I had a fabulous weekend. It was just one of those weekends where I was able to participate in a new adventure that turned out to be great fun and a wonderful learning opportunity. My friend, Lisa Corrado (co-author of The Spice of Life articles on this blog) and owner of Lisa Corrado Nutrition here in New Canaan, got us tickets to see Michael Pollan, author of Food Rules and The Omnivore's Dilemma, speak at Stone Barn Center for Food and Agriculture yesterday. I had never heard of Stone Barn Center, and now that I've been, I can't wait to go back. Everything they're doing to increase awareness about sustainable farming and the benefits of eating whole foods falls right in line with my belief system.
We'll be sharing more about Michael Pollan's discussion later, but seeing him speak inspired me to read Food Rules again, and take action on the simple guidelines he offers.
Rule #44 - Pay More, Eat Less
"With food, as with so many things, you get what you pay for. There is also a trade-off between quality and quantity, and a person's "food experience" - a meal's duration or quotient of pleasure - do not necessarily correlate with the number of calories consumed..."
My husband and I took a road trip to Fairway Market in Stamford for our weekly restocking of the fridge and cupboards. For two people who live on a budget (like most in the world), it shocks us what our grocery bills come to when the cart is only half full upon departure. However, wholesome food is vitally important to us, so we rationalize the expenditure as an investment in our long-term well-being. Like Michael Pollan says, "you get what you pay for," and in this household, a $20 block of real, exceptionally good aged-Parmesan cheese trumps the cheaper alternative of boring ol' table salt to season a dish any day.
Rule #29 - Eat like an Omnivore
"Whether or not you eat any animal foods, it's a good idea to try to add some new species, and not just new foods, to your diet - that is, new kinds of plants, animals and fungi..."
I picked this new cookbook up last week at DEANE during the Design District event in New Canaan. It's divided into four sections of healthful recipes corresponding to what's in season. A recipe in the Spring section caught my attention, Cannellini Beans with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Ramps (detailed below). Um, what the heck is a ramp? Looking further into the ingredients, I get stumped again: what the heck is mirin? I couldn't envision what the flavors of the finished product would be like or whether it would be edible once I took the chance. But, hey, an opportunity to learn lay right in front of me, so I entered the quest and was pleasantly surprised by the results. Ingredients:
8 Sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup water
12 ramps (wild leeks) [I couldn't find "ramps," so I used leeks instead]
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon Mirin (sweetened sake) [which I found on the same shelf as tamari and soy sauce at the store]
3 cups cooked cannellini beans [I used canned. Just rinse thoroughly before adding to dish.]
Sea Salt and fresh ground pepper [$20 Parmesan anyone?]
Place sun-dried tomatoes in small bowl. Bring water to boil, pour over tomatoes and set aside for 15 minutes or until soft. Remove tomatoes from bowl and save soaking water. Mince tomatoes and set aside.
Wash ramps, cut off and discard root ends and chop bulbs and greens into thin slices. In large skillet over medium heat, saute tomatoes in olive oil for 3 minutes. Add ramps and mirin and continue sauteing for 2 minutes. Add liquid from reconstituting tomatoes 1 tablespoon at a time as needed to prevent sticking. Add beans and 2 tablespoons more of the tomato liquid. Continue cooking until beans are heated through and there is almost no liquid remaining in pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper, remove from heat and serve. (Reprinted from Terry Walters cookbook, Clean Start: Inspiring You To Eat Clean and Live Well)
Rule #43 - Have a Glass of Wine with Dinner
"...There is now considerable scientific evidence for the health benefits of alcohol to go with a few centuries of traditional belief and anecdotal evidence. Mindful of the social and health effects of alcoholism, public health authorities are loath to recommend drinking, but the fact is that people who drink moderately and regularly live longer and suffer considerably less heart disease than teetotalers..."
This, of course, is my favorite rule. Being in the kitchen enjoying a slow food culture wouldn't be the same without it.
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