After returning from my trip to CA, I needed to detox after nearly a month of eating out. I ate at restaurants, and I tried to eat good things and eat from farmer's markets when possible. I did have some great meals... even sampled Jidori chicken (a small breed from Japan, traditionally bred free-range), but nothing seems to compare to my own cooking. Yesterday, I walked into the market, testing everything I came across. I walked out with whatever my body seemed to want - peaches, berries, favas, onion, almonds. I cooked myself the first dinner I've been able to sit down and prepare in what feels like weeks. I noted that the entire thing was green, along with a side salad.
Today I made pork tacos with some local pork I'm trying... I've become convinced that I am addicted to my own cooking. It's the only way I can control what goes into my body. This way I'm consuming exactly what I want. In Salad Bar Beef, Salatin often talks about how he feeds his cows (And chickens) cafeteria style. This means that he offers them different things to eat separately, letting the animals decide what to eat. The conventional wisdom would be to mix everything in scientifically prepared ratios. Salatin's underlying philosophy is that the cow has everything necessary to determine what it needs, and laboratories can only make educated guesses (ones that often fail the cow and us). Similarly, when I cook for myself, I am able to fully listen to my own cravings. None of us would think it silly that a person has everything within himself to be a healthy individual, but so often we do not pay attention to our own cravings, or worse, we ingest so much ill-suited food that our cravings are no longer directed towards our health. It is my conviction that a healthy individual will only crave foods that will be healthy. When I'm eating well, I might crave french fries, but I never want to stuff myself with them. It's only when I'm eating unhealthy that those desires manifest themselves.
My cooking is thus not simply a matter of sustenance preparation. It is a way of listening to the needs of the body. It is a matter of listening to the soul. Has anyone been to a farmer's market recently? Maybe the image of last night's dinner will inspire you. Hey, I'll even give the recipe:
~1.5 lb fresh fava beans - shell, blanch for about 2 min and peel (they were just tender)
about 6 shiitakes - sliced thick
1/2 medium onion (small dice)
1/2 anaheim chile (brunoise)
1 green onion (sliced thin)
Sweat (low heat - no saute) the onions for a minute or two in olive oil, add the mushrooms, then the chiles. Cook for another minute, then beans. Toss with a little salt and the green onion. Don't overcook. It's only a few minutes. Serves 1 as main course.
