I like to poke around in the forgotten corners of food history learning what people ate, and how they cooked differently than we do now. Some, like anthropologist Richard Wrangham, say it is cooking that made us human. What better way to learn about people from different places and time periods than by cooking and eating their food? Here I’ll be writing about kitchen experiments with old recipes, preservation and waste prevention techniques of the past, and unfamiliar ingredients. I’ll also include travel pieces exploring the food history of my destinations, and some beginner attempts at food photography.
It’s important that information about traditional foodways not be lost. It can be useful to us today, making our food choices more environmentally friendly, healthier for our bodies and easier on the wallet. Renewed interest in knowing where our food comes from and the resurgence of farmers’ markets and community supported agriculture is making it easier than ever to incorporate these ideas into our daily routines.
I’ve read that in Greece when γιαγιά (that’s grandma in Greek) makes yogurt at home, she doesn’t use a thermometer to tell if it has cooled to the right temperature. Instead she dips her finger in the hot milk and if she can only keep it there for 20 seconds then it’s time to add the starter. These are the kinds of tidbits I hope to unearth and share with my readers.
Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you again soon.
Comestibles 