Things I read

My cooking addiction is a new edition to my otherwise boring life. Before I cooked, I read. A lot. Trying to balance my two hobbies is kind of hard now. So I’ve compromised and am reading books about cooking and food. See? I’m smart!

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I’m currently reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. I know, I know, old news, but I have finally checked off other books on my book list (The Sunday List of Dreams, Superfreakonomics, Madeline Albright) and arrived at this. Talk about inspiring. I’m only 100 pages into the thing and have already declared my desire to make cheese, plant my own garden, and find local poultry to use as my meat source. Soon I’ll be asking for a dairy cow to produce raw milk. Oscar, my cat, would certainly love that idea, though I’m sure that Jack is tired of hearing my new great ideas, like cheese making and mushroom searching, and of how we can be more thrifty and earth-saving. He probably thinks that I am a goof, and he is probably right.

Needless to say, I have fallen in love of this kind of reading. It is teaching me all types of new foodie information, like how asparagus is the first to grow in a garden come spring, and that you can make cheese at home with a few cultures and citric acid. I believe that the most important point that I have learned thus far in the book, is that cooking should be an experience enjoyed by all, and that families can come together over a meal, cooking it, eating it, and cleaning up afterward. Family time is important to fostering a safe and healthy environment for children and adults alike. Thank you, Barbara Kingsolver, for writing such an inspiring and important book.

Final Point: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle should be a must read for all cooks- it will reiterate the fact that we should try and use more sustainable sources for our cooking and eating, and that cooking for ourselves and others can be a lot of fun.