Lettuce Celebrate the Harvest!

I started a veggie garden in my roof this spring having no clue what I was doing. I just ordered some seeds on Taobao, bought some pots and soil and planted in a pretty haphazard way.

I've always been a but of a green thumb and growing things I can eat is something I have always enjoyed, but I never really tried growing things beyond my kitchen herbs. I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was, and how rewarding!

I felt bad initially about digging up my lettuce plants, but have been able to eat salad from my rooftop now and again by simply snipping a few leaves when the need arises. This past Friday I finally dug up my lettuce plants and some baby spinach for the most locally sourced meal I've ever had!

Mostly the weather is getting too warm for the lettuce to stay happy, so it was time to say goodbye. Making room for my summer crops like basil, tomatoes, peppers and cucumber.

Happy eating local!

Disclaimers by a Reluctant Cook in China

I like to write and I like to eat but I never seem to have time to do either. Actually I do, of course, eat regularly. I have been known to become "hangry" (hungry+angry) when I go for long periods without food (aka more than a couple of hours), so I tend to eat 3-4 times a day in an attempt to be more likable.

When I say I don't have time to eat then, I mean I don't really have much time to eat the delicious home-made food I grew up eating and which keeps me healthy and satisfied and feeling like a real person. While I still eat fresh and healthy things, they tend to consist of the same ingredients tossed together in a salad, which is fine a few times a week but can get old. I am starting this blog in an effort to write, and eat, and share with others my attempt to balance a busy schedule and an aversion to dishes with my desire to eat at home, to eat varied things, to eat well. A few things you should know about me if you still want to read on:

1. I grew up Italian-Brazilian and tend to lean towards light, mediterranean food.
2. I live in Shanghai, China, and am constantly battling to find ingredients I enjoy cooking with at a reasonable price; this often means I need to get creative!
3. I am a total amateur. This means I keep things simple and anyone should be able to cook what I cook; it also means you should not come here expecting fancy gourmet food.
4. I have no fancy kitchen equipment.
5. I hate recipes.
6. I may occasionally (aka often) pepper this blog with non food-related things because I sometimes need a place to just rant a bit.
7. I am not a super enthusiastic cook; I just like homemade food.
8. I have a busy work schedule and my life does not revolve around the kitchen. I try to use my time in the kitchen as efficiently as possible so I can keep a full-time job, eat homemade and still have a social life!

That's it, enjoy!