Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen by Laurie Colwin

“No one who cooks cooks alone. Even at her most solitary, a cook in the kitchen is surrounded by generations of cooks past, the advice and menus of cooks present, the wisdom of cookbook writers.”

Laurie Colwin is an approachable cook and writer. This books was funny, honest, and relatable.

As a home cook, writer and introvert, I felt kinship when she said, “For the socially timid, the kitche is the place to be. At least, it is a place to start.” I still struggle being in crowds and at parties you will find me circling the throngs or hiding in the kitchen trying to lend a hand. There is not the pressure to make conversation when you are busy cooking or prepping. Colwin gains confidence as she journeys from kitchens of her youth making pb & j for college activists to small dinner parties after college to full-blown catering events later on. She finds her rhythm in cooking what she likes to eat.

A couple of other lines from the book really resonated with me.

“We live in a decade that worships speed: fast food, one-minute managers, sixty minute gourmets, three minute miles. We lace up our running shoes and dash off to get on the fast track.”

When my kids were still at home and we were shuffling between sports, homework, enrichment activities and jobs, I always lamented how sped up everything felt. Like we were on this constant wheel of making sure we budgeted our time so we could fit everything in. Even though Colwin published this in 1988, it still feels relevant. Coronavirus has forced a slow down and more time at home, but our trajectory as a society is still fast-paced. We are more of an instant gratification society than we were even in the 80s and 90s. I hope that this time of sheltering in place teaches us something about appreciation of slowing down and connecting with those we love, but I think the jury is still out.

One thing that has solidified for me in all this time at home is the need for comfort. Colwin writes poetically about the perfection of a simple bowl of lentil soup when you are feeling sad, sick, or just lonely. Comforting simple food has been out of vogue for a while as chefs play with techniques and ingredients, but I think there is something nourishing for the soul about a recipe that does not take hours or crazy shopping at specialty stores. Colwin writes about what we want when we are exhausted by life, and it is not complicated food.

“When life is hard and the day has been long, the ideal dinner is not the perfect four course,…but rather something comforting and savory…something that makes one feel, if even for only a minute, that one is safe.” Safe sounds good.

I think the appeal of this book for me is its honest reality. Colwin talks openly about her fears, failures, weird food obsessions, and the needs of an aging body. I probably will never make any of the recipes in this slim volume, but I loved traveling along with Colwin as she told the story of her journey with food and writing.

 

Cooking in Quarantine: Easy Mu Shu Pork

Grocery shopping every two weeks takes some planning. Mu Shu Pork is one of my family’s fave dinners so I made some adjustments to keep this a simple, use-what-you-have-on-hand meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. pulled pork (I supported Back Beach BBQ again and tipped 20%)
• 3 tbsp. Hoisin sauce
• 10 oz. mushrooms (I used shitake)
• 1 red pepper, julienned (not necessary, but I had one that needed to be used)
• bag slaw mix (you can chop cabbage and carrots, but the bag is cheap & easy)
• 1 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 bunch scallions, diced

**I had some ginger root and garlic that needed to be used so I grated the ginger and minced the garlic)

Prep:

• Heat oil in large in large pan (I use a stir fry pan)
• Add mushrooms and cook until they soften and start to brown
• Add garlic, ginger, peppers, coleslaw mix & Hoisin
• Once veg begins to soften and wilt, add pork and heat through
• Give it a taste & add salt or more Hoisin if needed

This makes enough for at least two dinners for a couple (it went three nights for me).

The Mu Shu needs a vehicle for serving. I like Bibb Lettuce so it mimics lettuce wraps, but you could also make Mu Shu tacos with tortillas or you can buy the traditional pancakes at a local Chinese restaurant, in the freezer section of some grocery stores or Asian markets.

Or, you can make your own if you want to give it a go. Here is a recipe I like.

 

Stay Safe and Cook On!

Other Posts in Cooking Quarantine series:

• Easy Pasta & Meatballs
• Lime Berry Blast Scones
• One Pan Enchiladas Rojo
• One Pan Enchiladas Verde
• Guide to Professional Chefs social media cooking shows & Pantry Stockers
• Roasted Pork al’Diavolo with Rutabaga Mash
• Blueberry Lemon Scones
• Roasted Shrimp & Orzo Salad

Cooking in Quarantine- Part One

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

As resources become scarcer and going out becomes more dangerous, I hunkered down to figure out what I can do with what I have on hand. I think this is the way lots of people are thinking in the days of Covid-19. I follow lots of chefs on Twitter and Insta and love what they are doing with the current situation. Ina Garten asked followers to post what they had in their pantry and she has been reworking her classic recipes into doable meals based on different ingredients. Jamie Oliver also retooled his feed to showcase cooking for your family with what is on hand- granted he has an enormous garden and lots of dry goods, but it still gives inspiration for ways we can reimagine our raw ingredients. His hashtag is Keep Cooking and Carry On.  Tom Colicchio started the hashtag cooking in crisis and it has been a dizzying amount of gorilla-style recipes home and celebrity chefs are cooking daily. Michael Symon also has an Insta and Twitter series going, #symondinners and highlights his 10 day plan for dinners with what is on hand. I love it!

That brings me to my own pantry. I keep it pretty stocked. I dabble in meals and love to bake. Last Sunday I made a meal plan for the next 14 days just in case we had to be home or the stores were out of our normal stock. This meal plan was predicated on picking up a few items, but unfortunately, between panic-buying and Spring Breakers flooding into my Florida town, the shelves were pretty bare. I think many people are finding themselves in that situation and my advice is look to the ethnic aisles. People are mostly buying up pasta, sauces, canned meals etc., but the Indian, Thai, Mexican and Chinese sections were healthy on stock. The jarred curries, thai sauces, varied beans and noodles are great alternatives and if you throw in some frozen veggies, rice, or polenta, make a hearty meal.

Here are some pics of my meals thus far this week (past six days). I went for multi-night meals that could be easily reheated. Root vegetables are very shelf stable and many people have proteins in their freezer. It is about what can we do with what we have.

Roasted Pork al’Diavolo with Rutabaga Mash and Brussels Sprouts

Enchiladas Verde with Spinach, Mushroom and Chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken I had on hand and just picked it; you could also use any veg you have that needs to be used)

Blueberry Lemon Scones (these make a delicious breakfast item that only require dry pantry ingredients…I had some fresh blueberries and a lemon so I added these, but I make these with dried fruits regularly)

Roasted Shrimp and Orzo Salad (as a coastal resident shrimp is readily available and many house have it on hand, but this could just as easily be done with canned tuna or just vegetarian)

Next week will be bringing Meatballs with Cavatappi, Enchiladas Rojo w/Black Beans, Blackberry Lime Scones and Tumeric Roasted Chick Pea Salad. Message me if you would like any of these recipes- I am working on putting together a document with ingredient list and variations on recipes depending on what you have in your pantry. Be safe in this difficult time and be kind to all those grocery store clerks, pharmacists, garbage collectors, health care providers on the front lines out there.