A Note from the Chef

September seems to have gotten away from me. Before I knew it, we’re approaching the end of the month. I don’t know what happened. Is time truly moving faster and faster or is it just that September is an odd month? With summer winding down and autumn just around the corner our natural rhythm is disrupted and somewhat confused. I don’t know about you but it takes me a while to adjust to something new. Until I get comfortable with any new mode, I seem to waste a lot of time.

I have heard it often said that there’s no such thing as time. It’s always now. Actually, time doesn’t pass, we pass through it. We go from one now moment to the next and in each moment we get to start anew. So, in this sense, I’ve wasted nothing.

I also waste nothing when it comes to cooking. It’s the Italian way. And in these frugal times, this makes perfect sense, regardless of what month it is. Right now I have a bunch of leftover ingredients in my refrigerator: calamari, eggplant, roasted peppers and fresh mozzarella.

Loving a challenge, I decided to make something good from all of them – something hot and something cold, fitting the change in temperature. So I made a calamari salad and grilled eggplant parmesan. And not wanting to waste a moment more, I began…

Until next month, enjoy.

Silvia

photo courtesy of images.businessweek.com