It's a Lover's Question

Does she love me, with all her heart?
Should I worry, when we're apart?
It's a lover's question, I'd like to know.

It's a lover's question. Clyde McPhatter sang these immortal lyrics. Of course you have doubts. Is love a sure thing? No.

La Donna e Mobile says the same thing. Are you sure she loves you? Maybe you shouldn't take her for granted. Pay attention, young man.

And, old man, it's not over, it's never over, you can still screw up, so keep on your toes.

The Weather. Strong rains in Santa Barbara, a huge blizzard bearing down on New England, and a rather large meteorite rushing by Planet Earth this weekend.

What can I do about this? I can plant more seeds. I have celery, cilantro and basil to get started in flats -- probably too soon for the basil, but I'll take a chance on that.

You Can't Eat the Label. In my last message I said to buy food if it tastes good and if it doesn't cost too much. Of course, you should read the label, and question the decisions of the Food and Drug Administration, and support your local farmer, and buy organic -- all that good stuff.

But you don't eat the label, you eat the food, and you need to trust your senses. Does it look good? Is the color all right? Does it smell tasty?

And the people at the store or the market ..... do you like them? Are they friendly? Are the clean? That's an unpleasant question ..... the world is full of germs and you can take precautions, but the best defense is a robust immune system and you keep up that defense by a limited exposure to pathogens. Seriously, you won't get through life being germ free -- you need to have a better attitude when you eat root beer Popsicles and Fritos, like, "This won't kill me. No. In fact, it will make me happy, and if I'm happy I will live longer and be more healthy."

Love is the Answer. Good food is all about love. Those quiet, stern farmers -- they grow so much food. Why do they work so hard to feed us? Because they love us.. You still have to pay for it -- the farmers need the money in order to keep on farming. But it's love that makes the harvest..

Food prepared and served with love will make you stronger and better-looking. And if you sit down at table with people you care about, you will dine well.

But if you eat in your car by yourself -- ugh! You could be eating the most purified organic toasty granola health bars, but if you gulp it down while you're stuck in traffic, it won't do you any good. Don't eat in your car, and don't buy food at the same place you buy gasoline. It smells bad. And remember, the reason they have the sign up in the bathroom that says "Employees must wash hands ...." -- is because they don't wash their hands.

Recipe -- this dish needs a name. I made this polenta dish last night based on what I found in the frig -- a hearty stew, good for a winter's night.

Take equal amounts of polenta, tofu, zucchini and baby portabella mushrooms. Cube the tofu, pat it dry on a towel, sprinkle with plenty of garlic powder and then add, more lightly, some lemon salt and tobasco or any other hot sauce. Cube the polenta into pieces a little bigger than the tofu. Similarly slice and dice the zucchini and mushrooms.

In a big pan, saute all four ingredients in a generous amount of olive oil. Add some soy sauce. Cook it for a while on a low heat. Then pour over the whole beautiful mess with a half a carton of Tomato and Roast Pepper soup from Trader Joe's -- let it simmer for a while. I needed to add a dash of water to keep it going. You can make it thinner or thicker, depending on taste.

It was delicious. It's the polenta that makes it so filling, which is what I wanted last night.

Happy Valentines .......

Buy the cookbook for only $15. That includes shipping. It's the Puget Sound Mail Cookbook, a love story with recipes. The story is simple. It's winter in Cambridge, Mass. A love affair ends and the man is broken-hearted, so he fixes nice meals for himself -- at least he has that pleasure. Time passes and the springtime comes and the sadness is gone --- that's the story in a nutshell, plus lots of good recipes here and there throughout the book.

For $15, which includes shipping, you can have this slim volume in a week or so. Go to my blog at Frog Hospital and hit the PayPal button. Or make out a check for Fred Owens and mail it to 35 W Main St, Suite B #391 Ventura CA 93001.

You will enjoy this book.


Puget Sound Mail Cookbook, a love story with recipes. Why is it called the Puget Sound Mail Cookbook when the story takes place in Cambridge, Massachusetts?

For only $15, which includes shipping.

--
Fred Owens
cell: 360-739-0214

My blog is Fred Owens

send mail to:

Fred Owens
35 West Main St Suite B #391
Ventura CA 93001