Alas Springtime is upon us. We begin to sense that deep within Winter's sleepy nest is rustling an egg readying to hatch. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Spring is personified by the Pioneer who is adaptive, active, curious, and eager to create anew. Conceived in Spring, the Pioneer lends us the vision and aspiration to sprout a new seed from the wisdom incubated during the quiet darker months of Winter. The Chinese calendar cycle begins in Spring as we and the world all around us swells and opens out into being both literally and figuratively reborn. What better time to put a little of Spring's Pioneering spirit to work as we cook in our kitchens?

The Pioneering Cook

March is about the time of the year when we're really itching for a change. Unfortunately, the weather isn't always cooperative and we must take matters into our own hands. A great way to help welcome the change of season is to get experimental in the kitchen. The coming of Spring invites us to get creative and lighten up Winter's heavier menu routines. It's time to experiment with new ingredients and techniques and infuse our usual recipes with freshness and imagination.

If you're an experienced cook, now's the time to procure those more unusual ingredients and experiment with combinations and techniques you haven't yet tried. If you prefer to cook by following recipes, now's the time to try your hand at some creative adaptations. On the other hand, if your dinners usually come from a box or a delivery person, here's your opportunity to accept Spring's invitation to learn to trust your taste buds, your nose, and your intuition. Even if you're not inclined to cook at all, now might be the time to admit that you may need to rely on some basic cooking skills at some time in your life. It will be comforting to know that you're capable of creating something nutritious and delicious in those times of need.

At its best, creative cooking is enormously satisfying from its original inspiration through to the savoring of its last tasty bite. What could be better than allowing ourselves to open to the vast potential of cooking as an artistic expression of the moment and getting to delight in the results? This experience might only be improved by the knowledge that a recent study found that we derive more nutritional benefit from our food when we enjoy it. By following our intuitive sense of the aromas, flavors, and textures of foods, we enjoy the process of nourishing ourselves and those we love. We learn to trust that what we make will taste good and be good for us and the world we live in.

For many of us, free-form cooking might seem a bit too bold. This is where we find an adaptation of a good recipe might be the next best thing. Letting a familiar recipe provide us with some guidelines, we can vary it inspired by our mood and the status of our pantry. Many exciting new dishes emerge in exactly this way - by starting with something familiar (ingredients, seasoning combinations, or techniques), and then playing with it.

Of course there is a dangerous side to creative cooking that many of us know too well. By taking risks we invariably open ourselves up to making mistakes. Take heart that while our intuition can lead us astray from time to time, few mistakes are irreparable. Here are some ideas to consider if your culinary experience takes an unpleasant turn: If you've over-seasoned: strain out as much of the herbs and spices as possible, add a peeled whole potato to the dish to absorb excess flavors and remove before serving, and/or add more bland ingredients to balance the excess. To balance overly-salty flavors add more liquid, oil, grain, or starch. To balance overly sweet flavors add more liquid, oil, or salt. To balance overly-sour flavors add more salt, oil, liquid, or sweetener. To balance overly-bitter flavors add more oil, sweetener, or sour ingredients.

Why not invite the spirit of Spring to play in your kitchen this month. Try some new things, lighten up the menu, and experiment boldly. This month's recipes were designed to foster this approach to cooking - enjoy!

copyright © February 2003