The Philosophy of Phood

I would like to get you thinking about food as a philosophy. Not in the “to be or not to be” sense. More along the lines of: how do foods interact with each other to elicit a taste and emotional sensation? Here we will discuss the composition of all we consume and how to plan meals based on truths we can all accept; such as, savory and sweet balance each other. The hope is that you will be able to look at a group of ingredients and know how they work together instead of getting a recipe and then filling in the blanks. We are talking about living the creative process itself in the everyday mundane routine of putting food on the table. That all stems from a philosophy of Phood.

Perhaps I am not Aristotle. That’s all Greek to me. The existential link between People and food is a philosophy that has always intrigued me, though. It is the basic primal need of all living things. Just like the fire we cook with, we need two basic elements: air and fuel. Food is our fuel. It’s aroma is the air we breathe. That is why we constantly strive to improve upon and/or vary our culinary exploration. Whether you are a fan of mac and cheese or foie gras there is an artistry to dining that draws us to a simple or lavish table.

Over the years, I have watched trend after trend come and go. Whether it is fondue, fondant, or fruit loops, the shelf life of a fad is limited. That is not to say that there is anything intrinsically wrong with trying new things, putting a spin on old things, or experimenting with new techniques. The reason things become fads or trends is because we, as a species, become bored with the same old same old, and, too much of a good thing is not a good thing. Thus, it is part and parcel of the human condition to constantly change, not necessarily evolve, but vary our intake.

As we age, our tastes change in multiple ways. This is part psychological and part physical. When you were a kid you probably loved Twinkies. If you eat one as an adult, you may end up in intensive care (probably because it is still the same one from 1970). Our bodies change over time. Metabolism slows, the body utilizes nutrients in different ways, and our taste buds become enticed by different sensations. Eating a pound of sugar no longer has the same appeal. The same goes for food trends. As a society, we change. Food itself is part of pop culture. The fondue pots of the 70’s went with the Carpenter’s soundtrack. Just like cupcake wedding cakes go with Taylor Swift. This too shall pass.

What is consistent is; certain things go together no matter what. Onion and garlic will always be inextricably linked. The same goes for peanut butter and jelly, tomato and avocado, Hot fudge and Ice Cream, chocolate and peanut butter, vinegar and oil, Shields and Yarnell…

What’s in your fridge?

If you think, “there’s nothing to eat,” you just need to re-imagine what is in your fridge. You see onion, garlic, tomato, a bottle of wine, and a jar of capers. Guess what, you are making an impromptu pasta dinner. You have spices and dry pasta in your pantry. A quick dice of the vegetables, Heat olive oil in a saute pan, saute the onions and garlic, add wine, and simmer. Add in some basil, the tomatoes, and capers, season, and you are ready to add The pasta you boiled in salted water while you were making the sauce. In less time than it would have taken you to order food and have it delivered you have created a lovely meal made of fresh ingredients. And, you hardly broke a sweat. You can add in a protein and/or other vegetables as well. Just picture how the ingredients will go together.

Even if you are a person who says, “I don’t have that kind of imagination” you can still come up with quick meals without relying on recipes and extended shopping. When you read a menu, you see a description of a dish and say, “that sounds so good.” It’s the same thing when you go to your fridge, except instead of words, it’s visual. Onion, garlic, tomato, avocado, a lime, and cilantro. Guess what: you’re making salsa. You didn’t need a recipe for that. It’s just a matter of watching the amount of each ingredient. This is where philosophy comes into play.

To me, philosophy is an act of determining meaning. If I mean to be a chef I will think and act like a chef. If you are creating a dish you need to think and act like the ingredients. With your guacamole the main ingredient is avocado, so that is what you will use the most of. Onion and garlic can be overpowering, so those will provide the smallest proportion. The tomato bridges the rest, so it will take a medium position, and the lime and cilantro are accents, so they will be a spritz. It is a simple act of deconstructing a dish. If you take this approach to whatever you make, it will come easily. The only rule is less is more. You can always add more, but once ingredients are together it’s hard to take things out.

This approach holds true to pretty much anything you want to make. You don’t need to know every conceivable combination of foods, you just need to picture what the combination will taste like (just like when you read a menu). If you read crisp breaded and fried eggplant with marinara and provolone cheese you know you are eating eggplant parm. If you look in your refrigerator and pantry and see those same ingredients you should be able to say: Eggplant parm. Obviously, there are a few techniques you will need to learn, but nothing earth shattering. For instance, the breading process. It is a simple 3 step procedure: flour, eggs, breadcrumbs. There will be some clean up and you will need space. But, you can be proud that you made it yourself.

The Meaning of life

The best starting point for having a cooking philosophy is the beginning. What is the purpose of cooking?

1) providing sustenance

2)providing entertainment

3) providing an emotional experience.

If you keep these 3 simple concepts in the back of your mind every time you enter a kitchen you are well on your way to success.

The primary driver is sustenance. If you have ever seen a food pyramid or other dietary recommendation charts, you have a good idea what to do. A good rule of thumb is to have multiple colors on your plate. You need a combination of protein, fat, carbohydrates, and nutrients (vitamins and minerals). There is your general concept: Protein, starch, vegetables, oil. It is not that hard to create a nutritionally balanced meal. Think: eat the rainbow. Greens, reds, yellow, whites, browns, orange, and some blueberries to round it out. Think of these things when you are shopping and when you prepare your food. It’s easy to just heat some pasta and sauce and call that dinner. Do yourself a favor. Toss together a salad to go with the pasta. Your body will thank you.

The second reason we cook and eat is for emotional reasons. Whether you are downing a quart of haagen daaz in the dark because you just had a horrible break up or you are celebrating a new job, partner, or even a new Iphone, you are eating to boost that emotion. Food amplifies feelings. Just keep that in mind before you grab that can of cheez whiz and spray it straight into your mouth. If, on the other hand, it is a happy occasion or you want to make it a happy occasion, plan your meals accordingly. Harking back to eat the rainbow, a colorful meal will always add a spark of joy to your day, even if it is just a meal in front of the TV.

The other reason we cook and eat is for entertainment: a date, a celebration, an important visitor, a gala event. This is where we can really play a bit, get creative, and worry about the bells and whistles. That doesn’t mean you can’t experiment in your daily cooking. By “kicking it up a notch” in your routine cooking, you will be able to impress guests for the bigger occasions. Wouldn’t it be nice to have people gush over a spread you put out and your truthful answer is , “T’weren’t nothin'” ? You can do this. Just remember the rainbow theory. It can be as simple as color coordinating the food on a platter. It’s all just mind over matter. Once you get used to the motions you can switch out ingredients in a snap. Recipes will become a guide, not gospel.

As with all things in life a little planning, and one step at a time is the way to go. If you make large batches of stocks, sauces, and base ingredients you are prepared for any dish. Pre-cut vegetables twice a week and hold them in zip lock bags or Tupperware. If held properly, they will last days. So, when you come home from work, it’s just a matter of adding ingredients into a pan or tossing together a salad. “Be prepared” is more than a 70’s advertising slogan. It is a state of mind. I was never a boyscout, but I know the importance of a state of readiness. Most people wait until an emergency like a hurricane coming to get supplies. Our philosophy here is don’t wait. By having base ingredients you can save yourself time and money. You can whip up nutritious, delicious meals in 1/2 hour.

With just a minor shift in perspective you won’t ever have to look in the fridge and say, “There’s nothing to eat” again. You will see ingredients and know chicken, mushrooms,wine, and broth make an entree; potatoes and onions make a starch, and green beans roasted in olive oil with sea salt and ground pepper make a side dish. You forgot to buy bread? Oh, look. You happen to have pizza dough in the freezer: defrost in the micro, heat your oven, sprinkle cornmeal on the pizza stone, put the dough in the oven drizzle with oil, salt and pepper. You will have a fresh homemade meal and your kitchen will smell wonderful. Right there, the aroma of fresh baked bread just saved you money on scented candles and potpourri.

We aren’t trying to solve big questions: the meaning of life, nature vs nurture, our place in the universe, or Who put the bomp in the bomp bah bomp bah bomp. We just need to incorporate a philosophy into the daily routine. Three simple things to remember:

1. a little pre-planning goes a long way
2. If it sounds like it will work together, it probably will
3. It’s not as hard as it looks. You’ve got this. 3a. If it doesn’t work there’s always a plan b.

Plan B can be as simple as changing the name of what you cooked. If you forgot to add baking soda to pancake batter, you are making crepes. You are making a sauce and you accidentally added sugar instead of salt, try adding a vinegar to balance the sweetness. If you are making a cream sauce and it breaks, try adding some dijon mustard to re-bind the ingredients. The only time you are really sunk is if you totally burn something. In that case, either scrape off the burnt part if possible or start over. And, there’s always take away (as our friends in Britain say).