Cooking Counts

In my years as a staffer in the food section of the Philadelphia Inquirer I learned one overwhelming, undeniable truth: cooking matters.

Growing food in a sustainable manner counts, buying locally counts, supporting farmers counts, as do eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly. But in terms of improving the earth and the individual, nothing matters more than cooking at home.

Cooking is at the core of our relationship with the natural world and as such, it defines our own nature. Cooking reflects our culture and informs our values.  Cooking at home costs far less than eating out or using take out and it makes us aware of every ingredient in each dish. And cooking at home nourishes us body and soul in ways fast-food cannot come close to copying.

I know CreekSide's Andy Schloss believes that. As a board member and acting general manager, Andy has contributed greatly to the Coop's success. But perhaps it is as a culinary professional and an advocate for home cooking that Andy serves us best. In his on-going, free cooking classes at the Coop, Andy draws on his decades of experience, writing award-winning cookbooks and as a past President of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

At his recent class on Ten Ways to Cook Chicken Breast in (about) Ten Minutes, I watched as he split, seasoned and sautéed the versatile white meat, explaining all along the science behind each step. He made Chicken Breast with Vermouth and Tarragon, and Chicken Breast with Capers and Brown Butter. He baked, grilled, shredded and simmered chicken. We ate until our bellies were full and left clutching copies of his recipes.

Among the classes you might have missed in just one month were: Beautiful Vegetarian Soups, Passover Baking, and All Natural Easter Egg Dying. Andy promises to repeat his class on Cooking With and On Salt (as in, using salt blocks) and you don't want to miss that.

If you too believe that cooking connects us, let Andy Schloss show you how. Dates and times of upcoming classes are in the weekly newsletter and on the blackboard inside the Coop. And did I mention they are free?

- by dianna marder, member #70.