Kitchen Crumbs

Some random thoughts and resources from my kitchen…

I read a great online article today about mindfulness. Included in it was a discussion about eating the right food, but also our state of mind when eating.

“The same food, eaten joyously, lovingly and with gratitude will have a different impact on the body-mind than eating with sadness, anxiety or stress. Sharing a meal with loved ones will nourish us differently from a meal eaten in the car on the way to work.”

It hit home for me. Be mindful when you eat tonight.

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A while back I read an article about David Tran, the CEO of Huy Fong Foods. We love hot sauce, and while Frank’s Hot Sauce always has a spot in our fridge, the article sent me out to buy some Sriracha Hot Sauce. I love it.

The article is worth reading from a cooking perspective, but also from a business perspective. Tran founded Huy Fong Foods 33 years ago in Los Angeles after emigrating from Viet Nam and wanting a hot sauce like that found in his homeland. Sriracha sales last year reached some 20 million bottles to the tune of $60 million dollars, without advertising, and while Tran shuns publicity.

The key is the product, how it is made, and how it tastes. According to Tran, what sets his product apart is the fact it is made with fresh chilies, and not sourced from around the world. They also make a good chili garlic sauce. If you want to make sure you get the right one (there are a growing number of imitators), check to make sure it is from Rosemead, Calif.

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In a world of super size, excess and a mentality of disposable, I often think of my grandmother, for whom material possessions were not important. I can remember her saying how lucky we were to have food on the table (and her food was always amazing). I feel very fortunate that I can go to a grocery store, and while I do watch the prices, I don’t have to worry about where my next meal will come from.

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Speaking of super size, it has been 10 years since the movie Super Size Me highlighted the impact of eating fast food. One of the filmmakers recently wrote this article, now 10 years later. Are things any better?

The statistics are American, but still scary, and likely similar in Canada. One hundred years ago, in the US, only 2% of meals were eaten outside the home. Today Americans eat 50% of our meals out – and one in five meals are eaten at McDonald’s.

As the author says, “It’s time to reclaim the kitchen and take charge of your meals. When we make our own food at home, the food is usually healthier than anything made by a machine or corporation. Fresh food, made with your own hands, unprocessed and nourishing … It doesn’t matter if it’s vegan, paleo, low-carb, macrobiotic, gluten-free or raw. It can be super simple. Just get cookin’. It’s time to fix our relationship with food. The first step is to fix, and eat, more of our own food at home.”

Whether it is McDonald’s, a nice restaurant, or packaged and processed, the better option is still homemade.

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I set a new year’s resolution to do one meatless day a week. It isn’t as easy as it sounds. Send me a good recipe if you have one that my meat-loving husband will embrace, and stay tuned to hear more about our experiment.

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This is my first roundup of resources that aren’t my own….and I continue to modify the blog and add features. I would love to hear your thoughts. Be sure to visit the links on the right to follow the blog, follow me on Twitter, and Like my page on Facebook. You can also comment on this post or send me a note at the “Contact Me” button or by linking here.