegar, lemon juice, what have you) and I only ever make enough for a serving at a time. I really hate those recipes that call for 1/4 cup of olive oil. Don't they know that I'm poor? So, I'm only using about a tablespoon or so. Also, after I toss the salad with the dressing I dust the whole thing with parmesan (or my new favorite - grana padano), which makes this magical thing happen...every leaf has a sheen of vinaigrette and a light coating of cheese, which sort of melds in the mouth into this creamy, salty goodness that still lets the taste of the lettuces come through. I know I'm not the first to appreciate this sensation, but I'm glad to have discovered it.

When I make salad I always start by making the dressing in the bottom of a LARGE bowl, so that I have enough room to toss the thing without pieces going all over the kitchen counter. Then I wash my greens (I've been using half romaine and half spring mix, but you better believe I'll be using spinach and arugula when the farmer's markets get rolling) and put them in the bowl on top of the dressing. I make the croutons, then warm the shrimp in the same pan, and then everything goes in the bowl. I toss to coat, then sprinkle on the parm and toss again before unceremoniously dumping it all out onto my plate.

The thing that's great about salad is that it's basically a formula. This is pretty much the only salad I ever make at home...it's just that I top it with different proteins, and occassionally toss in whatever vegetables are hanging around. E.g. carrots shaved into ribbons, shredded red cabbage, peas, beans or chickpeas, hard boiled egg, chicken, blue or goat cheese if I'm lucky, cherry tomatoes, sunflower seeds or nuts, tuna or salmon, dried cranberries, whatever....

Shrimp Caesar Salad

2 - 2 1/2 c. lettuces
1/4 c. baby shrimp, defrosted and deveined
1/2 avocado, cubed
1 c. bread cubes ( I like to cube bread from "country" loaves, though sandwich bread works in a pinch)
a couple of Tbls olive oil
a clove of garlic, peeled and brutally smashed with the butt of a knife
parmesan cheese, maybe 2 Tbls.
mustard (I like dijon or stoneground)
red wine vinegar or lemon juice, 1-2 tsp
salt and pepper
some more olive oil (this is to taste, I'd guess about a little over a Tbls)

Squirt a 1/2-1 tsp of mustard into your bowl. Don't you dare measure it, just squirt. Pour in some vinegar or squeeze in your lemon (or use a little of both!). Add a nice pinch of pepper and a couple of pinches of salt. Whisk. Pour in some olive oil while whisking. When it looks creamy, stick your finger in and taste. Too vinegar-y? Add a little more oil. Kind of flat? Add another little pinch of salt. Done. Wash and dry your lettuces (salad spinners make the whole thing much less aggravating) and dump them in on top of the dressing. Don't mix it yet! Set a skillet over med-high heat and pour in enough oil to cover the bottom and add your smashed garlic clove. When the garlic starts sizzling, flip it over. Let it get golden. Then add your bread cubes. Walk away for 30 seconds. Don't toss them yet, you want them to get golden. Toss, and season with salt and pepper. Add a touch more oil if the pan is dry. Walk away again for at least a minute, maybe two. This is when they get crunchy. Turn them out of the pan onto a plate to cool while you finish with the shrimp. Dry your shrimp and throw them in the still-warm, still-oiled, still-garliky crouton pan. Toss them around for a minute to get warm, season, maybe squeeze a little lemon over them. Dump them on top of your greens. Toss the salad together. Add your croutons, toss again. Sprinkle your parm over the top and toss one more time. Eat from the bowl if you feel like it, otherwise plate it up and enjoy.

Soon

Well, the end of the semester totally kicked my butt...
I've been eating meals on the run, out of hand. The dishes piled up. The inspiration ran dry.

But soon (soon!) the farmer's markets will be opening and I will be able to work at the community garden a few times a week. I'm hoping to bring home 20lbs. of produce a week at the height of the season! I'm excited to eat green things, and cook lovely, simple meals bursting with flavor.

But for now, the only foods that seem to be getting my attention are Indian in nature. I'm hoping to throw a dinner party soon and here's the menu I've devised so far: chana masala, basmati rice, raita, pita chips or naan, and an adapted version of palak paneer (spinach with Indian cheese). And dessert? Chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting. Naturally.

Until then....

A week of meals

I don't have much time to write today - I have eight thousand things to get done before the sun goes down. But, I did want to share some of the yummy things I've been eating this week. I take great satisfaction in the fact that, througout, I ate dark leafy spinach and kale, artichoke hearts, deeply orange pumpkin, tomatoes, farm fresh eggs, fish and a plethora of grains....and yet at the end of the week, cookies. But no ordinary cookies. These are the famous NY Times cookies that are "aged" for 36 hours. That's right, I made the cookie dough on Saturday night and didn't bake them off until this morning (Monday) at 8am. In theory, the wait time is supposed to hydrate the cookies (sort of like how you let a pie crust rest before rolling...but much, much longer) and allow the flavors to deepen. The recipe also calls for bread and cake flours...though I only had all-purpose on hand. Again, the science behind it is that the bread flour develops a gluten-chewiness, while the cake flour provides the melt-in-the-mouth texture. Food science nerdiness at maximum level. Awesome.

I baked one cookie immediately after I made the dough (duh, how could I not?) and then obviously tried a warm one this morning at 9am (an excellent way to start the day...and the week for that matter) and truly, the flavor was more complex; less straightforward sweetness and more deep, buttery, toffee-y undertone. Though you can't go wrong either way I guess.

Anyway, back to the meals. I cooked and ate, in order: Pasta with artichoke hearts, peas and mushrooms, Cod and orzo w/goat cheese, green beans and cherry tomatoes (in the pic above), two fried eggs w/garlic sauteed spinach and toasted baguette, pumpkin pasta with sage (unctuous), lemon risotto with peas and kale, and a marinated mushroom sandwich with spicy sweet potato fries. Oh, and the cookies.

By the way, you know how people are always saying that healthy food is expensive? This week's grocery total was $35 (for 3 meals per day)....about what you'd spend on dinner out for two people at a mid-range restaurant. But, that's a post (i.e. rant) for another day. :)

Soup You Eat With a Fork

Mark Bittman (NY Times) recently did "Noodles in Soy Broth", which reminded me of Laksa. It's a thai-style noodle soup, like ramen for grown-ups. It's easy, fast, endlessly variable and uses curry paste. Yum! So I decided to make some for lunch.

Today's version included:
Rice noodles
About a tsp. each red and yellow curry paste
1 carrot, shaved into ribbons
1/4 of a monstrously large portobello mushroom that's been languishing in my fridge
1/4 cup green beans
Soy/tamari sauce, fish sauce and rice vinegar (not essential but do add complexity)
Cilantro

I boiled the rice noodles in one pot, and in another I brought almost two cups of water to a boil. Once it did, I poured in a pretty hefty dose of tamari sauce, (I'd guess 2-3 tablespoons), a splash each of the fish sauce and vinegar, about 2 tsp. of the curry paste and the mushroom, sliced very thinly.

I brought it to a boil again to cook the mushrooms for about a minute, and then added the green beans and carrot. The noodles were transferred from their pot and combined with the vegetables. I used tongs to heap the noodles and veg into a bowl and then poured the clear, dark broth in after them (this helps to avoid splashing your counter and self with lava-hot soup). I had maybe a tablespoon of fresh cilantro bumming around in the fridge too, so that went on top.

I cannot tell you how delicious it was. It was so clean and simple, but with tons of lip-smacking flavor and a little background heat from the curry paste. It was so good I'm thinking about making it again for dinner!

Other soup options: I've used a healthy splash of coconut milk in the past and it is, of course, delicious. Shrimp, tofu or even an egg would be good in there too. Red cabbage, edamame, zucchini, or spinach (or other dark greens) are all good options. Maybe some crushed peanuts, or scallions, or ginger! See? Endless variety... A nice balance seems to be one part protein to 3 parts vegetable.

The best part though is that the noodles, soy sauce, fish sauce and curry paste are all things that last forever in the pantry or fridge, so you can just poke around the fridge and freezer to see what you've got, and then just chuck it into the pot.

Intense flavor, minimal effort.

Mayo, 5 ways

In a recent food science class we made mayonnaise. Most of the class grimaced when we were given the assignment, but I was sort of excited: I'd always wanted to try it but hadn't had the nerve (or the full cup of olive oil to potentially ruin). Each person in the class used a different method or oil. Hand mixers, blenders, whisks, food processors and immersion blenders whirred to life and peanut, olive, and canola oils were lined up in our kitchens. My partner and I started with a cooked egg base that included dried mustard, vinegar and pepper. Our oil of choice, olive, was dribbled and then thinly streamed in. I nearly broke a sweat beating mine and my arm was seriously tired when I was done, but it was so cool to watch it come together under my whisk. Once the mayonnaises had emulsified we set them out in little dishes to compare with the rest of the class's.

The immersion blender, food processor and blender all made perfect emulsions, fluffy and rich. The two whisked mayonnaises were....well, less perfect. My whisked version had come out lovely and thick, but it broke emulsion about 5 minutes later. Perhaps my partner had been too eager in her oil pouring near the end? The flavor was a little off as well with a bitter aftertaste, even though my partner and I had used the same base and oil.

The best tasting mayo, in my opinion, was the blender canola oil one that had been made with a raw egg base. It was rich, but light on the tongue. The best color, and the silkiest was my partner's olive oil batch, but even hers had a bit of that bitter background flavor. Maybe the oil had started to turn? In any case, our instructor said we could take home our mayos if we liked. Everyone declined, leaving me to scoop up 2 batches! That's like money in the bank, people! I took the blender one and my partner's olive oil batch and mixed them together, which ameliorated the bitter flavor. So now I have this lovely glass jar of fluffy cream-colored mayonnaise sitting in my fridge. I wasn't sure what I might do with it but inspiration struck today. I made a dip and a spread: one with dill and mustard to dip crudite and steamed green beans (I cut the richness with some plain yogurt), and the other with a dollop of pesto to use as a spread on crackers or sandwiches. Mm. And...there's still a cup and a half left!

Curry Love

I recently threw an informal "dinner party" and was able to introduce three friends to my version of a thai-style curry. We shopped for the ingredients together and then went to my place to cook. Cramming four people in my little kitchen, pots and skillets bubbling away, and Santana playing in the background made for a very intimate, family feel. Before dinner was done we snacked on my homemade egg rolls (lightly sauteed cabbage and carrot, with mounds of garlic and ginger, rolled up and baked til crispy).

When the rice was done, I squeezed in a lime's worth of juice and showered it with cilantro, salt and pepper. Next, a yogurt sauce was stirred together, before the curry was finished off with coconut milk. Then, we feasted.

My 'recipe' is adapted from a fish curry I made long ago that didn't turn out very well... But I tweaked and experiemented and came up with what I think is a delicious, complex, and well-balanced vegetarian curry. The base is sweet potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, onion and bell pepper. Flavoring comes from thai red curry paste, lime, coconut milk, and cilantro. Everything is topped off with the tangy, cool yogurt sauce that tames the fire. And, I love to have an ice-cold ginger-beer (Reed's) alongside, the sweet-spiciness is a perfect match with the curry.

Yum.

Incredible Edible Eggs

My friend R. brought me back a dozen huge beautiful eggs from her parent's organic farm. Bliss! And free! What more can you ask for?

So, of course, I will be immediately cooking and eating two of these magnificent eggs with their glowing orange yolk for lunch. I can't think to obscure these eggs by putting them into baked goods or the like (though think of the possibilities - crepes, ice cream, cake, muffins...).

I think the egg obsession began when I went to Italy for a school trip back in...oh, god...2001. We were staying at a farm in Cumae, smack between the Bay of Naples and the Mediterranean Sea. For breakfast one day our host made us eggs over-easy, and I believe that it was the first time I'd had free range eggs. When the yolk broke on my plate the color was a revelation, as was the intense, rich flavor, so....eggy. Ever since then I've been greedily accepting any offers of free farm eggs that come my way. I pine for someone to start selling them at our local farmer's markets...in fact, I can't believe no one's been doing this!

I'd love to own a few chickens someday, but no roosters. I chicken-sat once and had a mean run-in with a ridiculously fluffy white rooster named Dickie-Bob, who stalked me up the hill to the house and pecked at my toenails. Dickie-Bob would run up behind me while my back was turned, but as soon as I stopped, he'd turn to the side and look into the middle distance and was all "Oh...fancy meeting you here."

Chickens. I tell, ya.

One

Ah, my first blog post. Like the world needs another food blog....but, as a rabid food lover, I've got to have an outlet right? One does get tired of having people's eyes glaze over when you talk about your passion (Mmmm, glaze).

I'm a 20 something living on the west coast of Wisconsin...bet you didn't realize there was a west coast of WI, right? I've got a day job, but my love of food has led me back to school full-time to study nutrition. I devour books, magazines, blogs and websites devoted to food. I'm the girl at the gym with Gourmet or Bon Appetit magazine balanced on the treadmill. I'm the one who is reminded of tomatoes when she sees the rounded cheerfulness of a bright red VW bug rolling down the road, and thinks that a plate of garlic sauteed spinach, toasted ciabatta and a couple of fried eggs with oozing (not runny!) yolk is the best lunch in the world.

I'm not trying to reinvent anything, or find blogosphere fame. All I want to be able to do is gush about the foods that bring me joy, and why.