Category Archives: Blather

Stock and Wasted Food

One of the more interesting panels at Edible Institute this year was all about recent non-fiction food books. Three authors, Barry Estabrook, Terry McMillan and Jonathan Bloom were all there to talk about their experiences.

Estabrook, who wrote Tomatoland (affiliate link) and maintains the blog Politics of the Plate mostly asked questions of McMillan and Bloom, but did put in a few words of his own.

McMillan wrote The American Way of Eating (affiliate link) and does not appear to maintain a blog. ETA, 3 April 2012: It turns out she does, but the way I looked for it didn’t turn it up. Anyway, she blogs here.

Bloom wrote Wasted Food (affiliate link) and maintains a blog of the same name.

I’ve read Tomatoland, and it was fascinating and educational.… Continue reading →

I’m either setting myself up for solid support or hugely public failure. Fun!

Old habits die hard. Especially when they result in rewards like not having to do the dishes.

This blog has been rather silent recently, which happens to it from time to time. I apologize for that – I am not such a great blogger, it seems. Once, it was about the wedding. Sometimes, I just get distracted. This time, well…

This time it’s because we’ve gotten into a bit of a food funk. It doesn’t feature nearly as many frittatas or stir-fries as back when we started this blog, but it features almost as much eating out (or delivery). I think so, anyway.

To be totally forthright, this is not only frustrating and embarrassing due to how this blog came about, but it was particularly so in February.… Continue reading →

Quickie Post – 5 Things I Learned at Edible Institute 2012

I was speaking to Krysti yesterday via instant messanger, and was telling her how difficult I found writing up Edible Institute. It’s been tough. Last year, I took some notes and got a solid, single post out of it. This year, I found I took no notes, but probably have at least two posts to put up.

Of course, the Keynote Speaker, Nikki Henderson, gets a single post all by herself. That’s part of the issue.

That said, I didn’t want to leave you all (especially those of you not on Twitter) with the feeling that I just went to California and sat on the beach drinking beach cocktails all weekend. So I figured I do a quick (maybe) post on 5 random tidbits I learned while at Edible Institute.… Continue reading →

I’m going to Edible Institute again this year.

Last year, in late January, I attended the second Edible Institute conference. I posted that I would be going, and why, here.

Well, the organizers seem to have decided that hosting in late January is a misery, because it’s been moved to March. This upcoming weekend, in fact.

I appreciate this, as last year I got stuck for an extra day in California due to a huge January/February blizzard in Chicago.

Just as I was last year, I’m very excited to be going this year. I’m going to see a few friends I made last year. I’m very much looking forward hearing Mirra Fine and Daniel Klein of The Perennial Plate speak[1]. I’m hoping I’ll get a chance to meet them[2].

Even more than Fine and Klein, though, I’m looking forward to hearing Brian Halweil speak.… Continue reading →

Apparently, this starts tonight.

Which is good, on one hand, as I had no specific plans for tonight’s dinner. On the other hand, I was kind of hoping she’d delay a little. You know, to a time that isn’t immediately after the holidays, immediately after Bill was rather sick, and so on.

With that, let me share with you a conversation to start a New Year with:

Krysti: Ever make mashed cauliflower?
Natasha: No, but I hear it’s yummy
Krysti: Eating it now. And yes
Natasha: Nice
Krysti: I seem to clean out my fridge on weekends, of things-to-cook
Natasha: Oh?
Natasha: That’s better than I do. Cleaning out the fridge is a haphazard & terrifying experience in my world
Krysti: ahahaa
Krysti: I SO agree with you
Krysti: Your fridge is scary
Natasha: About my fridge?… Continue reading →