I was listening to an interview on By Design with Colin Bannerman on his book "Seed Cake and Honey Prawns: fashion and fad in Australian food" and I have begun to think whether I am a trend follower or not. Now I could not possibly considered 'trendy' in any other category so this might be my last chance.I know when I am planning meals for my cooking groups my general criteria for consideration are time, ease, cost, cooking techniques, ingredients and practicality. I also know that I try to come up with recipes that are familiar using ingredients that are familiar (Seafood Marinara instead of Calamari Fettucini using squid ink pasta for example). Many of these dishes I would regard as 'normal' with just a touch of 'trendy'. Others like risotto I just regard as basic and 'normal' although for some others it is still trendy.
At home I swing between the quick and easy (roasted vegetable paninis or tagliatelli with sage butter sauce with a green salad from the garden) and the new or new-to-me. I also love to read and gain inspiration from old (pre 1950) cook books.
If a specific flavor is in my mouth (lime is the flavor of the moment) then I cook around that flavor.
If I find a new ingredient or theme (cous cous, sun dried tomatoes, Moroccan are very 'old' examples; strozzapreti and annatto seed are my new ones) I am more likely to research the region of origin and recipes using the ingredient and then make something simple before I really launch into my own recipes, or my own interpretation of the ingredient.
And, although it is social death in all of the trendiest places to eat, I do still use sundrieds or cous cous periodically.
So I am not sure that makes me trendy. Actually I think that makes me more confused than anything else. Sigh ... missed out again lol
4 comments:
Oh dear - Im way behind the pack, yet again, meat and 3 veges,a couple of pasta based recipes,tacos or burritos on occassion, pancakes and the odd buttercake or packaged cake just about covers my reportoire -tho have been known to do a mean lamb on the spit on occassion -lol.
i'm with you robert, although my boys are becoming great little cooks! pearl, your hunger for knowledge and learning new things totally inspires me, cooking is something i'm glad when i get out of doing, but it seems like your idea of nirvana, good thing we are all different hey!
Pearl, my fellow foody!... I just thought I'd pass this website along to you (if you're not already aware of it) that has a lot of great recipes on it.
www.tasteofhome.com/50bonus
And a ps... I got another porno pop-up when I visited your blog today. :(
Food is one of those wonderful things Robert where there is no 'pack' to be behind. We all find our own space of what works for us and that is fine :-)
And yes Kyles, I cook when I am happy, I make bread when I am mad (all that kneading is therapeutic although it tastes different when not made with love so I chuck it out before consuming), I cook when I am sad. And when I am not cooking, I think about food and recipes and ingredients lol
Thanks for the update Pita - annoys me they are back but at least I can use Mr Linky again :-) Onto efforts two, three and four :-(
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