AROMA THERAPY

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, put on some soup, and let's be jolly! 'Tis most definitely the season for soups and stews. A few weeks ago it was Lex's Steak 'n Guinness stew. Then we tried something new - a French recipe called Beef Daube, which was a delicious stew of slowly braised beef flavored with slivers of orange peel. Mmm, mmm, mmm, tasty! Last week we made a pot of chicken gumbo, and now, I'm thinking Ribbolita! If the holidays have you feeling a wee bit frenzied, there's nothing like a pot of softly simmering soup or stew to help slow the pace down just a tad.

Now, there was a time when I probably would have been a huge fan of Sandra Lee and her "Semi-Homemade" philosophy, but all that has changed over the last few years. Now, I'm into s...l...o...w. Remember when we were discussing the book "Joie de Vivre", and I told you how the French feel that even the aroma of toasting baguette and freshly brewed coffee is a vital ingredient towards getting one's day off to a good start? Well, if I were to make a soup or stew now, the way I used to make them, by just grabbing some pre-chopped onions from the freezer, and dumping in a can of this and a jar of that, I would feel downright cheated!

Face it. There is nothing in the world more wonderful than the aroma of freshly chopped onion and garlic being sauteed in a bit of olive oil or butter. It's the culinary version of foreplay - the thing that gets your juices flowing and builds anticipation for what is to come. Now that I've finally learned how to smash garlic and chop onions so quickly and easily that I rarely ever tear up anymore, I actually find it to be a pleasurable experience - rather meditative in fact - and one without which, there just ain't gonna be "no satisfaction."

So why not give it a try? Pull out your largest pan. Chop an onion. Sizzle some garlic. Take some slow, deep breaths. Feel your blood pressure going down? Now toss in some good broth or stock, whatever leftover veggies or bits of meat you have, and a handful of rice or pasta. Leave it to simmer for an hour or two while you curl up with a good book or some knitting. Allow its aroma therapy to waft throughout your home, and seep out to anyone passing along your sidewalk. I ask you. What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon?