I've only been a vegetarian for two years now (well, this time, I was veg in college as well) and in general I think it's a good fit for me (please be clear, I'm not saying a good fit for everyone). I took it on to drastically reduce my footprint and it's done that but it's also improved my health and sense of well being.

Still, there are things I miss. Over the past year I've found that I crave fish/seafood - and I do splurge in very rare, special instances to have it (particularly if it is ethical). Over the past few months I've begun to crave poultry and it makes me wonder if my nutritional blend is missing something.

Some of it is variety I think. I get the same food options and while I'm trying to expand my vegetarian cooking skills, I often fall back on the same set of dishes. My grocery has the same set of veggie offerings and sometimes I really just crave something flavorful and new.

And of course there are those "old favorites" from omnivorism that simply can't be reproduced.

For me, one of those is Tom kha soup, an intense Thai soup (with chicken) that makes my saliva glads tango just upon mentioning. It's such an artful blend of flavors: warm spices, bright-citrusy lemon grass and galangal and sweet coconut milk. I have thought about making a bird-free version at home, but it's not possible to create with local ingredients, so I have avoided experimenting and have simply waved at it longingly on every Thai menu that I've passed.

Guess how tickled I was when I went to Legee Rice and Noodles (which is only a half a block from my pottery studio) and found that they had vegetarian Tom kha tofu? *happy dance!* It was wonderful; very fresh, clean and less rich than the chicken versions I have had. They use very little coconut milk and add raw veggies (which soften in the warm broth, but not too much) so there's a nice textural mix.

With the wet, gray days we've been having in Chicago - and the wet gray days of my heart, something golden, warm, passionate and comforting was a welcome and delicious gift. Mmmmmmmm...

If you spend time with me, you know that I like to talk about food and our relationship(s) to it (often ad nauseum....sorry!). I am a firm believer that food is art. From a classically painted still-life to a stunning cake with a crab on top, I have appreciated the beauty and creativity that food has inspired. Until today, however, I had never quite seen this...





I can change the world, one meal at a time...an in so many ways!

As most of you know, I love food. I love the sensuality of it. I love the artistry of cooking and the joy of eating with loved ones and community. I am also fascinated by the ethics and politics of food so I read a lot of food-related literature. I also follow quite a few food blogs (somewhat haphazardly) - from decadent recipe sites to discussions of the farm bill, I like perusing it all.

In my toothsome readings, I ran across these Foodscape Posters which are designed to encourage young folks to eat more healthfully.

I don't know why - but they enchanted me a bit. Especially this first one which features black-faced sheep (black-faced sheep are one of the cutest things ever to me...even after I found out how they smelled!).

These are marginally less cute to my sheep-loving eye, but are some impressively creative and edible tableaux vivants.

...what is the point of this website? I think I might have food-mares from this one.

*shudder*

I received a delightful invitation this week to be a co-author for a new blog: Magical Eating. This blog grew out of the Hearth Path work at Wintercamp 2009.

You may be thinking..."why Jennifer, how can you possibly talk about food even MORE?"...but it seems that I can and will.

Below I have pasted in the introduction post and intention, penned by Elfin. If you're interested I hope you'll join us there.

Much love and gratitude ~ Jen

----

Gather ’round the Hearth
February 25th, 2009

Welcome! Come, have a seat…

Our hearths and homes are our most intimate expressions of self; the seat of our magic and our values. We welcome our beloveds into these sacred places; we laugh, work, make love and share food together there...

All of the authors here share a common love in food, family, and magic and/or spiritual practice as central pieces of our lives. We each love to share that passion with others. I, and the rest of the authoring team, hope that you find a home and a place to be in community with us here.

- elfin

My dear friend C, who I have adored for 20+ years, came in from Florida this past weekend for a wonderful visit. Because she knows we cannot get local produce here in the winter (and because she is so very generous), she went to the Farmers' Market before she left home and brought two heavily stuffed suitcases of fruits and veg along with her. There were many familiar items in the mix but also some things I had not tried such as a white bell pepper, white eggplant and longans (the experience of which, I can only imagine, is very close to peeling and eating an eyeball...blech!). C and I are both eating vegan, so she used some of this bounty to whip up some lovely dishes for us: fresh tomatillo salsa, eggplant salad (one of my favs), roasted veggies with fresh rosemary and a "faux-feta"/phyllo pie.

Because my roommate tarirocks loves citrus (which is obviously never local for us, even in summer) C included bags and bags of oranges (and various cousins to the orange). We have a mountain of them on our kitchen table now and could likely save an entire village from scurvy for much of a year.

It was lovely of C to import some sunshine for us...and nice to be reminded of how much I am loved.

Since the Farmer's markets were closing for the year, I stocked up on my last two visits. Besides picking lots and lots of sweet, juicy apples (some of which I used to make this last weekend) and various varieties of winter squash, I also purchased an entire stalk of Brussels Sprouts.


The sprout tree, lounging chez moi

It was kind of an adventure getting the stalk home and I was amused (and saddened) by the number of people who stopped me to ask what it was; further proof of our disconnect with what we eat.

Since I really love these little cabbages I admired my stalk for a day (often stroking it lovingly) and then I cooked up almost half of the little green buds thinking "oh yummy! I'll have sprouts to eat all next week!".

Well I did have them...and more of them, and yet MORE of them. I ate them hot, I ate them cold - I ate them seasoned mild and bold. I ate them cut, I ate them whole...I ate them by the plate and bowl! (Apparently an over abundance of mini cabbages Seussifies one's brain).

I finished the last of them today and I must admit, I am done with them for a while. I cannot face the remaining buds which rest in our crisper.

Alas boys...it is off to the freezer with you!

Today as I passed through the Farmers' market, I was spellbound by the brilliant purple and orange cauliflower. I know it's all a result of cross-breeding and we pesky humans messing with nature - but wow. You could have made edible jewelry fit for a queen out of this stuff. It was so pretty that I really wanted to buy some...but in the end settled for the plain ole' white variety (which was more affordable).

I have a potluck event next week (and you're all invited!) and I'm thinking I might have to splurge on a melange of bright brassica.

Mmmm...food art.

...the people came together to create an offering worthy of their beloved gods. Singing prayers, they spun a krater of moonlight and rime, fixing stars upon its volute handles. Into the krater's belly they poured laughter, beesong and the green coolness of moss beneath naked toes. To this they added milk, sugar, fruit, herbs and the shivers of impassioned lovers. Stirring and chanting they danced, filling this mixture with bliss; with love beyond all reason.

And this blessed mixture was poured out unto the gods...

And this blessed mixture was called "pineapple basil gelato"...



...no shit - it's that good.

I am back from a perfectly blissful visit to Detroit and the fabulous mountain_ash78 and blue_sky_48220 (who, quite frankly, spoiled me rotten!). I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed the company and conversation, and would have been more than happy just to sit around gabbing with these fascinating folk - but was also pleased to get to tromp about gathering unique and expansive experiences.

Though I arrived quite late on the Megabus Friday night, J and M still stayed up with me 'till the wee-hours ('cause I'm a nocturnal blabber-mouth, don't cha know). Saturday, J and I walked out on a gorgeous day to Toast for a brunch so tasty it would make you smack your momma. I had an omelet made with roasted beets, caramelized onions and chèvre which was a seductive blend of sweet and savory. Mmmmm, I'm drooling on my keyboard just thinking of it.

Later, we visited a fantastic local art fair with lots of unique glass and pottery and then hooked up with some fab folks from Trillium Reclaiming, for pre-ritual pizza. Well stuffed, we then drove out to a lovely horse farm which would be the location for Trillium's Midsummer ritual and celebration.

Though the day had threatened rain, the weather was perfect. I was charmed by the land, and even more so by the warm welcome I received. I really liked so much about the ritual. I admired that Trillium has a ritual arc/theme for the whole year, and was excited that it happens to be the Feri creation story. I loved the invocations, which were short and connected, and I realized yet again that I sometimes chafe at very heavy emphasis on ritual arts. I was also very glad (and nervous) to be given an opportunity to push a personal edge as I stepped into drumming for the ritual (which outside of trance drumming, I never do). Folks were very supportive of me and not one shoe or horse patty was thrown my way. I felt it was good work, and I felt honored to connect (and in some cases reconnect) with these bright ones.

The weekend also featured a visit to Dragonmead a local microbrewery (mmmm...mead), as well as The Inn Season Cafe, a fabulous vegan/vegetarian restaurant (who put J's kale eating abilities to the test!).

Some of my favorite moments though came when spending the afternoon with J and M at the The Detroit Institute of Arts. Art museums are among my most favorite things to experience, especially with I can share them with others who like to discuss the works and the emotions and thoughts they evoke. I was especially pleased to get to see two works I have always hoped to view live: Diego Rivera's Detroit Industry fresco cycle and The Nightmare by Henry Fuseli.

I could babble on about those pieces...particularly Rivera's work, given how much there is to it and how much it seemed to speak to issues that are core for me...but I won't bore you. I will however include some visual links below in the hopes that you'll take a peep.

( This is the north wall of Detroit Industry with subsequent drill downs for detail. )

( And here is the south wall of Detroit Industry. )

( Also, here are some details from Detroit Industry. )

( Fuseli's, The Nightmare. )

( And one I did not know but loved, Thomas Wilmer Dewing's The Recitation, whose ethereal quality really cannot be captured here... )

I'm not sure how I've met and filled my life with such smart, beautiful, fun, aware and magical people...but I am one of the truly blessed.

Have you ever heard the Vienna Vegetable Orchestra?

If not...here's some creative fun:



Man...I really hope they compost afer a show! ;>)