mizchef

Archive for April, 2010

Hi, all. I hope everyone is enjoying good weather like we are here in New York. It’s been sunny and beautiful, with the occasional rainfall. But, hey, it is April and we do want those May flowers. (Although, I hear tornadoes are touching down in the South and Texas. Scary.)

I recently started a full-time job, which means that I’ve had to start packing my breakfast and lunch again. I haven’t had to do that in a long time and it’s taking me a while to get back into the rhythm of doing that. I need to get back into that “think ahead for the week” mode.

This week, in particular, was a stupid food week for me. Tuesday was Administrative Assistant/Secretary/Support Staff Day (whatever you want to call it) and the managers in my department said that they were going to do a breakfast party. So I didn’t bring breakfast. Fine. I then found out that they were ordering lunch, too. So I put my lunch in the fridge and partook of the lunch, which they ordered from a local Spanish restaurant—BBQ chicken, yellow rice, beans, and fried bananas. It was really good. There was also orange juice, which one manager said to please drink because she’d forgotten to take it out at breakfast. I need juice to take my 223 vitamins and herbs. So I put my own juice in the fridge and drank the o.j. There was plenty the rest of the week, so my juice just sat there. Then, today the fridge had to get emptied for cleaning and I thought I was going to have to schlep my juice all the way home and all the way back again, but, fortunately, I remembered that my friend has her own little fridge in her office, so I stashed it in there. Never ate the fruit I brought because there was also fruit left over from breakfast. Today I bought lunch because I had to eat my cheese sandwich for breakfast because I had nothing to bring for breakfast and I was starving. Right after lunch, I remembered that I had taken out a batch of vegetarian chili from the freezer and I could’ve taken that. See what I mean? A stupid food week.

Some of you might find it strange that I would bring breakfast to work, but when you’re constantly trying to lose weight, this is an important strategy because when it’s morning and you’re hungry and looking around in Au Bon Pain at all those luscious muffins, crullers, and scones, they become just too tempting. A bagel is better, but there are so many carbs in a bagel, not to mention calories in the butter or cream cheese that you put on it. Toast is not enough—I’ll be ready to eat my arm off in an hour. Oatmeal and grits are good, but paying $3 for a bowl of it just doesn’t tickle me. Which brings me to the other reason I bring breakfast. If you spend $4 for breakfast every morning (including coffee), that’s $20 a week just for breakfast. For $20, I can buy a month’s worth of breakfast items.

Did I mention that there was cake at the Administrative Assistant/Secretary/Support Staff Day “breakfast?” Yeah, it was a Napoleon cake from a local Italian bakery. Also known in French as mille-feuille, a Napoleon cake is made of layers of flaky puff pastry and pastry cream. On top is a layer of icing, usually swirled with chocolate. If it’s done right, it is damn good. This cake was good. Damn good. So much for my diet. (Why, yes, there was someone there holding a gun to my head, forcing me to eat it. Thanks for asking.)

But my point was leftovers. Some people hate them. I love them. For the people who turn their noses up at them, I say as long as there are leftovers in the fridge, you’re guaranteed a good lunch and/or a quick, easy dinner. Some people are not fortunate enough to have “extra” food in the refrigerator. I appreciate a fresh meal, but I also am grateful to have more food than I can eat in one sitting.

Okay, that’s it for me this week. I wish good spring weather for everyone and a happy, safe weekend and week coming up. And may you always have plenty of leftovers. Peace.

Hi, everyone. Happy Friday.

I’m happy not only because it’s Friday, but also because my books arrived at my doorstep today. I came home and found the box waiting for me.

The book is a smaller trim size from the original. My self-published version was 9 1/2 x 7 1/2. The newly published one is 8 x 10. It’s kind of weird because I’ve spent the last couple of years looking at a larger book, and now I’m looking at the same exact book, with the same exact cover (with a few minor tweaks), only it’s smaller. It’s like it shrunk in the wash or something.

But they are shiny and pretty and brand-spanking new. That’s the best feeling, and it’s one of the pleasures of being an author. Just that simple moment when you slice that tape, pull open the box, and pull out your hot-off-the-presses books. For me, that beats almost any other aspect of being published.

Anyway, if you’re interested in a copy, it’s available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Remember, if you buy directly from Bedazzled Ink, you get 5% off the order. Just put the code NOMEAT in the Redemption Code box at checkout. E-books are 10% off.

So, enjoy the weekend and the coming week. And make lots of vegetarian Italian food! Woohoo!

Hi, folks. At long last, my cookbook, What, No Meat? Traditional Italian Cooking the Vegetarian Way, has been published!!  Well, technically, it was already published, but the new edition by Bedazzled Ink is out.

It was a lot of work but it’s finally done. Now comes the task of marketing. It’s not a task I’m fond of, but it’s a necessary evil.

Anyway, if you’re interested in a copy, it’s available from the publisher HERE or at any online (and possibly a few brick-and-mortar) booksellers. Of those, I personally recommend Barnes & Noble, not Amazon (they’re the evil empire).  BUT, if you order from Bedazzled’s bookstore, Book Peddler, you can get 5% off the order. Just put the code NOMEAT in the Redemption Code box at checkout. E-books are 10% off.

Okay, off to celebrate. Have a wonderful week!

Hi, all. Well, this is a holy week for a lot of people, so I’d like to wish those of you who celebrate, a Happy Easter and (a belated) Happy Passover. Both of these holidays are based on religious beliefs, but they are celebrated in grand culinary style.

My family celebrates Easter and I always remember that day as being filled with the sights and smells of incredible food. Two of the traditional Easter main dishes for Italian families are lamb and goat. (I could never bring myself to eat either, but I’ve been told that goat has a milder flavor and aroma than lamb.) Along with that, we would have an array of antipasti (appetizers), pasta (of course), and side dishes.

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