10.10.2007

YAY! WEDNESDAY! NYT Dining Section!

I know, it's been awhile. I thought things were supposed to slow down after summer reading, but I feel like I'm in the thick of it now. Not surprisingly, I've become completely run down and am home sick today. Which sucks, on one hand. On the other hand, I have time to blog now. Woo hoo! So here's the Dining section round-up:


  • Studies have just revealed that picky eating is in the genes, not the cooking! Seriously! On one hand, I think it’s fantastic to hear – it’ s no wonder my girl is so picky because I was up for the award as Pickiest Eater as a kid. She can’t help it – it’s hereditary. I shouldn't take it so personally that she won't eat the food I cook.

    On the other hand, doesn’t it seem a little bit like Convenient-Theories-4-U? Well, I guess I’ll keep making Annie’s Organic Mac and Cheese because…well…my daughter has a hereditary condition. That doesn’t seem quite right either, you know?

    For me, I'll keep trying. The key is to give lots of healthy, delicious options...and hope that she zeroes in on one.

  • I loved this little article about making pesto. This is how I make pesto…at least how I used to make it before I moved to an apartment that gets only three hours of sun a day, thus making basil nearly impossible to grow. Either way, it’s good to know I’m not the only one who would never use a mortar and pestle to make my pesto. My mortar and pestle is right where it belongs…at the top shelf of my pantry.

  • Corn’s effect on our environment, our country’s economy, and our health is getting more press in a new documentary coming out, King Corn. It’s being advertised as a cross between Super Size Me and Sicko, but the article in the Times makes it sound like the film is a little less sensationalistic than that. The point isn’t necessarily about corn’s evils but, rather, on why we should be more aware of what goes into our bodies. Obviously, Michael Pollan was an early adviser on the movie. I’ll probably check this out on Netflix, but I’m sure it won’t tell me anything I don’t know already: we are all made of corn!

  • And this article isn’t actually from today’s Dining section; it’s from Sunday’s Week in Review section. But it’s written by Frank Bruni so it counts. He talks about sidewalk cafes in NYC. The city just approved the use of more natural-gas heaters in sidewalk cafes, thus extending the café season all the way through “late October”. The article really nails NYC culture – for one, I think Bruni’s theory that NYC wants to be a European city is right on the money – but it hints at a bigger issue. Prolonging the sidewalk café season goes hand in hand with the issue of seasonal food and cooking. Why should I only be able to enjoy tomatoes in the summer? If I can get them from Mexico in November, I can prolong the tomato season. It’s the same idea with the cafes. Part of the joy in them is the anticipation of their season. Not to mention that there’s something special about a glass of light wine, tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, and basil outside on a gorgeous summer day. But butternut squash, steak, fennel? Not so much. Put me by a cozy fireplace for that meal, thanks.

And that's the round-up. At some point, I plan on posting another menu of what we're eating in our house...except that Adam is giving me a break this week and he's cooking. So Lemon Spaghetti (courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis) and Brodetto di Mare (courtesy of Michael Chiarello) are on the menu. Delicious and simple. And I'm not cooking it. Huzzah!

COMING UP: Reviews of Sarah Miller's Miss Spitfire and N.D. Wilson's 100 Cupboards.

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