Like many, I've turned COVID angst and change into numerous cookijng adventures. I've learned a lot about what to do and what not to do when preparing meals, and there's still lots to learn. To make a good meal for loved ones and friends is gratifying. There's a lot of research and creativity involved, and similar to a sports contest or any art endeavor timing and ingredients play a big role.
As the family taste tests these adventures, we definitely have found keepers like terrific fish tacos and sushi, and some recipes best left behind because the food simply doesn't taste good. These cooking adventures have me exploring many grocery stores and other food stops as well as growing some of my own food. I've also bought a number of cooking-related tools that truly help to make the meals delicious. Recently, I purchased a good lemon squeezer which has greatly improved a lot of drinks, desserts, and meals.
What's ahead for the year's cooking adventures?
Bread making
I'd like to continue to explore bread making--good bread fills the home with great smells and good cheer.
Seafood and veggie dishes
We want to eat a more plant based diet, so we'll continue to explore delicious and nutritious veggie dishes. We also love seafood, so we'll explore those recipes more.
Healthy, affordable foods
We'll find health, affordable ingredients and use those often in our daily cooking.
Family Favorites
I want to perfect a few family favorite meals--meals we can look forward to at special times. Last night's seafood newburg was good, and with some finesse, it will be a delicious holiday meal in the future. Similarly our veggie sushi was a colorful appetizer for Christmas Eve. Other favorites include fish tacos, eggplant paremsan, and stuffed shells.
Indoor/Outdoor Gardening
The more food we can grow ourselves, the better and more affordable our healthy eating will be.
Local farms and orchards
We rely on one local orchard from early summer until the Christmas holiday. The apples and honey from the orchard are awesome. During the summer months we have access to a number of local farms--the produce is terrific. I hope that our country can work to support more local food production because in so many ways local farms uplift the way we eat and live.
Advocacy
I want everyone to have the time and access to healthy food and good cooking. This requires advocacy because we haven't done enough to support good nutrition across the nation in ways that fill us up as people in healthy, positive ways.