A Taste of the Good Bite

The Setting: lunchtime on a typical weekday afternoon, Spring 2009.  I’m a busy public health grad student, taking a break to have lunch with one of my peers and friends to discuss our upcoming internships in Thailand and India, respectively.  Taking out my reheated meal from the night before, I ask her, “What’s for lunch today?”  “A sandwich”, she says.  “Oh good”, I think, musing over delicious possibilities like turkey, caramelized onion, and blue cheese with arugula mayo; tomato, mozzarella, basil; roasted eggplant and red pepper with goat cheese and pesto.  And then it appears; a mouth-watering, scrumptious—wait a minute—is that sliced cheese on plain bread???

I couldn’t fathom it.  How could sliced cheese on plain bread be the best that she could do when I’ve sat in her kitchen eating fantastic Nepali curry dishes?  Me being me—the ever curious, ever question-at-the-ready woman—inquired as to the sad state of my friend’s lunch.  The reality was, yes, for her, that truly was the best she could do…then.

Come to find out, my friend suffered from several things that impeded her ability to produce hot leftovers come lunchtime (or sandwiches that weren’t reminiscent of The Depression).  One, she only knew how to make one type of food.  Two, since she didn’t know what else to make outside of her miniscule repertoire, she couldn’t even contemplate planning out a meal, let alone buy groceries that were anything more than a mish-mash of products that didn’t go together.  And three, she was simply afraid of the kitchen.

It’s almost two years later now, and I’m happy to report than my friend eats tomato, mozzarella, basil on a regular basis, can make pasta sauces and risotto, and is the first to express how much she likes having a refrigerator full of beautiful, healthy, and fresh fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and other goodies. 

My friend’s story, however, is not just about moving past sliced cheese on bread.  In actuality, it’s truly about learning to feel good in the kitchen and evolving into someone who views mealtime as an enjoyable event full of possibilities, not simply a necessity.

So stop and think: when and what was the last *amazing* meal you ate?  Was your answer “yesterday”, or “earlier this week”?  Or, did you wonder, “What exactly do you mean by “amazing”? Does Ramen count?”  Or, perhaps you just laughed at the question?  (If you’re one of my friends who’s been over for dinner recently, you know how to answer if you want to be invited back…J/K!)  But really, I know there are a lot of you who responded with some version of the latter options.  I’m also sure there are many of you who know and love great food, but just don’t have the time or the inclination to make it at home.  No matter…The Savvy Chef is here!

Maybe you don’t feel the same level (or any level, for that matter) of excitement at the idea of smelling arugula at the weekend farmer’s market, tapping cantaloupes for ripeness at the grocery store, or sneaking a slice of prosciutto before wrapping it around asparagus.  But I believe that somewhere deep inside your refrigerator full of frozen vegetables and pre-packaged dinners lies a chef waiting to emerge (or at least, defrost).  So, let’s get cooking!

First thing’s first: the essential kitchen tools.  When I first asked myself this question, I had items like a zester and vegetable peeler on the list.  After some thought and internal debating, I’ve refined my kitchen tool list to what I deem to truly be necessities:

1)  Kosher Salt (huge boxes; cheap; better taste than iodized table salt; and called for specifically in many recipes)

2)  Pepper Grinder (you can get the plastic, refillable ones for less than $3)

3)  Baking Sheet

4)  Baking Dish (9x13x2” glass will do the trick)

5)  Cutting board (plastic with a shallow moat around the edge to catch juices when chopping)

6)  Knives (one serrated; one large chopping knife)

7)  Knife sharpener (there’s nothing worse than smashing your tomato because your dull knife can’t get through it)

8)  Measuring tools (one for teaspoon and tablespoon measurements; one for cup measurements.  They say use a liquid measuring cup for liquid measures, but I really don’t think it matters if you’re not baking)

9)  Variety of pots and pans (I like to have one oven-proof skillet (e.g., cast iron, 9”), although you can wrap the handle of a basic, metal skillet in a few layers of aluminum foil if you don’t want to buy one, but you have to be careful with all of the modern non-stick pots and pans, or others with special coatings, because they can deform in the oven at higher temperatures)

10) Wooden spoons

11) Colander or fine sieve (you cannot drain pasta well without it!)

Target has some reasonably priced kitchen items, as does Amazon, IKEA, and Wal-Mart.  We actually hit up our local Goodwill Stores and found some amazing deals.  Check out Marshall's, TJ Maxx, or even the dollar store too.  Remember, you don’t have go out and buy all of these things at once.  You can purchase a few at a time and simply select recipes that you can make in what you own.  I think it’s almost better that way because you’ll get a feel for what you like to make and what you’d like to cook in the future, and then buy accordingly.

Lastly, I thought I should list my not-so-hidden cooking agenda:

1)  I always double (or triple) the amount of garlic called for in a recipe.  The smell of garlic and onion sweating in a pan of melted butter is the first thing I’d like a whiff of when I reach my version of heaven.

2)  I’m not rich; I don’t have all the time in the world to make meals; and I have no professional training.  Accordingly, everything I share with you comes from the brilliant chefs out there, my experiences in the kitchen with their recipes and my own, and the passion I feel for food and the pleasure I get from being in the kitchen.

With that, CUCINA E MANGIA (cook & eat) and enjoy a taste of the good bite!!