The zen of kitchen witching or: People have souls in the morning, too.

I can’t seem to focus on anything internet-related for more than ten minutes for the last few weeks. I think it’s the weather – it really wants me to be outside, admiring the leaves. Unfortunately, I live in the city, and there’s no real opportunity.

I’d been thinking about kitchen witchery all summer though, and these weeks have been a phenomenal impetus to start practicing it. I know the theory, that you can bring your practice into anything and everything sustenance-related, but I just can’t feel it in the stir-fry. For me, kitchen witchery always means baking, and that’s hard to justify when the weather is hot.

There’s another problem we face too, that I don’t think most “cooks” have, but I think a lot of people who would like to cook do. Namely, my kitchen looks like this:

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That’s the whole thing. You can fit one person and a cat, generally, and washing dishes while simultaneously using the counter for chopping is akin to a block puzzle. It’s roughly 2’ by 5’, generously.

So, heat and space are both practical obstacles. Still, I managed a day of pride last week. The following things were produced:

Egg Muffins: They freeze well, and are mini omelettes. These have jalepenos that I grew in my ghetto bucket garden. I am inordinately proud of said garden, and glad I managed to cook with at least some of it.

Banana Cardamom Muffins: Also freeze well, but I don't have the excuse of providing for anyone but myself - I use whatever bananas I forget at work over the weekend, and I'm the only one that eats them.

Bread! Real, honest-to-Goddess, yeast-risen bread. I know for some of you homesteaders, this is pretty basic, but....I made bread! And it worked! This will be amazing to me whenever it happens.

So, in conclusion, it can be done. Most of this is for reheating for breakfast, or toasting for breakfast, at work for the next weeks. I find breakfast to be the most challenging meal, in terms of remembering that I, and everyone else, is a real person who deserves sustenance. Habits in the past have been drinking a pot of coffee, and telling everyone to f* off.

I'm still drinking a pot of coffee, but I'm at least slightly more personable when I eat food. This is a spiritual win, or at least it feels like progress.

Lunch is next. I'm not really sure what to do, but I'll work on it. Dinner will be the biggest challenge....because Taun-taun cooks it at least 75% of the time, and it's really hard to not be lazy when I know he'll feed me. I'm much better at cooking something to freeze, and letting that be the meal the other 25%.

Blessed Be!
Pennanti