Introduction

INTRODUCTION

Blessed love.

This blog relates to my food and nutrition interests.

I will mainly share recipes of what is eaten/drank by myself, or recipes by others likewise "tested" by them, when I did not have the time or opportunity to do it myself too. The latter I will try to do - try out suggested recipes -, especially when deciding to publish them.

I am a vegetarian for years now, and will therefore only include either vegetarian or vegan recipes. This blog is from my perspective, so will probably be most interesting for fellow-vegetarians, as vegans tend to have additional requirements and knowledge, I sometimes lack.

Also for people wanting to make a switch from meat-eating to vegetarian dishes, and would love suggestions for nice, meatless dishes - or health-related food tips -, this blog can be interesting. I let myself be advised by other vegetarians and vegans, but since this is a personal blog, dishes are according to my personal taste, which is very human.

I argue, however, that some aspects of "experiencing" food are universal (save allergies etc.) such as taste effect (sweet, bitter etc.), nutritional value etcetera.

On the other hand, I enjoy a certain artistic, creative view on "cooking" as such, as well known from the "haute cuisine" in its more refined form, but in reality that "creative mixing" of food ingredients is found in all cultures, related to natural and social conditions, making such mixes often both interesting and original. These result then in more standardized "recipes" - some stricter than others - that are repeated in the culture, from generation to generation. Sometimes with variations over time.

That is the interesting "cultural" part of food and nutrition. I combine that further with nutritional and health aspects, more explicitly referring to known "health effects" of food items and ingredients (stimulating, calming, iron, immunity, vitamins, minerals). This information is nowadays found easily online, but I include it here with the recipes, as this is often ignored, in other "cook books". With diseases and pandemics, we need to boost and strengthen our immune system, helping us to fight diseases off, thus ensuring our physical health.

In short, I strive toward spreading vegetarian and vegan recipes (and/or culinary and nutrition tips) that (I find) taste nice, and are creative, as well as healthy (and telling why).

I will also - of course - give relevant links or references (e.g. to elsewhere on the internet)

SHORT (NUTRITION-RELATED) PERSONAL BACKGROUND

I grew up in a family with an Italian father, and a Spanish mother. My father was from the North of Italy, my mother from Southwestern Spain, with ties to regions like Andalusia, and family members in Madrid. Besides these regional origins, we had contacts with Italians and Spanish people from other regions.

All this influenced - inevitably - the food I ate growing up. I grew up in yet another European country, namely the Netherlands. The Netherlands has some merits, but is not particularly known for a tasty or creative cuisine. Moreover, my parents avoided the few things known as Dutch, preferring - as many people - their own traditions and culture (Italian and Spanish in this case).

All this shaped my early eating and drinking experiences. My mother mostly cooked for us, and had as everyone her own preferences and accents, including Latin American and Andalusian influences. Both my parents, and my older brothers, ate meat and fish, and I then too. I preferred chicken then, and cared less for pig or other meat. I liked some type of fish, but only some fish. Some I did not enjoy eating, neither even so much pig meat, only the spices on it.

My mother was overall not very meat-oriented, including often vegetables, and combining this interestingly, even with fruit. Beets and kiwi were among her favourites. We often ate pasta and rice as first dish, but often also various soups, paella and risotto (Italian rice recipe), macaroni and spaghetti, with recurring sauces, and other Italian and Spanish dishes.

In time I got interested in other cultures, which was quite easy in metropolitan Amsterdam, where I later went to live. From (well-known) Chinese dishes, that I knew already, to other Asian, African, and Latin American - even Dutch - dishes I tried and often enjoyed in various restaurants, or during several travels.

I traveled several times to Cuba and Jamaica too, where I encountered, and was influenced by, other culinary traditions.

My Rastafari views I developed over time, and became more manifest about 10 years ago. I grew more and more in the "Livity", as Rastas call it, embracing also more and more the culinary part of the Rastafari culture. This includes a preference for vegetarian and vegan dishes, and Ital (natural, unprocessed) food, if feasible and possible. Good guidelines, but no strict ordinances: as long as it is healthy, has no meat, and as natural (organic) as possible.

The natural world of flora is so immensely varied that many creative possibilities in food preparing are possible. Those possibilities I would like to flexibly explore with this blog.

Michel Conci, 2020