DAY SEVEN ALKALINE YEAR

COOKING WITHOUT RECIPES

October 3, 2009 Beautiful sunny day, made the more fun by going to our Farmers' Market this morning to buy for 40-50 people who'll be at tomorrow's church breakfast. I purchased a mix of collard and mustard greens, kale, and crookneck squash. Other folks are bringing stradas and I may even break down and make French toast as long as I don't have to eat it. Good way to use up the bread supply and also the syrup that has rested for a while in the refrigerator door. Is it hypocritical to cook differently for others than what you prefer for yourself. Probably. It seems like a minor hypocrisy that I can live with!

Earlier today, I'd sent my list of alkaline foods to a friend, who emailed back: "Now that I have the food list, I'll need to find the book to know how to cook them." My reply was something to the effect that standard cooking methods are fine: some mixture of sauteing (scallions, leeks come to mind), boiling (beets, crookneck squash, zucchini), baking (yams, squash), broiling (sometimes tomatoes, big onions), steaming (kale, other greens). I've discarded recipes as happily as I once discarded girdles, although I still enjoy the photographs, in most cookbooks, not of girdles.

For spices, I adore turmeric on nearly anything, also freshly-grated pepper, sea salt, and sometimes garam masala as well as all the conventional ones. Shelly Young's cookbook introduced me to Spice Hunter products and I've not found one I didn't like. It's like flowers in a garden, which all seem to go together no matter what colors they are.

Took a garlic-walnut bread to the lunch, given by a gracious woman I've always admired, for an old friend who's recovering from a stroke. The house, with high, vaulted ceilings and treasures from its owners' many active professional years and travels, overlooks the seven-mile reach that nearly divides our island.

While our hostess was putting the finishing touches on lunch, I went into her kitchen, both to offer help and also to case the joint and see what I could eat. She'd put iceberg lettuce on plates, which she would then fill with what looked like a delicious tuna-apple salad. As meats & other flesh are off my dance card this year, I explained that I'm eating alkaline and asked if I could fill my plate with additional lettuce. She'd sauteed slivered almonds in butter, which I sprinkled over the lettuce. Not perfect (because of the butter), but who's perfect? She also made a fabulous soup with pureed squash and carrots. I helped to top the other guests' portions with sour cream and chopped herbs, and on mine I put the herbs.

Our hostess was kind enough to say she appreciated it when guests were assertive enough to voice their food preferences. What she disliked, she told me, was when company left lots of food on their plates. I cleaned mine because it was what I wanted. The other guests enjoyed the bread; I didn't need to. Dessert was meringues and molasses cookies, which I blissfully ignored while enjoying and, I hope, contributing to the lively conversations.

Tonight, while Jack is watching football, I'll make the big breakfast for Sunday. This could strain my stated liking to cook without recipes. Will let you know tomorrow.