Bookmarks–December 19, 2021
Jumping all over the place with this week’s bookmarks: why our choice of breakfast rarely changes, moving away from gas stoves, West African plant-based food traditions, a ratio for homemade snack mix, and a Schitt’s Creek inspired general store in Toronto.
Study explains why we eat the same breakfast all the time
Yes, I am someone who eats the same breakfast every day of every week: fried egg on a bagel with a slice of cheese. I may vary the type of cheese I use or on rare occasions switch out the bagel for bread, but generally it’s the same day after day. Yet, I never seem to get bored of it. This study may explain why–most people see breakfast as a utilitarian rather than hedonic meal.
“On the psychological side, Morewedge wrote that we can have either hedonic or utilitarian goals for our meals. The hedonic goals are the ones that cause us to seek out foods that are more pleasurable, while the utilitarian ones make us seek out foods that are healthy or convenient — even though they might not be the most exciting or satisfying choices.” Food & Wine
Is this the beginning of the end of gas stoves and dirty heat in buildings?
I’ve had a gas stove for years but had no idea of its impact on indoor air quality until recently. (Kind of ashamed to admit that.) So this is an interesting development. The article also makes note of a concern I’ve had pertaining to the electric car “revolution”: is the electricity “clean”? As the author states: “You need an electric grid that runs on carbon-free power to completely eliminate the emissions from buildings.”
“…The climate fight to electrify buildings is still in its early stages, but cities across the nation are starting to take a hard look at their electrification options. The gas stove is one of the biggest symbols in this fight, because it’s one of the most visible reminders of how fossil fuels are integrated in many Americans’ daily lives.’” Vox
Connecting with West Africa’s plant-based past
I loved reading about these cooks and chefs rediscovering the plant-based past of West African cuisines while questioning the use of the word vegan, which one chef says is “used to market food to people.”
“…plant-based ingredients are not just replacing meat in these recipes; they are revealing new paths to familiar flavors.” New York Times
Making snack mix is easy. but making great snack mix? That’s art
Thanks to Omicron, many of us won’t be gathering in large numbers this holiday season, so a snack mix may seem a little superfluous. But it can be scaled down for a smaller crowd and served with individual bowls, just in case. I don’t have a lot of experience making this kind of thing, so having a ratio to go by is really helpful.
“A mix built using this template is salty, crunchy, cheesy, sweet, and savory, the kind of thing that never gets boring no matter how much you eat.” Bon Appetit
How Schitt’s Creek inspired this Toronto couple to walk away from a $300K job and open a corner store
A great little story, if you have the financial resources to do this. Still, it speaks to the dreams a lot of us have of owning a little shop selling our favourite things like David did with Rose Apothecary on Schitt’s Creek. Or is that just me? There’s a great little spot for lease near me that I walk by all the time, but I have no experience whatsoever in this space and no startup budget, so it remains a dream. Very cool that these people were able to turn their idea into reality.
“I walked away from a $300,000 salary. We make significantly fewer frivolous purchases now but we can still pay all of our bills, so walking away from my salary has really only meant that I’m buying less garbage. We’ve been open for three months, and I think we’ve done six figures in sales, which is pretty great for a little 300-square-foot shop, with next to no online sales—we’re old-school brick and mortar, and that’s exciting.” Toronto Life
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