Eating From the Ground Up

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this and that

Wednesday, September 30, 2015 by alana

IMG_8863
Things are dissolving into wildness these days as I get ready for book events and travel, and it seems all my thoughts are coming in lists. So today, a list!
I’m finding the idea of the kitchen uniform to be very helpful these days. I put on an apron, and then I’m kitchen me. I bought this new one for my Craftsy class last month, and I don’t seem to want to take it off. But when I do, I wear this one.
In two weeks, this! Tickets still available! This is also my only NYC event, so if that’s where you are, I’d love to see you.

Joey wrote a piece about his crazy and brilliant Aunt Esther’s Amazon reviews. I know I’m biased because I’m married to the guy, but really, read it.
My love letter to the town dump is in this month’s issue of Taproot. If you’re a subscriber, it’s there towards the back, with a really gorgeous illustration by Hannah Rosengren.
There’s a piece in the NYT this week about vegan glam, and I think it’s a worthwhile read. Pondering this, especially: “Being a vegan is still a political act in America. But having all these beautiful people rebelling in this way is really compelling.”  Thoughts?
Kizzi won an early copy of The Homemade Kitchen! Thank you to everyone who entered. I loved reading about all the ways you’re doing your best and letting go.
I bought a bar of this soap at the Big E and it’s making me love my kitchen sink more. It’s a good soap moment in my house all around right now, because in the shower I’ve got this amazing one from my newest site sponsor.
I just rediscovered this, which I loved when I was a teenager. Sadie bought some too, and now we both smell like roses.
A few funny things on kids and school lunch this week. Is this really news? 1. On the choices they make, and 2. On the time we give them to make them. Can we give our kids a little more credit here?
I always love the MacArthur Genius announcement because I learn about new people doing wonderful things. I went down a wonderful hole when I went searching for Ellen Bryant Voigt’s poetry, and I’m glad I did. Especially this one.
And now I’m officially a Jessica Biel Fan. Yes to this.
Happy Wednesday, friends. Feel free to add to the list in the comments! What’s happening out there in your little corner of the internet?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Comments

  1. kingshearte says

    Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 12:46 pm

    Reading those articles and the associated comments about school lunchtime these days was just depressing. And absurd. How does anyone who’s ever met children think that keeping them in classrooms all day with no real breaks to speak of is going to improve anything? Heck, adults wouldn’t do well under those conditions, and we generally have longer attention spans than kids. Yikes. I’m beginning to really understand people who choose to homeschool.

    • alanac says

      Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 3:24 pm

      Yup. The system is so broken. There’s got to be a way out though.

  2. Michelle B says

    Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 9:00 pm

    Do also check out the wonderful photographs of LaToya Ruby Frazier, another MacArther recipient. She’s from Pittsburgh, so she was on my radar before this, but her images are still lovely.
    http://www.npr.org/2015/09/29/444222920/with-her-camera-macarthur-genius-tells-an-african-american-rust-belt-story

    • alanac says

      Monday, October 5, 2015 at 9:40 am

      Thank you, Michelle. Really wonderful.

  3. Jennifer says

    Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 11:40 pm

    I’m going to try to make this as coherent as possible and try not to step on any toes…..I think that our food choices are personal and should never be the realm of fad, gossip, or pressure. I also think in this discussion of food that people would do well to remember to take into account the effort it takes to get our food to us. The farther away a food comes, the less sustainable it is and in this day and age I believe that accounts for alot. Where do the beans come from, the nuts, the vegetables, the meat? I also believe that my health issue fix shouldn’t necessarily be yours. We each need to find our own way using respect for our environment and the people who produce our food. I tried to read the whole article about “vegan glam” but I must have missed the line you quoted. I’m not certain what “veganism is still a political statement” means and I have to admit that the second half of that quote gave me the heebie-jeebies. Nothing like using the word beautiful people and compelling to turn me off!

    • alanac says

      Thursday, October 1, 2015 at 9:57 am

      Well said, Jennifer. I think the reason why I latched onto that phrase in particular was that I was especially drawn to the question of how beauty is a tool to recruit others into a diet. In truth, I think we all have unique paths to finding the foods that make us feel good in the world, and as you say- the factors that go into those food choices are really complicated.

  4. Beth says

    Thursday, October 1, 2015 at 8:39 pm

    That article by Joey brightened up what had been a very rough day. I laughed out loud and read it to my husband who also chuckled. That movie review is the best review ever!

    • alanac says

      Monday, October 5, 2015 at 9:40 am

      Oh I’m so glad!

  5. Lisa M says

    Tuesday, November 3, 2015 at 7:30 am

    Do you think they will restock those aprons? All the pretty colors are sold out. Its such a cool looking apron.

    • alanac says

      Thursday, November 5, 2015 at 11:58 am

      You know- she makes them by hand and she’s super nice! I’d send an email and see if she’s got the fabric you want. She’s very easy to talk with.


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I’m Alana, and I write about food, family and the wonderful chaos that ensues when the two combine. If you’re new to the site, here are a few good places to start, or learn more about me on my about page.

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Instagram post 2337331591407595410_13442450 Sending off my taxes today with intention and prayer that they will be used to support programs for the most vulnerable, and that my little contribution will join with others to help move us towards the country I know we can be. #taxmagic ✨
Instagram post 2335726864949371764_13442450 Goodies en route to @north_plain_farm today for pickup! Word about town is that LOTS of moolah was raised for BRIDGE in this little #bakersagainstracism bake sale. Thanks to North Plain Farm and @raisinporpoise for the organizing, to everyone who bought and bid, and most of all to BRIDGE for the essential work they do. (Want to learn more about BRIDGE? Head to the link in my profile.)
Instagram post 2332756427273440195_13442450 So technically you’re not supposed to send food when trying to find an agent, but I did it it. 10 years ago, my granola helped seal that deal, and he insisted I send it to publishers when we were selling The Homemade Pantry (another general publishing no no) That Landed-a woman-with-no-platform-a-book deal Granola is up for grabs in this amazing bake sale, as well as goodies by some of my very favorite bakers (@madeinghent , @raisinporpoise , and @thedooryard to name a few). Oh and maybe my favorite item in there are the magical @susanspungen ginger chocolate cookies I mentioned a few weeks back, made by Sadie herself. All of this is to support the work of @multiculturalbridge , and the order form is up in my bio. Get to it! #bakersagainstracism
Instagram post 2330317921708403058_13442450 My friend @afgoldfarb has been part of a team of people working on this vital project. The link to learn more and help out is in my profile.
Instagram post 2330131706816229761_13442450 I’ll be baking up a storm for this! Local bakers- there’s still room for more! Let @north_plain_farm know that you want IN.
Instagram post 2324845496300301430_13442450 To those who ask here? In Great Barrington? YES. In Great Barrington.
Instagram post 2324091364266290851_13442450 I know there are so many resources out there right now, but I want to share one that’s been really helpful for me in the last several months. There are many seasons of this podcast, but I recommend Season 2 on Whiteness as well is Season 4 on Democracy. #sceneonradio
Instagram post 2322615811734696638_13442450 Black lives matter.
Instagram post 2319329508599466327_13442450 I did not bake these cookies, as I am no longer the cookie baker in this house. But this is the second time that  Sadie has made @susanspungen ‘s Triple-Ginger Chocolate Chunk Cookies (and also the second time I’ve talked about a recipe Sadie has made from the #openkitchencookbook), and I think these might actually be the best cookies I have ever had. I’m often looking for the perfect ginger cookie and this is it, and I’d also choose it over a chocolate chip cookie (or let’s be honest-any other kind of cookie) any day.
Instagram post 2316311882260313364_13442450 No matter how many rulers and pizza cutters and other magical tools I use, it seems that the straight line will always elude me.
Instagram post 2314127252740427104_13442450 Living it up. 💥
Instagram post 2312088043104000827_13442450 Every day my neighbor’s yard gets prettier.
Instagram post 2311325683330503572_13442450 @paulaperlis sent us @susanspungen ‘s new book and of course the first recipe Sadie picked is marked with the *project* heading. She’s been cooking all afternoon and the house smells like ✨✨✨ (With gorgeous images by @gentlandhyers ❤️)
Instagram post 2311141543964321092_13442450 When I took on a day job a few years ago, I found that the first thing to go was all the homemade stuff I’d been making and writing about over the years. I’m still going out to work most days, but I’m finding now with a full and captive house and more downtime in general that those things I love to make are back. For me, it’s granola, yogurt, bread. Hello, old friends!
Instagram post 2308503311808232748_13442450 All the things in the house pasta: roasted cauliflower, a few sad leaves of kale, one jar of fancy tuna saved for a special occasion (how about Wednesday?), Rosemary, homemade breadcrumbs from the freezer fried in butter, crispy sage leaves, pasta water, salt, so much pepper. Success!
Instagram post 2307412630968777107_13442450 @artbywoodgy made this beautiful thing for me for Mother’s Day. All the veggies are on Velcro so I can plan to my hearts delight.
Instagram post 2306345003953662730_13442450 Happy Mother’s Day to my brave and beautiful mom, who birthed two different humans in such different times in her life. With me she was so young, and she figured it all out just as she was learning how to be an adult. This picture was taken nineteen years later, when she was pregnant again and I was almost an adult myself. Thanks for keeping at it, Mom, and for always showing up with love. ❤️
Instagram post 2304888771283579843_13442450 What we do for cake.
Instagram post 2302665269449083186_13442450 It’s a magnolia year for sure.
Instagram post 2295808104927071821_13442450 A long time ago, Joey talked about his crush on this particular alien-like flower with a good friend of ours. Months later, little bulbs arrived in the mail. We put them in the ground last fall, and now they are everywhere. If that isn’t some kind of magic, I don’t know what is. ✨ (🙏🏻 to @wildflowers1 for the cool vase, too.)
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