Food

I read a lot of blogs and recently have started receiving the Food Network on television again. Here is what I have learned. Local, homegrown and organic foods are cool. Like really really cool. People can't stop talking about them. I can understand the fad, I love a good homegrown tomato and I have fond memories of picking strawberries in my mom's garden growing up. Also, I don't want to eat pesticides and I like fresh food. I get it.

Here is the issue: I live in Cayman. In Cayman, I'm lucky to find produce that will last more than 2 days, regardless of the status. I frequently get home from the store only to realize that some of the food I bought has expired. In Cayman, when food is "on special" that means it is already a day off. Our local section? It has no regulation and is usually filled with odd species of coconut, banana and avocado that don't taste right and were picked from random peoples yards by the landscaping companies. The local goat? Don't get me started.

So I have accepted this is a trend I must watch from afar. I will drool over your photos of produce and hear about the wonders of downtown farmers markets and pumpkin patches.

I feel I should contribute to the foodie community and offer my suggestion of this cookbook:

Jamie Oliver's "The Ministry of Food". At first I was a little put off by the title. "Anyone Can Learn to Cook in 24 Hours"? I already consider myself a cook. I enjoy cooking and I understand most cooking instructions. Add in my background in lab sciences and forget about it! Anyway, my good friend Monica gave me this book and after a few recipes I was hooked. It is the best cookbook ever. Everything turns out amazing. The instructions are easy to understand and ingredients don't have to be precise. Jamie encourages you to make additions and substitutions, many times taking one basic recipe and showing you how to make it four different ways. The recipes are all foods I would like to eat. Many I already had recipes for but I have found his way to be either easier or tastier. I think I have completed 1/4 of the "basic recipes" in the cookbook and have loved every minute. The great thing is that with all of the extra versions he gives, the possibilities are endless!

I also enjoy having a British cookbook and being able to find the British ingredients in my store. That is the one good thing about our grocery stores, we have lots of imported foods. Recently, Jamie came out with the American version of this book "Jamie's Food Revolution", you know, like the tv show that won an Emmy. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys good food. I know my friend Annie has purchased the book and uses it every week. Seriously people, I have never used a cookbook this much. Rachael Ray and her 30 min meals are SO 2002.

Now for the glamour shots. I made the Vanilla Cheesecake with Raspberry topping. It was SO pretty and like the photo that I had to take a picture.

And yes, it was as delicious as it looks. I have never made a cheesecake before and it turned out perfect. Actually, all of the foods I have made from the cookbook look like the photos. It is nice to know they are true to life.

If only I had my pretty Pottery Barn cake plate.