Cooking as zen

About ten years ago I went on this big "finding myself" book tour. Basically, I was hunting for some meaning. It was not really a great time in my life in lots of ways. I was broke, my mother had died about a year before and my first marriage was over. I spent a lot of the days back then reading and one of the books that has stuck with me is Sweeping Changes, a book about Zen and housework.

Don't worry...I wasn't converted into thinking that housework is always fun...in fact it didn't even teach me to enjoy it anymore than I had before. I loath dishes to this day.

But what I did learn about myself was that I really enjoy cooking, particularly things that are more often than not store-bought and often complicated.

I am Eden and I am addicted to cooking complicated dishes that use a lot of dishes in the process...

I am addicted to fermenting, make keifer, cheese, kombucha and other buggy filled goodies whenever I can. My husband is convinced that I will someday poison all of us from my counter top fermenting. It's pretty annoying actually..

Anywho, today I made marshmallows and helped Brice made fries (is there anything better to eat than home made fries? I think not!)

I just get so much out of it...it is instant, edible and takes some finesse to do well...and even of it looks yucky it mostly tastes good!









And just in case ur wondering...here is my recipe...modified from Alton Brown

2 packets gelatin
1/2 cup water
1 cup maple syrup, honey or other natural semi-liquid sweetener
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. vanilla extract

Cook the sugar syrup until at 250 degrees. In your stand mixer bowl combine water and gelatin and let stand until syrup done cooking. When syrup done, turn on mixer to low and poor the syrup into the gelatin mixture. When all combined turn mixer (with whisk preferably) on to high, add salt and let spin until light and fluffy. Add vanilla right before you t finish mixing.
Oil and coat with powered sugar a small pan (depends on how thick you want your mallows really). Foam is sticky...I mean STICKY! Oil your spatula or you will not get anywhere with it. Spread into pan and allow to "cure" for at least 4 hours. The sugar the top and cut with a pizza roller, turn out into a powdered sugar filled Tupperware style container, seal and shake. They should be stick free now!

Now...go eat them!