Random Thoughts: The Future of Food

This morning as I puttered around the kitchen, thinking about what I would be cooking today, I contemplated how the growth of food blogs, the Food Network's recent launch of the Cooking channel (a second TV channel devoted exclusively to cooking!), and the push toward organic or locally produced food will be reflected in the food offered in our local grocery stores.

Historically, food companies emphasized convenience as they sought to entice busy, working families with wholly-prepared meals  that simply needed to be reheated in an oven or microwave. Little thought was given to natural ingredients, additives, or sometimes it seemed, taste, as long as the product was fast and inexpensive. The produce we received reflected demand for variety year round rather than taste that can only be found in seasonal, locally grown varieties.

How will the renewed interest in the quality of food produced in our own kitchens be reflected in what is offered in our grocery stores?

Well, I've noticed that my local supermarket now features locally grown produce on the front page of its weekly flyer. And they've priced it competitively, so you can buy local without ruining your budget.

Our other local grocer offers a free magazine in the produce section that features easy, healthy recipes that can be made with the seasonal produce.

I've also noticed that more and more processed foods are changing their labels and stressing that they've eliminated high fructose corn sugar, or cut down on sugar or salt content, or preservatives.

Perhaps I'm just noticing these trends because of my own interest in cooking healthy, tasty meals, but I believe we will see more food companies react to this demand for more natural, locally produced food at lower prices.

Road Trip: Steamboat Springs, Colorado

The final day of our road trip consisted of an easy four hour drive from Steamboat Springs to Evergreen. Once again we took the scenic route, choosing route-40 which wound through lovely groves of aspen in all their autumn glory.

When we started out on this trip, we had no idea that we would get to experience the height of autumn color, so we consider ourselves truly blessed. It also makes me very grateful that we have such wonderful national parks to preserve these areas of natural beauty for generations past, present, and future. And I'm most thankful that I was able to share this with Mom, who was seeing so many of these places for the first time in her life.

Road Trip: The Grand Tetons and Jackson Hole, Wyoming

After we left Yellowstone, we continued south through the park and then through Teton National Park to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Road Trip: Yellowstone National Park

As we left Livingston, we headed south with a determination to take the scenic way home. Luckily for us, Yellowstone park is conveniently one hour south and therefore, on our way home.

We'd originally planned to simply drive straight through the park because it was late afternoon and we needed to get to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to spend the night. However, as we drove I asked Mom if she'd ever seen Old Faithful, the famous geyser. Mom said no, she'd never even been through this park. I knew we needed to make a detour in our plans. 

So we drove to Old Faithful and arrived just in time to see the geyser make its hourly performance. Afterwards, we checked with the hotel reservations clerk at the lodge to find out if there were any available hotel rooms. She said no, that reservations were usually made a year in advance and that all the hotels were full.

As we were pulling out of the parking lot, resigned to the two hour drive south. I decided to make one last attempt, stopping at this hotel. I walked in the back entrance and went up to the front desk. A kind elderly gentleman who was working behind the desk told me that they only had one room available, but that it had a damp spot on the rug from where the shower had overflowed. He said we could have it at a discount if we wanted it. Of course, we said yes!

It turns out it was the famous Old Faithful Inn and that reservations were usually made a year in advance to get in because of its proximity to the geyser. Which is in directly behind the hotel.

The lobby of the hotel was built using this amazing architecture of old wooden beams and featured a three-story tall fireplace in the center.

Which is where Mom spent the evening, sitting in front of the fire with a glass of wine, as she enjoyed listening to the piano player belting out oldies.

The next morning we enjoyed a leisurely drive south through the park.

We stopped frequently to take in the incredible autumn colors. All of which we would have missed if we had not been able to spend the night in the park. 

Serendipity and persistence....a magical combination.

Road Trip: Livingston, Montana

Last week I was on the road traveling from Evergreen, Colorado to Livingston, Montana and then home again. Over the course of my 1,500 mile drive I was lucky to enjoy a cornucopia of high plains, rocky mountains, autumn colors, waterfalls, and an occasional geyser. This week I'll be sharing photos from my trip.

Here's the delightful little cabin we stayed in once we arrived in Livingston, known as Deep Creek Cabin. I'm not sharing any photos of our drive from Evergreen to Livingston because it consisted of driving 750 miles across the desolate, empty high plains of Wyoming on a desolate interstate highway, which frankly left us nearly desolate and depressed by the time we reached Livingston. Luckily we had this lovely little cabin to lift our spirits as soon as we got out of the car.

It came with it's own little pond and two very comfortable chairs, where we enjoyed a nightly glass of wine and cheese with olive bread. The cabin is owned by a gracious woman from Scotland who moved to Livingston thirteen years ago from LA with her very handsome husband, who happens to be a very talented painter.

Livingston is surrounded by the majestic Absaroka mountain range.

And the Bridger mountains.

And the treeless high plains, which felt disconcertingly desolate. It also means that the winters are very windy!

I'm not sure why I didn't manage to take more pictures of the lovely downtown area of Livingston, probably because anytime I'm in the midst of mountains I become distracted.

Check back on Wednesday as continue our journey....and spend the night in Yellowstone National Park.

Chilled Soups: Borscht

As summer draws to a close and we begin to feel the first cool nip in the air when we go out in the morning, let's feature a soup that may be enjoyed either cold or hot, depending on the season: borscht.

Borscht will always remind me of Kiev, Ukraine. The first country my parents moved to when they worked overseas after retiring from their jobs in the States, and the a country where I lived with Mom after my father passed away there. My mother frequently asked our housekeeper in Kiev to make borscht, and we'd often find a pot simmering on the stove when we came home on a cold winter's evening. While I'd never had beets before moving to the Ukraine, I grew to love another dish our housekeeper made with beets, an upside down layered salad that featured beets, potatoes, carrots and an obscene slathering of mayonnaise on the exterior, which gave the mound an appearance of being a cake...until you cut into it.

In the Ukraine, borscht may be used as a general term to refer to any vegetable based soup, sometimes with a few small pieces of beef thrown in to add substance. In the States, we are most familiar with borscht as a beet soup, pureed, and served hot and topped with sour cream. It's the type of dish you'd find in your favorite deli.

We made this soup twice this summer, each time doing it completely old school, e.g. from 'scratch'.

As you can see, the ingredients are very simple. You begin by boiling the whole beets in water until the beets are fork tender.

Reserve some of the liquid, which you can combine with chicken stock to create the base of the soup.

Put the roughly chopped beets, scallions, fresh dill, a squeeze of lemon, and the beet liquid and chicken stock into a food processor. Process until smooth. Taste and flavor with white pepper and salt. Then refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to combine.

Serve the soup with a dollop of sour cream and a sprig of dill. Enjoy the gentle sweetness of the beets.