In The Kitchen
Hi.
I’m Isabel and I created Bread & Courage.
I live in Houston now for love but I grew up in rural Connecticut, where I spent most of my summers foraging edible berries in the woods around my house or bothering my father over his tomato plants . In cooler weather, I watched my mother make beef stew and biscuits and actually thought she was an alchemist for creating something so glorious out of such unimpressive parts.
I spent my junior year of high school in France, where I discovered the mellow flavors of pâte brisée and lardons, and the depth of soul-warming flourless chocolate cake. I feel trite saying so, but stinky cheeses, hot baguettes and butter-smothered snails made me want to dedicate my whole self to the art of cooking and eating.
In college, I worked on an organic tomato farm and came face to face with fat, lumpy heirloom tomatoes that tasted like heaven. They were the pure, clean produce French cuisine was made of–technique and un-pasteurized dairy aside. The experience taught me how much effort it takes to create that kind of food, and the value and appreciation local growers deserve.
That summer, I started cooking. I followed some recipes and invented others. Ultimately, I found that adding my own touch made the kitchen a lot more fun and a lot less intimidating. This site is full of what I call ‘blueprint recipes:’ instructions that show the basics of each dish, but suggest where or how you might improvise.
Finally, a warning: I don’t discriminate against anything that calls for sugar or heavy cream I don’t believe in leaving anything out, but in eating everything with appreciation. I use natural, local produce almost exclusively. Any animal I cook or cook with (including bi-products like butter and eggs) comes from a nearby place, from farmers that I know. That said, I gravitate towards a vegetarian diet, which is very much reflected here.
So, that’s me in a nutshell. If you have any questions, post a comment. Likewise, if you’d like to see something made, please let me know and I will try my very best to tackle it as soon as I can. I’ll learn, and eat, till I die after all.
About Bread & Courage
Bread & Courage began in April 2008 as a little Houston-based blog called TASTE (you’ll see the original layout in recipes and photos from before May 2009). During the course of the site’s lifetime, my work as a food writer and environmental advocate has taken shape and grown into something more than TASTE could hold.
Today, Bread & Courage is a platform for my food writing and environmental journalism, inspired entirely by the natural world. The recipes I create or adapt feature local, seasonal produce and my environmental articles are often food related.
I won’t claim to know the answers to our world’s growing food crisis or ecological complications, but I do know that eating food grown in my community is a legitimate step towards a healthier habitat.
I hope you use this site as encouragement for eating close to home, whether you are a seasoned farmer’s market attendee, or just wanting to get your palate whet. Either way, you’ll find predominantly simple, healthy recipes inspired by what’s available in season—from barbecue to baked goods.
