October Dreaming

Who says that pumpkin needs to stay in October? The social norm for pumpkin is to eat it in the fall, and carve it before Halloween. I say that pumpkin should be on the menu year round. This spiced pumpkin layer cake looks so phenomenal that I had to share it. The there is something about pumpkin that is intriguing because it is so versatile. You can use it in a savory way or in a sweet way, for dinner, snack, or dessert. I love going to Starbucks and picking up a slice of pumpkin bread or a pumpkin spice latte, but it is made so seasonal that it is hard to enjoy the delectable treats when it is, say, April.

Eat pumpkin and make this cake! You can even make cupcakes or muffins using the recipe from epicurious.com


http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spiced-Pumpkin-Layer-Cake-240123

Ratatouille!

I would just like to thank Disney and Pixar for creating a little rat named Remy. Ratatouille is a great children's film about a rat whose life goal is to be a chef. He teams up with an uncoordinated waiter at a french restaurant to become the greatest chef in all of France. Through all of his hardships and let- downs, Remy succeeds and his specialty dish become Ratatouille. Now I for one did not know that ratatouille was a real dish, I just thought of it as a funny play on words. To my surprise, when I was gazing over the menu at High Cotton restaurant in Charleston, SC I found what I thought had been a mythical creation. Ratatouille!

I obviously had to try it because I was so intrigued and elated that this was real. It was also a dish that was right up my alley when it comes to food I like. It is a vegetable dish including tomatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, onions, and green herbs. The veggies are sautéed together and placed in a layered pattern around the plate. It is usually served with rice or pasta. At High Cotton it was by itself with corn bread on the side. Delish! I am so glad I loved it because all of the hype I was giving it was a little embarrassing being that it came from that little rat named Remy.

Everything in Moderation

When you look at food do you think, "how many calories is that?" or "wow that looks delicious"? Food can be a unique way to express how you feel, what you want your body to look like, or how you want other people to see you. It is weird that when boiled down, food is just something that keeps you alive and anything further than that is just gravy. Food can be as fancy as escargot, or as processed as a big mac, but everyone has the right to choose their meals, right? Time, money, and talents can definately affect what you eat and the types of food that goes into your body no matter what you want your body to look like or what you want other people to see.

Wealthy people can hire a chef or go to a high end restaurant, but do they really always have the time? And homeless people would be willing to eat anything they are given, not worrying about anything but feeling a full belly. How did this start? How did food become such a prominent factor in our lives, whether it is purely for nourishment, or if it is an elegant part of everyday life?

My mother always told me, "Everything in moderation". This applies to every facet of my life because, honestly it is true. if everyone looked at it this way, the world could find a balance and maybe the poor could have more and rich could enjoy sharing what they have.

I want to live my life with this idea in mind and try to find that balance. Through food, I want to tell a story, make someone smile, and challenge people to live a healthy, happy life.