Gingham Apron

Jamie Oliver - TED Prize Wish

This was linked to me on TheKitchn.  I never watched much Jamie Oliver before, but I think I <3 him now.

Watch this... make the 21 minutes and 52 seconds right now and watch it.    

March Challenge

Let me preface this by saying I didn't mean to ignore my blog for 4 days, but we've had family things going on.  Family night with both of David's brothers for sushi (for me and his brothers anyhow), the youngest brother is moving into a new place and I've been helping his girlfriend with moving stuff.  Oh and the weather here has been rather lovely so garden prepping and spring cleaning has been starting up.  Anyhow... on to the real subject of this post.....

I was discussing with Stacy that I would like to have a challenge partner for a all homemade week.  Oddly enough it was apparently a just posted subject at Homemakers Who Work, which came from Not Dabbling in Normal.

Perfect timing!  We've been eating out too much.  It's got to end.  I know we don't need it, and I know our bank account doesn't need it.  Once a month for sushi or something is fine though.  ;)  

It is being based off of having watched Food Inc. so it's going to be about local, sustainable, and organic eating habits.  We eat largely organic in this house anyhow thanks to my anal retentiveness about it.  A month may be a huge leap, so I'm going to look at one week at a time.  Make what I can from scratch, and rely on no pre-packaged foods.  No cookie mixes, or pancake mix .. things like that.  Obviously avoiding things like juice and milk will not be so easy, but I can buy organic and make sure that the packaging gets recycled (or returned in the case of the milk).  

I can make crackers.

I can make waffles.

I can make pancakes.

I can make cookies.

I can make granola.

I can make muesli.

I can make biscuits.

I can even try my hand at making pasta.

I can make the things that we eat.

I can stop buying packaged foods, and stop getting "fast food".  

Food Rules

I read the newest Michael Pollan book "Food Rules" the other night.  It's not a long book, but it holds some valid points.  One of which is if your Grandmother would not recognize it as food you shouldn't eat it.  Of course that stuck a cord with me (see the last post about the cookies).

My Grandma and Grandpa had their own garden, and lived largely on only that for as long as I can remember.  Okay they had 2 gardens and it was likely 2-3 acres worth.  They even had grapevines.  They made everything, and canning was a way of life. The canning I've done has been pretty much based on what I can glean from the internet and on remembering how my Grandma did it (I use my memories to try and make blankets like she did too).  I don't think there's a memory from my Grandparents house that doesn't include working in the garden, sheets spread out on the family room floor, and lots of shucking/snapping/cutting/peeling.

It's simple, but it's not.  

May Grandparents may have likely used some chemical fertilizer, and I know there was some spot weed treatment, but in general it was just tilling and utilizing compost material.  I want that, well, minus any chemicals.  I know that a large garden is not doable in our little "suburban" backyard, but I want to plant what I can.  Hopefully between a garden and the farmers markets (and maybe even a CSA) I'll be able to can for winter time next year.  My mom has my Grandma's pressure cooker and has already said I could take it to use.  :D

My slight obsession of wanting to garden and can my own food is because of all the crap that is put into or on our food these days.  The chemicals are not what I want to eat, and certainly not what I want to feed my children.  I don't like knowing that my food is contaminating the earth either.  Which is why we have a mostly organic diet in our house.  Then there's the ethics of the companies who make and sell the chemicals and genetically modified seeds that almost all farmers use (for things like corn and soy, which are a rather disgusting staple in pretty much all processed food). 

Below is a good video (almost 2 hours long), but if you question what is in and on your food you need to watch this. There's also Food Inc., King Corn, Killer at Larger, and Super Size me (all 4 of those are instant plays on Netflix)

The World According to Monsanto ..