There’s a blizzard winding down outside as I sit in my Brooklyn home writing this on a late February day. While a good East Coast blizzard is hardly anything new---and certainly has its charms---some will argue that the increasing severity of intense weather patterns like this one are yet another sign that we've entered a new era of global environmental change. That's what I'm concerned about. I’m a chef and food writer who focuses on the environmental consequences of what we eat. I like showing people how to make food that is both good for them and good for the natural world. In general, I’m drawn to locally grown, foraged, and unprocessed food, and my stomping grounds are farmers' markets and natural kitchens. Although I’ve got a lofty mission of saving the earth through good cooking, I consider myself a sensualist. Ideally, the food I like to make is colorful, richly textured, beautifully and simply presented. There is everything to be gained and nothing to be lost when eating with the seasons, eating within your climate zone, and making the most of nature’s bounty as it reveals itself, full of treasures and surprises. I enjoy making simple dishes from scratch, and sharing techniques for making food that looks and tastes impressive while being easy on the cook, such as scrumptious from-scratch veggie burgers, slammin’ smokey bean dip, toothsome homemade trail bars, and grilled vegetables that explode with flavor using one or two key ingredients. I’m especially happy to be blogging on the ReadyMade site because I share ReadyMade's vision of making something beautiful with the resources that are available to you, and treading lightly upon the earth. My new cookbook focuses on these same topics. It’s called Lucid Food: Cooking for an Eco-Conscious Life, and it’s full of simple recipes that make the most of what’s available every season, as well as eco-friendly advice on cooking, food shopping and entertaining. I learned about food firstly from my parents, who were passionate about eating, and later on at great restaurants in San Francisco and New York, including Millennium, Aquavit, and Pure Food and Wine. I invite you to check out my website and blog, Lucid Food, for recipes, kitchen chat, and cooking videos. I welcome your comments and questions, and am so looking forward to my adventures with you here at ReadyMade!

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