Preferred Reading

Since graduating college, which meant the end of required reading, I'm embarrassed to say that Brian and I don't devour books like we used to. Lately it's just board books and cookbooks. Brian's welcome home present was a new Korean cookbook. The night he got home he ignored me for a good half an hour, a zombie to the cookbook as if it were sports on TV and he were the sports-watching type. No hurt feelings here,I was just proud of my purchase.
I am quite thrilled about a couple of new cookbooks, A Baker's Tour and All About Vegetarian Cooking. I'm a little self-conscious whenever I attempt bread because it always turns out more crumby than spongy, never like the fancy artisan bread we like to buy. I've been eying the baking book for a while and I'm glad I finally gave in to temptation and bought it. The author includes all kinds of baked goods (bread, cookies, cakes, pies, and even savory pastries) from all over the world, concentrating in Europe. Surprisingly, Switzerland is second only to Italy for the number of recipes in this book and he even includes a recipe special to St. Gallen- Klostertorte. I can't wait to get started and there will definitely be baking updates as soon as I begin to master bread.
I've been thinking about vegetarian food lately since most of us eat more than enough meat and not enough vegetables. Brian wasn't too distressed at my interest, having just come from training with Master Jang (from Santa Barbara who gave us the calligraphy) who talked about being balanced in all aspects of your life and eating an equal amount of each color in meals. I'll admit I feel a tinge of guilt every day when I get out meat to prepare dinner. I don't know where it comes from (okay, I do, the same conscience that makes sure I do my visiting teaching every month and keeps me from throwing away recyclables). I do know that there are other ways of attaining protein, vegetables carry more crucial vitamins and fiber, they're much cheaper, and I hear they take less than 10% of the water that red meat requires to produce. We're not going extreme, just looking to go meatless for a couple of dinners a week. It will definitely take more planning ahead, but I obviously don't mind cooking-related homework.