food!

Food! Everyone needs it to survive. We talk about it, read about it, blog about it, agonize over it, and enjoy it. Therefore, in a blog that talks about the rich, full life, food must play a central role. I am always shocked at the way most Americans eat. We buy pre-packaged foods, bakery cakes, frozen meals, jarred sauces, and deli salads. We talk about how busy we are, too busy to cook, really. And yet I maintain that we are no busier than we have ever been, it is just that our priorities are wrong. The simple truth is that making your food from scratch is better tasting, better for you, and cheaper. It is a little more time consuming, and takes more forethought, but the results are worth it. I can stir up a delicious white sauce in about five minutes, and adding a splash of vermouth and grating of fresh parmesan cheese makes the sauce delicious. I five minutes I have something much better than jarred sauce, with no preservatives and no mystery ingredients. One of the things I want to talk about on this blog is how to make truly delicious food that is inexpensive (usually! I like to splurge on fun ingredients, like really good cheese of fancy olives from time to time!) and easy to prepare. The challah bread in the picture costs about $1.25 a loaf to make. It is so delicious, especially hot from the oven slathered with butter! You can't get that "just out of the oven warm and soft" effect with store boughten bread.I would like to encourage people to see cooking as an art form. With all of the beautiful colors and textures and smells food has, it truly becomes art!So! Stay tuned for recipes, techniques, menu planning help, and lots of pictures of good food!