Sunday Cooking…With the Internet

Published by Taylor on March 2, 2008 in Cooking and Random. View Comments

cookin.jpgI’ve been traveling quite a bit lately, both for fun and for work. When I get home from a week or more on the road, one of my first impulses is to cook something delicious with (preferably) lots of fresh vegetables. I know you’re probably thinking “what does this have to do with Tropophilia?” Well, it so happens that this particular culinary adventure was only possible thanks to the internet.

While I love to cook, I don’t actually own a cookbook. I can’t remember a time in my “cooking life” (roughly since I went to college, unless you count several attempts at gingerbread cookies as a young ‘un) when I haven’t been able to quickly search the web for a recipe. Recently, my access to awesome recipes and expertise broadened beyond the web and the Food Network.* I’m talking about video podcasts; specifically, the Cooks Illustrated free weekly (5 minute) podcasts on iTunes.

A recent podcast demonstrated technique for a “quick” beef and vegetable soup. They promised flavor akin to a soup that simmers for hours, all in 60 minutes. These are my kind of cooks–obsessive compulsive about ingredients, flavors, and technique…and looking for shortcuts. I was intrigued by watching the podcast, and soup sounded delicious. The recipe is posted on the Cook’s Illustrated’s podcast site (the normal site is paid-registration only; the podcast recipes are free). One quick grocery store trip later, I was cookin’.

I’m happy to report that the soup turned out very well. Now I’ve laid down the gauntlet for Jarred to try Cook’s Illustrated’s apple galette recipe. I think his sweet tooth will drive him to action.

Pictures of my experiment after the break…

cooking-results.jpg

Little bundles of soon-to-be-frozen joy. I’m happy to report that the soup made for delicious leftovers, thawed one serving at a time.

cutting-board.jpg

Easy clean-up!

trash.jpg

Your trash can, however, will be a disaster.

Bon apetit!

*I don’t mean to omit Top Chef (my favorite show), but let’s be serious: I can’t do what they do.

If you enjoyed this post, you might also like:

- "My Christmas Gift to You", posted by Taylor on December 24, 2008

- "Questioning Things, Vol. I", posted by Taylor on March 19, 2008

- "Memory fading? Aw, don’t sweat it. [Guest Post]", posted by a Guest on January 13, 2008

- "Questioning Things: Vol. II", posted by Taylor on March 26, 2008

- "Sustainable Diets [Guest Post]", posted by a Guest on February 3, 2008

  • Ashish
    I suppose I would be remiss if I didn't post this while we're on the subject of factory farming and technology.

    http://www.themeatrix.com/
  • Ashish
    It occurred to me that I would be remiss if I didn't give a nod to The Meatrix in this thread.

    http://www.themeatrix.com/
  • I completely agree with your assessment of the ways technology makes food production and distribution much more convenient for consumers while creating a host of ethics and sustainability issues.

    But I also think it's important to think about the ways technology may also represent ways out of the industrial farming and livestock rearing mess we're in. Right now, it's through willful ignorance alone that folks can't uncover local farmers' markets (http://www.localharvest.org/), and the barriers to market entry for small, local producers of fruits, vegetables, and meat are lower than they've been since industrial farming became the norm. The internet opens up a wealth of niche markets that were previously isolated to the point of economic inviability.

    Sure, the situation is still dire in many ways...but the local food movement is growing and is aided in large part by the internet.
  • Ashish
    Taylor--
    I'm glad you try to buy humanely raised meat. While I do think the case against eating meat is strong, I think the case against factory farming is simply overwhelming.

    By the way, since this blog is largely devoted to the incredible opportunities technological advances afford us, it is worth pointing out that factory farming is one of the best examples of the ways in which technology can actually make our lives more convenient while simultaneously making our society unambiguously worse off as a moral entity.

    Joel--
    Check out Kucinich's appearance on The Colbert Report from a few months back. It's probably one of the best comedic performances by a vegan in TV history (okay, so maybe "comedic performance by a vegan" won't be an Emmy category any time soon, but still...)

    http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/2007/10/d...
  • Ashish, I hear what you're saying. But I'm not likely to become a vegan any time soon. I believe in healthy moderation: I eat meat about 8-10 times a week (out of a typical 21-meal week); when I do eat meat I try to make informed choices and seek out items like organic lamb, pasture-raised beef and free-range poultry; I buy local fruits and vegetables whenever possible; I bake my own bread and take care to eat well while being conscious of my choices.

    I understand that you and others view eating meat as unconscionable, and I respect that. But I try to do it in as thoughtfully as possible. I'm in no way perfect, and I'm a product of a broken food system that rewards institutional farms and industrial meat production. I acknowledge that, but I've made the choice to eat meat and I'm trying to use my dollars to support local, natural food whenever possible.
  • Ashish
    Dude, did you not see Kucinich on Colbert a while back? Vegans have mad comedic skillz.
  • Also, wasn't Gandhi, it was Obama.
  • Ashish, I quote Nellie McKay to you:

    "Feminists don't have a sense of humor / Feminists and / Vegetarians...."

    :D
  • Ashish
    Taylor, you should try some vegetarian or vegan cooking. I can assure you that you don't have to sacrifice flavor or taste when you make cruelty-free choices at grocery stores and restaurants!

    http://www.vegcooking.com/

    As the unsustainability and cruelty of factory farming becomes more and more immediate--see, for example, the recent beef recall, which was the largest in U.S. history--isn't it incumbent on those of us who regard ourselves as conscientious consumers to, as Gandhi put it, be the change we want to see in the world? You always come across as sensitive and well-informed, so I hope you'll make the compassionate choice in the future.
  • I hear cactus goes good with deserts.
  • Oh great! I love the cooking podcasts--have you seen Jamie Oliver's? http://www.jamieoliver.com/podcast/

    He's one of my favorites--I possibly watch too much of the Food Network. Thanks for the links!
  • It's a deal. If you make the trip, I'll cook anything you want to accompany your desert.
  • Hmmm, the galette sounds tasty and doable. So let it be written, so let it be done. I'll have to come see you and Kat down in NC this summer and make it there.
  • Katherine
    You are definitely one of the best cook's that I know, but I wonder what you served with this soup? fresh bread?
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