Comfort Food

I have lived the life of a vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian and carnivore.

One of my fondest memories as a child was standing at my grandmother's hip in her kitchen.
While Granddaddy grew all of the the produce, she cooked, canned, preserved, prepared.... all of his labors. She fed me with the magic of her spatula and blade of her knife.

My mom still has the biscuit cutter my grandmother wielded, her wrinkled hands (exactly like mine smooth) placed over mine.

I can still feel the warmth of the light over the stove as she showed me how to slice the peaches and place them 'just so'.  I can taste the sweetness of the bubbly cobbler and it's still sticky on my tongue.

Toasted white bread with butter and bacon.  Leftover turkey turned into the salty, irresistible casserole.
Crispy fried chicken with her canned green beans.
Granddaddy's corn on the cob roasted and dripping with butter.
Her biscuits.  Dear god,.... those fluffy, buttery, flaky bites from heaven.
Cornbread in her cast iron pan.
Strawberries (from the garden) with homemade cream. 
She always had a tin of bacon fat on her stove top.  She seasoned everything with it.  Everything.

One time it snowed and she showed us how to make the snow into a creamy, sweet delight.

All of the fondest moments of my childhood are lit by the light of my Grandmother's stove.

And then we moved away from the closeness of everyday cooking with her.
My mom was no hack mind you.  Her cooking was more elevated, refined.... but still distinctly southern.
My dad, not so much.
Where holidays in Alabama called for glazed ham or roasted turkey, my Dad's family wanted Steak.

My dad taught me how to make London broil and bolognese.  And he loved spices.

It was a nice balance.  An adequate introduction.

By the time I was old enough to live on my own, I had a few (very few) tricks up my sleeve.  I went to my go-tos'.  But when I went home to my mom's I indulged in buttery delights or my dad and I would go out for a steak dinner.

Then I met my husband... a chef.  And he wasn't afraid of the simplicity of beans and rice or the decadence of foie gras.  (Ironically he was a vegetarian when we met... but trained in food he understood the value and beauty of cuisine).

My education continued. 

Now I am the one wielding the knife and creating comfort and sustenance for my family (with the occasional recommendation from Hubs).  But my approach is different.  I am focused on flavors and wellness, experimenting with ingredients none of my mentors have used before.

 I live to eat and love to cook and now I am learning what will create health and comfort for my family.
 Oh, what a journey this is!

Summertime Loving

I have become so settled in this life and it's rhythms, but now it's summertime and everything has changed.
Last year at this time Hubs and I were both working full time and we were unable to get her to and fro, and she wasn't able to participate in all of the really amazing activities that go on here. So, this time around we promised everything.... sailing, SeaCamp, theatre camp, Pigeon Key camp, extra swim practices and family visits.
It's all been a whole lot overwhelming, but she is having an super fun summer.
Mission Accomplished! 
We have also been able to go faster and further in the water thanks to Hub's boat project turned family boat.
Aaannnnd, I went back to school for nutrition.
It had been on my mind for a long time and life allows it now. Between taxiing Coco around, teaching classes 3 days a week, homeschool and picking up a shift at a restaurant~ I am now working may way to becoming a certified health coach.  Yay! Be prepared for a whole lot of health and wellness coming your way. :)

This Summer is (and has been) a whirlwind and I am secretly looking forward to the steadiness of school days starting in the fall.  But for now letting my kiddo stand out front and live the dream while I study between pick-ups and drop-offs is pretty fantastic. 

But now it's Spring

I wrote this post awhile back, but felt ungrateful, so I didn't post it.  But, it's me.  And it's my truth.  I always say that I will never feel guilty because of my happiness, 

I also won't wash over it when I'm not.   

 

When you live in the land of endless summers it's easy to lose the balance of the seasons.  There is no break from the positive and sunshine of the everyday.
While that is a beautiful existence... it is also exhausting.  Habits creep in.  Adventure becomes ordinary.  When everything is the same day after day... when and how do we reflect and reboot? Change allows for gratitude and motivation.  It makes room for more possibility. 


These last few months, I longed for  rainy days and good snuggles on the couch.   I craved guiltless lethargy. 
So, I created my own winter.  Staying in, baking.  Game night with the family.  Life was still busy.  But, I made an effort to slow down for the sake of inspiration. When we are constantly moving towards the next adventure or goal the present moment is lost.

But now it's Spring.  Time to plant new seeds.  Hope new hopes.
Dream bigger dreams and finally shake off the 'winter blues'.

And now.  Tonight.  After a day that has been completely filled, the rain comes.
I am in my kitchen (that Hubs built)  after finishing a family dinner I made from scratch, listening to the music of the rain on the tin roof of our back porch.  Hubs and Coco are in the living room laughing.

It is time to let go of winter.  
My heart is so full and happy.  It all makes sense right now.
We are making plans while living in paradise.
This life is magic when we take the time to let it be.