Thinking about our first Christmas here in Wimberley reminded me of how much of it I spent watching Food Network! I happened across it when I was flipping channels one day, and when I saw this gorgeous young Italian woman named Giada, who was preparing for a holiday get-together, I decided to pause and watch for a while. A moment or two later, I was hooked!
I tried a few of the other shows this channel offered, but none of them called to me the way Everyday Italian did. This chef used real food, fresh herbs straight from the garden, everything she cooked made my mouth water, and best of all, she made it look doable! She made me realize that putting good, fresh food on the table for my family didn't have to take any more time or be any more difficult than going to fetch take-out or using a bunch of packaged, processed stuff.
By watching the way she chopped an onion, smashed a clove of garlic, and sizzled them together in a bit of olive oil, I came to realize that such things did not have to be painful or tear-inducing, and that by grabbing a handful of frozen, pre-chopped onions from a package, I was depriving myself of one of the most meditative, aromatic, sensual parts of the whole cooking process. She also made me realize that it really wasn't necessary to have shelves full of cookbooks and collect hundreds of recipes. After watching her show for a while, I couldn't help but notice that she was doing the same basic steps over and over again, and once you had those down, the rest was just variations on a theme. So, in essence, she brought about her own demise, for after that, the show began to feel a bit repetitive.
But, that was a good thing, wasn't it? For, if I've learned anything at all since embarking on the good life, it's that it is far better to be doing and making, rather than just watching and taking!
P.S. Many thanks to teale-edwards.com for the image above.
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5 comments:
Isn't that so true? ("the rest was just variations on a theme.") From Emeril I learned that The Trinity (diced onion, celery, green pepper) sauteed in oil is the basis to all Cajun cooking (gumbos, jambalaya, etouffee) and that making a roux is nothing more than cooking equal parts veg oil and flour over low to med heat until caramel brown and fragrant. From Ina Garten I learned that any cut of cheaper roast can just be browned on all sides and then cooked on low heat for hours with various liquids and herbs and produce all manner of yummy braised dishes. As with anything, it's all in getting down the basics and forging ahead with imagination. That's creativity!!
That's why I read all your gardening posts with such avidity; still gettin' down the basics. Well-written post, HCH!
I'm still not too good at making a roux. I always chicken out before making it dark enough for great flavor, because I'm so scared I'll burn it and have to toss it all out.
Giada stuff, while possibly not strictly traditional Italian (I don't know but she gets criticism) is almost always simple to make, which is great. She has a butternut squash lasagne that has become a Fall/Thanksgiving/Xmas staple for me.
I've never cooked mine to a dark chocolate hue; I usually opt for dark caramel and love the flavor. I sip a beer and a half while stirring the whole time. I do know this: I could never make a roux over an electric burner. Must hae gas and keep it just below medium flame.
Yeah, that's a problem, as we have no gas hook-up out here.
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