Take One!

This morning was a hoot! We were visited at Daisy Mae's Market by the Cooking with Caitlin gals and a Time Warner Cable video crew. They're putting together a series of videos to share Caitlin's cooking tips on Time Warner On Demand. They'll film in various Cincinnati and Dayton locales for the shows that will air beginning in March. Needless to say, we were honored that they chose to do the first episode at Findlay Market. Molly, Kelly, and Caitlin are such a pleasure to work with, and every time I'm with them, they reinforce our belief that food is fun. Check them out on their website and tune in to 55KRC on Sundays at 3:00 for their "What's Hot?" radio show, and I think you'll see what I mean.
Thanks, Cooking with Caitlin and Time Warner Cable, for including us in your production. Can't wait to see the final cut!

Why Cooking is Hot

I'm always impressed by the number of young people who are regular shoppers at Daisy Mae's Market at Findlay Market. Not only do these young people buy bananas, apples, and other easy-to-eat fresh produce, but they also buy jicama, eggplant, fresh basil, and more. They're definitely interested in eating healthy, cooking, and making food fun.
However, the young people aren't alone. I've noticed a renewed interest in cooking across all ages in the last few years---and this includes my own renewed interest. Maybe it's the economy since it's definitely less expensive to eat at home than go to a restaurant. Maybe it's a general trend toward "cocooning" or  increased awareness about relationships between diet and good health.
I know we're influenced at our house by all the inspiring cooking shows on television. Any time we want to watch, we can find Anthony Bourdain traveling all over the world and sharing his culinary experiences or Barefoot Contessa whipping up something that looks delicious. When we want a dose of competition with our cooking, we cheer for Man vs. Food or the Iron Chef. I'm sure all of these non-stop food shows have definitely encouraged more people to get into the kitchen.

For me personally, I credit much of my renewed interest in cooking to Google. Yes, we have plenty of cookbooks, old recipes, and handwritten notes that we often use as our cooking resources. However, I find the easiest and quickest way to come up with a dinner idea is by putting a few words in the Google search window.  For example, I thought today I could stop by Kroeger & Sons and pick up some sausage. I've also had a craving for sweet potatoes. I entered "sausage" and "sweet potatoes" in the Google search window and came up with this: Oven-roasted Sausage and Sweet Potato. Looks easy, includes lots of vegetables, can be prepared ahead of time. Bingo! I'm a cook!
I'm interested in hearing what inspires you to spend more time cooking. Leave a comment and we'll all learn something new.

Free Kiwi Slooper!

Every now and then, you run across something that you just can't wait to share. I recently learned all kinds of great things about kiwis from the California Kiwifruit Commission. I already knew the kiwi was among our most nutritious fruits--more Vitamin C than an orange, as much potassium as a banana, high in fiber, and rich in beta-carotene and flavonoids. I also knew that you should look for a semi-firm kiwi when selecting one to buy and that you should store your kiwis in the refrigerator if you're not planning to eat them right away. But I also learned a bunch of interesting stuff about the history of the kiwi, where and how it grows, and possible uses for the kiwi. Make sure when you visit the site, you watch the 4-minute YouTube video.
But the real reason I couldn't wait to write this post is that if you hurry, you can get a free slooper! You don't really need a slooper for slooping the kiwi, but if it's free, why not order yours today? And while you're waiting for it to arrive, get to Daisy Mae's Market at Findlay Market and stock up on this delicious and nutritious fruit.