The Art of Eating In

Our next meeting is in a little over a week from from now. As you all know, this month's book is The Art of Eating In: How I Learned to Stop Spending and Love the Stove. I hope you all can make it! Look for another post later this week letting you know what this month's demo will be.

Cathy Erway is a New Yorker with a passion for sustainability and thrifty-spending. The Art of Eating In is her chronicle of not eating at restaurants and street vendors. For two years she gave up eating any pre-made food whatsoever (with some exceptions).

I have to admit that I was a bit hesitant to start this book. You see, I eat out A LOT. Restaurants are where I usually meet up with my friends, go on dates, and meet coworkers. Eating out has become a part of my routine, and lord knows I'm a creature of habit. I'm also a very busy person, and the thought of having to come home late, cook, and then having to do all the clean up can be exhausting.

But once I finally got myself to start this book, the fond memories I have of eating at home began to surface- my mom teaching me how to cook, my family sitting down at the dinner table to enjoy a meal together everyday, the annual peasants' feast my roommate and I throw every year for our friends... These are all much more memorable than any experience I've had eating in a restaurant. Plus, Cathy's recipes are inexpensive, as well as simple and unique. Her emphasis is on making eating in easy and flexible. This is definitely a practice I can get behind.

I encourage you all to check out her blog, http://noteatingoutinny.com/. She's got a bunch of great ideas and recipes, and although the events are all in New York, you may find some ideas of what to look for in our area.

Bring your ideas of how you make eating in to our next meeting. I look forward to seeing all of you next week!

Brianne