Ingredient House

I had the good fortune to re-connect with a long-time friend this past week.  He is someone for whom I have a ton of respect and affection.  Circumstances are such that we don’t organically cross paths as much as we used to, so it’s extra refreshing when we talk.

Since it had been a while, he asked me how the meal kit business was doing.  I told him that we shut it down, for lack of product/market fit - both with grocers and consumers.  I said that I believed too few people actually want to cook - even if the ingredients are prepped and assembled in convenient kit form.  

He remarked that his kids once told him that when they went off to college, they learned that they grew up in an “ingredient house,” meaning a house that actually stocked basic ingredients for cooking - spices, grains, flour, etc.  “Ingredient House.”  Such a term would never occur to me, though I definitely grew up in one (we just called it a “house”). Clearly Lori and I raised our children in an Ingredient House.  What a kick it is to receive a photo of something one of the lads has cooked (this happens regularly)!

The existence of Ingredient Houses implies the parallel existence of…what?  “Food Houses?” “Prepared Food Houses?”  “Restaurant Houses?”  Maybe…I remember our next door neighbors going out to eat a lot more than we did when I was growing up.

You’ve heard me evangelize home cooking enough, so there’s no need to get back on that particular soap box.  I’m glad to have a new term in my quiver, though.

Every home contains ingredients - maybe not nutritional components, but perhaps the building blocks for intellectual, creative or spiritual development.  It’s a good practice to ask “What are the ingredients in this house?  What are we developing here?”  Whether by design or by default, we are always building something.

Sunday Supper
FYI - I cooked the Korean Fried Chicken in last week’s Sunday Supper recommendations, and it was fantastic!  This week I offer the following ideas for dinner tonight, or to prep for the week ahead:  This Roasted Eggplant w/ Tahini, Pine Nuts and Lentils looks wonderful.  Tri-Tip Beef Roast w/ Shallot Jus would be great (I love the taste and texture of the tri-tip).  Slicing some beef and topping this Brussels Sprouts w/ Lemon Vinaigrette with it would make for a great entree salad.

Sunday Music
I am pleased to share the 2024 NPR Tiny Desk Contest Winner:  The Philharmonik.  Enjoy!

If you know anyone who might like this essay, please send it to them. 

Have a great week ahead!  Offer support to others.  Make good use of this day.  And let me know how I can help.

Peace & Love,