Monday, November 24, 2014

Shameless Pictures From My Kitchen


Brandon and I were attending an extended family meal recently, when someone was so excited by the home made biscuits and gravy that they pulled out their phone to take a photo.  As she was doing this, she told us how she hates it when people post photos of their dinners on Facebook, so she was surprised to find herself photographing her food.  There was a chorus of agreement from the other Facebook members at the table, and the conversation proceeded around how annoying it was when someone posts pictures of their dinner.  I don't have Facebook, but I still felt very sheepish when I admitted I frequently think my food is beautiful and take it's picture, and I even share these photos on my blog, or force my friends to see them on my phone, or in texts. I asked if the photos of food people share that was annoying to them was beautiful food, and no one seemed to think so.  

This makes me realize the inadequacy of amateur photography to truly convey the sense of accomplishment that comes from procuring a delicious dinner.  You can see my pork chop in the photo above, but what you might not notice is that I prepared this pork chop, which came from a pig I met as it was being carefully raised by a good friend, without messing it up!  I was so excited by the success of this pork chop that I just had to take it's picture.  And, despite my new self consciousness about annoying folks with photos of my dinner, I am sharing my food pictures with you.  I wish I could give you a bite - that's how good this pork chop was! 


When I scroll through my photo gallery on my phone, I notice that a very large percentage of my photos are of food and food preparation.  Especially if it's something I've never made before, or something I'm psyched about.  Like toasting nuts.  Toasted nuts are so pretty - and what a wonderful smell!  


Unfortunately, the toasted nuts don't look as pretty once they've been through the food processor and mixed with almond butter, coconut oil, chopped dates, whey powder, honey, and eggs.  


But once they were baked with toasty coconut sprinkles and cut into bars, they regained some of their composure.  I've never made my own power bars before, but I was inspired to try making some when I started reading the ingredients on the packages while I tried to find a convenient snack for Brandon to take in his gym bag. If soy is bad, and sugar is bad, and coconut oil and eggs are good, then this recipe for home made protein bar should be good right?   It tastes really good, and it's still convenient for him since I was the one who did all the work.   


Have you ever cooked one of these crazy looking vegetables before?  I took way too many photos of this romanesco cauliflower, because I couldn't get over how strange it looked.  


It's like an alien vegetable!  It caused quite a stir while it resided in my refrigerator.  


I diced it up, tossed it in some coconut oil and salt, and baked it in the oven.  It's really good, like broccoli.  


And of course, while toasting nuts to make healthy protein bars and roasting alien vegetables, it's important to admire the home made blackberry wine, right?  


I didn't realize that I had any of the 2013 blackberry wine left until I was scrounging in my "wine rack" (a precarious stack of wine bottle boxes in the corner of my bedroom), and got so excited when I discovered it, that I knocked an empty wine bottle off the shelf above me and got a good thump on the head.  I now have much more appreciation for bar brawlers who get whacked on the head by bottles in movies.  That really hurts!

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