It’s not about the pursuit of perfection or about the overindulgence of anything gastro, but about the realizationthat something so simple can be underrated.
I’m the kind of person who goes down to the kitchen every morning and opens all the shades. No matter how late I’m running, daylight needs to be seen first thing. I almost feel claustrophobic with the window shades closed. My kitchen windows face east, and on many mornings, we can still see the sun rising; it’s a simple treat that deserves to be pointed out and savored.
I guess I’m into appreciating the simple things in life. And what do you know, this applies to food too. I’m talking about pleasures like drinking a coffee in silence, or enjoying fresh, hot chicken soup. Or opening a pomegranate with large, bright, juicy seeds. And, of course, this time of year, biting into a golden, sizzling latke.
It’s not about the pursuit of perfection or about the overindulgence of anything gastro, but about the realization that something so simple can be underrated. I see this as an extension of appreciating everything in Hashem’s world. This is what goes through my mind when I make the foods that are 100 percent not innovative, but just done right — and thoroughly enjoyed by all. It’s similar, in my mind, to admiring a perfect and beautiful apple.
Sina Mizrahi’s column, Side by Side, is centered around this idea. The simple foods deserve some attention, and at the top of that list is obviously potato latkes. There are simple techniques that make a basic recipe shine. Make it the way you enjoy it, or pick one
of Sina’s delicious methods and run with it!
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