Coming Home to the Kitchen: Resources

Cooking is a solitary act. Individuals plan meals, go shopping, and cook alone and on occasion one eats alone. Solitary time in the kitchen can be the most cherished time of day – a recluse of calm in a crazy world. Solitary kitchen time can also be the most dreaded. 

The best way to sustain kitchen-related motivation is to utilize the resources available.

Toronto Based Resources:

 

Kitchen Tool Library: Want to try canning but don't have the space or money to invest in the equipment? For a small fee you can 'check-out' kitchen tools and return them when you are finished your food project! 

Hot Beans: Looking for some cheap, fast, filling and tasty vegan junk food? Get a seitan burrito from Hot Beans. You won't regret it!

Audio Resources:

You won't feel alone in the kitchen, slaving over prep if you have some friendly food podcasts to listen to!

Alton BrownCast

Sporkful

Spilled Milk

Cookbooks:

There is nothing more depressing than recipes that simply do not work. All your time, effort and ingredients go to waste, you have no supper to eat, and all your motivation is gone! With time you will develop a list of trusted cookbook authors and bloggers. In the meantime, here are few of my favorites...

Veganomicon by Terry Hope Romero and Isa Chandra Moskowitz

Vegan with a Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz

How it all Vegan by Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer

Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz

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Coming Home to the Kitchen: Easy Gourmet Tips

Shortcuts and tricks to get a meal on the table are great (and much better than takeout!) but for special occasions or every second Tuesday you might want a little something extra. These extras will give you the feeling of a five-star restaurant for the effort of an extra 5 minutes.

1. Fold a napkin in the shape of a heart.  

2. Two easy cocktail stirrers. Umbrellas. Gumballs.  

3. Tomato flowers are cute and simple additions to your dinner plate.  

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Coming Home to the Kitchen: Eating the Web

1. Hosting a dinner party can seem intimidating but check out this very chill post on the subject. You can do it 
2. Meal planning has been on my list for ages and ages. This post acts as inspiration for my slacker habits while this article on protein in a vegan diet reassures me that even if I eat three meals of beans I'll live! :) 

3. Gluten-free bread intrigues me (even though I love my gluten!) but baking your own seems utterly inapproachable! That's why I love this post that really breaks down the steps of GF baking! 

4. As autumn approaches a guide to creating the perfect fall soup seems very appropriate. 

5. Bookmark this post for next summer – when the very thought of cooking makes you sweat

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Coming Home to the Kitchen: Review of 'The Way of the Hedge Witch'

Recently I have been exploring, researching, and discovering the rites, rituals, and beliefs of modern day witches. I confess I find the practice of spellcasting and their belief in fairies bizarre but the focus of kitchen witches (or hedge witches) on the spiritual hearth and the innate sacred nature of domestic activity intriguing to say the least.

My childhood home did not abound in love and safety. As a consequence of growing up in an instable home my adult homes have always been viewed as temporary and I have always viewed myself as not deserving of a nice home environment.  

Hearth witches focus on the energy created inside a home. 

A lavender door wreath reminds one to come into the home with peace and tranquility in their hearts. A candle on the stove (the modern day hearth) reminds one of the lineage of historical cooks whose food had made it possible for you to stand before the stove today. We've changed a few things about our home, inspired by my readings on kitchen witches, and have felt better, more at peace, and calmer in our home.

Here's a few interesting quotes from the book. 

“There's a lot of emotional energy tied up with home-based activity...” (51)

“The home is the root of your family's energy and spirituality. If you are working to honor and strengthen it, and to make it as peaceful and spiritually nourishing as possible for you and your family, it only makes sense to protect it from harm or attack.” (116)

“What makes hearthcraft so special is that the principles of it dovetail – if fact, are – the things you do every day in your home. In essence, this book is designed to help you recognize those things, and lend awareness to them so that you can appreciate them all the more.” (5)

This book, “The Way of the Hedge Witch Rituals and Spells for Hearth and Home” by Arin Murphy - Hiscock is an interesting read. I recommend it whole heartily to those interested in kitchen witchcraft and those interesting in making their homes comforting and peaceful.

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Coming Home to the Kitchen: Salad Basics

Focus on what you are craving. Do you really want to eat two whole avocados? Are you craving kale? If you open a can of chickpeas will you eat half the can with a spoon? Build the salad around the one ingredient you really want to eat. 

 

Extras. A salad of just the main ingredient will most likely leave you unsatisfied. If you add a bunch of fancy extras you'll feel accomplished (as well as full!) Fun extras include: tomatoes, shredded carrots, shredded beets, shredded sweet potato, corn, fennel, mushrooms, avocado, beans, seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, hemp), sprouts, fruit (oranges, sliced apple or pears, pomegranate seeds) and/or dried fruits (cranberries, raisins, apricots and dates).

Salad Dressing. There is nothing wrong with purchased salad dressing but its really quite simple to make your own. My favorite version of salad dressing requires a dollap of mustard, some red wine vinegar, a splash of oil, and some herbs such as oregano. Shake it all up in jar. Adjust amounts to personal preference.

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Coming Home to the Kitchen: Quotes to Inspire

“It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.” - Lewis Grizzard

“Food is not about impressing people. It's about making them feel comfortable.” - Ina Garten

“If we're not willing to settle for junk living, we certainly shouldn't settle for junk food.” -Sally Edwards

“All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast.” -John Gunther

“Fervet olla, vivit amicitia: While the pot boils, friendship endures.” (Meaning the man who gives good dinners has plenty of friends.) -Latin Proverb

“ If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” -J.R.R. Tolkien

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Coming Home to the Kitchen: My Vintage Kitchen

As evident by the sheer number of 'My Vintage Kitchen' posts on my blog over the years, I LOVE vintage kitchen tools and equipment. I regularly visit thrift stores and am constantly on the hunt for great vintage items in both the luxury and daily use categories. I have thrifted for regularly used items like pots and pasta makers and specialty items such cake decorating tools. I always keep my eye open for that specialty display item like glasses in their original packaging or cocktail collectibles. 

 

There are many reasons I enjoy thrifting. I love the thrill of the hunt! I like how cheaply one can outfit a kitchen (and in style to boot!) by utilizing thrift stores. Thrifting suits my environmental mindset as it keeps items that are perfectly usable from ending up in the landfill. Most of all, thrifting for kitchenwares keeps me connected to a lineage of strong women who cooked for themselves and their loved ones.

Research: During the course of your regular reading about food, take note of the style of pan used for that traditional dessert, the full priced cost of a copper pan, or the type of jar needed for that food project. I have discovered several awesome deals because I knew what the thrift store had – but they did not!

Visit high-end vintage stores: Visiting high-end vintage stores specializing in kitchen wares allows you to discover the asking price of specialty kitchen wares. If the high-end store has those measuring cups priced at $25, you will feel vindicated in spending $1 for them at the thrift store!

Frequency: Visit thrift stores with a certain amount of frequency to get the best deals. The turnover on some stores is quite fierce so they may have entirely new stock from one week to another. However, I thrift for fun, so I tend to return when the mood strikes me and I still manage to snag some amazing finds!

Open boxes: I have found a few interesting tidbits by digging around in boxes. If you truly explore the thrift store you may find things that other thrift hunters have hidden or things that have simply fallen out of sight. Dust covered kitchen wares offer an opportunity to practice your haggling skills!

Original Packaging: I love original packaging and will purchase almost anything if it comes in the original package. However, original packaging does not bode well for the usefulness of the item. If the kitchen ware is 60 + years old and has only be removed from the box once or twice? It's unlikely to be functional, but it will be pretty!

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