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Yesterday I purchased meat for the first time in my life. I became vegetarian when I was about 15, because I was horrified at the way food animals are treated in the US. I still am horrified, but i realized it is not enough simply to boycott processed foods and other meat products from factory farms. I can say I support the sustainable and humane production of heritage meat that is sold to local markets, but those words mean nothing if they aren’t backed by dollars. By supporting butchers who sell humanely raised meat, I am making their businesses more profitable and ensuring a better life for more animals. If everyone starts buying the highest quality meat, more places will sell it.
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I’ve been in bed sick for a couple of days, and all I want is bowls and bowls of hot soup. I’ve already had Vietnamese vegetable noodle soup (with lots of Sriracha) and Chinese hot and sour soup. However, as I am missing work for this, I can’t really afford to keep getting delivery. Therefore, I decided to brave the walk to my neighborhood store and purchase ingredients for soup.
I wanted something simple and hearty, something that wouldn’t take too much brain power to make. I didn’t really measure anything, but with this soup it doesn’t matter. Here’s what I did:
1. Saute one half diced onion and a couple of handfuls of brown rice in butter and olive oil until both become somewhat transparent.
2. Add vegetable stock, chopped potatoes, chopped beets, and fresh ginger.
3. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the potatoes and beets are tender.
4. Season with salt, black pepper, and white pepper.
If I weren’t ill, I would garnish this with sour cream. It’s still delicious as is though.
As a bartender, I have been mostly anti-shooters, for several reasons. First, shooters have different names in different regions, and bar patrons never seem to understand why I don’t know what is in the Purple Hooting Ugly Duckling Blow Job that they always get at their college campus bar. Second, the recipes vary as much as the names. Third, these drinks always seem to get ordered when I am slammed, and they all require chilling several ingredients. Fourth, the people who order them are assholes, and the same young kids who will later puke in the bathroom and try to bring their drinks outside.
However, a few exceptions exist. My new favorite shooter isn’t even in the same category as the rest. It is beautiful in it’s simplicity, and has a strong, clean flavor. This drink is the Russian Suicide, and it is comprised of a chilled shot of vodka, followed with a lemon slice coated in half ground coffee and half sugar. Delicious. I would have photos, if I trusted myself to carry around my camera on the nights that lead to this drink.
Just promise me you won’t try this when your bartender is swamped with customers. Getting out the coffee when busy is kind of a pain.
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I had grand plans for this fall involving the abundant harvests of the farmers market. Those plans are on hold indefinitely while I figure out my living situation, but I still have my wish list of equipment that would help me turn fresh summer produce into scrumptious meals throughout the colder months.
Number one on my list is the Harsch Fermenting Crock from Germany. I could use it to make raw sauerkraut and old fashioned pickled vegetables, making my daily bacteria consumption that much more delicious.
The second thing I want is a canning setup, so that I can make homemade tomato sauce and endless preserves and jams.
I just finished reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, and it has filled me with a longing to buy up all of the fresh produce I can and process it myself to last until spring. At first I wasn’t sure I would like a book focused on the life of a wife and her family, but her stories and recipes are quite inspiring. I wish I could take a week off from my life and stay on her farm. I guess I will settle for making my own orange marmalade during the holiday season this year.
