Him in the everyday

as we celebrate this season of salvation, i think it most appropriate to quote a passage from my current read, spoon fed. it's a memoir by a food writer for the new york times. every line i read, i am inspired by flavors. sensations. cuisine. but in the following passage, i was inspired by the author's insight into having faith in Him in the everyday, particularly through food...

"each meal contains a thousand little divine mysteries. who figured out that some beets should be golden, some red and others colored like candy canes? what blessed entity invented sugar and cacao pods and vanilla beans or figured out that salt can preserve and brighten anything? what are we to make of a hundred little lettuces and gnarled apples with so many names you can't remember them all?...


...maybe you want to argue that all the magic of the kitchen can be explained away in the cold scientific light of day. it isn't God but yeast that makes bread rise. a properly braised short rib is the result of a predictable release of collagen in heated connective tissue, not some deity that believes a sticky, glistening sauce can teach us about the beauty of the human condition...


...fine. so let's move onto something you can't use science to argue about. can the cold facts of the natural world explain the magic moment that comes when everyone at the table has just settled in to eat? or the one that comes just when the delirious rush of sharing a good meal has ended? we sit around grinning, milk-drunk babies who've just pulled away from the breast. laughing comes easy. people glow. you belong to everyone else at the table and they belong to you...


...you can't create that kind of communion alone, and you can't create it without food. that one moment ought to be proof to anyone that something greater than us is at work..."


so as you prepare your feasts, nibble on treats, and embrace the gift of community, may you find yourself overwhelmed with love this Christmas - overwhelmed with the One who perfected those magic culinary moments.

best investment

on rainy days such as these, i have to say the best investment i've made while living in l.a. has been my rain boots. sure, it may only rain 10 days out of the year, but when it rains, it pours. and to be left with soaking socks and damp jeans that defy the "drying laws" of physics (if there is such a thing) - well, it's terrible. however, my rain boots prevent such discomforts.

black with white polka dots. my pants slip right in. i can wear thin socks, thick socks, it doesn't matter...there's room for all! and although my rain boots may clash with an outfit, that is the least of my worries. when it comes down to it, i'm dry. and warm. free to walk through - rather than circumvent - the most forbidding of puddles. and if i can be honest, it's a glorious simple pleasure.

lines

as an angeleno, i've come to accept crowds. the throngs and throngs of people every which way. actually, who am i kidding?  i've learned how to avoid them.

rule #1: stay clear of the roads between the hours of 3:30 - 7:30 pm.
rule #2 : don't get near the 405...ever.
rule # 3: make reservations for dinner.
rule #4: cash in hand? go for valet so you can actually make it to your dinner reservation on time.
and rule #5: have no agenda on the weekends. crowds are inevitable.

for as confident as i feel about these "rules" - these tips to prevent the aggression that so typifies your everyday angeleno - i realize there is no way to avoid the holiday rush. no possible way.


it doesn't matter the time, the place, or the mood you're in. during the holidays, there are lines. ridiculously long lines that stretch out the door. lines that make you feel like time is being wasted. lines that make me ask myself is this really worth it?


and so in the spirit of the season, i've committed myself to taking deep breaths. to reminding myself it's temporary. to remembering the bigger picture. and smile.

color or white?

'tis the season for holiday light spectaculars. everything from the single string hung around a window, to the dangling icicles wrapped around the entire house. with every light display, my mind can't help but wonder. and imagine. and construct an internal narrative...

     - aww, how sweet. this must be their first christmas together.
     - whoa, neighborhood competition, much?
     - oops, looks like they need a replacement.
     - i'd hate to see that bill!


as common or as unique each display is, my biggest thought centers on one detail: color or white?

i'm not particularly fond of white lights because they could easily be year-round. a little glimmer in the backyard. some magic for a dinner party. but color lights - now those just epitomize holiday cheer. they are simple, not sophisticated. they are traditional, not fashionable. they have no agenda other than bringing friendly, uninhibited joy to any setting.

but that's what i think. how about you?!

the real deal

as tomorrow marks the first day of december, i am overjoyed to finally embrace the merry season of peppermint, poinsettias, and the birth of our savior, Christ. i've always been one to use my home as a physical manifestation of christmas joy, but this year it's going to be different. so long, velvet poinsettias. sayonara, plastic wreath. au revoir, cinnamon-scented pine cones. this year is all about the natural. the living. the real deal.


for the first time in my life, i have committed myself to indulging in the wealth of farm-fresh produce, to filling empty spaces with blossoms, to savoring a bit of nature in a concrete city. so in a season of light, life, and love, why would i settle for manufactured adornments? no, not this year. in the upcoming days, the smell of fresh pine will overwhelm the air, the sprinkling of needles will linger on the carpet, and the reddest of reds will be contingent on my poinsettia care-taking skills.

welcome, dear december! you are going to be a lovely month!

saturdays at 11 a.m.

if i could be on the road at 11 am every saturday, i would. it's at this time when kcrw features good food with evan kleiman. not only do i learn about restaurant openings, exotic spices, and detailed food preparation, but i am also updated with the market's best through the "market report." at 11 am the local growers are interviewed, disclosing the secrets of the trade.

peruvian purple potatoes. walnut oil. the magic behind grass-fed chickens. in one hour, the radio is a gastronomic conquest. a savory conversation with "foodophiles."

as dangerous as it may sound to be distracted on the road by envisioned meals, it is well worth the risk. good food is quite the treat, and if you know anything about me, you know how i love my treats!

a season for persimmons

burnt orange.
firm to the touch with an ever-so-slight soft flesh.
the tomato-like fuyu or the heart-shaped hachiya.
seeds? maybe. bite into one, and you'll know for sure.

yes, these are persimmons. glorious, glorious persimmons! it is definitely autumn when the fruit stands and produce aisles gleam with this gem. in the height of this lovely season, i just can't get enough of persimmons...a natural addition to my everyday repertoire. and what a wonderful feeling - using today's bounty to experience flavor that will last through winter. enjoy!