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April 2008
What’s next? Martha Stewart toilet paper?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When I rounded the corner in my supermarket I almost crashed my cart when I saw an end-aisle display exclusively featuring Martha Stewart wines.
Now, I’ve been a fan of Martha’s for years, collecting her magazines and cookbooks, attempting her five layer tortes and toiling away at various crafty projects. I tolerated the Kmart deal, the poncho-wearing jailhouse release and the ubiquitous fabric swatches and paint samples. Lord knows she’s decorated more rooms in just one of her mansions than I’ll do in my entire lifetime.
But this wine venture just irked me. What does this paradigm of New England toniness have to do with California vineyards?
Sometimes you just have to draw the line at crass commercialism, and I have finally reached the point of Martha overstepping her Manolos (or is it Jimmy Choos these days?)
Does seeing Martha’s name still carry any cache for you? When you see a product like “Martha Stewart Vintage” wines does it make you want to buy them…or like me, run from them?
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Excuse me waiter, this meal stinks.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
On our regular “Friday dinner out” my family decided to try an Italian restaurant near our home. We had noticed this place for a while, but it never seemed all that busy…always a disconcerting sign. After passing by it for almost a year, we decided it was time to take the plunge.
Immediately there were signs that this was not going to be a successful outing. Even though we ordered substantial entrees, the waiter kept pushing appetizers so “we wouldn’t have to wait so long for food.” When he finally brought a basket with squares of a bread-like substance, a cross between a foccaccia and a biscuit, our teeth couldn’t penetrate its surface. I turned my piece over and saw the bottom was burned to a crisp. Several other pieces were marked by the same “sign of the char.” As a lark, we decided to leave the bread, blackened side up, to see what the waiter would say. Amazingly even though he came to the table repeatedly to sell us another glass of wine, he managed to never acknowledge the incinerated mass in the center of the table.
When our entrees arrived, there wasn’t much improvement. One entree was edible. The other two could be picked around. The fourth was basically a science experiment gone horribly wrong.
When he came to inquire about dessert, he asked if we wanted to wrap the barely touched dishes. When we declined, explaining they really weren’t that tasty, he acted as if that was most expected and acceptable reply and left to get the check.
All I can say is thank goodness for the ice cream store next door! We could splurge without an iota of guilt.
Have you ever gone to a place that was just too bad for words? What do you do? Don’t you think they should be able to get a hint that something isn’t quite right or do you have to spell it out for them?
Note: If you share a dining horror story here, the restaurant name is not important, just your experience and what you did about it.
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Do you cook more or less on weekends?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When Friday comes around I breathe a sigh of relief. After juggling work, carpools, sports and various other after-school activities all week, and making family dinners to accommodate all the comings and goings, I take the night off from cooking. For us, going out during the week crunches into homework time and inevitably pushes bedtimes back too far, so I try to have a dinner that works for everyone’s schedule. But after cooking all week, I use the weekend to recover and rejuvenate.
Knowing we’re going out gives us all something to look forward to. This weekly excursion breaks our go-go-go cycle and gives us some family time before we get caught up in the weekend, which during baseball season can be as busy as the school week.
A lot of friends use a different approach. The weekend offers them the time to eat at home in a more relaxed and unrushed way. They find the flexibility the weekend offers gives them more opportunity to cook and get ready for the week, often preparing meals in advance.
What about you? When it comes to preparing meals for your family are you more stressed out during the week or on the weekend?
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Does your kid eat school lunch?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Until last year, my son, Jack, had been a die-hard school lunch buyer. Imagine my chagrin, when night after night I was told that my meals just didn’t match up to what they served at school. When he suddenly decided to exclusively bring lunch, my husband, Rich, and I had mixed emotions. While we were glad he would be eating something we had some control over, it meant more effort on our part. We needed to keep sandwich food stocked and get up earlier to make his lunch in the morning.
Yesterday I ended up being near my son’s school at lunchtime so decided to pop in. Like many public schools, there’s been a lot of talk about improving the offerings and I was curious to see if there was any progress.
I sat at a table of eight 4th grade, sports-addicted boys, all whom purchased lunch that day. They all left the entire tray untouched. Not even a bite. To be honest, there wasn’t much to choose from. There was one piece of fried chicken that had probably about 1/2 cup of meat on it. The cornbread was barely a 2-inch square. Most of the kids had forgone the overcooked greens, sweet potato and dessert banana. I felt like Jack, with his sandwich, apple and carrots, was partaking in an endless feast in the midst of famine.
It made me realize how glad I was that I was sending in a lunch that I knew he’d eat and that I could check on the remains when he returned home to see what didn’t make the cut that day. It made me wonder about the reality of buying school lunch and eating school lunch. I suddenly realized those actions are two very different things.
What about your kids? Do they bring or buy? How do you check to see what they are actually eating? I can’t imagine, going 4 hours without a meal, let alone, 7 or more hours like these kids. Are they starving when they return home?
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Does the kitchen make the cook?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This weekend I happened to check out a couple of the houses on a local “home tour.” (Druid Hills tour)These sprawling residences always have one thing in common. The kitchen is the crown jewel. It’s always in pristine condition with acres of countertops and a pile of artistically arranged cookbooks. I have to admit, I always wonder. Does anyone actually cook in these kitchens or are they just a designer’s dream? They make me want to sneak a peek in the fridge to see if there is any real food inside.
When I first started catering, decades ago, I did most of the work out of a kitchen that was the size of these mansion’s powder rooms. Yet, it worked perfectly for me. Everything was right where it should be and with an adjoining table I cooked effortlessly for scores of people. Years later I had a kitchen three times the size that just did not work. The appliances weren’t in the right places. Even though there was decent counterpace, it never worked with the flow of action. Luckily, now I am in a house with a great kitchen. While not huge, the space works together perfectly whether I am cooking up a meal for 2 or 20.
RELATED links: Photo Gallery: What’s Cooking in Kitchen Design; Upcoming home tours
What do you think? Does size matter? Did getting a bigger kitchen change the way you cook? What makes your kitchen work (or not work) for you?
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What are you craving?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Every once in awhile you taste something that just does a number on you. For me, and for many others I have been talking to lately, it’s the tangy frozen yogurt from Yoforia. It’s like frozen yogurt used to taste, before it morphed into being indistinguishable from soft-serve ice cream.
There are just three flavors, original, green tea and pomegranate. I’m a purist - I go for original. Not only is the taste fresh and clean, but the toppings are yummy things like pomegranate seeds (when in season), super-fresh berries and a bizarre but addictive topping, mochi, a chewy gelatinous rice cake ball that is more like a gummy treat than anything resembling rice or cake.
I first got hooked at Pinkberry’s when I was in LA over Christmas. My sister-in-law, niece and nephew kept talking about it. They were beyond addicted. Carpool routes had been rejiggered to pass by their favorite location. That’s serious business in LA, where any deviations can leave you stuck in traffic for hours.
While I haven’t re-routed any journeys on a regular basis, I certainly have made some emergency detours to pass by it. Especially on the recent warm days. At least, I console myself with the fact it is a reasonably healthy, albeit a slightly expensive vice.
What about you? Do you detour for doughnuts? Are you willing to be late for lattes? What have you tried recently that you can’t wait to have again?
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Are you a top chef threat?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s obvious after viewing all recent comments that Feeding Frenzy readers are pretty savvy diners, willing to go the distance for a favorite food.
I agree, there are certain spectacular dining destinations (including Atlanta these days) where the food offerings greatly enhance the trip. Whenever I am heading out of town to one of these places (San Fran, Charleston, NY, Savannah) I plan my meals as carefully as my activities.
But judging by Bob’s comments, it seems that many of you are also adventurous cooks, willing to travel to farmer’s markets and beyond for fabulous food finds. Which got me thinking about cooking at home verses eating out. Wondering what you make that rivals what you can get in a restaurant.
While there definitely are some things that I feel I can do just as well, other things I would only leave to a “professional.” I saw several shout-outs for fried lobster tails and there’s no doubt in my mind, those are worth traveling for. I could never recreate that type of dish in my kitchen. Same with dim sum and other great Chinese.
But with a little effort and quality ingredients, with some meals, I eat just as well “in” as “out.” I think I make a pretty fierce meatloaf and can grill a steak with the best of them (when splurging on premium meat).
What do you make at home that can put the best chef to shame? What do you leave to the professionals?
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment | Categories: Home cooking
Do you travel for food?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I just came back from a quick spring break trip with my son to visit friends in San Francisco, a town of culinary delights.
One thing that really struck me was that even with the hustle of urban life, the sprawl of the city and the plethora of dining destinations, people thought nothing of traveling a half hour or more for a specific food.
In our case it was ice cream. Our favorite place was Bi-Rite Creamery a tiny hole-in-the-wall off the beaten path. No matter what time we got there or how uncooperative the weather was, inevitably the line of customers was snaking out the door.
I’m the first to admit I live in a bubble. I am strictly an ITP kinda gal. Since for my job I, literally, am always cooking up something, I often work from home. We were lucky enough to find a house a mile from Rich’s work and about a mile from the kid’s schools. So I don’t have the commuting mentality of many other Atlantans who think nothing of driving an hour or more each way to work.
Even though I love to eat and try new things, I realized with the exception of special occasions. I don’t really go far to find them. When thinking of my dining pattern, it typically revolves around a five or so mile radius. I have my favorite local places for Italian, Mexican, Thai or pretty much whatever I feel like eating.
RELATED: Soaring gas prices hammer small businesses
What about you? Do you think nothing of jumping in the car in search of the perfect ice cream cone (or taco)? How far would you travel for food?
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Should non-cooks be forced to cook?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I was looking at my kid’s school’s on-line auction site and was intrigued to see that one item that had far more bidders than any of the other 100+ selections. When I clicked to see what was so in demand, I was shocked to discover it was a service offering home-delivered meals for a week. With other donations including nationally known chefs cooking dinner at your home, Chastain concert tickets with a picnic and even guided white water rafting trips, it was surprising the item with the most buzz was so unsexy.
It reminded me of a recent conversation I had at my son’s baseball game. Another working mom having some idea of what I do, inquired if I cooked dinner most nights. When I replied in the affirmative, I could tell she was shocked. I had the feeling cooking was not her thing and when asked, she meekly concurred. I asked if her spouse liked to cook and she shook her head. Knowing she had 10-year-old triplets, I asked how she fed them. She replied, “A lot of frozen food.”
She started trying to rationalize about needing to take cooking classes and I looked at her and said don’t bother. It was obvious that she felt no affinity for cooking and forcing herself to do it would bring no joy into her life. The net outcome would probably result in meals no better than she was scraping together now. I figured the last thing she needed was more guilt.
The older I get it seems like people who really enjoy cooking have a sixth sense about it. They know what things will taste like and can usually predict when something is almost done, before the timer goes off. But unlike gardening or rock collecting, cooking is both a “hobby” and a necessity. Or I guess I should say eating is a necessity. The only advice I could give was for her to try and find the best available pre-made food for her family and get her kids interested in cooking as soon as possible.
What advice would you have given? Do you think that people with no interest in food should be cooking when they obviously hate it?
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Do you eat food?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sounds like a pretty simple question, but after reading Michael Pollan’s “In Defense of Food” I realized I, like so many fellow eaters, had fallen into the trap of consuming “nutrients” instead of food.
It seems with the advent of the Atkins, South Beach and other diets, every element of a dish has been dissected into which nutrients it contains, determining whether it is a “good” or a “bad” food. Something simple, like a piece of pizza, becomes a slice of carbs and fats with a sauce of the antioxidant lycopene holding it together. Depending on the “diet de jour”, carb-o-phobics peel away the crust, while fat-o-phobics scrape away the cheese and blot excess oil.
When recommending the most healthful way to eat, Pollan encourages us to go back to eating “real food”…things our grandparents would recognize. The easiest way to do this is by breaking the dependency on overly processed food and eating more of the things we know are best for us, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Most of us would lose weight just by doing this.
It is an interesting concept to be able to enjoy food without overanalyzing each dish’s various components. Do you find yourself falling into the trap of eating nutrients instead of food? Can you just enjoy a meal or a sandwich, or are you always concerned about avoiding some element of it?
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Do you make separate dinners for your kids?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After a day of testing recipes, I presented my family with a veritable smorgasbord for dinner last night. There were 3 pasta salads in addition to veggie burgers and a couple of other odds and ends.
My 9-year-old’s eyes lit up with enthusiasm, not knowing where to start. My older son announced, “There’s nothing to eat!”
Considering there was enough food to feed a small army, albeit not traditional “dinner fare” I was less than sympathetic. (The fact that he had also just been grounded for failing to complete a school assignment probably partially accounted for his less than chipper attitude.)
While there was a time, not too long ago, when I might have made sure I fixed a more conventional item for his dinner, I realized I’ve finally graduated to the “it is what it is” phase. YIPPEE!! At this point, my kids’ palates have been exposed to so many tastes and textures that I know what is reasonable to expect them to eat. It might not be a favorite, but it will definitely fill their tummies.
What about you? Do you, or did you, make multiple meals for family members? If not, do you have “bad” mom or dad guilt?
Permalink | Comments (41) | Post your comment | Categories: Family foibles
What’s your new favorite kitchen gadget?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Everyone has an obsession. For people that love to cook that often means filling their kitchens with nifty products designed to dazzle and amuse… and hopefully help get dinner on the table at little bit easier.
I admit I buy into the gadget dynamic to a degree. I couldn’t live (as a cook) without my food processor and kitchen-aid mixer. I view those as must-haves, but there are a few “non-essentials” that I’ve been loving recently.
Microplanes are a huge favorite. Having had a tendency to scrape my knuckles until they were bleeding whenever I used a box grater, I dreaded any recipe that called for lemon zest. With my microplane I don’t even bat an eye when a recipe calls for a cup of zest.
My favorite big gadget is a water carbonator. I confess I am a bubbly water addict. Lugging 2-liter bottles of seltzer from the supermarket wasn’t good for either my back or the environment. This nifty product, from Soda Club has truly changed my life. It comes with 2 refillable bottles that you carbonate whenever you feel like it (there’s also added flavoring that you can use to make soda).
Are you a minimalist or a collector when it comes to stocking your kitchen drawers? Is anything indispensable for helping you get dinner on the table? What do you have that’s fun to look at, but you haven’t gotten quite as much use out of it as you thought you would?
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