Comments on: Zen in the Kitchen http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/tassajara-cooking-book/ In the kitchen with truly fresh produce Sat, 17 May 2008 13:37:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: Easy to Cook Recipes http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/tassajara-cooking-book/#comment-2240 Easy to Cook Recipes Mon, 07 Apr 2008 23:17:36 +0000 http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/?p=505#comment-2240 nice photography nice photography

]]> By: Jennie http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/tassajara-cooking-book/#comment-2194 Jennie Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:56:37 +0000 http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/?p=505#comment-2194 Penny - I would love to read your Tassajara copy too! The Greens Cookbook is another I'll have to check out. I couldn't agree with you more about sometimes needing a little inspiration to get rushing into the kitchen, especially in August around here when the fridge is bursting with zucchini. :) VegeYum - I can only say "thank you". You've opened my eyes to a whole new world. ;) Penny - I would love to read your Tassajara copy too! The Greens Cookbook is another I’ll have to check out. I couldn’t agree with you more about sometimes needing a little inspiration to get rushing into the kitchen, especially in August around here when the fridge is bursting with zucchini. :)

VegeYum - I can only say “thank you”. You’ve opened my eyes to a whole new world. ;)

]]> By: VegeYum http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/tassajara-cooking-book/#comment-2178 VegeYum Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:30:01 +0000 http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/?p=505#comment-2178 Any jam works really well. Strawberry home made would be a real treat. You can also use dried fruit - sultanas, raisins, currants. Sometimes I would cook a meringue on top, in the days when I still ate eggs. Also, it is a great dish cos you can even use really hard stale left over bread. Simply mix the milk and eggs, maybe a bit more than usual, and soak the bread for a while before you go on with the recipe. An english person I knew made it with lots of cinnamon and nutmeg, and broke the bread up after it had soaked, so it all came out like a bread and butter moist cake. So you can experiment lots with the basics. It is a handy and delish dish. Any jam works really well. Strawberry home made would be a real treat.

You can also use dried fruit - sultanas, raisins, currants. Sometimes I would cook a meringue on top, in the days when I still ate eggs.

Also, it is a great dish cos you can even use really hard stale left over bread. Simply mix the milk and eggs, maybe a bit more than usual, and soak the bread for a while before you go on with the recipe.

An english person I knew made it with lots of cinnamon and nutmeg, and broke the bread up after it had soaked, so it all came out like a bread and butter moist cake.

So you can experiment lots with the basics. It is a handy and delish dish.

]]> By: Penny http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/tassajara-cooking-book/#comment-2177 Penny Sun, 30 Mar 2008 15:56:59 +0000 http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/?p=505#comment-2177 Hi there, I don't have Tassajara Cooking, but The Tassajara Recipe Book (now stained ad crumpled) is one of my favorite books. I have a batch of their Granola in the oven right now. I also use The Greens Cookbook also by Ed Espe Brown. I find it really inspiring when I 'm facing a fridge full of vegetables knowing that I need to get cooking because the next veg box delivery will be arriving in a few days. The most important cookbooks are not the ones with the recipes you always follow but the ones which get you rushing to the kitchen in burst of enthusiasm. Penny Hi there,
I don’t have Tassajara Cooking, but The Tassajara Recipe Book (now stained ad crumpled) is one of my favorite books. I have a batch of their Granola in the oven right now. I also use The Greens Cookbook also by Ed Espe Brown. I find it really inspiring when I ‘m facing a fridge full of vegetables knowing that I need to get cooking because the next veg box delivery will be arriving in a few days. The most important cookbooks are not the ones with the recipes you always follow but the ones which get you rushing to the kitchen in burst of enthusiasm.
Penny

]]> By: Jennie http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/tassajara-cooking-book/#comment-2160 Jennie Fri, 28 Mar 2008 12:26:43 +0000 http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/?p=505#comment-2160 More great comments! UrbanVegan - "The Indians beleive that the food only tastes as good as the consciousness of the cook." That is such a powerful statement to me...I hadn't ever articulated it in my own mind so clearly but it feels perfectly in-sync with my mantra when I'm in the kitchen. And, actually, when I'm growing things too. Wonderful! Noolives - Thanks so very much! :) ApK - I have no doubt that you have the making of a culinary goddess if you're approaching your cooking with such open-mindedness. :) While I respect (and even envy) the education that cooking school provides, I still favor the zest that comes with the unknown...meaning, if you've never been taught how to "properly" use, say, a rutabaga, you may just find a much better way to prepare it on your own. :) VegeYum - Oooooo, I think I'm going to have to make this ASAP! Do you think I could use other fruit preserves, besides marmalade? Maybe something like strawberry? I'm thinking a loaf of homemade bread with some homemade jam.... Yum! Thanks for finding the recipe! More great comments!

UrbanVegan - “The Indians beleive that the food only tastes as good as the consciousness of the cook.” That is such a powerful statement to me…I hadn’t ever articulated it in my own mind so clearly but it feels perfectly in-sync with my mantra when I’m in the kitchen. And, actually, when I’m growing things too. Wonderful!

Noolives - Thanks so very much! :)

ApK - I have no doubt that you have the making of a culinary goddess if you’re approaching your cooking with such open-mindedness. :) While I respect (and even envy) the education that cooking school provides, I still favor the zest that comes with the unknown…meaning, if you’ve never been taught how to “properly” use, say, a rutabaga, you may just find a much better way to prepare it on your own. :)

VegeYum - Oooooo, I think I’m going to have to make this ASAP! Do you think I could use other fruit preserves, besides marmalade? Maybe something like strawberry? I’m thinking a loaf of homemade bread with some homemade jam…. Yum! Thanks for finding the recipe!

]]> By: VegeYum http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/tassajara-cooking-book/#comment-2159 VegeYum Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:59:50 +0000 http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/?p=505#comment-2159 I found this recipe tonight for Bread and Butter Pudding. It looks wonderful: http://www.cooksister.com/2008/03/marmalade-bread.html I found this recipe tonight for Bread and Butter Pudding. It looks wonderful:

http://www.cooksister.com/2008/03/marmalade-bread.html

]]> By: ApK http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/tassajara-cooking-book/#comment-2156 ApK Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:28:30 +0000 http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/?p=505#comment-2156 Yes! This is exactly the approach to cooking that I have fallen into! After years of hearing from cooking-school educated friends who called themselves chefs but weren't very adventurous, I resolved that in my kitchen at least, recipes are meant as guidelines, and experimentation encouraged. It isn't just cooking, it's a creative adventure, and more often than not I find myself settling into a meal with the reaffirmed belief that I am, indeed, a culinary goddess. ;) Yes! This is exactly the approach to cooking that I have fallen into! After years of hearing from cooking-school educated friends who called themselves chefs but weren’t very adventurous, I resolved that in my kitchen at least, recipes are meant as guidelines, and experimentation encouraged. It isn’t just cooking, it’s a creative adventure, and more often than not I find myself settling into a meal with the reaffirmed belief that I am, indeed, a culinary goddess. ;)

]]> By: noolives http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/tassajara-cooking-book/#comment-2155 noolives Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:20:35 +0000 http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/?p=505#comment-2155 Beautiful photography! Beautiful photography!

]]> By: urbanvegan http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/tassajara-cooking-book/#comment-2154 urbanvegan Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:46:30 +0000 http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/?p=505#comment-2154 I've seen this book and love the open-endedness. And that's how I approach cooking--as a journey, not a destination to reach. The Indians beleive that the food only tastes as good as the consciousness of the cook. I’ve seen this book and love the open-endedness. And that’s how I approach cooking–as a journey, not a destination to reach.

The Indians beleive that the food only tastes as good as the consciousness of the cook.

]]> By: Jennie http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/tassajara-cooking-book/#comment-2152 Jennie Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:25:23 +0000 http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/?p=505#comment-2152 Wow, such wonderful comments from all of you! There are apparently a lot of kindred spirits out there in the food blogosphere. :) Not surprising, I guess. Deborah - Thank you for such leaving such an expressive comment. I love that you're approaching cooking as a gardener too. Obviously that's what I do. A tomoato never tastes as good as it does when you bite into it without taking a step away from the plant from which you just plucked it! I will be reading your blog moving forward as I agree in entirity that you can use your passions to change the world, even if it's only your own small corner. That's what urban farming is all about! :) Icsa99 - There's nothing wrong with being methodical - if it weren't for methodical cooks, the rest of us wouldn't have tried-and-true recipes from which to springboard! :) That being said, this book might be a lot of fun for you to read if you want to break the mold a tad. :) Taylor - I think we've got pretty similar cooking approaches. :) VegeYum - Oh, wow, that's such a unique story about your daughter! I feel I have a similiar experience, only I'm the daughter and my mom was the one that infused my cook's soul with an interest in getting intimately familiar with the produce from our kitchen garden that continues to inspire me today. Good job on your part! Now, about that bread and butter pudding.... what is that? It sounds yummy! :) Angie - Now that you mention it, maybe I'll get another tattoo... ;) Thanks for the link...that's actually a revised edition (printed 10 years after my copy) but I bet it has pretty much all the same stuff. You'll have to let me know when you get it. :) I love the mental image of the hubby staring slackjaw at your impromtu culinary creations! And I bet you're teaching the little one how to cook already! :) xoxo. Wow, such wonderful comments from all of you! There are apparently a lot of kindred spirits out there in the food blogosphere. :) Not surprising, I guess.

Deborah - Thank you for such leaving such an expressive comment. I love that you’re approaching cooking as a gardener too. Obviously that’s what I do. A tomoato never tastes as good as it does when you bite into it without taking a step away from the plant from which you just plucked it! I will be reading your blog moving forward as I agree in entirity that you can use your passions to change the world, even if it’s only your own small corner. That’s what urban farming is all about! :)

Icsa99 - There’s nothing wrong with being methodical - if it weren’t for methodical cooks, the rest of us wouldn’t have tried-and-true recipes from which to springboard! :) That being said, this book might be a lot of fun for you to read if you want to break the mold a tad. :)

Taylor - I think we’ve got pretty similar cooking approaches. :)

VegeYum - Oh, wow, that’s such a unique story about your daughter! I feel I have a similiar experience, only I’m the daughter and my mom was the one that infused my cook’s soul with an interest in getting intimately familiar with the produce from our kitchen garden that continues to inspire me today. Good job on your part! Now, about that bread and butter pudding…. what is that? It sounds yummy! :)

Angie - Now that you mention it, maybe I’ll get another tattoo… ;) Thanks for the link…that’s actually a revised edition (printed 10 years after my copy) but I bet it has pretty much all the same stuff. You’ll have to let me know when you get it. :) I love the mental image of the hubby staring slackjaw at your impromtu culinary creations! And I bet you’re teaching the little one how to cook already! :) xoxo.

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