A taste of the good life

Once upon a time, food preparation was a decision based on convenience, not taste, when I began to cook and fend for myself in the kitchen. Some decades later, cooking has become a rich palette of flavours, spices, colors, textures, and wonderful aromas. With attention to taste and nutrition, the pleasures of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter have become deciding factors in cooking something nutritious and delightful.

Much of what we see advertised caters to convenience and speed; nutrient poor minute rice, fat filled fast food, and sugar coated imitations. Our poor bodies! We are somehow convinced these easy eats are tastier and less expensive than preparing fresh food, when the opposite is true. Not only does so-called convenience food cost in poor health down the road, it also proves quite expensive in packaging and cost due to their lack of natural nutritional value. It's not so great for the environment either.

I grew up in a region with a short growing season, so fresh produce was hard to come by. Mostly trucked in, most of the nutritional value was lost, not to mention the lack of taste. Winter compared to summer tomatoes are like apples compared to oranges – I just don’t bother to eat tomatoes out of season anymore since the flavour is so disappointing. Best to turn those tomatoes into sauce! Luckily, I had parents who gardened and we were blessed to enjoy the amazing sweetness of baby carrots plucked fresh out of the garden, and the deliciousness of fresh salad greens. So far, I have never tasted a better broccoli than what my parents grew. Eating these vegetables was an experience of pure joy and satisfaction, leaving my body full and satisfied from the fiber, vitamins and other nutrients they provided. Ever notice how you’re still hungry soon after gorging on fast food and soda? Possibly because your body is still starving for the nutrients it requires to function at its optimal level. It is not so convenient after all.

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Living in the Okanagan for over a decade, not a season goes by I don’t have a heart full of gratitude for the explosion of tastes, colours, and variety available for consumption at the farmers' markets and fruit stands. In spite of the crowds, I am an avid fan, and I’m obviously not alone. From eggplant purple heirloom tomatoes that taste other-worldly to the locally made goat cheese, there is no end to the culinary delights.

Not feeling inspired? Overwhelmed where to start a meal plan? Recipes and suggestions on food preparation are a click away. Some great sites to explore are www.epicurious.com and www.foodnetwork.ca for scrumptious inspirations.

Food preparation can also be relaxing and meditative! Turn on your favourite music (I like classical and the blues to cook with), light candles and pour a generous glass of local wine or micro-beer. Set a beautiful table, maybe with wild flowers in your favourite colours. Focus on every bite and sip of your meal – chewing food slowly and well is an important first step in healthy digestion (no hoovering)! Try to pick out all the nuances of your meal – spices, herbs, etc.

Eating can be a necessary pleasure, not another chore to fit in to a crazy schedule; certainly better than gulping down a tasteless cardboard imitation, followed by chalky antacids. As Julia Child used to enthuse, ‘Bon Appétit’!

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.