Leafing through my food magazines this month I found all sorts of extravagant gourmet ideas for Thanksgiving. At the ripe old age of 43, I have settled down to this one very important and basic understanding of Thanksgiving dinner: we all want to eat the same thing every single year. Here is what we want:
Turkey -- a very large bird, oven-cooked, hopefully with moisture in the meat. Please present the bird whole, because that's how you celebrate thanks to the bird whose life was sacrificed.
Stuffing -- sure, go ahead and try your variations, but we really just want something quite close in taste to Stove Top.
Gravy -- made from the turkey meat juices.
Mashed Potatoes -- sans garlic.
Vegetables -- green bean casserole (the recipe invented by the Campbell's soup company, not your fresh version with homemade bechamel), cauliflower & cheese casserole, and also something whipped & orange (yams and/or squash).
Other great additions are cranberry sauce, jello, and a fresh green salad with vinaigrette. I like lots of pomegranate seeds too. They make a meal totally festive.
I feel very certain in this proclamation this year, because I have learned about tasting research you might find interesting. It turns out that tasting enjoyment is almost completely psychological. In a beautiful setting, especially if surrounded with love, food will be delicious. You will not know that your mashed potatoes came from a box. If you believe the mashed potatoes are homemade, they will taste that way. The distortion of reality is quite fascinating, is it not?
Maybe that could take some of the pressure off of holiday meals. Please, dear readers, relax, make the Thanksgiving basics, have a glass of wine, and enjoy the love that surrounds you.
For more on the psychology of tasting, read Laura Esquivel, author of "Like Water for Chocolate." "Between Two Fires" is one of my favorite books.
Experimenting with food, motherhood, and seasonal disorders.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
The Rant About American Media and Consumerism
I took a non-fiction writing class at The Loft a few years ago. One of the aspects of non-fiction writing was The Rant. I love to rant about the media. Here ensues a rant.
There is a TV in my kitchen. Unfortunately, during most cooking hours there is nothing on TV (we don't have cable). I was watching the local news while cooking dinner this evening. A reporter came on to tell about a study that somehow predicts that Americans are going to shop this year, for Christmas. The newscaster responds with, "That IS good news," and the reporter goes, "Yes, it is." Then he goes on to report on this whatever made-up study, and says, "This is the KEY to the holiday season."
Well, I had to switch off the television and rant out loud to my husband about how much I hate local news, because, really? That's the KEY to our economic woes? Shopping?? And here I thought that Americans were getting a dose of reality with all the foreclosures and excessive debt, and that we are shopping LESS, in order to preserve what we have. What's that blues song? "I don't want anything for Christmas, I just want to keep what I have."
Don't take me the wrong way. I like shopping. I like buying stuff, like any red-blooded American. (Where did that term "red-blooded American" come from anyway?) The thing is, if you read this blog, and any other mlogs (that's mom-blog, in case you didn't know), it's apparent that red-blooded American women are DIY-ing it in every arena of life, including Christmas gifts. I could probably point to half of my readers who would prefer my home-grown, home-pickled green beans to anything I could buy at a store. Am I right? The difference is that those pickled beans are a product of hard work, and they are made with love. I can see it in the recipient's eyes: love.
When the DIY-ers are reported on in the media, it's like, quaint. Like, isn't it quaint how she pickles beans or sews children's clothes or knits hats & mittens? Isn't it so cute & quaint? And oh, the money-saving part of it... well, whatever. It's like they are saying, we all know that overworked moms do this kind of shit to have a creative outlet to make them feel better about themselves. And isn't it cute? Something to admire, to be sure. But obviously a throw-back to "more simpler times," in a romantic way.
What's my point? you want to know. I don't really have one. But if I must sharpen it, I will say that I'm just so mad at our terrible news media. I said to my husband, "What gives them the right to say it's good news that people are going to shop?"
I must tell you that I recently watched "What Would Jesus Buy?" on Netflix. It's a documentary about The Church of Stop Shopping, starring Reverend Billy. I thought it would be a knee-jerk liberal reaction to consumerism, so I had low expectations, but it was heart-warming and funny. Reverend Billy is an actor, but he actually takes his message to the people very seriously. His choir is 100% behind him, and it's a beautiful thing to watch. They stage events where he preaches to the people, "Stop shopping!" And then he gets arrested.
I didn't grow green beans this year. I didn't pickle green beans this year. I don't know what gifts I will be giving to the people I care about. I have made one decision: I am giving up the "green" wrapping, and I am trading it in for shiny expensive paper and luxury ribbons. Because I do know one thing: it's not only the thought that counts, it's the presentation.
There is a TV in my kitchen. Unfortunately, during most cooking hours there is nothing on TV (we don't have cable). I was watching the local news while cooking dinner this evening. A reporter came on to tell about a study that somehow predicts that Americans are going to shop this year, for Christmas. The newscaster responds with, "That IS good news," and the reporter goes, "Yes, it is." Then he goes on to report on this whatever made-up study, and says, "This is the KEY to the holiday season."
Well, I had to switch off the television and rant out loud to my husband about how much I hate local news, because, really? That's the KEY to our economic woes? Shopping?? And here I thought that Americans were getting a dose of reality with all the foreclosures and excessive debt, and that we are shopping LESS, in order to preserve what we have. What's that blues song? "I don't want anything for Christmas, I just want to keep what I have."
Don't take me the wrong way. I like shopping. I like buying stuff, like any red-blooded American. (Where did that term "red-blooded American" come from anyway?) The thing is, if you read this blog, and any other mlogs (that's mom-blog, in case you didn't know), it's apparent that red-blooded American women are DIY-ing it in every arena of life, including Christmas gifts. I could probably point to half of my readers who would prefer my home-grown, home-pickled green beans to anything I could buy at a store. Am I right? The difference is that those pickled beans are a product of hard work, and they are made with love. I can see it in the recipient's eyes: love.
When the DIY-ers are reported on in the media, it's like, quaint. Like, isn't it quaint how she pickles beans or sews children's clothes or knits hats & mittens? Isn't it so cute & quaint? And oh, the money-saving part of it... well, whatever. It's like they are saying, we all know that overworked moms do this kind of shit to have a creative outlet to make them feel better about themselves. And isn't it cute? Something to admire, to be sure. But obviously a throw-back to "more simpler times," in a romantic way.
What's my point? you want to know. I don't really have one. But if I must sharpen it, I will say that I'm just so mad at our terrible news media. I said to my husband, "What gives them the right to say it's good news that people are going to shop?"
I must tell you that I recently watched "What Would Jesus Buy?" on Netflix. It's a documentary about The Church of Stop Shopping, starring Reverend Billy. I thought it would be a knee-jerk liberal reaction to consumerism, so I had low expectations, but it was heart-warming and funny. Reverend Billy is an actor, but he actually takes his message to the people very seriously. His choir is 100% behind him, and it's a beautiful thing to watch. They stage events where he preaches to the people, "Stop shopping!" And then he gets arrested.
I didn't grow green beans this year. I didn't pickle green beans this year. I don't know what gifts I will be giving to the people I care about. I have made one decision: I am giving up the "green" wrapping, and I am trading it in for shiny expensive paper and luxury ribbons. Because I do know one thing: it's not only the thought that counts, it's the presentation.
Friday, November 5, 2010
I Can Do It, Yes I Can!
I made a pot-luck dish that was completely gone, and I got to take home an empty Pyrex! People, I made a pot-luck dish that got completely eaten. I am telling you the truth. Me. I did that.
How? you say, How? did I, Jocinda, the health nut, make a pot-luck dish that got completely eaten? Well, I will tell you. I googled "potluck dishes" and "casserole recipes." Yeah, dude, the Internet. I used it, and I used it well.
The problem with being a health nut is that most people do not prefer your food. Yes, you. Your food. It's too healthy, too good for you, too "green" (or brown, as the case may be). Food needs fat, salt, and sugar. Fat in the form of dairy (cheese + cream + butter), sugar in any form, and salt in any form, but mostly table salt. Have you ever eaten "Ambrosia Salad?" I rest my case. (BTW if you have never had Ambrosia Salad, then you have a cultural deficit.)
I don't make casseroles because they always have some form of lactose, and my DH is lactose intolerant. Pot-lucks, in general, can be a smorgasbord of lactose-laden foods. "That was super-lactosen," as DH would say. And then we go home with gas.
However, being stumped with how to provide for the pre-school co-op pot-luck last Wednesday, I googled and came up with this recipe. Which was, did I mention? ALL EATEN.
What's it called again? Oh, yeah...
CHEESY RANCH POTATO BAKE
4 lbs potatoes (I used 7 potatoes, because I couldn't stand the idea of only 4 potatoes swimming in the lactose)
1/2 t salt (totally unnecessary)
2 t chilli pepper - that's a lot!
6 T butter - what???!!! No! Don't do that!
8 oz pkg pre-shredded colby-jack cheese
8 oz bottle Ranch dressing
Sounds easy, right? It totally is! Okay, so, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cube the potatoes real small, like, 1/2 inch dice. And I love this direction: "Lightly grease a 9x13inch casserole dish." Lightly! Don't overdo it! Place potatoes, salt, and chilli powder in dish, dot with butter, cover with tin foil, and bake for 1 hour.
By now my mouth is totally watering from the fragrance of these chilli-bake potatoes. I swear to you, it felt like sacrilege adding the lactosen stuff. So next time, I am just going to eat these blessed potatoes by themselves. Anyway, you take out the dish and mix in the remaining ingredients, cook for 10 minutes. Oui La!
Link, you ask?
Bonus for readers: count the hyphens in this post and receive a special prize from me!
How? you say, How? did I, Jocinda, the health nut, make a pot-luck dish that got completely eaten? Well, I will tell you. I googled "potluck dishes" and "casserole recipes." Yeah, dude, the Internet. I used it, and I used it well.
The problem with being a health nut is that most people do not prefer your food. Yes, you. Your food. It's too healthy, too good for you, too "green" (or brown, as the case may be). Food needs fat, salt, and sugar. Fat in the form of dairy (cheese + cream + butter), sugar in any form, and salt in any form, but mostly table salt. Have you ever eaten "Ambrosia Salad?" I rest my case. (BTW if you have never had Ambrosia Salad, then you have a cultural deficit.)
I don't make casseroles because they always have some form of lactose, and my DH is lactose intolerant. Pot-lucks, in general, can be a smorgasbord of lactose-laden foods. "That was super-lactosen," as DH would say. And then we go home with gas.
However, being stumped with how to provide for the pre-school co-op pot-luck last Wednesday, I googled and came up with this recipe. Which was, did I mention? ALL EATEN.
What's it called again? Oh, yeah...
CHEESY RANCH POTATO BAKE
4 lbs potatoes (I used 7 potatoes, because I couldn't stand the idea of only 4 potatoes swimming in the lactose)
1/2 t salt (totally unnecessary)
2 t chilli pepper - that's a lot!
6 T butter - what???!!! No! Don't do that!
8 oz pkg pre-shredded colby-jack cheese
8 oz bottle Ranch dressing
Sounds easy, right? It totally is! Okay, so, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cube the potatoes real small, like, 1/2 inch dice. And I love this direction: "Lightly grease a 9x13inch casserole dish." Lightly! Don't overdo it! Place potatoes, salt, and chilli powder in dish, dot with butter, cover with tin foil, and bake for 1 hour.
By now my mouth is totally watering from the fragrance of these chilli-bake potatoes. I swear to you, it felt like sacrilege adding the lactosen stuff. So next time, I am just going to eat these blessed potatoes by themselves. Anyway, you take out the dish and mix in the remaining ingredients, cook for 10 minutes. Oui La!
Link, you ask?
Bonus for readers: count the hyphens in this post and receive a special prize from me!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Sexy Smoked Salmon Sandwich
This sandwich is so good, I forgot to photograph it before I chowed it down.
Toast English muffins to your preferred crispness.
Layer on preferred amount of sliced smoked salmon (lox).
Spoon dressing on top of salmon.
Add preferred greens (e.g. arugula, watercress, frisee, mesclun).
Dressing:
Mayonnaise, dijon mustard, dried dill.
Toast English muffins to your preferred crispness.
Layer on preferred amount of sliced smoked salmon (lox).
Spoon dressing on top of salmon.
Add preferred greens (e.g. arugula, watercress, frisee, mesclun).
Dressing:
Mayonnaise, dijon mustard, dried dill.
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