I absolutely love everything about this wonderful post.
I too, love eating small bits of this and that, and have since I was a kid.
My mum, the chief cook in our house growing up, would occasionally get sick of it, and on Friday nights, before the weekly Saturday morning grocery shop, she put out a “clean out the fridge” dinner (what we now call, far more charitably, cheese and charcuterie). Bits of pickle and olive, leftover cheddar, a few slices of kielbasa and salami. Some crackers.
My sister and I would play in the backyard and occasionally run back for a handful of something in between somersaults, my parents would chat and snack on the balcony. We loved those dinners.
Despite my small stature, I have always had an enormous appetite that surprises the hell out of those around me. Over the decades, it’s become part of my identity. But now I find it takes a toll in my body. Being raised by two war parents, it was drilled into my head to finish everything on my plate. So I am learning how to make smaller plates. The struggle is not physical; my body is satisfied. But my mind has not yet caught up. Absolutely beautiful post. And your weekend sounds perfect. I hope you enjoy!
I am currently in Santa Fe and took a class at the Santa Fe cooking school yesterday which made me so happy. It’s all peasant food the instructor chef announced. Simple and delicious. Posole and pinto beans, red and green chili, layered enchiladas and bread pudding. The older I get the more I crave beans the way my grandmother made them. A simple bowl.
The books mentioned form the backbone of my cooking library, plus and most importantly, Julia and Marcella. Richard Olney is a stern taskmaster but his recipes are impeccable. Chicken stuffed under the skin with a duxelles-like dressing is the essence of Unami.
Perhaps your delight in “small plates” could be looked through Julia’s filter of “all foods in moderation.”
Meanwhile, wishes for a Happy Memorial Day weekend
I have become weary of the whole menu planning, grocery shopping, unloading/unpacking groceries, cleaning the refrigerator, organizing the pantry, cooking, cleaning--somewhere in there is eating--after over 50+ years of marriage. My husband is not a cook, but is a great cleaner-upper and is content with whatever I fix. Still it is hard to break the old patterns and my expectations (rules) and know it is ok to find a new rhythm. When our children were young summer dinners were often good bread, fruit, and cheese--all set out on the table on platters. Easy and delicious and conducive to relaxing time together. I think I need to resurrect that ritual. Thanks for a lovely post.
This is delightful. Interestingly, it was European multi course meals that taught me to eat a little of things sometimes. I eat to suit my whims and my hungers. I'm lucky to cook only for me and possibly other adults most of the time, but even there we often need different things. I am perfectly happy with olives and cheese or a few ounces of warmed steak with greens and maybe a quick sauce. It's not about small specially but about meeting my body in the right spot. And it had never occurred to me to cook olives but now I will.
I loved this. Your writing is sooo beautiful (and funny!!!). And you're SO right about how little we really need -- especially when it's full of flavor, can be truly savored, and (Gasp!) eaten slowly. I could have used this yesterday right before I decided to have Dairy Queen after Chipotle, though. HAHAHA!
Love this post. Yesterday a friend and I were trying out a small new creative restaurant in Sacramento and sharing our stories of what we grew up eating. Me in a small rural farming area in Central NY - salad, meat, potatoes, vegetable and desert, every single night. Her on the West Coast in a Japanese farming (orchards) community south of San Francisco eating traditional Japanese food. And there we were dining at wonderful new found restaurant on a fusion of small plates Mexican and Asian seafood food with a pronounced nod to fresh herbs spices and greens. We didn't need desert but we split one anyway. I'm fascinated and delighted by how our American culture and palate has evolved over the last 60-70 years.
I enjoyed this post, a lot. I've been an adventurous eater and good cook all my life, but now, verging on 70, and feeding only myself most days, I'm cooking smaller and taking more time over the meal.
This is too beautiful! I love this: "bowls of warm olives and bread, or cold roast chicken and aioli, or warm figs stuffed with goat cheese, or toasted almonds and herbs, or slices of cucumber and red onion with chilies, lemon juice, and olive oil...." and sent it to myself and my husband because that Sara Midda book sounds like a work of art. Our kind of eating! I have two Deborah Madisons that close friend got to "taste test" as Deborah was creating the books. Lucky all of you who get to spend time with her and have that delicious bag of food to take back to the hotel.
I LOVE olives and like your addition of cumin. I'll try this asap! I'm 65 and I find smaller meals and noshes are the way to go, for several reasons. I enjoy cooking but it is not my whole life! There are many other things I enjoy, including just sitting on the deck and watching the birds. However, my friends all agree the "hubbies" are mostly not onboard! They still love the meat and potato plate. Sadly, they are mostly unfamiliar with cooking....except for BBQ. While my husband would agree that it is not my job to feed him, I'm old school enough to want to please him this way. Luckily he will settle on a hearty bowl of soup and we also get take out about once a week. It all helps to get us out of the daily cooking chore rut. And I do like to cook! Thanksgiving, I'm all over it! I also thank you for the cookbook suggestions and I have purchased one and ordered another from the library. Can't wait. I'd love it if you let me send you my cookbook. It would be such a pleasure! I think I can promise that you will learn something new!
I absolutely love everything about this wonderful post.
I too, love eating small bits of this and that, and have since I was a kid.
My mum, the chief cook in our house growing up, would occasionally get sick of it, and on Friday nights, before the weekly Saturday morning grocery shop, she put out a “clean out the fridge” dinner (what we now call, far more charitably, cheese and charcuterie). Bits of pickle and olive, leftover cheddar, a few slices of kielbasa and salami. Some crackers.
My sister and I would play in the backyard and occasionally run back for a handful of something in between somersaults, my parents would chat and snack on the balcony. We loved those dinners.
Thank you 🙏🏻
My pleasure! I just found your writing and am utterly absorbed! 💝
I'm not surprised that we repeatedly turn to the same books and that I also view the Zuni Cafe introduction as required reading for all cooks.
Thank you for this. Its exactly what I needed to read today to center and calm me.
Thank you ❤️
Despite my small stature, I have always had an enormous appetite that surprises the hell out of those around me. Over the decades, it’s become part of my identity. But now I find it takes a toll in my body. Being raised by two war parents, it was drilled into my head to finish everything on my plate. So I am learning how to make smaller plates. The struggle is not physical; my body is satisfied. But my mind has not yet caught up. Absolutely beautiful post. And your weekend sounds perfect. I hope you enjoy!
I am currently in Santa Fe and took a class at the Santa Fe cooking school yesterday which made me so happy. It’s all peasant food the instructor chef announced. Simple and delicious. Posole and pinto beans, red and green chili, layered enchiladas and bread pudding. The older I get the more I crave beans the way my grandmother made them. A simple bowl.
The books mentioned form the backbone of my cooking library, plus and most importantly, Julia and Marcella. Richard Olney is a stern taskmaster but his recipes are impeccable. Chicken stuffed under the skin with a duxelles-like dressing is the essence of Unami.
Perhaps your delight in “small plates” could be looked through Julia’s filter of “all foods in moderation.”
Meanwhile, wishes for a Happy Memorial Day weekend
Thank you
I have become weary of the whole menu planning, grocery shopping, unloading/unpacking groceries, cleaning the refrigerator, organizing the pantry, cooking, cleaning--somewhere in there is eating--after over 50+ years of marriage. My husband is not a cook, but is a great cleaner-upper and is content with whatever I fix. Still it is hard to break the old patterns and my expectations (rules) and know it is ok to find a new rhythm. When our children were young summer dinners were often good bread, fruit, and cheese--all set out on the table on platters. Easy and delicious and conducive to relaxing time together. I think I need to resurrect that ritual. Thanks for a lovely post.
This is delightful. Interestingly, it was European multi course meals that taught me to eat a little of things sometimes. I eat to suit my whims and my hungers. I'm lucky to cook only for me and possibly other adults most of the time, but even there we often need different things. I am perfectly happy with olives and cheese or a few ounces of warmed steak with greens and maybe a quick sauce. It's not about small specially but about meeting my body in the right spot. And it had never occurred to me to cook olives but now I will.
I loved this. Your writing is sooo beautiful (and funny!!!). And you're SO right about how little we really need -- especially when it's full of flavor, can be truly savored, and (Gasp!) eaten slowly. I could have used this yesterday right before I decided to have Dairy Queen after Chipotle, though. HAHAHA!
Thanks 🙏🏻
Love this post. Yesterday a friend and I were trying out a small new creative restaurant in Sacramento and sharing our stories of what we grew up eating. Me in a small rural farming area in Central NY - salad, meat, potatoes, vegetable and desert, every single night. Her on the West Coast in a Japanese farming (orchards) community south of San Francisco eating traditional Japanese food. And there we were dining at wonderful new found restaurant on a fusion of small plates Mexican and Asian seafood food with a pronounced nod to fresh herbs spices and greens. We didn't need desert but we split one anyway. I'm fascinated and delighted by how our American culture and palate has evolved over the last 60-70 years.
I enjoyed this post, a lot. I've been an adventurous eater and good cook all my life, but now, verging on 70, and feeding only myself most days, I'm cooking smaller and taking more time over the meal.
Marvelous! Thanks for the post.
This is too beautiful! I love this: "bowls of warm olives and bread, or cold roast chicken and aioli, or warm figs stuffed with goat cheese, or toasted almonds and herbs, or slices of cucumber and red onion with chilies, lemon juice, and olive oil...." and sent it to myself and my husband because that Sara Midda book sounds like a work of art. Our kind of eating! I have two Deborah Madisons that close friend got to "taste test" as Deborah was creating the books. Lucky all of you who get to spend time with her and have that delicious bag of food to take back to the hotel.
I LOVE olives and like your addition of cumin. I'll try this asap! I'm 65 and I find smaller meals and noshes are the way to go, for several reasons. I enjoy cooking but it is not my whole life! There are many other things I enjoy, including just sitting on the deck and watching the birds. However, my friends all agree the "hubbies" are mostly not onboard! They still love the meat and potato plate. Sadly, they are mostly unfamiliar with cooking....except for BBQ. While my husband would agree that it is not my job to feed him, I'm old school enough to want to please him this way. Luckily he will settle on a hearty bowl of soup and we also get take out about once a week. It all helps to get us out of the daily cooking chore rut. And I do like to cook! Thanksgiving, I'm all over it! I also thank you for the cookbook suggestions and I have purchased one and ordered another from the library. Can't wait. I'd love it if you let me send you my cookbook. It would be such a pleasure! I think I can promise that you will learn something new!