Baby's first inauguration

May and I went to the Governor's inauguration this afternoon. I'd intended to run errands but wound up listening to (well-written) rhetoric instead. Deval Patrick, Gov. of the Commonwealth, took office on the steps of the State House at somewhere between noon and one today.

I'd intended to stay and greet the man -- he was throwing open the state house doors for the first time to "commoners." (Usually it's opened only for gubenatorial inaugurationsa nd ddepartures and for heads of state.) I wanted to ask him what he intends to do about the MCAS. But there were many many many people there and May needed a nap so I left.

I still plan to ask him about the MCAS, though.

I'm on a soup kick right now, trying to figure out what to do with chicken feet to make a good broth. I know, from various readings, that chicken feet make very very good broth, increasing the unctous quality quite a bit. But it's one fo those things that they expect you to just know how to do. Do I need to skin them? Scale them? Do chicken feet have scales? My general distaste for the feathered kingdom (excepting on my dinner plate) is serving me poorly right now.

The soup kick is part of my twin (contradictory but still dove tailing) resolutions for the year.

Part the first: I will be less snobbish about food. Although Nikki says it's part of my charm, I will endevor to be less, "bloody damned intimidating" as one person said, in the kitchen and at the dinner table.

Part the second: I will try to eat in a more evironmentally reasonable way. That means I will try to eat more locally, more organically, more from scratch, and more seasonally. Waht's more, I will try to encourage everyone else I know to do the same.

Why? Read the "Omnivore's Dilemma." Then ponder the thing that Michael Pollan doesn't talk about. The fact that not only do we need to have a more rational food chain, we need to teach and encourage people to cook. Because until we start making lunch, we're going to be dependant on Lunchables. Or the place down the street.

I'm hoping that by eating Greener I will do three things. 1. Save the Earth. 2. Save some money. 3. Lose some weight. Because eater closer to home means less sugar, more veggies, less meat (But not no meat. "Diet for a Small Planet" sucks. Many reasons. Will expound at length if you ask. You didn't ask however, so....) It also means more whole grains, fewer procesed flours, and a lot less eating out.

We are splitting a share of a CSA with the Hobermans. I've found a local purveyor of chickens and eggs. I've got a local beef and lamb source, too. Still looking for (not raw milk!) dairy.

More updates onceMay stops freaking out.