What the world needs now is almost certainly NOT another food and lifestyle blog. Still, that’s what’s hitting the web.
So, what’s our schtick?
Our schtick, to coin a word, is joy. There’s another blog called joylicious and I really admire the name she gave her blog. I just visited her site again, her name is Joy, and she’s also in the Dallas Ft. Worth area. Anyway….
So many people seem to view food as simple fuel and their lives as some sort of race to the grave.
If they could get 50 pound sacks of Purina People Chow, they’d be happy. And, having looked in grocery stores, it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s out there somewhere.
Some people obsess about nutrition. Face it, it you’re reading this, the chances are very good malnutrition is not a personal concern. Others engage in crusades about food. Only plant products please. Only minimally processed foods. Only cruelty free meats I don’t eat organ meat! I can’t abide this. I can’t stand that. It’s gotta be sustainably raised and marketed! Let’s spend 12 hours in the kitchen to prepare a meal that will be eaten in 10 minutes.
All these ideas miss out on joy. As Ella used to sing, “It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing!”.
We’re about enjoying life, love, food and drink.
Some of the other crusade issues ARE important to us. But if people don’t look forward to what they eat and drink, they just won’t buy into the program.
Julia Child famously asked, “Does a vegetarian ever look forward to dinner?” Some do, but not the dour purposeful Calvinistic sort of vegetarians. Being on a pereniall crusade really drains the joy out of ones life. So, we seek joy, we wish you joy, but its not a crusade for us.
We enjoy our lives. We are uplifted by our love. Our joy often brings forth one of the creator’s greatest gifts – laughter.
We dine. Not always wisely, but almost always well. We thought about saying “We Eat”, but there is a difference between dining and eating. All animals eat. People eat as well. But, so far as we know, on this great planet only people dine. Only people carefully prepare food for the purpose of sharing it and enjoying it. Not every meal is one where we dine. We’ve grabbed our share of burgers from the drive-thru. But, when we have the choice, we dine. We hope you dine also – often and well.
We drink, Not always wisely, but often well. We’ll talk about wines, beers, spirits and mixed drinks here. We’ll talk about coffee, tea, soda, fruit drinks. All these drinks lift our spirits, act as social focal points and help us unlock joy. We’re probably going to talk about mixed drinks a lot for a while.
We hope you’ll hang around and enjoy the ride with us!
Mike and Beth, New Burgundians
Wow! I googled make a sourdough starter and ended up at Sourdough Home. I used to work for you at High Attitude Bakery and still talk about that braided loaf with spinach, beet, tomato and herbs. Recently I told the story of one of the most memorable meals I’ve ever had. I was new to the bakery, working my butt off, living with an ass, and raising a baby. Apparently I hadn’t taken time to eat for a few days. So you (Mike) made me a salami sandwich on a baguette with good mustard and cheese. I sat on the concrete outside the shop and inhaled that sandwich like I’d never eaten before. Thanks for making sure I didn’t starve.
WOW…. so many years ago! I’ve sent you a private email.
One of the things that makes me smile when I think of the bakery is that all of the people whom I have run into who used to work for me have good memories of the job and the bakery. It was a special place, and a sad day when we had to shut down.
Please check your email and write back!
-Mike
Hi Mike (and Beth)-
I’ve come here from the Baking Fun mailing list. I’m sad that it’s ended, but I do understand why. I truly appreciate all of your help and information over the last 7 or 8 years.
But what I really wanted to say was how very much I appreciate this – the joy and delight you have in, as you say, dining. I’m sorry it took me so long to get here. I can so easily fall into one of the categories of food/nutrition evangelist, and any time I do, I end up unhappy. Your reminder that we humans are unique in our gift of being able to appreciate the sensory, sensual qualities of food is so timely. Oh, and our ability to experience joy – in anything, or everything!
Thank you, and please keep reminding all of us to take pleasure in our food and drink, and to experience the joy of dining well and in good company!
I have held a great fear of cooking all my life. I am scared to mess it up. I try and buy organic and I am budgeted for the prices, so the fear of wasting high cost food always prevents me from cooking it. I have a wonderful pallet, my mother blessed me with, as she nailed every dinner she created. Sadly, I didn’t watch her. All this to say, your commentary and tips provided me with a breathe of fresh air, fragrant with the art of living which was missing from my perspective on preparing a meal. Thank you for a moment of inspiration, in my journey to learn to produce a successful dining experience.
Hello, Can you please tell us how many servings your Crabmeat Au Gratin recipe serves? Thank you!
As with everything, it depends. For a total hungry Burgundian, one. For a less hungry Burgundian, two. For ordinary people as a rather unbalanced meal, four. As an entree, perhaps as many as 6 to 8.