Catfish Out of Water

I am a firm believer that good food doesn't have to be reserved for the wealthy or the elite. It doesn’t need to be prestigious and have a hoity toity pretentiousness about it. And, most importantly, it doesn’t need to be expensive or time consuming! My culinary philosophy is that ethical food is more of a lifestyle than a diet or culinary fad.

I’ve lived everywhere from dorm rooms and packed houses to apartments without countertops or working stoves. I spent years living predominantly off the grid on farms and on a boat, making the majority of my food on a barbecue or fire pit. I currently live in a 600 square foot apartment with 0 countertops and no control over my heat.

What I have learned the most from my experiences is that, where there is a will, there is a way! I hope that I can impart some of my culinary endeavors onto you, as well as the desire to ever keep exploring.

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Sustainable & Ethical Food Production

I am a firm proponent for ethical and sustainable food production. This can be a daunting task to accomplish at times and I certainly don't always succeed in my life. However, my culinary philosophy is that is that is entirely doable and easier than we think!

Part of the problem with going organic or going vegetarian is feeling the need to do everything perfectly. You can pick up organic apples without getting organic onions. You can have a meatless Monday without giving it up every day of the week. And you can grow tomatoes without becoming a farmer and producing all of your own food.

Cultivating sustainable practices becomes less daunting when it comes through small changes. Pick one thing that you can do this week and start there. When you think that you can add another step, try something new. It doesn't have to be all or nothing. Change can happen gradually and is oftentimes more manageable.

If you can live off the grid, produce your own food, and live without a footprint, that is great for you. If you aren't there, that doesn't mean that you have to forgo doing anything at all!

So, in the spirit of doing what you can when you can, here is a list of things that I personally try to and not to incorporate into my life as much as possible:

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What I Support with My Dollar

It is important to put your money where your mouth is. When we spend money, we tacitly support those businesses and practices. So, while there are definitely things that I can improve on in my life, these are generally the things that I accomplish on a daily basis:

• I don't tend to eat meat. On occasion I will purchase some preferably wild caught seafood and have no qualms with small-scale meat farms where the animals are ethically raised. I also have pets who I cook meat for.
• I tend to buy the dirty dozen organic, like apples and potatoes, but I won't bother for onions or avocados with a thicker peel.
• When I'm in the mood to splurge on things like cheese, I like to buy from from smaller, regional companies. Rather than mass produced practically-not-even-food cheeses.
• I start an ever-expanding garden of tomatoes and peppers every spring. However, I'll buy these off-season in the winter sometimes. I also will occasionally use pesticides during particularly bad aphid infestations.

Overall, my culinary philosophy is that everything is possible. Just doing what you can, when you can, is something.