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Over recent weeks we’ve seen quite a few new foods come our way, each their own little adventure. One of my Living Deliberately goals for the year is to get back to whole foods, Nourishing Traditions foods, and from that lifestyle/book there are many things I’ve yet to try. Not all the new foods I’ve had this winter would qualify as a traditional food in the ancient sense but all have been really fun! In fact, there hasn’t been a dud in the bunch.

Nourishing Tradition’s Cassoulet (French Bean Casserole), made with goat and duck. I usually make this with beef and chicken, not having access to the lamb and duck it calls for. But we had homegrown goat meat available and at christmas, ducks are in most stores. That led to a holiday Cassoulet, that rich, ney almost decadent, dinner casserole that begs for a dry wine and crust of bread. I was honestly nervous about goat meat and skeptical of the growing goat market that led my friend to raise them for meat in the first place. But the Cassoulet has a lot of mingling of flavors…you saute onion and celery, soak beans, add spices, and top it with sausage and cheese. I honestly could not tell the tender goat meat from beef roast.

Duck meat, which became three meals: We (my friend and I) purchased the long, skinny duck, thinking we’d only use it for the Cassoulet. But that night we needed an easy dinner and the duck was thawed, so we roasted it. I cut the legs and thighs away for the Cassoulet and we had the rest for that night’s dinner. Much like chicken’s dark meat, my friend felt there wasn’t enough difference with it to buy it again. And at elevated prices, maybe not. But I liked how it was sweeter than chicken; I could see why it’s usually topped with a fruit glaze of some sort. It was fattier (which makes it a good choice for Cassoulet) and tastier. A little went a long way in the satisfaction department. That led to a Duck Carcass, which we threw into the stock pot and simmered overnight with a ton of veggies. The result was a rich duck broth that became soup two days later.

Moose Stew: Game is a traditional food that our mainstream culture has deviated away from for a variety of reasons; availabilty and cultivation ease being two primary ones I’m sure. But my friend also had a good portion of Moose in her freezer! I’m wary of things tasting “gamey” (bad memories of a not-so-great serving of venison as a child) so the same Goat-Skepticism repeated itself. I think the cut was a tenderloin, slow cooked with typical stew veggies, spices, and broth. The result? Fall-apart tender meat in a stew that was hearty and filling and I’m not sure I’d have known it wasn’t beef if she hadn’t have told me. It was more flavorful than the beef I’ve been buying in recent years…maybe it had a natural amount of umami ? (which naturally occurs with proteins and does not necessarily need the quick-trip-to umami that MSG provides).

Home Grown pork: My friend also raised pigs and they slaughtered a bunch this past fall. My first night at her house she served pork chops and veggies….typical Americana meal right? Well kinda. Because there was nothing typical about those pork chops! They tastes like the chops of my childhood, meaning the difference could be tasted between them and dried out white-meat chicken! I stopped buying pork a few years ago because it tastes like chicken anyway due to the feeding/leanness of it. “The Other White Meat” is always tasteless and dry. Not these…meaty, “porky” (how does one describe a tender and juicy pork chop, with just the right amount of browned edge?). It was weeknight nirvana.

Kombucha: Okay…weird. On the counter, for weeks at a time, containing two NT baddies: white sugar and black tea, sat two big jars, each topped with some kind of egg-white floaty thing and a sheet of paper towel. This would be Kombucha, a traditional drink in the NT cookbook, that is fermented with a “kombucha mushroom”. This “symbiotic colony of bacteria” starts with a “mother” that grows a “baby” , ferments the tea (not alchoholic), and somehow removes the negative qualities of the sugar and tea. The result is an amazinging refreshing drink that also boosts the immune system and settles nausea. Which, by the way, turned out to be a huge deal because between my friend and I we had 8 children and 3 adults…and over our trip every single one of us took a turn with a 24 hr. puke virus. That’s a lot of vomit. And glasses of Kombucha were invaluable! It really does settle the nausea, keep one hydrated on something better than gatorade, and moves the bug through the system quickly. One nearby Kombucha maker experiments with many teas…his Coconut version was heavenly. He also had a Thai variety and a blueberry. It all depends on the tea chosen. I was won over but alas, I left my “Boocha Baby” behind  accidentally. I think the NT cookbook has a mail order resource.

SUSHI: I saved my hands-down favorite for last. For years I’ve wanted to try sushi but have always been too nervous and intimidated by the price to experiment with alone. The “raw” factor is part of that. On one of my “gosh this a awfully bad and nasty day” holes recently, a friend who knew I needed a hug and a little adventure took me out to a Japenese buffet that had newly opened. It was beautiful…all that fresh food laid out in pretty rows, the Hibachi grill nearby, and warming soup ready to be customized…the entire atmosphere was calming and comforting and exciting at the same time. My friend knew her sushi and guided me through each choice. She taught me the ginger and wasabi methods and I continued to work on my chopsticks mastery, albeit clumsily. And Oh. My. Word. Each bite was utterly fantastic. The white tuna was indeed buttery and soft, just like she said. The spicy roll was bright and had layered flavors that oozed umami most definitely. And I have been surprised at how addictive this stuff seems to be!! I crave sushi almost day now! My mouth waters just at the memory. Each bite so satisfying and fresh and wholesome-feeling; I have wondered and scolded myself more than once for letting it take so long for me to try it. Oh the sushi I have missed! May there be many chances to make up for it!!

Indeed, food recently has been a joy. My children and I have had yummy meals made lovingly by friends who’ve ministered through cuisine, we’ve eaten things in the height of their element and not been disappointed. I learned how to make bacon in the oven, savored local foods ordinarily not available to me, and was happily reminded that being afraid to try something new is usually silly. Take a bite, take a little risk, let your mouth be filled with new flavor. The world opens when you do!

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