"Most have forgotten the feast that lives all around us. Many stalk the supermarket aisles searching, not for real, honest food, but for the latest flavor of frozen dinner or convenience food. Our hunting and gathering is now largely restricted to picking through the produce aisle for the best ear of corn or keeping an eagle's eye out for so-called bargains. But our instincts are strong. We've been hunters and gatherers eons longer than we've been farmers. Esau is far older than Jacob. Who among even the most urban of us has not eyed a ripe blackberry with interest, even lust, while walking along a path on a hot summer's day?"
--Hunt, Gather, Cook
I woke up this morning feeling pretty gnarly. I was so tired....beyond tired though, more like wiped out. We were out of eggs so I had a coffee and 4 slices of nitrate-free bacon. Kind of a breakfast "snack." Shameful! (Just kidding. I have no guilt about bacon.)
We picked up my pal Amy and headed to the Evergreen Brickworks market for some serious paleo shopping. Local, organic, preservative-free! Within an hour of arriving, I had procured a duck, a rabbit, 2 lbs of grass-fed and finished ground beef, stewing beef, nitrate-free bacon (more, you say? HECK YES) and 2 dozen eggs. We also grabbed a variety of beautiful radishes (I don't think these are a bad root so going for it) spinach, celeriac, onions, homemade sauerkraut, purple basil sprouts and two kinds of mushrooms.
We wandered a bit, checking out the awesome gardens, brick oven and stretched hides. I bought a book called Hunt, Gather, Cook by Hank Shaw from the little garden store. I thought it was very appropriate and would help me to learn more about wild foods during this process.
In the afternoon, I met a pal at the Bloordale Pantry for a late brunch. I was a little nervous about eating at a restaurant for the first time since starting this adventure and having to ask for all kinds of substitutions. They were so nice about doing the burger straight up and supplying lemon and olive oil for the dressing.
After brunch, we checked out the Nuthouse! I buy my cat food from this joint and they have an excellent selection of bulk stuff and random foods. I bought a bunch of different nuts, some coconut flour and smoked Manitoulin whitefish from Ontario Natural Food CO-OP. I'm pretty stoked on this stuff considering the ingredients list: fish, salt, woodsmoke.
A few thoughts on the day?
I am feeling less crappy than yesterday. Still having a hard time feeling "full." I am satisfied upon eating but within about an hour I want more!
I feel a bit like my brain is not working at 100%. It's taking me a bit longer to think of what I want to say and I am having a little trouble listening to and focusing on other people. I'm generally feeling a bit slow.
It seems as though thinking about food is consuming me. What am I going to eat? Where am I going to get it? How am I going to cook it? I know it will come more naturally with time, but right now it's like, all I can focus on. I feel like I need to find some other stuff to occupy my brain. I don't want to psych myself out. Maybe I will take up knitting!? A knitting, crossfitting, paleo lion. Sounds kinda rad.
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