Thought for Food: Autumn in the Kitchen

A thought on food from my journal…

I am obsessed wit tomatoes. Well actually, I am obsessed with vegetables. My infatuation for both is easily explained. First of all, I grew up in Italy, thus the love of tomatoes in every shape and form. Secondly, I express myself through cooking. It is my language without words, an activity that is both practical as well as beautiful.

When I think of beautiful food, I think of that which is good and simple. In Italy this idea goes by the name “la cucina povera” which literally translates into English as “the poor kitchen”.

These words tell a story with a deeper meaning however. They describe a natural approach to cooking that defines food as an expression of nourishment achieved by the thoughtful use of fresh and seasonal ingredients.

Cooking is practical magic. I will be writing more about the meaning of food with each recipe I write. Meanwhile, allow me to explain that my work in the kitchen has an Italian attitude. What I mean to say is that my cooking style is shaped by the countryside I grew up in, just east of Venice.

Although not strictly vegetarian, I favour vegetables and herbs, adding other beautiful elements I discovered at the kitchen tables of my friends in Italy.
Rest assured, every one can cook; it is a question of discovering our intuitive sense for colour, flavour, and texture.
Observation is the key to cooking beautiful food.

Terri.