Welcome to J's Gastronomy

Welcome!

The contents within are loosely guided by the idea that life is complicated, your food shouldn't be.  I must confess, I don't know enough about cooking to justify writing yet ANOTHER cooking blog to share my recipes with the world.  Instead, I want to provide a resource for people who are short on time, money, and know-how, but want to create delicious, simple, and nutritious foods for themselves and their loved ones.

There are a few things you should know about me.  First and foremost, I am a medical student with a ridiculous amount of knowledge about health and wellness, whose responsibility it is to teach patients how to be healthier, but doesn't often follow her own good advice.  Part of this is because I am short on time, but it's mostly because I've grown complacent and fail to make my own health a priority.  I hope this little journey is an opportunity to get myself back on track by sharing some of my knowledge and forcing myself to be more mindful with my own health for the benefit of my readers.  And kudos to you if you noticed my little tribute to the classic medical text Gray's Anatomy in naming my blog.

Going back to school has also forced me to rethink the way I cook.  In other words, what can I make that's fast, inexpensive, nutritious, makes leftovers, reheats well, and I will look forward to eating again?  I have no patience for complicated, over-hyped, prissy food.  The real downside of being a full time student again is it has dramatically interfered with my restaurant budget, so I've taken it upon myself to try and recreate my favorite restaurant meals in the comfort of my own home.

My Dad was my first culinary teacher, and he always used to say "never trust a skinny cook."  I used to agree with his logic, but as much I love a recipe that calls for 1/2 lb. of butter, there needs to be a balance.  I'm doing my best to clean up my favorite recipes so they are a little healthier, but  I am not willing to suffer crappy food for the sake of my waistline.  Where's the fun in that?!  So you'll find a mix of really healthy recipes and outrageously sinful ones.  Just know: everything in moderation.

Two years ago my husband and I decided to take a pledge to become  vegetarian.  Sort of.  Our version of vegetarian didn't originate from a distaste for meat, or from ethical dilemmas associated with killing animals, or even from the numerous health benefits of a vegetarian diet.  It came from an objection to corporate farming practices, and the impact it was making on the quality of the food supply, on the environment, on the economy, and most importantly their inhumane practices.  I grew up on a small family farm, and I appreciate the hard work those farmers do and quality of the products they produce.  It was frustrating to purchase a package of chicken from  my local supermarket to find it barely passed for tasting like chicken.  So considering all factors, my decision became quite simple.  I consider myself a vegetarian in that 99% of the time I don't eat meat.  But occasionally I will allow myself meat as a treat, and only if I can, in good conscience, vouch for the source of that meat including the farmer who produced it, the butcher who processed it, and the cook who prepared it.  It all comes down to this: I need to be able to sleep at night.  If I get a guilty feeling in the pit of my stomach over the source of piece of meat, I don't eat it. It is your responsibility to know where your food comes from.  Just saying.

So thanks for joining me on this little adventure.  I hope you learn something new, try a recipe you never thought you'd make, and share your thoughts and reactions with me.  We all lead complicated, busy, stressful lives. It's time to simplify with some real homemade food.

Aprons on!

-J