Tomorrow is the official UN International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste and to celebrate this year, we invite you to consider the compost bin.
Nestled in the heart of your kitchen, it serves dual purposes. While its main function is reducing landfill waste and feeding soil, it’s also a subtle reminder of how you treat your food.
Discarded celery stalks, spoonfuls of leftover mashed potatoes, and remnants from taco night lurk beneath the lid. By week’s end, you’re surprised to find a nearly overflowing bucket. How did so much food become waste? And what else could you have possibly done with those limp romaine leaves or the puddle of anchovy oil leftover from the tin?
Tamar Adler’s newest book, The Everlasting Meal Cookbook: Leftovers A – Z, has some ideas for you.
That wilting romaine could be the star of a fried rice dish or a refreshing green gazpacho. And that anchovy oil? It’s the secret ingredient to a luscious tonnato sauce or a creamy dressing.
Elevating leftovers into gourmet dishes is not only doable, it’s delectable. Among the many food waste cookbooks we adore, this one stands out. Its user-friendly layout categorized by leftovers and paired with soothing illustrations guarantees a renewed perspective on food. With every recipe, it promises a second (and even more tasty) life to those seemingly useless ingredients.
Adler’s unique blend of poetic and pragmatic prose immediately puts you at ease. Like us, she champions the idea that food, in all its forms, is something to be revered. In her own words,
“Thousands of culinary delicacies rely on using what seems useless. They include ribollita and French onion soup, bouillabaisse, minestrone, rice pudding, dumplings. All of those and more are products of the ancient happy marriage of economy and pleasure. That so much good food is born of this abiding coupling is simply not said enough.”
Repurposing leftovers isn’t just about saving money or the environment, it’s a chance to take a culinary adventure. It’s about discovering new flavors and creating mouthwatering dishes using what you already have. With The Everlasting Meal Cookbook, you’ll be inspired to transform every meal into a gastronomic delight and keep your compost bin from overflowing in the process.