A little green goes a long way

When my parents helped me move to the Big Apple now more than seven years ago, my Dad looked at my fourth-floor walk-up apartment set amidst dozens of other buildings in a sea of concrete and said, "I could never live here."  Surely, I was embarking on a life vastly different from his, but he was not commenting on the new small space I would call home or the costs of living in New York.  Instead, he was noting that a life where looking out the window leads to potential encounters with the faces of your neighbors {rather than the trees} simply did not suit him. 

Urban life certainly has its fair share of benefits, but a dearth of green space is not one of them, at least not for me {or my Dad}.  But who says we cannot bring the outdoors in?  This is why my love for all-things-terrarium sprouted.  For the last year, I have been nearly obsessed with finding a terrarium {thanks to my sister-in-law who introduced me}.  It had been on my list of things to find until about a month ago when we hit the terrarium jackpot.  We happened upon a shop in Worcester, Massachusetts that specialized in terrariums.  When we walked in, my face lit up - it was the store of my dreams!

Not only does Seed to Stem sell these lovelies, but they also offer workshops for those of us looking to get our hands dirty.  And, of course, I could not pass up the opportunity.  Three weekends after our first visit, we returned so that I could make my own.

 Soon enough, our one bedroom apartment may be full of terrariums.  But, that's not such a bad thing, right?  It may not be a backyard, but a little green does go a long way. 

A hot topic then, a hot topic now

Two weeks after graduating from college, I began the first chapter of my New York City life with my first real job, my first apartment, and a certain naivete about the world that awaited me.  On one memorable evening, my friends and I met {over dinner, of course} and engaged in what became one of the most passion-filled, dynamic conversations, to date.  The conversation stemmed from Maureen Dowd's article "What's a Modern Girl to Do?" While Dowd goes through the sometimes paradoxical personas of the modern day woman {circa 2005}, our discussion steered right to "Can women really have it all?"  A hot topic then, a hot topic now.

Anne Marie Slaughter's article "Why Women Still Can't Have It All" certainly has received its share of press recently.  If you have not read it, it promises to incite all sorts of beliefs, judgments, and even emotions.  As a woman who decided not to pursue a career in medicine due to the balance {or lack thereof} between professional and personal life, I recognize the challenges inherent in wearing multiple hats - mom, wife, {fill in the} ______.  In reading and discussing this topic, I have seen conversations driven directly to the climax - women can't have it all - without stopping at what seems to be fundamental points to consider.

First, what do we mean by "have it all?"  I imagine that this varies quite a bit from person to person.  While my having it all includes {to name just a few} being able to walk to work and maintaining a reasonable schedule so that I can prepare and share dinner with my husband, surely, many of you have different ideals and expectations.  Most often though, the topic discussion veers right to the difficult divide that exists between family responsibilities and professional responsibilities.  While understandable considering the enormity of both, I think we are failing to acknowledge that for some, parenting is not part of having it all. While I hope to be a parent {to more than a pup} one day, I think that Slaughter's proposals to change the culture of the workplace do not take into account the power of personal choices.  Should a woman raising a family be afforded more flexibility than a woman who chooses to spend her personal time volunteering?  If such a woman instead chooses to invest her time in her career rather than in having a family, should she not be valued more by her company than her counterpart?  Each of us has choices - the lucky ones have more options from which to choose.  If we want to be wives, mothers, and professionals, we can be, but we also must be realistic about the compromises intrinsic to each choice we make.      

While Slaughter focuses her article on women {as do many other authors}, men are not excluded {or should not be}.  Can men have it all?  Slaughter comments, "But almost all {women} assumed and accepted that they would have to make compromises that the men in their lives were far less likely to have to make."  Is it that men are not exposed to the same sorts of compromises?  Quite to the contrary, I think that the men alluded to in these types of articles have chosen to put their careers first and, knowingly or not, have accepted the concessions necessary to succeed.  

 

Quite frankly, I have pared down what is a complicated and multi-layered issue to a comparatively short blog post.  As the namesake implies, my hope with this blog is to share something that you will savor - whether that is as small as a jar of honey or as robust as the hot-button issue of having it all.  Personally, I think that there is a little something to savor in most {or at least many} of the choices we make.

 

'Tis the season...

...of endless summer squash and zucchini.  If you are anything like me, you are trying to craft clever recipes for your supply of squash.  I have been accumulating quite the library of recipes!  This one though was made by yours truly, simple enough for a weeknight meal but also delightful enough to share with guests. 

-2 medium squash and/or zucchini  {I like to use one of each}
-2 scallions, sliced thinly
-3/4 cup of cheddar + parmesan {I like to use a mix of parmigiano-reggiano+pecorino}
-1/4 cup {or more depending on your taste} of basil, chopped coarsely
-Olive oil {to taste}
-Salt + freshly cracked black pepper
-Syrian pita bread {or pizza dough}

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

I use my beloved food processor to shred the squash, but a box grater would also work well.  After the squash is shredded, salt and let sit for about 10 minutes.  Then, squeeze the squash to remove excess water.  This can be done using a cheesecloth or by putting the squash in a colander and smooshing {which of course is the technical term}.  Add the squash to a large mixing bowl and add the scallions, cheeses, basil, olive oil, salt, and black pepper.  Slather the mixture over your pita, place on a pizza stone {or cookie sheet}, and bake for approximately 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the bread crisp.  Eat as a dinner for two paired with a salad, serve as an appetizer to dinner guests, or enjoy as an afternoon snack - anyway you slice it, you will savor it and hope that the season of summer squash to lasts just a little bit longer.

A spoonful of honey

Many years ago now, I met my husband's parents for the first time and enjoyed a weekend away with them.  In the morning, I was greeted with a spoonful of honey and three almonds.  Shortly after, I was served a steaming cup of cardamom-scented chai and the most perfectly crisp potato paratha {the first of many!}.  Surely, I thought, I could easily become accustomed to such {delicious} morning traditions.

After I ate to my heart's content, I whispered to my husband, "So what's the story with the three almonds?"  I expected him to tell me the age old wisdom associated with what seemed to be a tradition in his family.  Instead, he said, "I don't know - it's just something we do."  Of course - sometimes that is just the way of tradition.  There may be no rhyme or reason - or maybe there is, but the rhyme has long been forgotten.  Surely, when I asked my now father-in-law to explain, he had a more elaborate explanation, rooted primarily in the health benefits which link almonds to reducing the risk of heart disease, boosting metabolism, and bolstering memory.  Then, at the end, he added, "And it is just a nice way to start the day."  My thoughts exactly! 

In honor of this tradition, my husband and I gave the guests at our wedding jars of local buckwheat honey.  We labeled and tied each with a ribbon as a sweet little package for our guests to take home.  Some may have sampled the honey with tea, others with a bowl of yogurt.  Whichever they chose, we hope they enjoyed it.  While our wedding jar may be long empty, we continue to savor the tradition  in the home we have made together. 

 

 {photo courtesy of Josh McCullock photography}

Creamy and delicious

While this week's share is bursting with summer squash, baby red ace beets, and chard, we were also lucky enough to receive another head of red leaf lettuce.  If you haven't tried it, find yourself a local farmer and get your hands on some.  The taste is mild, but the color extraordinary.  It adds the perfect punch of color to a salad.  But, if you don't happen to have it on hand, don't fret.  This recipe for green goddess dressing pairs well with many greens {and serves as an excellent swimming pool for other veggies!}. 

Green Goddess Dressing
{adapted from Ina Garten's recipe in Barefoot Contessa at Home}

• 1/2 cup of mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt
• 4 garlic scapes or scallions
• 3/4 cup of fresh basil
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

Bon appetit!

This week's bounty

My husband and I subscribe to a farm share - Stoneledge Farm, to be specific - and each week, I marvel at the beauty of our bounty.  As I lift each item onto our kitchen counter, I ooh and aah and dream up the dishes that will feature these lovelies.  CSAs {community supported agriculture} are a great way to support local farmers and support the environment, but these are certainly not the only draws.  In our case, the age-old saying rang true - the way to a man's heart is through his stomach - this is how I convinced my husband that the farm share was a fantastic idea.  I promised him {and myself} tasty meals that also happened to be nutrient-rich.    

While a farm share may be the perfect way to nourish your loved ones, it certainly requires two cups of time and a heaping tablespoon of dedication.  Washing and preparing all of these vegetables can be a bit daunting at first, especially because it is easy to forget the actual source of our vegetables when we find them in our grocery stores so neatly packaged and pre-washed.  Yet, I would not trade these beauties {or the time required} for their grocery store counterparts.  I did not expect that I would find fulfillment in standing at the kitchen sink, removing leaf after leaf, to rinse away all the farm dirt - but I do.  I used to laugh at my mom when she said she found "tranquility" in weeding her garden in the hot summer sun.  Now, I understand and appreciate what she meant.  All that has been written about the farm-to-table movement is true - there is a connection you establish with your food when you know who so diligently is planting and harvesting the food you then so lovingly prepare.   

Last, but not least, the farm share is a source of adventure.  For those of you who enjoy surprises as much as I do, this is {almost} as fun as opening presents on your birthday.  This week, we enjoyed summer squash, garlic scapes, red lettuce, green lettuce, escarole, arugula, bright lights swiss chard, summer spinach, and oregano.  I will share some of the recipes soon, but I at least wanted to include some of the meals I have prepared for those of you looking for some seasonal inspiration:

• Crisp baked lemon pollock with wilted swiss chard 
• Red and green lettuce with green goddess dressing, peaches, red onions, and kielbasa 

• Baked parmesan zucchini fries
• Bucatini pasta with garlic scape pesto, escarole, and white beans

Savor these and stay tuned for the recipes!

So simple, but so good

When 2012 began, I made an endless list of New Year's resolutions {as I always do} and promised myself that this year would be different. By April, I have not quite tackled all of the items on my to-do list, but this year has been unlike those past for two main reasons: small steps & simplicity. As someone who has proclaimed herself a "foodie," I thought it was about time to revisit my kitchen. I claimed to enjoy cooking, yet I was spending so little time doing it. I decided to re-fresh and re-focus. After all, one of the best parts of my day is sitting down to share a meal with the one(s) I love.

Even when life's distractions steal my attention, I make sure that I have quick and simple recipes on hand. Here is one that I want to share with you~one that made my re-introduction to the kitchen an easy one: tilapia fish tacos {made easier by Trader Joe's}

I should probably first mention that this is not really a recipe, but a list of ingredients that simply requires assembly.

Panko crusted tilapia {here is where Trader Joe's comes in}
Pita bread {we use large thin pitas}
Arugula
Red onion
Avocado
Sriracha {the most often used condiment in our refrigerator}
Cilantro
Lime juice

I typically serve these tacos with a side of rice or a salad of julienned apples, carrots, and radish. Some days {especially those late nights at work}, this dinner is exactly what my stomach craves. Hope you savor it, too!