Taking a Break

I've decided to take a break from food blogging - as I near the end of grad school and look to the future, I feel like I need to put my focus elsewhere.

After over a year of posting weekly, it is still a challenge to come up with new content. Snapping a photo before eating has come to feel forced rather than fun. This discussion of food blogging from SXSW 2009 has some good points - for those who do it seriously, it becomes a more than full-time occupation. Me, I'd rather keep cooking and eating off-screen.

Thanks to all of you who have read the blog - and happy fooding!

A Free Lunch

SXSW is happening this week and I've been spending a lot of time volunteering and going to events. One of the most striking things about the whole enormous endeavor - besides the multiple manifestations of mobile communication technology - is the passionate pursuit of free stuff. Swag. Especially free food (and drink).

But you know what they say about free lunches. Adobe had offered a free brunch online - and then when the badgeless folks showed up to claim their due, they found out that the brunch was being held on a floor that was badge-only access. Wah-wah.

It's kind of astounding to see techies and film nerds jostling in line for free beer, popcorn, chips, cookies. Just around the corner they could get a real free lunch, every weekday, but somehow I doubt they'd be interested.

And then there's the volunteers - thousands of us. Only those who work 6 or more hours in the Convention Center - which theoretically doesn't allow outside food in - are given meal tickets for the SXSW volunteer hospitality lunch. It's free(ish, if you don't count your volunteer hours as needing compensation) and even pretty healthy. Special diets not particularly accommodated though. Working front of house requires handling angry vegans.

BTW someone could make a killing next year with a few strategically placed, reasonably priced vegan/vegetarian carts around the ACC.

What would you do for a free lunch?

Urban Gardening

Urban gardening is a trend that I hope continues in 2010. Places like Austin's Sustainable Food Center are doing good work teaching kids and families how to garden, and yards are being transformed into little plots for growing veggies, like this one near where I live.

It's a bit of a tangle, but definitely a better use for the space than the overgrown bamboo (hiding trash) that was there before

When seeds can sprout in the least likely of places (like the hood of my trunk) it makes gardening in small urban plots seem that much more realistic...

Happy holidays, and look for pictures from France in early January!

The Perfect Hostess - Part 1

Going through my grandmother's old books, we found this treasure from 1950. Written by a woman "still in her 20s" the book is full of wisdom for entertaining - as a wife or a career girl.

The book includes a lengthy section on how to cook all day and still appear fresh and energetic for the party. (It involves bubble bath, lying down with your legs above your head, and convincing your husband that "only he" can do the last-minute activities like putting out trail mix.)

However, I was equally entranced by the graphical explanations of formal dinner settings...

Glasses for alcoholic beverages...

And even the proper settings for buffet tables!

Next week I'll share with you the results of my trial of one of the book's recipes, eggs baked in tomato.

NOTE: These pictures are large, so click on them if you want to see details.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Favorite Food Movies

In anticipation of Julie & Julia, I've been remembering some of my favorite "food movies." Funny thing is, most movies that feature food prominently use it symbolically rather than being actually about food. Examples that come to mind are La Grande Bouffe (1973), The Cook The Thief His Wife and Her Lover (1989), and Spirited Away (2001).

These next films, however, show a real enjoyment of food as food. I hope J & J does the same...

Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) - In this opening scene, I don't even know what half the things he's preparing are, but it still makes me drool! Directed by Ang Lee, two thumbs up.

Big Night (1996) - This is the final scene from the film, the "morning after" a big cooking blowout (featuring a timpano, among others). I've always loved the simplicity of this ending scene; sometimes all you need is scrambled eggs.

Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers (1980) - One of Les Blank's famed food movies, this one features Alice Waters and Chez Panisse, as well as other restaurants, home cooks, and even musicians, all extolling the virtues of garlic.

What are your favorite food movies?

Faves: Yogurt

When did my love affair with yogurt begin? I remember eating it as a child, though not with any particular relish. Back then it just seemed like a poor substitute for ice cream. But ice cream for breakfast, though it may have happened in Little Miss Sunshine, was not a common occurrence in my childhood.

I think I can date a true appreciation of yogurt to the time I spent in France in 2002. That was the first time I remember seeing such a dazzling variety of yogurts in a grocery store. More important, the hostel where we stayed for the first couple of weeks served fromage blanc at breakfast, along with a few other things... Not wanting to have a croissant every morning I got hooked on the yogurt-like substance and continued to eat it on my own, especially with a little fruit preserves or honey mixed in. Sooo gooood.

Back in the states I had a hard time finding a similar product... Most yogurts were thinner, which is not bad (in fact I ate a lot of runny White Mountain yogurt and saved the jars as bulk storage) but does not have the deliciousness factor of the thicker, richer yogurts.

Then a couple of years ago Central Market started carrying Fage... And from there the thick, boutique yogurt craze has mushroomed like an acidophilus culture. In San Francisco, one of the well-known farmers market vendors sells small batch yogurt in recyclable pottery cups. Never tried it, but it has a true following. Here in Austin, I can now spend 30 minutes in front of the yogurt selection at Central Market... So many to choose from. And from what I hear, fro-yo is making a comeback after a facelift.

Yogurt is one of those little indulgences--if you get the kind that isn't reduced fat--that is just healthy enough to be enjoyed on a semi-regular basis. Maybe that's why its popularity is growing. Me, I keep it around (usually plain white yogurt) for breakfast, for snacks, for baking (can often be used instead of buttermilk), even for dips/salad dressings...

Canadian yogurt from Central Market

Yum-o

Re-used White Mountain yogurt jar

Anyway the yogurt-philia is already causing other good things besides smoother digestive action for the masses: Yoplait recently announced they will be fazing out yogurt made with milk treated with rBGH by August.

Musings No. 1

If they asked, I'd tell them:

1. WHY DID YOU START THIS BLOG?

Mostly I started this blog because I have discovered that I enjoy taking pictures of food. Food blogs have proliferated and the "food movement" is gaining recognition, and I wanted to be part of the zeitgeist. Also, it seems a shame to spend so much time and effort on something (all of us eat three times a day, even if we don't cook) and not be able to remember it just a little... 

2. WHY DO YOU COOK?

I cook because I enjoy it. I cook because it's creative. I cook because it saves money (and apparently helps fight obesity). I cook because I'm particular about what I eat and often the easiest way for me to have something I like is to make it myself. I cook because I want to be healthy. I cook because it's the way I was raised. I cook as an appreciation of the generations of women on both sides of my family who showed their love and dedication to their families and friends by cooking. 

3. HOW DO YOU COOK?

I'm usually just feeding myself, so I've trained myself to go shopping about once a week and make the most out of the freezer. I try to buy organic when I can; fresh fruits and vegetables are a treat, especially in the summer. Although I eat fish, what I make at home is usually vegetarian. I like to bake. I use some old recipes from my family, as well as a few cookbooks, but I also get recipes from the web--often for dishes that I've had at a restaurant and want to try to make myself. I'm trying to learn how to make a few Asian dishes. I rely on eggs, black beans, tuna, tofu, and nuts. I try to limit heavy cooking days to 1-2 days per week; often I'll make a few dishes one day, freeze part, and not cook again for a while. It doesn't take much for one person, although having a variety of foods is not always possible. Living this way makes going out to eat special!

4. WHAT KIND OF RESTAURANTS DO YOU LIKE?

I like to try new places, especially if they have more than one or two vegetarian items on the menu. Here in Austin, TexMex is king, but we've also seen a trend toward restaurants that specialize in locally-sourced ingredients. My current favorites are some of the Asian restaurants (Vietnamese, Indian, Chinese) in North Austin. I particularly enjoy using food as a way to explore local culture when I travel, which in Texas, means sometimes eating barbecue.

5. WHAT DO YOU KEEP IN YOUR PANTRY/REFRIGERATOR AT ALL TIMES?

I go through phases, but when I'm in school and have less time to experiment I usually keep: olive oil, canola oil, butter, miso paste, soft tofu, wakame, popcorn, nutritional yeast, soy milk, almond milk, almonds, peanut butter, granola, oatmeal, rice, beans, canned salsa (Herdez brand), tuna, eggs, bananas, apples, carrots, and dark chocolate