Calm Cooking

What a time to be alive! This time will honestly go down in history for being such a strange year that was uted to its subculture and barely able to see past the fog of anger and hatred. What is something good to come out of it though?! A brand new look on life! Tumblr and all readers! I ask you to please try something new! Enjoy life, do something you never thought possible! Life is short and I can't begin to describe what life could be like if everyone just took a breath and looked at the world around the. Don't let things get you down. Be happy with what you have, but always strive for more. Life is precious and so is your thoughts and ideas. Hold them on a pedestal because no matter what, life can try to knock it down but you will always need something to look up to.

What a time to be alive! This time will honestly go down in history for being such a strange year that was uted to its subculture and barely able to see past the fog of anger and hatred. What is something good to come out of it though?! A brand new look on life! Tumblr and all readers! I ask you to please try something new! Enjoy life, do something you never thought possible! Life is short and I can't begin to describe what life could be like if everyone just took a breath and looked at the world around the. Don't let things get you down. Be happy with what you have, but always strive for more. Life is precious and so is your thoughts and ideas. Hold them on a pedestal because no matter what, life can try to knock it down but you will always need something to look up to.

Has it ever occured to anyone that when flavours reach your tongue, Every single person in the world tastes it in a different way and we have to compare and contrast what we like to figure out what is best suited for our pallet? Which is why I am EXTREMELY excited to see what the future brings in the world of food. Sadly I will not be here to see what massively different world it will be for culinary in 100 years, but just take 10 years and i can guarantee that the common feeling over a new food may baffle or shock people. but I look forward to it. New genetic apples? count me in! A food that is sustainable and we no longer have to farm meat? Great! I look forward to science and food being the forefront in a new world of food that todays minds may never even comprehend!

Seeing as how to the ending of the year has come and past. Watching a new presidency take place and my country almost spit in two. I think to myself, what could i possibly do to make this year less stressful? "BOOM" An idea hit me like a ton of bricks! I think this is finally the year that I focus less on what the world perceives of me and more about what I think about my cooking. Slowly I am going into a mindset where anger and frustration just make me tired, not mad. So what can I do but put all of my focus on other things that take my attention. I would like to say that if anyone out there feels like they are losing an uphill battle. I would like to remind you that the ones closest to you should matter more in opinion than half the others in the world that just want to make you as miserable as they are. :) stay happy. stay healthy. stay safe.

Garlic. The basis of most food when comfort and memories come into play. It can be fried, jammed, baked, breaded, and enjoyed pretty much any ol' way. but one of the most underrated ways to enjoy the amazing plant is the "Black garlic". It is complex in sweetness and saltiness. It has a deep complexity that creates a flavour pallet that any dish could use. I have a huge box of them ready for when i think my dish doesn't quite cut it and there is just something I am missing. Many with their MSG, Other with their Pink salt. Everyone has their little bit of "love" they add to their dish. Don't be afraid to branch out and try to find your own little something that you can fall back on to say "That is a family secret". You know you have always wanted to! Be experimental and never stop enjoying food!

Now that summer has come and pass and the winter is now starting to end, it is a very good time to make sure that all of your summer plants and herbs are getting prepped to meet the summer sun each and every morning! Be sure to gather all of the seeds you need or clones if necessary to get around the dreaded seed drought when good weather hits! Substrates and new types of compost and soil are great for experimentation when trying to keep different herbs and plants fed over the summer. Coco coir and perlite is a great mix! Be sure to have clean shears ready for when you need that last little bit of basil to make your dish "Pop" with love and flavour! Happy growing this season and be sure to stay safe and clean this year with everything going on! keep calm and keep growing!

When making any type of stock or stew I tend to have trouble pinpointing that curtain "umami" quality that is common in most dishes. Restaurants around the world are able to get such bold and deep flavors int heir dishes that is just too hard to follow or need a 20 step plan of roasting, searing, boiling and tending to different kinds of meats and "mirepoix" to get the deep, rich, storytelling flavor that comes with their signature dishes. Well look no further, as i have been struggling with this question for ages and could not find that very sneaky little bit of flavor that was escaping my palette. When in doubt the magical components that you need to look into experimenting with are caramelized to the core. My favorite of which has to be "Black garlic". Add a bulb of that to any dish and watch as the flavors sky rocket. not your thing? no worries! Throw a little knob of any kind of meat bouillon to hit those hidden notes that you cannot reach with a quick cook. Trust in the flavours and let your inner cook come alive!

Something neat that I just found out. You may find something interesting about this too! Did you know that some apples can be fully grown at 1" in diameter. They maintain their size and shape while being able to mature and create the sweet flavor that we expect from most common apples. They are widely found in most states, but are easier to find in more northern states. While being a fun snack to bring with you, it can bonus as a conversation started as seeing such a small fruit may be just what the day needs to keep everyone motivated (trust me, this was my friday). Be sure to bring more than you expect to eat along with you, because you are sure to be handing them out like the kid who forgot to hide their pack of gum in elementary school. Keep your eye out and maybe you can be the first person in your family to make this holiday's mini apple pie!

Need a new apple to add to that pie to make it extra special this year?! Try the new Cosmic crisp apple that was just created by the best and brightest students in the Pacific northwest! They are tart and sweet. A beautiful blend of both worlds. 

I noticed that my gallon of milk I got from the store was a closer date than i thought. so I came to the conclusion to make some one pot (pot cheese) or /semi ricotta. There are MANY recipe's out there. I will not take any credit for other's work so I will ask you to please ssearch for them on your own. It is easy to find :) You simply need a milk (whole probably), salt, and some form of acid (Lemon juice or different types of vinegar!) Happy cheese making!

Welcome any and all who see this post! I am honored to be the first to share with you about this magnificent blog started by a young Pacific Northwest native who enjoys expressing and appreciating the beauty and the simplicity in the food and nature around us. In this blog I take the time to express with you my love for culinary, culture and class in all forms! Especially when being effected by the ongoing pandemic, there is no better time than now to share and post all of the cooking and odd food experiments I have been taking on to pass the time and to assist my mind in not withering away. Thank you for giving my post a read and my page a view, I hope you stick around or check back in from time to time to say hi or just enjoy the fruits of my labor! I hope you have an amazing