By Melanie A. Albert, intuitive cooking expert, author, and speaker. Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition Group, LLC
Taking a moment to reflect on the beginnings of my Raw Culinary Journey with Matthew Kenney Culinary.
A few weeks ago, I was so excited to prepare Matthew Kenney’s classic Raw Heirloom Tomato Lasagna, given that I ate it many times 10 years ago when I was in school for weekends with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York at Pure Food & Wine. I actually ordered that amazing raw lasagna every time I ate there, so when I saw that we had the opportunity to learn how to prepare this dish, I was more than excited! I was also excited that I was able to use local Arizona tomatoes and zucchini in the dish.
Mindfulness in the Kitchen. I loved the mindful, careful, beautiful, meditative process of preparing each component of the dish – pesto, red sauce, raw ricotta, and basil oil. It really was a quiet, meditative process for me. I was in the present moment with the food, aroma, texture, and colors. I enjoyed seeing how the different textures and colors were coming together, and could hardly wait to taste it.
Art of Plating. I really begin to appreciate the art of plating and the art of food more deeply when I began to plate the dish. I could see the beauty of each element of the dish coming together into a (hopefully) beautiful dish.
Many aspects of making this dish were new to me, including the plating style and it was the first time I ever sauced a plate! And, it was the first time using my new “high-quality” mandolin.
More to Share. I’m looking forward to sharing more about my raw culinary experience with you, in practicing plating, and enjoying the beautiful mindful process of raw culinary.
If you are interested in purchasing my latest book, “A New View of Healthy Eating: Simple Intuitive Cooking with Real Whole Foods,” I’m happy to gift-wrap a copy for you.
