Hey all, Happy New Year!

I know I said that I would finish writing about Hell, but truth be told, I don't feel like it.  Not because it wasn't an amazing experience, not because I've forgotten, but because it's been written up so beautifully by (at least) three other people and also because the projects are starting to ramp up at Cuisine en Locale.  We just finished another one night culinary event, called "O.N.C.E. in a Blue Moon on New Year's Eve.  For JJ's take on it, go here.

Right now my mind is on more domestic matters.  I've been reflecting and reading a lot lately.  Self-reliance has become increasingly important to me, as has food preservation and handling.  Besides those two, I still ponder, as always, where my food comes from, who grew it, what's in it, and what it means for me to eat it.  That said, here are my New Year's resolutions:

1.  Waste not, want not - I will reduce waste in the kitchen.

A little known fact about me: I collect vintage cookbooks (turn of the century, up through the 30s and 40s).  Back then, there were no convenience foods.  Food was made from scratch, from ingredients you could pronounce, and you rationed your food.  I'm astounded by the amount of food people eat nowadays, and the amount they throw away.  So this year, I resolve to waste as little as possible in my kitchen.  I will compost my vegetables (for those of you who are interested and who don't have your own compost bin, Whole Foods markets generally have one, as do Co-ops).  When I cook meat, I will use every possible part.  I will recycle and use recycled paper products.

2.  I will buy environmentally-friendly cleaning and natural beauty products.

I just recently made the switch to Seventh Generation and Method cleaning products.  They're much better for the environment than a lot of cleaning products on the market, plus they don't have that fake chemical smell that's ubiquitous among their peers.  As Method likes to say, they're safe for the mind and body.

I, like any woman, have cosmetic needs.  This year, I will make an effort to swap out my commercial make-up products for organic/natural ones.  I will make the switch to soaps and shampoo without artificial, potentially harmful ingredients.

3.  I will buy local.  I will buy Fair Trade.

It's so easy to take the easy way out.  It's easy to buy things on sale from your local supermarket.  It's one-stop shopping and it's convenient.  Buying local can be a challenge, especially in the winter.  One thing I've realized lately, though, is that grocery stores are listening and (slowly) responding to what consumers say and want.  If we keep asking for local, sustainable, and organic food, we are eventually going to get it.  I'm seeing more local fruits and vegetables in my supermarket.  I see the organic food section growing.  I see Fair Trade chocolate and coffee.  If we keep asking for it and, more importantly, if we keep buying it, we can use our dollars to get what we actually want.

4.  I will (loudly) say what I think.

I think a lot of us are afraid of being completely honest, for fear of hurting someone else's feelings or getting into a conflict.  But how else are we supposed to know someone?  Or affect change?  If we aren't vocal about what - and who - we care about, things that we don't like stay the same.  And we have no right to sulk about it when we haven't made our needs or opinions clear in the first place.  So in the new year, I resolve to stop censoring myself so much for fear of offending "polite society".  No more Ms. Nice Girl.  I've fallen in with a lot of movers and shakers these past few months - JJ Gonson and El Dragon come directly to mind.  This year, you two, my voice will be as loud as yours.

5.  I will make things from scratch.

I can hear them now.  "I barely have time to microwave a meal when I get home from work!  What makes you think I have time to make STOCK?!"  To which I will answer "bullshit".  You have time and it's easy.  See that chicken you just ate?  Or the ham bone?  Grab it.  Got some bay leaves?  Some onion peels?  A pot?  Great.  Throw it all in there - chix and ham separately, though.  Cover it with water.  Bring to a slow boil and leave on the stove for an hour while you check out your Facebook.  Strain.  Now you have the base to 1,000 different soups.  Add beans.  Little chunks of meat.  Some carrots, celery, and onions.  Making things from scratch isn't that difficult or time-consuming.  It takes mindfulness and committment, but once you start doing it, it'll become routine and you'll never go back to canned soup (or processed food, in general) again.  There's a great thread going on around here about crock pots - I love them.  Throw your ingredients in, turn it on high, go to work, and come home to dinner.  Simple as that.

6.  I will eat meat of known origin.  I will also eat less meat.

People, I'm not going vegetarian anytime soon.  Or ever.  I will, however, resolve to know where my meat comes from.  I will also put less meat on my plate.  I come from the Midwest - steak and potatoes people if there ever were any.  Meat is the main entree, covering the biggest part of the plate.  Now I'm paying a high price for my meat of known origin.  I can't afford the choicest cuts.  I can't afford a lot.  To cope, I can become a smarter cook and use offal and lesser known cuts, as well as make stocks from the bones.  I can eat meat, it's just no longer the star feature on my plate.  For the reflections of the man from whom I first heard "Meat of Known Origin", please see Alex Lewin's blog, Feed Me Like You Mean It. 

7.  I will ferment for my health.

I do a lot of fermenting.  I first started with homebrewing - a totally fun process.  Then, inspired by the aforementioned Alex Lewin, I started fermenting other things.  Turnips.  Cabbage.  Cabbage!  I made my own sauerkraut, and it was amazingly good.  I made some kimchi that made my eyes burn and my nose run for hours. 

What I didn't know was the health benefits behind fermentation.  I still don't fully understand, but what I do get is that I'm increasing the amount of healthy bacteria lining my intestinal tract.  I also get that I'm improving my digestion.  This new year, I'll continue fermenting.  I'm doing well with the vegetables, but I think I'll expand my repoire into dairy products, like kefir and yogurt.

8.  I will lose weight for my health.

You know that saying "never trust a skinny chef"?  I'm not skinny, nor have I ever been -  I'm overweight.  Not obese, mind you, but I, like many other Americans, am carrying about twenty extra pounds of fat, most of which is in that dangerous spot around my abdomen.  This year, I resolve to finally do something about that extra weight.  I will walk more, I will exercise more, and I will eat less. 

9.  I will nurture my mind and body.

I have read quite a bit about the restorative effects of yoga.  I've known the restorative effects of yoga.  I've been to classes and I've truly enjoyed the experience.  So why don't I go regularly?  Laziness, mostly.  The money.  But this year, I need to put both of those factors aside and invest in my health.  I really can't think of any more excuses not to.

10.  I will enrich my brain.

We're all tired and we all lead busy lives.  Most of the time when I come home from work, I just want to turn on the t.v.  Or just go to bed.  But we lose something when we neglect our minds for too long.  This year, I resolve to read at least two articles per day and to discuss them with people around me. And, in the greater picture, I want to have discussions that really matter about issues that I truly care about. 

This year, I want to read more books relevant to my apprenticeship.  I want to learn how to fabricate (identify and section) cuts of meat.  I want to learn how to bake the perfect baguette.  I want to become better at preservation.  There are learning resources (people, books) all around us, we just need to make use of them. 

So there you have it, Fair Food fighters - here are my new year's resolutions for 2010.  I'd love to hear yours.  What do you have on your agenda?  How is 2010 going to be different (and better) for you?

Be well,

Jen

Copyright 2010 Vintage Eats