There is a shining vaccine light at the end of this dark tunnel, with some more grim reality, on many fronts, between now and then. The unknown haunts us all as we try and stay as positive as humanly possible and focus on all the silver linings. I have been reflecting on the past 10 months and the highs and lows I have personally experienced. I've tried to identify some of the mental and physical tools we have used to keep a somewhat balanced lifestyle. I must acknowledge my devoted wife, who has helped me through all my serious troughs and as we celebrate together during the peaks.

A few of the key driving factors for me not losing my s*** is food, guitar, dogs and the great outdoors. Having been a baker and pastry chef in my younger days, I found myself excited to revisit some old familiar skills. I made my first batch of sourdough last January and then became part of the sourdough craze. For those of you who bake, you understand it's a major commitment of time, which we suddenly had enough of! Bread, rolls, bagels and sweet treats remain part of the weekly routine. To counter all that we keep physically active by walking our dog's paws off. We do this a couple times a day, no matter what the weather, on an endless variety of trails just outside our front door or a quick drive to the beach and dunes.

We eat two meals a day; breakfast/brunch is usually an egg-centric meal paired with protein, such as thick-cut bacon, Taylor ham, various house-made sausage like linguica, chorizo, Southern-style breakfast sausage and even merguez. Sticky rice is a favorite, as are a plethora of potato sides and there’s always a salad or some sort of fresh pressed veggie juice. Our winter dinners always seemed to gravitate around comfort foods — that warm, friendly, secure, happy place that brings you back to your roots with plenty of soups and stews. Recently I opened the oven door, lifted the lid of our Dutch oven to the intoxicating smell of slow-braised, fork-tender short ribs simmering in a deep rich beef Demi, surrounded by locally grown root vegetables. Slow food at its best!

Vegetarian dishes also take the center of the plate quite frequently, which I have written about in previous blogs. My preference however is to include some form of animal protein, and much of what we buy has been raised right here On Cape. One of the factors I am always incredibly grateful for, especially during this pandemic, is having access to and being able to still afford good fresh ingredients as well as the knowledge of how to prepare anything from scratch. So many Americans are not food secure right now, and we continually help support local organizations addressing these issues. Our neighborhood also cooks a large dinner every month for a busy homeless shelter. Being hungry happens year-round, not just on holidays, so please continually help and give! It’s just one of our duties as patriotic Americans in the food business.

My query is simple: What is your go-to/happy place… comfort food? Has cooking helped to keep you centered and on track?

Live well …

COVID fatigue and comfort foods

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