Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Cookin'

so this week i have suddenly become motivated to cook. this is actually more of a "forced into it" type of thing. M is in that weird in between stage where he should be eating more grownup versions of food, but can't really chew anything either. so i purchased a baby/toddler cookbook that i'm trying out. and since the purchase, i've now learned what leeks are and what parsnips are. basically leeks are onions and parsnips are carrots. i wonder why i always feared these two vegetables before i knew what they were. i guess i see recipes calling for some unknown thing and freak out. (pep talk:) but, self, it's not so bad. you just go to the store and ask the produce guy. okay *exhale*

even though leeks and parsnips are now familiar to me and no longer scary in recipes, there are still many other ingredients that frighten me. (i'm looking in the cookbook for another example...) how about rutabagas (huh?) or Edam cheese (what?). in my cookbook's defense, i'm sure once i've tried these two things out i'll feel much more comfortable with them. but for now i'll stick with the being frightened and putting them in the category of weird unknown food. i love how the cookbook seems so nonchalant about these things too, as if it's no problem for me to just go and get a rutabaga, and as if i know what it even looks like! it's kind of like Martha Stewart in her various magazines and shows that usually include extravagant recipes. virtually every one (of her recipes, not her various magazines and shows) calls for creme fraiche. what the H is creme fraiche?!! and even if i find out what it is, i'm sure it's not at the grocery store, so what now? huh? pretentious recipes.

4 comments:

Claire said...

Creme fraiche? Huh? I've never heard of it either, hello, Martha, I think most people who watch your show do not have a gourmet grocery at their immediate disposal. That is so funny and I totally agree, Kendahl. I had to buy some Ricotta cheese recently and I stood there on the cheese aisle at Smith's for about 10 minutes trying to find it. Thanks for clarifying what leeks and parsnips are. Now what are rutabegas?

Oh, and thanks for letting my sister use your Internet. I think you two are destined to always live close to one another. I wonder if that's a blessing or a curse? Oh well, at least Miles and Lauren can become acquaintances at an early age.

phuff said...

mmmmmmmmm Rutabagas!

I agree: weird vegetable and cheese names in recipes drive me wonky!

Melissa Huff said...

Cooking is such a pain. I find the whole process so incredibly cumbersome: find something to make, search out appropriate foods for the something to make, set aside time to make the something to make, eat, clean up, repeat. Argh. Let's all eat bananas and baby carrots for every meal.

And I am dismayed by Paul's link, which points out that rutabagas are a cross between cabbage and turnips. What scientist dedicated his/her life to that discovery?

k said...

no kidding! cabbage and turnips, what? i'm also a big fan of massive leftovers to curtail daily food needs. i'm not the most diligent cooker there ever was. i assumed i would do it more once i wasn't working, and i was home with miles all day. ha! ryan eats pasta for dinner (which he makes, since he's starving around the same time i'm doing miles nighttime routine) about 6 times a week :) oh well.