Why 'Green Kitchen'

     Really, why green? Because I'm not happy to see the direction we are going. I'm not happy to see kids struggling with diabetes or cancer. I don't want to bury more friends before their time. 
     
     The way world eat has changed a lot within the last 50 years. The change started with the fast food  culture; the idea is inexpensive food which tasted good, doesn't matter how unhealthy it is, what matter is serving the same taste in every branch of a chain. To get the consistency of the taste, mass productions has started. The demand got higher and to be able to meet the demand and keep the costs low the industry starting finding solutions. To be able to get more produce we now have all kind of nasty pesticides, herbicides, fungisites, larvasites, etc. I'm not going into GMO this time, it is a deep well. The result is we have all kind of deficient and toxic food which brings all kinds of diseases. Just start the habit of reading labels, know what you are eating, be aware of the amount of the chemicals you are letting into your body, it will lead you to a change.
     
     What can we do to promote environmentally friendly and healthy eating habits;

• Plant a garden, even a small one, living in an apartment, get a little pot, it just needs a window sill having some sunlight, and of course some water. Start with herbs, you'll be surprised how easy it is to grow. You'll enjoy adding some fresh basil in your pasta or mint in your salad. It makes a lot of difference.

• Choose food keeps us and the planet healthy, you can change the world by changing your eating habits.

• Choose food in season. The food you eat which is not in season is coming from somewhere far far away, where they have the right season. It means that fruit or vegetable has been traveling for a while, so not so fresh and lost most of the nutritional values. If it looks nice and fresh, most probably it was pick before it's time and ripened on it's way with the help of some nasty chemicals.

• Try to eat organic which helps decrease the amount of pesticides used in agriculture and toxidation in your body.

• Cook a meal with your family or friends and eat together, you'll love it and make it your routine.

• Make sustainable food decisions: Purchase local, seasonal produce which require less transportation energy.
  
  
• Find farmers market around you, believe me, you'll enjoy buying and eating fresh stuff. Fresh pick has always have better flavor and better nutritional value than a 5 day old vegetable or processed stuff.

• Respect to the farmer and the product; purchase humanly raised and fair trade products.

Everyone has a right to eat healthy and tasty food. If you are willing to change your eating habits and will be happy to eat healthy and tasty food, follow my blog, we will be eating well together. Remember; you are what you eat!

 

My epic culinary journey en-route to "Our Little Green Kitchen"

     Here I am in beautiful Italy, on the Ionian Coast in province of Catanzaro in the Calabria Region of Southern Italy attending a three months program, 'Master of Italian Cuisine; Italian Haute Cuisine & Wine Master's Program' in Italian Culinary Institute as a student. It is an intense program including wine, curing meat and seafood, cheese making, artisan baking, preserving,  gelato, Italian desserts additional to evolution of Italian Cuisine and advanced cooking techniques. We also did some menu development and mixology. I have been enjoying so far, actually loving it. 

    Kitchen has always been my happy place. Thanks to mom, I am an art&crafts person,  just give me a piece of material and watch me make it something useful, a part of daily life; could be a little pebble on the beach, a little branch from a plant or something edible from the nature growing wild. I think there is art in bringing the raw ingredients together and ending up with a tasty food. The best part is being able to share the product, if it is a good one you will be sharing the pleasure as well as your food. I find food is the best thing to share; feeds your body and your soul, it has reality in it as well as art, of course if you present it the right way. I had been into the feeding the body part, right food which is good for your body as well as the planet. This program gave me a new point of view; feeding your soul at the same time. Now I have a better understanding about science of food and the chemistry behind and how to get better knowing the right techniques and presenting it in a right way; elegant and beautiful.

      I have been taking lots of notes as well as pictures but I have been slow about posting, I want to make sure I have enough experience before I start sharing things. We are having great training here, we have a great master who is very patient with us and very generous about sharing information. I want to thank him here; thank you very much Chef John Nocita for excepting me to your program, thank you very much for your efforts and patience. I will do my best to be worthy of your efforts on us and represent your institution. For more information about Italian Culinary Institute and programs visit http://www.italianculinary.it, you'll find the details about short term and long term courses.

      Please follow me, I will make sure we are all well fed; physically and mentally. With good food we will be healthy and happy individuals. Remember; you are what you eat, food does really matter.