Sure, they didn’t mean it like kitchenistas do, but that’s what makes that line fun: its versatility. Just like spices and herbs!

Now, I’m still learning about uses of herbs in my own cooking, so my spice rack, inherited from my mom, is a work in progress, starting with the basics: rosemary, black pepper, thyme, salt, garlic powder, oregano, chili pepper flakes. Three of those are there thanks to a recent pizza pie order (garlic, oregano, chili). A couple of months ago, I added cumin, curry, cinnamon, and, because I couldn’t find coriander, 21-seasoning-spice.

my spice rack

So many of the stews and soups I’m bookmarking call for these latest ingredients to add a savory and spicy kick, even the ones that aren’t inspired by Indian, Thai, or other ethnic  cuisine. What a shock it is for the novice cook, that spices are STAPLES of all kitchens!

Herbs are the glues that hold our lives and senses together. Used in cooking/culinary pursuits, medicines (medical herb visual), spiritual remedies and ceremonies, and as decoration, herbs are versatile beauties that are also easy to grow and use. They appear everywhere – any part of a plant, from the leaves to the bark, count – and examples include thyme, rosemary, lavender, bay laurel and myrrh (seen in incense!).

Spices are herbs specifically used for aromatic and flavor purposes, typically in cooking. Popular examples include thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and mint. Oh, and coriander and dill. You get – taste! – the picture.

I have a lot to learn about herbs and spices, despite the fact that I consider myself enamored of them ever since I first started reading books, playing Oregon Trail, and adoring nature. I never truly realized or acknowledged just how much of an observer in life I’ve been. I haven’t necessarily molded it myself, understanding the foundations, manipulating the ingredients. I would love to cook up my own version of nature. Join me?

<insert camera phone photo of me and Brian Jacques at NY English Teachers conference here>

Mr. Jacques passed away from a heart attack on February 5, 2011, at Royal Liverpool Hospital. He is survived by his wife, two sons, and two grandchildren.

List of Brian Jacques novels (as presented on and snatched from Wikipedia:

Redwall series

• Redwall (1986)
• Mossflower (1988)
• Mattimeo (1989)
• Mariel of Redwall (1991)
• Salamandastron (1992)
• Martin the Warrior (1993)
• The Bellmaker (1994)
• Outcast of Redwall (1995)
• The Pearls of Lutra (1996)
• The Long Patrol (1997)
• Marlfox (1998)
• The Legend of Luke (1999)
• Lord Brocktree (2000)
• The Taggerung (2001)
• Triss (2002)
• Loamhedge (2003)
• Rakkety Tam (2004)
• High Rhulain (2005)
• Eulalia! (2007)
• Doomwyte (2008)
• The Sable Quean (2010)
• The Rogue Crew (2011)

Tribes of Redwall series

• Tribes of Redwall Badgers (2001)
• Tribes of Redwall Otters (2001)
• Tribes of Redwall Mice (2002)
• Tribes of Redwall Squirrels (2003)
• Tribes of Redwall Hares (2006)

Miscellaneous Redwall books

• The Great Redwall Feast (1996)
• Redwall Map & Riddler (1997)
• Redwall Friend & Foe (2000)
• A Redwall Winter’s Tale (2003)
• The Redwall Cookbook (2005)

Castaways of the Flying Dutchman series

• Castaways of the Flying Dutchman (2001)
• The Angel’s Command (2003)
• Voyage of Slaves (2006)

Urso Brunov

• Urso Brunov, Little Father of All Bears (2003)
• Urso Brunov and the White Emperor (2008)

Other works

• Seven Strange and Ghostly Tales (1991)
• The Ribbajack & Other Curious Yarns (2004)

Now comes the latest news on this thread: Zak Pelaccio of Fatty Crab and Fatty ‘Cue fame has been given the go-ahead to expand his “fatty” brand with a couple of kiosks in Battery Park (at the southern tip of Manhattan, by South Ferry and Wall Street and across the river from the Statue of Liberty, for all the non-New Yorkers reading this). According to Grubstreet New York, the two kiosks will consist of a food stand version of Fatty ‘Cue and a stop “tentatively titled” Fatty Snacks. Apparently, Pelaccio plans to serve “soft-serve ice cream and cold sandwiches. Nothing cooked. … I want to do delivery to businesses down there.”

Well, I’ve only eaten seafood balls from this chain once, during a book launch party (it’s the first food photo in the post), and they were tasty, especially with the citrus salsa, but I’m still glad a big name in the foodie world is coming down here (by here, I mean my one-time work home for eight years, not where I live). And cold snacks sounds good, but what’s going to make it stand out from the rest of the deli options in the area?

Anyway, I’ll check it out once it arrives, whenever that is. Likely in time for spring or summer. It’s joining the explosion of food-couture chain joints in the Battery Park City area, though, so it should fit right in. Part of me is glad that this oft-neglected oasis is getting some well-deserved love, but another part is worried that it’s going to go the way of Tribeca and Chelsea and lose some of its tranquility and historical charm (three war memorials – Korean, Coast Guard, WWII – Castle Clinton, the Museum of Jewish Heritage, the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, and Fraunces Tavern Museum and restaurant, to name a few).

Ah, I love the 90s.

For me, tonight, it all depends on whether I make it myself out of what ingredients I have on hand (potatoes, onions, frozen and canned beans, tofu sausage, bok choy, oranges, pasta, rice), or my mom brings home leftovers from her frequent splurges at Whole Foods. After being prompted by Ree, aka The Pioneer Woman, today, though, if I could have my dream dinner tonight, no mess, no fuss, it’d be this:

Bite-sized mac and cheese tarts, homemade veggie pot pie,
sauteed collard greens and carrots, strawberry-lavender sorbet.

Courtesy of JL, a contributor at AllRecipes.com.

Mmm!

Other nights, the imaginary menu skews hotter, spicier, soupier, or more ethnic (or fusion ethnic… here’s a trove of recipes for more). But tonight, I’m just in the mood for cute, savory, bright comfort food.

How about you, dear reader?

If you could have anything for dinner tonight, what would it be?

Ever since transitioning into a primarily plant-based diet, I’ve missed the comforting little food habits and brand associations of my childhood. Like Dinty Moore beef stew and Ikea’s Swedish meatballs. Or holding a drumstick in my hand and biting into the juicy, bulbous end.

Well, I’m still waiting on a satisfactory meatball substitute for my spaghetti. But mushroom stroganoff and thick chili with veggie sausage have catered well to goulash and stew cravings. And last week, I discovered a delicious and easy-to-grip substitute for a chicken drumstick in the giant Bosc pear.

CHOMP!

First, to my regular readers, thanks for sticking by me and your patience! I have a lot of restaurant reviews, cooking adventures, food-related ruminations, and even some videos to post, so there’s that to look forward to!

To new readers and browsers who have come here in response to my name-dropping while interviewing you, I’m sorry to keep you waiting! I’ll be back as soon as possible, with lots of [hopefully] good stuff, promise!

In the meantime, a little survey: how were your holidays and new year celebrations? What would you like me to write about or review this month?

Dickson’s Farmstand Meats is supplying each chef with 100% dry-aged, locally-raised beef from Wrighteous Organics in Schoharie, NY, as the base for their chili, providing a level playing field for the competition. An exclusive panel of on-site celebrity judges vote on the 2011 Chili Champ of NYC. The 1st place team wins $2000 in addition to the illustrious 2011 Golden Chili Mug.

First, a note of appreciation for the fact that the beef is local and responsibly-raised/not factory-farmed. But while that’s great, my point of contention is that the event organizers have [possibly inadvertently] ended up giving people the sense of being pointedly excluded and deemed irrelevant or undesirable.

To say I was – and still am – disappointed is a given. I wanted an excuse to sample chili from some of the noted and up-and-coming cooks in the city, while comparing their styles. And, perhaps more importantly, I was a bit insulted that not only is this perpetuating the already-widespread perception of chili as a meat-only dish (it’s not! Seriously, it’s all about the beans and the sauce, and really, anyone who says chili is hard to make without meat is deluding themselves. I mean, check out this Gold Rush Chili. This Spicy Veggie Chili is a bit more daunting.), but an entire community of eaters and chili-lovers are now excluded from enjoying this event. It’s worse than how I felt when Brooklyn had their Chili Takedown and the veg versions elicited gapes and scowls just at the ingredient-list from eaters who didn’t even taste any of it. But that was a guest problem, not an organizer issue, since Matt Timms lets competitors invite themselves so it’s equal opportunity chili, he has hosted a Tofu Takedown (yum!) and non-meat chili has won the chili competition in the past.

Courtesy of PdPhoto.org - http://www.pdphoto.org/PictureDetail.php?mat=&pg=6793

VS.

Susan V's Gold Rush Chili (courtesy of FatFreeVegan.com)

Am I a food snob? I would hope not. I try not to be. And I often feel competing urges to either smack or debate vegangelicals when they get on their stump. But I guess there is a part of me that expects the same respect for my decision to eliminate meat from my diet as I respect others’ decision to keep eating meat. Part of that respect would be presenting OPTIONS. Especially when big events sponsored by influential players like FSNYC and Chelsea Market are involved. is it too much to ask for them to acknowledge an entire eating community in NYC whose members play a huge part in the success of both their sales and their mission for fostering locally sustainable and interactive food production communities? To create an event that is inclusive instead of exclusive; that does not perpetuate the idea that a type of food is exclusive to a particular group of people? That flies in the fact of community.

Perhaps it’s that I am spoiled for vegetarian options? Living in New York City, one of the world capitals of gastronomic variety, that is highly likely.

* www.morguefile.com - http://mrg.bz/KAnoiE

For those of you that don’t already know this, I am not much of a drinker. I love beverages, but of the non-alcoholic variety, initially because I was raised in a drop-less house and family, but over time, I realized I despise the taste of most beer, wine and liquers, anyway. I also don’t fancy ending up on my own private episode of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Or even just not having my mental and physical faculties intact. So while my friends order a cocktail, I request a tall glass of cranberry juice/ginger ale or pineapple juice/sprite. My wallet thanks me, too.

In a society where coolness and even professional respect is often measured by how well you can hold large amounts of alcohol without throwing up or turning into a violent or simply embarrassing burden, not drinking is often regarded with disbelief, as Chef Emily discovered early on. Perhaps mockery. Followed almost certainly by efforts to persuade you to get trashed – not just one drink, but many. As if loss of self control is a required rite of passage that if not experienced, is tantamount to some sort of betrayal or offense to everyone else. The status quo must be maintained, right?

Well, I’ve been fortunate to have friends who are unfazed by my choice and will defend me as easily as they will joke that I don’t need alcohol to act like I’m drunk. In turn, I am unfazed by their choice to drink, knowing that they know their own limits and that, if necessary, I will gladly hold their hair back or drive them home with no judgment.  In short, I am secure in my decision to stay sober and proud that I do not fit an easy label. appreciate Belgian lambics, cocktails, and beers without feeling tempted or deprived, and I can sip something a friend is raving about and declare whatever my opinion is on it without feeling guilty, like I fell off of some wagon or am challenging their preference. I can socialize perfectly well without spirits and I have enough energy and chutzpah without the liquid courage. It’s my decision, my life, and no stereotypes.

Infamous shot of me reading for finals at a friend's party, holding another friend's cup of beer as a prop.

Funny thing about stereotypes is, they go both ways. See, my mom has always thought I don’t drink, period. She considers alcohol to be a gateway drug, of sorts, and that there is no such thing as truly responsible drinking because all drinking is too much. And I’ve generally preferred it that way because 99 percent of the time, it’s true, and it keeps our conversations on my social life simple. But as my experiences going out to places where alcohol is present has increased, so has my personal comfort level with my decision to stay sober, aside from a sip here and there out of curiosity. So when we went to Sunday brunch at a local pub/restaurant this weekend and the waitress asked me whether I wanted a Bloody Mary or Mimosa, I deferred to my seasonal festive mood and said “Oh, a Mimosa” without a second thought. And my mom gaped at me in surprise.

Oh, whoops.

I found myself backtracking, which struck me as regressive and cowardly, so I also began simultaneously defending myself, with varying degrees of rationale.

“Well, it’s just orange juice and champagne. And it’s just us sitting here. Why not?” “But I want to try it!” “I’ve had champagne at weddings before.” “How will I know if my drink’s spiked if I don’t know what it tastes like!” “But it comes with brunch!”

Long story short, I got it, it tasted foul (way too much champagne than I remember from the diner version; they must have used quality stuff), my mother was pleased, we got it diluted with more orange juice, and that helped a bit, but it remained mostly untouched on the table.

Oh well. At least we crossed that bridge. I’m not hiding anymore! Point for curiosity!

Later, at a high school friend’s tree-trimming party, I tried some of the eggnog that people were raving about. I generally don’t like eggnog, so I like to try it out whenever the opportunity presents itself at no cost to my wallet. Didn’t realize it was heavily on the rum-side of rum-spiked eggnog. Wow. I started looking for the sink, but didn’t want to seem rude, so I poured in a heavy dose of farmer’s market apple cider (1/2 glass cider, 1/4 glass rum-nog) and that made it much yummier!

* www.foodnetwork.com

It turns out I wasn’t the only one not in the mood for rum-nog. Once all the guests had left, the host noted that there was much more nog left than in previous years!

So, dear reader, What personal preference or belief have you found yourself masking, wearing proudly, or making your own?

Four years ago, serendipity granted me the day off from work for my 22nd birthday. Our start-up publishing office was moving from a tiny basement apartment on the Upper East Side to a tiny apartment in a high-rise residential building on the Upper West Side and I wasn’t invited to schlep boxes. Hurray for small miracles! So, left to my own devices, I wandered around Greenwich Village, took in a movie, “10 Items or Less” (it was good!), – yes, by myself, what of it? – and, if recollection serves, met a friend for Indian food and purchased cream puffs to bring home. It was on this birthday that I decided to hope that how I spent the day turned out to be an indicator of how the upcoming year would go. I hoped that my 22nd year would be marked by independence and confidence.

Three years ago, I spent my 23rd birthday wondering what to do to mark the day. A high school acquaintance decided we would check out the Max Brenner’s off Union Square. I was still a fully employed editor of children’s workbooks, so I had money to spend (unlike now, but we’ll get to that in a moment) and why turn down a trip to a restaurant that featured a menu of savory and sweet items – all mixed with chocolate? The previous year had turned out okay, with small strides towards my two goals, so this year I hoped that the next year would bring good food and, unlike the day’s proceedings, more direction.

Two years ago was my 24th birthday and it was pretty uneventful. The previous year had indeed brought some tasty forays, as well as many new experiences, which I was still in the midst of. I had quit my publishing job, switched careers to embark on magazine and newspaper internships, begun graduate-level studies in journalism, and begun an earnest attempt to shape my life’s future direction. This day was so uneventful that I just spent it at work. I considered it a change from all the changes that had been going on in my life. I figured, screw predictions, I just hope for something exciting.

Last year, I turned 25. A quarter-century old. With that came a mini-quarter-life crisis of medium-epic proportions. Unenrolled and sporadically employed, I had a lot of time on my hands for reflection and attempts to self-fix. It was a pretty good day, spent at a new temp job, receiving text messages from friends wishing me a happy birthday. This turned out to be a sign of my next year, I suppose, in that I continued working as a freelancer and temp, and continued working on getting to know myself and my strengths and weaknesses, and my dreams.

Which leads me to today, the 26th anniversary of my birth. Got a birthday hug from Mom in the morning. Stayed home. Watched and listened to the wind and rain whipping around outside my window. Compulsively checked all the birthday wishes coming in on Facebook. Enjoyed the panini (that needed mayo and mustard) and cannoli that Mom got me for my birthday. All in all, an eh birthday. But I have my singing, my freelancing and entrepreneurial attempts, my volunteering, and now, my serious considerations of applying to culinary school.

Why culinary school?

I’ve been following Project Food Blog, voting for one of my favorite bloggers, Kimberly Morales of Poor Girl Eats Well. In the process, I discovered Emily Malone of The Front Burner (nka Daily Garnish). A healthy foodie-turned-chef-and-writer. Chef Emily inspired me to see food preparation and cooking not as a daunting project, but as fun and totally do-it-yourself-able. True, I’ve known it was fun for a while, and had already begun testing the waters this summer with my CSA share produce (from Flatbush FarmShare), but it took nearly 16 months of percolating in my own stew of self-reflection for me to even acknowledge that journalism is not the only path I could take career-wise, and it is high time for me to cook my own masterpiece.

So I’m considering a full-time six month program or a part-time 11-month program at the Natural Gourmet Institute here in NYC. (If you’d like to check out students’ work, reserve a spot at the table for a Friday Night Dinner!) I would get to learn about cooking and knife skills, at the only culinary program in the country that focuses on the health aspect – they call it health-supportive – of food, cooking and eating. I would get the option of cooking with seafood (I’d opt in; vegans might not) and classes are allergy-supportive, so I’d be learning about food as medicine (a big plus for me), making me more qualified to teach youth about nutrition and healthy eating if I choose to go that route, and to work on farms or as a private chef or in nutrition policy, if I so chose.

Ideally, this background would also give me more credibility in my food and health-writing endeavors, too. NGI alums include several food editors, cooks and authors, so I’d be in good company.

Anyway, it’s a possibility among many possibilities, and I’m still weighing options, but whatever this new year brings, I am excited at the idea of cooking up my own masterpiece. I’d raise a glass to that!

Courtesy of Principia Comica.

From Mrs. Weasley’s Rock Cakes and Ton-Tongue Toffees to Butterbeer and Quidditch Players’ Pie, YumSugar has 10 concoctions that students new and old can try their hand at creating.

And for the most avid of fans with the steeliest of imaginations – and stomachs, – there’s Mugglenet’s melon brain, chocolate-covered frogs, and mini dragon eggs, as well as a whole list of variations on Butterbeer.  And don’t forget the jelly slugs, cockroach clusters, and peppermint toads!

For those looking for something that can be brought to family dinner, too, check out the pumpkin pasties, treacle tarts, and even Yorkshire pudding over at Cafe Mom. There’s also tips on making all of the HP goodies plus some creative ones like Herbology Fruits for your Hogwarts Celebration. And feel free to decorate everything with a sprinkling of Bertie Bott’s many-flavored beans while you’re at it!