Never pass up a chance to learn

Cooking is an evolutionary field. When you read about how cooks share recipes, adapt them, change them, it's true. No one wants to cook all of the same things, the same way, all the time. Yes, we all get locked into our favorites, and sometimes, something happens that makes you think "hmmm." And that's the kind of quiet revolution that, frankly, we all need more of. And I think that, generally, cooks are the ones who can do that best, and not just in the kitchen.

What inspires these ideas? The "lowly" cabbage. Cabbage gets a bad rap. It tastes too strong, it's ucky, it smells. Well, anything that is cooked poorly is going to taste too strong, be ucky, and smell. Cabbage has been the subject of so much bad cooking over the year, that its rehabilitation is an ongoing, slow process. But when done properly, cabbage is delicious.

I have a recipe for sweet and sour cabbage that I've been doing for years. I love that recipe. I serve it with a lot of things, and with add ins like chestnuts, or walnuts, or bits of left over meat, all kinds of things. And last weekend, after a show, Dave and I were talking and it turns out we were both planning to make sweet and sour cabbage this week. Dave uses balsamic vinegar. I use red wine vinegar. And both of us asked the other "why do you use THAT?"

So, last night, I was standing in the kitchen with my cabbage and my other ingredients. Apples. Olive oil. Salt. Honey. and red wine vinegar. But Dave's comment kept on going through my mind. "Balsamic vinegar. Hmmm.. I went to work making the cabbage the usual way. I sliced a big head of red cabbage into half, and shredded it. Then, I put some olive oil in the pan, and sauteed it. While that was happening, I peeled three apples, and I shredded the first one into the cabbage. As they wilted, I added more cabbage and the second apple. And then I did it one more time.

Now was the moment of truth. The cabbage was wilting down, it was well seasoned, and I was reaching for the vinegar and the honey. "Hmmm. Balsamic vinegar. Well, Dave knows what he's doing in the kitchen, balsamic vinegar is a good thing, why not?" So I cut my red wine vinegar in half and added a quarter cup. And then I added the same amount of balsamic. "DAMN THAT'S GOOD" I remember saying to myself. "But you know what it needs? MORE BALSAMIC" So in went another quarter cup. And you know what? The dish is better than the one I make with red wine vinegar and honey. So, I have a new recipe. You have it spelled out in this story, so I won't repeat it. You can eat it warm, alongside of meats like lamb, or pork, or even veal. Or you can eat it cold, as a salad, with a big spoon of sour cream (or cottage cheese, if you're Dave). I can see this on a plate with some boiled potatoes, apple sauce, and maybe shredded carrot salad as an over the top salad plate.

Give cabbage another try. And I don't know what we'll call it. Dave and I will have to come up with some foul and politically incorrect name for the recipe, because really, it's got parts of both of us in it (admit it Dave. You didn't know about the apples. Try them. Betcha you'll like it.)