Thyyyyymmmee...is on my siiiide, yes it is!
It's soon approaching... The daily question that happens to families all over the world. What's for dinner? It happens most everyday, yet I dread it none the less. The reason that I dread it is that I'm trying to ward off a food rut. You know, it's when you feel like you're eating the same foods over and over. It's an easy pattern to fall into. We tend to eat/cook what's most familiar and easy to pull off without too much hassle. For me, it also means a run to the store, which is something else I dread. After a long day at work, most folks don't feel like getting elbow deep in preparations, and if the hour is late, most default towards something too quick and more than likely unhealthy to eat. But less about the timing thing for now, I want to get to the heart of the matter which is the flavor rut.
Food/Flavor ruts are the only thing that burn my ass more than a flame about 3 feet high. Kelly and I have a pretty diverse diet, but we still fall into this rut again and again. We often play a game where I'll pick the protein and she'll pick a country of origin from which to base the flavors of the meal. It works pretty well, but even then we find it's easy to dismiss whole continents because "we just ate there."
Another tactic I use is to revisit an old cookbook that has been sitting idle for a while. My favorite cookbook for breaking a rut is The New Basics by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. It's now over 20 years old, I'm on my third copy, and I still use it all the time. Granted this isn't one of my "idle" cookbooks, it's just awesome. In fact, I've been giving it out as gifts for years. I like it because the recipes cover such a huge range of ingredients and flavors and I never get bored using it. It also has great menu plans and tons of tricks to boost flavor. This book also has a great section on stocking a pantry which is vital to any cook.
If there's one thing we do have, it's a well stocked pantry. Anchovies, oils, vinegars, canned tomatoes, beans, a wide variety of grains and pastas, capers, salts, herbs, curry powders, you name it, it's probably in our pantry. I don't do a lot of baking, but I guarantee that I can bake a couple dozen cookies, brownies, and possibly a cake with what's hanging out in there. This is another tactic I use to avoid a food rut. Simply switching up flavors is a great way to fall back in love with the foods you eat regularly. To do that, you need a stocked pantry. A glug (technical term) of a good, fruity olive oil or balsamic vinegar can really change your attitude. Just the other night, with what was laying around, I tossed some pesto in with some Yukon Gold potatoes and splashed some Moscatel vinegar on some carrots that I was roasting with a chicken and totally made a rather regular meal fantastic!
Another thing I do is use a ton of fresh herbs. I have set up a small container garden out front along with a big rosemary bush. I grow basil, chives, sage, oregano, and thyme. They are so easy to grow, plus it saves cash as the packaged herbs at the store run a few bucks for just a couple of ounces. I use the herbs in different ways to flavor all sorts of dishes. One way is to make a compound butter. A compound butter is simply butter with herbs mixed in that is then placed on or mixed into a dish right before serving. Steakhouses will often put a pat of "Maitre d'" butter (an herb/garlic butter) on a steak right after it comes off the grill/broiler to create a simple sauce and to enhance the flavor. Super easy to make; just soften two sticks of butter (don't melt it), mix in some of the chopped herbs, roll the butter into a log, and wrap in wax paper. I store the butter in a freezer bag in, well of course the freezer. When I need them, I just slice off a disc and put the rest back. I have a few different butters that I use for differnt dishes. For chicken and pork I use a "Mrs. Robinson" butter, a blend of parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. For fish I use a blend of tarragon, thyme, and chives. Both work great with veggies too. It's a matter of being prepared when there's a need for a change.
These are a few of the tricks I use to keep thing fresh. A tip to help with the stocking of the pantry is to just buy one or two new things week so not to break the bank. Pantry items add up quickly. Also, when buying dried herbs look for the smallest container possible. Dried herbs really only have a shelf-life of about 6 months. Buying these in bulk is not a good idea. That's all I have for now. Let me know of any other tricks you may use to beat the dreaded "Food/Flavor Rut".
Ciao down,
Penn
Food/Flavor ruts are the only thing that burn my ass more than a flame about 3 feet high. Kelly and I have a pretty diverse diet, but we still fall into this rut again and again. We often play a game where I'll pick the protein and she'll pick a country of origin from which to base the flavors of the meal. It works pretty well, but even then we find it's easy to dismiss whole continents because "we just ate there."
Another tactic I use is to revisit an old cookbook that has been sitting idle for a while. My favorite cookbook for breaking a rut is The New Basics by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. It's now over 20 years old, I'm on my third copy, and I still use it all the time. Granted this isn't one of my "idle" cookbooks, it's just awesome. In fact, I've been giving it out as gifts for years. I like it because the recipes cover such a huge range of ingredients and flavors and I never get bored using it. It also has great menu plans and tons of tricks to boost flavor. This book also has a great section on stocking a pantry which is vital to any cook.
If there's one thing we do have, it's a well stocked pantry. Anchovies, oils, vinegars, canned tomatoes, beans, a wide variety of grains and pastas, capers, salts, herbs, curry powders, you name it, it's probably in our pantry. I don't do a lot of baking, but I guarantee that I can bake a couple dozen cookies, brownies, and possibly a cake with what's hanging out in there. This is another tactic I use to avoid a food rut. Simply switching up flavors is a great way to fall back in love with the foods you eat regularly. To do that, you need a stocked pantry. A glug (technical term) of a good, fruity olive oil or balsamic vinegar can really change your attitude. Just the other night, with what was laying around, I tossed some pesto in with some Yukon Gold potatoes and splashed some Moscatel vinegar on some carrots that I was roasting with a chicken and totally made a rather regular meal fantastic!
Another thing I do is use a ton of fresh herbs. I have set up a small container garden out front along with a big rosemary bush. I grow basil, chives, sage, oregano, and thyme. They are so easy to grow, plus it saves cash as the packaged herbs at the store run a few bucks for just a couple of ounces. I use the herbs in different ways to flavor all sorts of dishes. One way is to make a compound butter. A compound butter is simply butter with herbs mixed in that is then placed on or mixed into a dish right before serving. Steakhouses will often put a pat of "Maitre d'" butter (an herb/garlic butter) on a steak right after it comes off the grill/broiler to create a simple sauce and to enhance the flavor. Super easy to make; just soften two sticks of butter (don't melt it), mix in some of the chopped herbs, roll the butter into a log, and wrap in wax paper. I store the butter in a freezer bag in, well of course the freezer. When I need them, I just slice off a disc and put the rest back. I have a few different butters that I use for differnt dishes. For chicken and pork I use a "Mrs. Robinson" butter, a blend of parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. For fish I use a blend of tarragon, thyme, and chives. Both work great with veggies too. It's a matter of being prepared when there's a need for a change.
These are a few of the tricks I use to keep thing fresh. A tip to help with the stocking of the pantry is to just buy one or two new things week so not to break the bank. Pantry items add up quickly. Also, when buying dried herbs look for the smallest container possible. Dried herbs really only have a shelf-life of about 6 months. Buying these in bulk is not a good idea. That's all I have for now. Let me know of any other tricks you may use to beat the dreaded "Food/Flavor Rut".
Ciao down,
Penn
Mrs Robinson butter?? Really? That will come into use at my house immediately! Love the pesto potatoes - I forgot that trick.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the "rut" issue. And even though my herb garden flourishes and the pantry is (over) stocked, I find that a nice flavor face-lift can be bought by using what is left from last night's wine selection. And as for the kiddos - sometimes a subtle change is all that they will tolerate.
My two new favorite pantry staples are agave and almond meal. Substituting almond meal for half of your flour when baking is a moist/protein packed addition - yum. and have you done carrots simmered with agave and orange juice?