Monitor misses the point, foodie friends

I used this title even though "foodie" makes me bristle. Yeah, I try to eat as fresh and local as possible. But for me, it's a matter of cost and taste. I reject the political (canvas) baggage.

Christian Science Monitor: No more dinner parties?

Remember the good old days, when you threw a dinner party and all you had to worry about was finding a topic everyone could talk about? Now, you have a much harder task: to find a dish everyone can eat.

Two culprits bear the blame: the rise of food allergies in America, and food writer Michael Pollan.

First, I also hate Michael Pollan. Yes, his content has merit; it's his style I can't stomach. His smug-sanctimonious attitude just sparks rebellion among normal people. When fresh-and-local sounds all douchey and inaccessible, we cut folks off from those cost and taste benefits I enjoy. Environmental and economic factors are just gravy. (Mmmm... Gravy...)

Otherwise, though, I disagree. Differences in how people eat give me pure inspiration!

A kosher-keeping house guest first tested my boundaries in college. If I'd had any idea how tasty that vegetarian pasta sauce was going to turn out, I'd sure as hell have saved the recipe.

A gluten- and lactose-intolerant family member partly drove me to start this blog. Lots of my regular dishes already meet those requirements, or could do so with minor alteration. For example...

• Mashed potatoes: substitute chicken broth for the milk and butter. Hell go hardcore and make it with veggie broth!
• Chili with cornbread: use rice or soy milk in the cornbread batter.
  
• Chicken fajitas: serve corn tortillas. Full stop.

Simple, right?

(Although... it may likewise be smug and sanctimonious to link to one's own blog. Also, to call oneself "one.")

All's I'm sayin' is, when we cook, we have a choice. We can be food-grumps, or we can be daring.

What inspires y'all to try new dishes?