Thoughts About the Kitchen

This cork board has rotated from room to room and finally landed here in the kitchen, where I try to keep us motivated and updated with foods and recipes:

• Top left corner page is from Edible Portland, listing 43 foods and 6 herbs currently in season and available locally. I wish we were better about exploring this list, but we tend to stick with what we know. Items for this season that I've never tried? Chervil, fenugreek, borage, chicories, rape, salsify, burdock, celeriac, and rutabagas. BTW, did you know that there are 13 different kinds of greens we could enjoy this season? The only green I usually have is spinach. And it's NOT in season!
• The EAT page is from a notepad we use to write down our 7 meals for the week. We shop for those meals on Sundays (together, when we can) and have them to pick from every night when we stare at each other and ask, "What do you want for dinner?" For example, meals for this week: Hummus and vegetable platter; thai style noodles with vegetables and tofu in peanut sauce; good old fashioned spaghetti; Italian grain meat sausages (made with eggplant, fennel, garlic, and red pepper) and potatoes au gratin; Israeli couscous with pine nuts, parsley, and assorted goodies; chile relleno casserole (featured in our last post).
• Our latest borrowed recipe - Vegetable Stroganoff from Jess, copied from Heaven's Banquet (both her's and our favorite new cookbook).
• The photo of the cow is from a magazine, and the text reads, "The average American meal travels about 1,500 miles to get from farm to plate." - The Center for Urban Education About Sustainable Agriculture.
• A list of vegetarian sources of protein. As you can see, the list is very long, with many options. Our most common daily sources of protein are whole grains, soy milk, beans, peanut butter, seeds, nuts, mushrooms, lentils, and tofu. 6.) A small index card that lists different types and information for whole grains...because I have no idea! (I have yet to try millet, amaranth, and spelt).

I have always had a hard time working with the bright blue color of our walls, but recently I have settled into using neutrals like ivory, grey, white, and brown (as opposed to lots of bright, primary colors like I had done before) and a splash of complimentary orange/coral/maroon. I like to think that I make it all work for such a tiny space, but I'm usually frustrated and uncertain when it comes to kitchen decor.

Because I am not the real cook of the kitchen, I focus my energy on decorating it. I simultaneously try to appease my inner-snob with well-designed if not designer pieces, and my inner-concsience by using found or used objects, natural woods and ceramics, or non-toxic cleaners. *God, if I could only rid the habit of using 1,000 paper towels every day.

And that's IT. That is our kitchen. There is another cabinet for food/spices, and a refridgerator. It is VERY SMALL. Also, the bright blue paint is off and on the bain of my existence, but I have to admit it photographs well.