I'm thinking of a new direction

Hi!
Everyone!

The long absent admin returns…

It's a long story involving pancakes, getting hit with a stack of papers from the process server, fighting to have parenting time, dealing with the teethingbarfs, moving, and insurance coverage. And then I decided to start school full time. Whew! Pass the kool-aid it's hot.

So this group is going to be about cooking. Well, it was a good idea. Really, I meant for people to talk about how to learn how to cook again.

It might be a little different than that, and might warrant a couple pod merges before the project is “done.”

I want to change a couple things, and direct to some new topics
1. How to sustain regular food intake for you and your loved ones, despite radically increasing prices at stores
2. How to manage the task of cooking so that it's less expensive than quickserve restaurants
3. How to plan for regular increases in prices of food and water, as they are now increasingly regulated commodities that change daily (based on cyclical trends)
4. How to avoid chemicals that are de facto standards of the food supply in the US

Thanks to all the new members for taking an interest, even when I couldn't respond (litigation is expensive, people; send me a private email and I'll share a little).

And to all the zaadzsters that have wanted to merge or just talk, I'll get back to you soon. I want to read everything I've missed before I respond.

TenArrows

Re: I'm thinking of a new direction

So happy you are “back”!

(“back” because I'm in and out with various degrees of frequency as well lol)

I like your ideas.  Been facing some health issues recently.  Been tightening the budget belt trying to save for some special things.  Sounds like your ideas could help immensely!

I have decided to make my Saturday morning project to work on a fresh food start.  My son won't be happy with this turn in tastes but I am determined not to let him sidetrack me.

I will be researching things like what is natural and abundant to my location (corn seems to be lol), ways to buy whatever those things are in quantity, ways to condense my “kitchenness” (storage, utensils and appliances needed, shorten prep time), ways to store much ahead (without buying too many commercial bulk cans of whatever lol) and most of all ways to make our food matter again - to be tasteFULL, interesting and less of a chore.

The local farmers market has already started and I haven't been once.

Please let me know if you start the urban gardening pod.  I've not moved beyond herbs on the back deck.

Happy to “see” you again!

Re: I'm thinking of a new direction

Wow time flies, no?

My daughter is almost 2! She is at the stage where more and more adult foods are attractive to her. Prep time is a real issue because, well, if you have kids, you know time stuck in the kitchen is eyes off of a curious, fast miniature version of yourself.

I like using local stuff, too. Every other Saturday I take my daughter to the farmers market to see what interests her. Its an incredible experience to watch her react to things. Imagine my pride when she tasted artisinal goat cheese and said “Mmmmm!” Child of a chef indeed!

Farmers markets are a great way to keep money going directly to farmers, and to get product that is no farther than the next county over (well, mostly). Get to know the farmers, and you may end up getting something that isn’t on the reader board!

I jumped on the local squash a month ago. I have soup until January!

I have a really great sautee pan that I use for quickfire stuff like quesadillas, baby green beans, and seared apples.

I also keep one pan just for eggs: it is polished stainless. I use a nice pat of butter on medium heat and scramble (don’t mess with them much and they turn out nice and fluffy).

The workhorse is a 2 quart chef pan (half sauce pan, half sautee) with a nice thick bottom. I use it for pasta, making bases, and reheating frozen soups.

My main utensils are wooden spoons, one trusty fish spatula, a heavy-handled whisk, a 3 inch pairing knife, and an 8 inch chef knife (both stainless, and very very sharp).

Thick-bottomed stainless pots and pans are the way to go. Resist using aluminum pans, because aluminum contributes to alzheimers.

I use wooden spoons because it is being discovered that wood resists much bacteria naturally, unlike plastic, which tends to hide bacteria in the nicks and scratches that occur to their surfaces.

I also clean all surfaces by rubbing them with a half a lemon before using soap. The intense acidity breaks up proteins that tend to slime up everything.

So whatever your dietary restrictions, start with good gear.