The first finished ornament:

I was reading this article, How to Reduce Your Food Costs in 60 Minutes a Week, and got to thinking...

Want to save money? Start with always keeping a moderately full pantry of basics. Have a good amount of basics on hand and just cook often and build a personal repertoire of ways to cook things fast and start making variations on that. You can build and maintain this pantry overtime. Basics being: Flour, salt (various kinds if you desire), Cooking Oils (Olive Oil, Sesame Oil, Canola, Corn, etc.) water, onions, garlic, fresh ginger, dried seed herbs (coffee grinder to grind them if you desire), sugar, vinegar (several kinds), carrots, fresh herbs, eggs, etc.

Grow some food. Grow some herbs. Not all, but some. Then when you go to the grocery store or greenmarket, you buy what looks fresh or should be seasonal and fresh and you supplement it with what you have. This can help you weather cost increases in the fresh vegetables.

Cooking from fresh and basic ingredients is how to reduce your costs, that is how restaurants make money and how you can save it too.

Reduce your meat consumption.

I love meat, I will eat any part of most things that moved, but...slow down, these things eat too, hence, by nature they are going to increase your costs. No matter what kind of rationale you come up with to justify their cheapness.

Sure, there are cheap chickens,fish, beef, and pork at the grocery store, but why is it cheap? Do you really want to be planning your life around what meats are cheap? Or what meats are discounted and moved to sell. Can we thing about this please. Cheap meat is cheap because what went in was cheap.

Making a menu for the week is great, but a lot of people are overwhelmed by the thought of "making a menu" so that might not be their best option for reducing costs.

I find that if I spend too much time thinking about my menu a) it comes out over thought b) I get hungry and go buy a snack or sometimes even dinner, thereby negating the cost benefit.

Take stock of what you have on hand already.
My best menus are when I take out all the ingredients that look good to me and ask my self how I can cook them, what is my cooking and prep time constraint and how can they all be combined to make a meal.

For example: Say I have a whole 3 1/2 # chicken. I have butter on hand. I have some oregano, thyme, and lavender in my backyard. I found some nice ramps at the greenmarket. I still have a nice head of romaine lettuce in the fridge. I have eggs. I have extra virgin olive oil. I cured some lemons, just to have around and experiment with. I bought some artichokes a few weeks ago and preserved them and those might be nice in a salad somehow. My wife bought some beet pasta, and hey I have some red swiss chard, wouldn't that look and taste great together, and what cheese do we have? Oh parmesan, oooh riccotta salata... heh this is starting to sound like something....

From all this I made: Ramp and Mint Pesto (to marinate my chicken), Lemon and Ramp Roasted Chicken (Pollo al Mattone style), Fresh Beet Linguine and Swiss Chard in a lemon butter sauce, and a "Caesar Salad" made from hearts of romaine and fresh caesar dressing made from Worcestershire sauce, champagne vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, dijon mustard, black pepper, salt, parmesan cheese and a whole egg. I didn't use complicated techniques, I used what I had on hand. It took me about an hour and fifteen minutes. I cook for a living, so maybe it would take you longer, but do things ahead when you can. My ramp pesto was made a few days a head for something else. My wife had cured lemons many moons ago, and they are always nice to have to brighten up a dish, just scrape the flesh and mince and mix in (like in my pasta sauce). The fresh pasta was found at the green market, as were the ramps, chicken and eggs.

This is how good quick menu planning happens. Not over thought, just taking inventory of what you have and what you can do with it and taking action. Do this every-night you can and you'll save more money and be pleasantly surprised more often than you think.

Want to be realistic about reducing your costs on food? Spend more than 60 minutes thinking about it. I mean, most people spend more time than that on their subway, and somehow this is the golden, boils done to this, time that will allow you to turn your life around? Hrm.

In that case, spend 60 minutes, examining your cabinets and refrigerator and inventorying what you have on hand.

Spend another 60 minutes in your favorite market or grocery store, and buy 4 or 5 things you could cook several ways. Buy enough to last you more than 1 or 2 meals. Use a small amount of each, maybe not all at once, and cook differently several days of the week. Combine it with things you already have on hand. Got some rice in those cabinets? How about a box of pasta? Or maybe whole eggs and flour. You could make your own past, and you don't even need a pasta machine thing, it's called a rolling pin or wine bottle people.

Get about 5-8 ingredients together that you think would go well together and make something. Think about including different cooking methods, different base ingredients, and intermingling things from time to time. Use salt and other ingredients that open your taste buds.

Have fun. Play. Cooking and eating are a central part of life and you should make sure you make it feel that way as often as you can.
Keep it fun and interesting and use things you've never seen before.

1. Peel and 1/4 your onions.
2. Peel and cut the carrots into large chunks. 1-2" long 1-2" wide.
   
3. Cut the leeks vertically down the middle, and then into 2" long segments. Rinse in cold water, several changes until no sand appears in the bottom of the bowl.
   
4. Bring the Chicken stock to a boil. I find this kills the store bought flavor, and if you have your own in the freezer or fridge, this should be done to kill bacteria.
5. When the Meat is done and drained, rub a good amount of the pimenton de la vera all over the flesh of the ,meat. Rub well and deep. This is where you give the food your love.
6. Open the 2 bottles of Dark Ale. Start drinking one and get ready to put the other in with everything else.

1. Pre-heat your oven to 250-275ºF.
2. Put enough oil to coat your pan and bring to high heat, almost smoking hot.
   
3. Add your mirepoix (onions, carrots, & leeks). Caramelize, turning slowly, when the have a nice brown (not black) color deglaze with your beer. Scrape the pan with a wooden spoon to get the good stuff (the sucs) off the bottom of the pan.
   
4. Add the hot Chicken Stock.
5. Add the ham hock or piece of smoked bacon.
   
6. Next place the meat skin side up in the pot, carefully place, as you don't want to splash your self. The liquid should come a little more than half way up.
   
7. Measure out a parchment lid while the pan is still cool. Tear a piece large enough to fully cover the pot. Fold in half. Fold again. Fold again. Fold again. Now you have a nice skinny triangle. Hold over the pot measuring the point from the center, cut about an inch overlapping the pot. When you unfold, you will have a nice cartouche lid. This we'll use later.
   
8. Place the mixture in the oven. Cook for 2-3hrs uncovered, until the fat has rendered nicely and the skin is starting to brown.
9. Cover with the cartouche, fit it snugly into the pan.
10. Cook overnight or for about 12 hours. Turn over at the half way point.

It's been over a year since I've been married to Tracie. Things are still wonderful, although we don't see each other enough. We work too much, and then on my days off. I'm too tired and haven't the imagination to do anything I've been dreaming about while working.

Like a few months ago I met Tracie and our friend Holly, after they had visited the MoMa. I had just got off work and didn't really want to see the show being tired and all. But on the way out of my building, perhaps it was back in September?...on the way out of the building someone handed me a card with reasons why you should ask more questions about September 11th, 2001.

It presented all kinds of interesting and scary facts about potential conspiracy theories about how the attacks on the World Trade center and the subsequent destruction, didn't fit into the official story.

Last week, on my Sunday, Monday I found a video online and re-hashed those ideas of conspiracy. Except this time. I see it. It doesn't make sense. I've looked at hours of footage and heard hours of testimony and it appears those building were leveled by explosives. Not the airplanes that flew into them.

So, what does this mean if I believe this? I means I'm frightened. I'm mad. It means I have been living in darkness and hiding from the truth. Which, I guess I have, because every since the attacks, I haven't spent too much time reading the news. I mean back in 2003 I did, but once idiot "won" then election in 2004 again. I pulled out. It seemed hopeless. And now it does again.

But I love life. I love my wife and I try and have fun at my job. It's just this thing that happened in 2001 has always been in the back of my mind. Like an itch. Bothering me. Making me think that something has gone awry.

So what can we do to change this? I need your help.

It was one of the most beautiful days of my life. I hope to share all the rest.

We were married at the Arboretum in Jamaica Plain, MA on October 7th, 2006. It's been over a month. We got back from the wedding and basically had to pack and move to a new apartment in Brooklyn. Needless to say, things have been hectic, but fun nonetheless.

If you want to see more pictures from the wedding there are many over here. If you join the group and you are my friend I can add you where you can see all of the photos.

That's all for now. Ciao!

Then I returned my attention to the essay I had been reading.

I did not recall the train ever stopping for very long. I looked up from time to time, people were on the train, everything seemed fine.

I didn't feel the train start moving in the opposite direction.

When, I looked up again, to check the trains progress. My gazed was transfixed on the platform. It looks like Canal St. again. The bird sculptures. Those are the bird sculptures aren't they? I didn't catch the sign. Someone stepped in my way. But I had this feeling the train was going the wrong direction. I couldn't see the sign at the next stop, but I was transfixed by the thought that I'd missed out on an entire period of time. Somewhere. Sometime ago. I had switched trains.

There was no denying it, because I remember so well getting on at West 4th. The train had a C on the end of it? Not an E. Only the E goes backwards so soon in Manhattan.

At the next stop I saw the weird friction worn sculptures. Union Square, I knew. I was on the wrong train.

Confusion and disorientation gave way to relief.

I had gotten on to the wrong train.

Or had I?

Every now and again, I get lost on the trains. Not intentionally mind you. I don't set out to get lost and see the city. Somehow, somewhere, my attention lapses, time dissappears and I'm somewhere I hadn't planned.

Sometimes its refreshing. Today, it was a bit frightening. A simple mistake.

Perhaps the first car did say C. Perhaps my memory isn't as foggy as it seemed just a short while ago.

The Chez Panisse Kitchen. From Left to Right in the foreground Chez Panisse cooks Paula, Chef Phillip, and Extern Shaina.

At the end of December 2005, I graduated from The French Culinary Institute's Culinary Arts program. Shortly after I ventured out to California to try out for a position with Chez Panisse Café in Berkeley, California. In the first week I was there,I began to despair over just how little a culinary program could prepare one for working in a professional kitchen, especially as short a program as the one I completed, 9 months. I didn't get the job. Yet the chefs offered me a chance to come back for a short 3 week internship as they liked me and wanted to work more with me.

I just finished my second week working at the Café (first of the 3 week internship) and I still haven't lost my respect for the way they run the restaurant. Each day my admiration and appreciation for the way they run things there increases. Also, I've learned to put my education at the FCI into perspective. I think it did give me just enough to jump start my abilities in a professional kitchen and not be a complete nuisance. However, I feel working for free for a period of months could do the same.

Here we are at the beginning of another calendar year and I wake up with all this in my head slowly yet deeply convincing me that perhaps I should just roll back up in the covers and not face the day. I can see why some people tune out the news completely and why many have stopped buying or reading the newpapers. It seems like the world is always falling apart and that no matter what we do, we make it worse. Yet, somewhere within, optimism creeps in and I say to myself, get up time to help stop all this madness.

But where does one start? Often I am reminded that one must choose one's battles wisely. Rarely have I mastered this art, however in the spirit of New Year's resolutions and organizing ones life by setting some goals for the year, I decided that "choose your battles wisely" will become my mantra for this year.

One of the issues we have heard a lot about, particularly over 2005, was climate change. The days last year seem like they could be measured in natural catastrophies. This morning, over my morning coffee (fairly traded and shade grown), I listened to a brief mention that Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison had managed to get support for passing of S. 517 the WEATHER MODIFICATION RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2005 and it has been placed on the legislative calendar. "Weather Modification, what the hell does that mean?" I thought.

We finally got up to visit our friend Georgia in Burlington, VT, before she heads off to Chicago. While Fall is running a bit late, due to "uncertain circumstances"... we did manage to find a few pretty leaves and such. Please click on the image to see the other photos I took in Vermont.

The photos were taken in Red Rock Park in or near Burlington, VT.

A few weeks ago I found out about a Scholarship that would: pay room, board fees, and transportation to Washington D.C. to participate in a "Conference of Leaders" organized by Share Our Strength. Like many things, I got my essay in on the last day, just in the nick of time.

A few days ago, I got an email confirming that I was one of 20 culinary students from across the nation selected as a finalist to attend the conference, and assist in service for their "Hurricane Relief Taste Event" on October 17th, 2005. As always I feel lucky. Lucky to have the opportunity to write on such an interesting topic, lucky enough to be able to email in my essay, lucky enough to be considered good enough to attend, and lucky enough to have the support and help that I've had at pursuing my interest in cooking and food. And more than anything it will be great to be able to have a hand in raising money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, of which to date I was only able to give $75, and was feeling pretty down.

In addition I'll get to meet great leaders and chefs from around the country. Alice Waters of Chez Panisse is one of the featured speakers, a well known chef, writer and philanthropist who works hard to spread the news on organic and locally grown foods, and there is a laundry list of chefs from around the country that will participate in the conference and the benefit as well. It's a great opportunity to find out all the different ways and ideas that chefs are becoming leaders in their community.

I am thankful to all of my family and friends and sent them an email of thanks for all the support. But I wanted to thank a few people publicly for there undying interest in food and willingness to give all they can in guiding my interest in however they can.

Tracie, my love has been there from day one and her faith in me and my crazy ideas has been unwavering. My parents and close family, well you all know who you are and how you've helped me along the way. Thanks!

On the professional food front, I owe my most current debts to the amazing Chef Julie Farias and Laurent Saillard of iCi Restaurant in Ft. Greene - Brooklyn, NY, for their commitment to local and organic foods and love of food. I met Julie at a Share Our Strength, Taste of The Nation Event, hence it's funny how things come back around and are tied together. Thanks to Chef Josie Smith-Malove of Veliis for believing in me enough to get me to serve as her assistant at Taste of the Nation Brooklyn, and all the other crazy things she has taught me. Then there are the many Chefs and Students of the FCI that continue to amaze and inspire me. Thanks everyone!

Here is the question that was posed for the contest entries and the brief answer I came up with.

What is a chef's role in the community?

Vibrant and great communities come to fruition through the persistent labors of ordinary people sharing resources, conversations, experiences, pleasures and challenges. Leaders emerge over time based on their contributions. I believe that the primary role of chefs in their community is sharing experiences and knowledge and leading by example in ways that will inspire sustainable and positive growth through food and education about food.

Every decision a chef makes about the success and health of their business and menu can either enhance or detract from their community's growth. Chefs must always work to invest and strengthen their communities, by choosing to hire locally whenever possible, offer a living wage and benefits, provide a safe and healthy workplace, and work to inspire and encourage others to succeed and pursue their dreams.

Chefs can help enhance their communities by buying local goods and services whenever possible and establishing partnerships with local producers and farmers. When they buy locally they are making an investment in the local economy. When the community frequents establishments that rely on locally sourced goods it creates a demand for locally owned business establishments. Buying locally then becomes sustainable in that it creates a cycle of interdependence among the farmers, chefs and consumers that can enhance and strengthen the community.

Whenever possible, chefs can reinforce their investment by educating their customers and neighbors about why they serve locally produced foods and how it benefits the community. For example, buying locally brings fresher foods to their customers' tables. It also reduces the negative impacts on the environment caused by long and costly transportation of non-locally produced foods. In turn, when chefs establish relationships with proprietors and come to know the stories behind the food and share these stories, it expands and unites the community.

Chefs are the impetus for educating and inspiring people to care about the food they buy and eat. When chefs express interest and passion for locally produced food, they are sparking the fires of curiosity for local children and families. When a chef highlights the menu's local sources or appears down at the local market to perform a demonstration or give a talk on the local foods in use, the community will come to value investment in local resources and invest as much themselves to help shape their community in a more positive way. In turn, the members of the community are actively shaping and changing their attitudes towards consumption, politics and other aspects of community life. A chef's role in the community, to care and know as much as possible about the food he or she serves, becomes a foundation for positive change within the community.

If you see one documentary this year, or in the next five, see this one, The Future of Food. We saw it yesterday and I was humbled and enlivened to see a problem illuminated along with a solution. The documentary has the tone of someone who sat through Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911 and decided that it just was not as an effective way to get dialogue and movement around an issue as it could.

Deborah Koons Garcia, perhaps in response to Michael Moore's lackluster ability to highlight problems of our free-market economy and come off sounding hollow without following through on telling us really what we can do ( besides emailing our senators or protesting someone or something). The Future of Food does a fantastic job of illustrating the problem inherent in Genetically Modified Organisms as a basis for food, that their impacts on the environment haven't been researched enough, are supported and shoved down the world's throat by the one of the largest (monopolistic) agricultural conglomerates on the planet (Monsanto), the negative impacts on the farmer's key ability to harvest and reuse their own seed, and some steps we can and are already taking to reduce and hopefully reverse the impacts and potential impacts of GMOs on our lives and global food chain.