In the last several years, many of us have reengaged with our kitchens as a space to play and explore.
I love simple, time-honored approaches to cooking; fermentation is a favorite, but so are other creative ways that reduce food waste. Today, we throw away roughly 40% of the produce we buy, but for much of history, humans had to stretch ingredients as far as possible. Simple cooking or preservation methods like making pesto from carrot and beet greens or soup stock with scraps can go a long way toward reducing food waste.
Traditional cooking connects us to community, too. Using ingredients from local farmers or growing your own makes this connection local and personal.
Working with local ingredients, prepared simply, helps you see yourself in community with the natural world. I love connecting to my home by cooking with wild greens and have let them take over my yard (which is now all violets and chickweed), so I have plenty to play with. Gardening at even the smallest scale helps connect us to the earth and provides us with local ingredients: Even a container of scallions or herbs means something fresh and healthy is at hand.
Good food doesn’t have to be complicated when the ingredients are fresh and locally grown. A simple dressed greens salad, for example, is a welcome addition to any meal or served on its own. Stocking up on a few flavorful kitchen staples helps any ingredient shine. A well-stocked spice cabinet, along with fresh herbs, helps me take my ingredients in a range of flavor directions.
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Plain yogurt, either homemade (starter cultures available at Cultures for Health) or store-bought, is versatile for dressings, sauces, marinades and desserts.
I add vinegar to most everything I make, and I usually have 10 to 20 kinds around at once! Some staples I love are apple cider vinegar and rice wine vinegar. Whenever you can, try to get unpasteurized vinegar, which has probiotics but also is higher quality than generic store brands.
Connecting to simple, traditional cooking methods using locally grown food is not just a nod to the past: It’s also a recognition of living traditions our ancestors have participated in for millennia. We can be a part of those traditions just by stepping into our kitchens.
Julia Skinner is a food writer and founder of Root, an Atlanta-based fermentation and food history company that offers classes and creative consulting. Find her on social media at @rootkitchens or @bookishjulia and at rootkitchens.substack.com.
RECIPES
Our kitchen explorations don’t have to be complicated to be rewarding. Here are a few of my springtime favorites using in-season local produce plus those food scraps that otherwise might get thrown away.
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Spring Greens Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette
Greens and vinaigrette are the epitome of fresh, simple cooking, and they lend themselves to endless versatile combinations. Swap the cider vinegar for red wine vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice, or substitute scallion for the shallot. Add fresh herbs or whatever berries or chopped veggies you have on hand. Wild greens, like violet greens, work beautifully here, too.
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Pickled Carrot Sticks
Carrots are one of my favorite spring and autumn vegetables, and simple fermented carrot sticks make a regular appearance at my table. You can eat them as is, but pickled carrots add depth and zing to salads, sandwiches, soups or platters of roasted vegetables. I usually ferment mine 2 to 3 days; for a stronger flavor, ferment them a day or 2 longer.
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Scrappy Stock
Keeping stock on hand makes it easy to pull together a flavorful meal without much fuss. I love the bone broths (including a vegan version!) from Woodland Wellness at Grant Park Farmers Market. When I make my own, I use kitchen scraps as a base. Simply store vegetable scraps (potato peels, carrot ends, etc.) in a reusable freezer bag or freezer-safe container, plus keep a separate bag for bones from roasted chicken or other meat. Once you have accumulated enough, toss them in a slow cooker or stockpot, add water and seasonings, and let time do the rest.
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Carrot-Top Pesto
Carrot greens are flavorful and nutrient-rich, but their texture isn’t always the best for fresh eating. Making this pesto helps you cut down on kitchen waste while bringing a bright, green flavor to your dishes.
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Credit: CHRIS HUNT
Homemade Yogurt
Homemade yogurt is easy to make and tastes leaps and bounds better than most store-bought yogurts. It’s considerably cheaper as well, especially if you prefer organic dairy. To make a thicker Greek-style yogurt, strain the finished yogurt through cheesecloth. Simply layer 3 pieces of cheesecloth in a strainer over a bowl, pour in the yogurt, and allow the whey to drain. The whey is great in smoothies.
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