Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Adventure

I love the Zen saying, "When the student is ready, the teacher appears." I have worked in colleges for all my professional life and I find it to be absolutely true. It is only when the student feels the need to know that the lessons sink in.

I think I was ready for this advice:

Be Adventurous

Eating is like a great odyssey and you are surely missing out if you’re not willing to try new things. Each time you go shopping, try and find something new that you haven’t tried before. If you don’t know how to eat or prepare your new finds, ask for assistance. Often, people are more than willing to help if you just ask them a simple question. Also, don’t be afraid to modify any dishes that you like to suit your personal tastes.

This was written by a woman named Holly McCarthy, who was a recent guest on Katie's blog, Thyme for Cooking, one of my daily favorites. I enjoy cooking and especially feeding my loved ones, but I have to admit that I'm not a very adventurous cook. If I make something unusual, it's as much by accident or thrift as for the pleasure of trying new tastes or textures.

So, I've decided to take Holly's advice and try one new thing each time I go shopping. I haven't eaten kale since my mother forced it on us as kids; maybe it's time to try it again. I've never known what to do with tomatillos; I'm going to buy some soon. I bought a softball-sized celeriac at the store today; stay tuned for whatever I find to do with that!

Maybe all I needed to cure my food blog blahs is some new material to work with and a little mental readiness to experiment.

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7 Comments:

Blogger cookiecrumb said...

Lovely thoughts.
I'm amazed by my own willingness to try new things; I think I'm a wuss, but there I am buying rabbit and seaweed and goat.
Good luck; can't wait to hear about it.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009  
Blogger Ms Brown Mouse said...

Kale- be careful of grubs!
Celeriac a total bastard to peel but it makes a lovely mash and and also very good baked with potato, bacon, garlic and cream (but then, isn't everything?)
Seaweed! YUM

Thursday, January 15, 2009  
Blogger Zoomie said...

Cookiecrumb, I have to admit I've never tried rabbit or goat but seaweed and I are old friends.

Morgan, thanks for the warnings! You're right about peeling celeriac (I'll post about that tomorrow!) but what an interesting idea to make a mash from it. The potato, bacon, garlic and cream idea sounds simply heavenly, but as you say, with those ingredients, how can you miss? :-)

Thursday, January 15, 2009  
Blogger liteluvr said...

Couldn't have said it better myself.

I can just imagine what you'll be using those tomatillos for. :0)

Friday, January 16, 2009  
Blogger Zoomie said...

Litelvr, stay tuned! No idea what I'll use them for but I'm sure the interweb will help me to decide!

Saturday, January 17, 2009  
Blogger meathenge said...

Stunning photograph, creamy.

Biggles

Monday, January 19, 2009  
Blogger Zoomie said...

Biggles, thanks. All I do is notice, really.

Thursday, January 22, 2009  

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