A lot on her plate: Understanding the Fundamentals

Since a young age, cooking was introduced as a huge influence on me and my family's culture. Specifically, my mom's side. Her side of the family is Philippino, while my dad's side was made up of a mix of cultures with little focus on cuisine. Growing up, I was taught the basics of cooking from my parents and aunts, which gave me a perspective of how and why they cook, but I think I was too young to really understand. It took me long time to become individually interested myself but when I did, the way I perceived cooking and baking was different from the way that the rest of my family saw it.

   I bought the book "A lot on her plate" by Rosie Birkett not just because of the aesthetic appeal,  but for the colorful and interesting recipes. It's different from a normal cookbook because of the useful tips the author includes from personal experiences and opinions, which sparked my interest. With the authors advice, I intend to sharpen up my cooking skills and be able to produce great dishes!

 

What seemed most logical to me was to first read the book, wrap my head around some of the ideas I read, and then later apply them to some recipes. The book is set up perfectly for this, with the first couple pages or so including information on the right produce to buy, where to buy it, when to buy it, and how to use it properly in a dish.

The first couple pages of the book introduce the main concept. "The recipes in this book will help you to think a little bit more like a chef about the ingredients you're cooking with. They will, I hope, encourage you to explore your local markets and shops, butchers, delis and fishmongers, and investigate producer-direct box schemes for fresh well-sourced produce, and transform it into exciting, flavorsome, globally-infused dishes for yourself and your loved ones." (Birkett, pg. 12) This quote encompasses the motivation of the author and what outcome she strives for. In great detail, it gives tips on how to shop. She puts an emphasis on being aware of how more often than not, the way we currently shop makes us complacent about how we consume cheaper, lower quality food in greater volume than we need.

The next pages are about how getting to know your local suppliers can benefit your food and your wallet. "Fishmongers, greengrocers, markets and butchers-places where you can chat, shop, gossip, brainstorm recipes, learn about ingredients and generally get looked after-once formed the backbone of the food supply chain, but now they're a dying breed." (Birkett, pg. 14) Getting to know local suppliers not only gives you a good idea of where you food is being sourced, but also are wonderlands of interesting ingredients and flavors, that conjure new ideas.

The last few information pages show that you don't need to necessarily make ends meet to be able to produce good quality food. She also explains how to make that possible, giving some handy shopping tips such as:

- making lists, and shop as you go. Unnecessary spending is often due to overstuffing out fridges with stuff we don't need. 

- when buying meat or poultry, look for information on the way the cut has been reared, when buying fish and seafood, look for fish and seafood that has been caught sustainably.

The last couple pages before the recipes start give a good guide of appliances and equipment that are helpful to have, and basic ingredients that can open the window to a variety of dishes. She also gives insight on what she prefers such as owning a pasta machine, and growing her own herbs.

 

Putting all this information in the book definitely helps the reader find some sort of ground before taking off and starting to cook. What I've learned form this section is why breaking from the comfort-zone of how you usually shop and cook can give you new ideas, even if its not what you're used to. How important knowing where you food is sourced, and how to use ingredients in the most effective way. I look forward to putting her advice into action when I start to make some of these recipes.

Q: Does the food you eat and cook often revolve around your culture? If so, what are some of your favorite family dishes?