the center of the universe: your kitchen

what a great summer we’ve had. the classic michigan summer with lots of steamy days, great cookouts, picnics and evenings on the porch with family and friends. now there’s a nip in the air and it’s time to get back in the kitchen.

there’s nothing like the warmth and comfort of laying out some great fresh ingredients and enjoying all the sensations that working in the kitchen has to offer. every sense is stimulated—the sights, touch, smells and sounds. the creative experimentation and improvisation, the science of achieving the perfect formula. preparing a dish from another land and pairing with the perfect beverage can take you to another world on a dreary cold night.

we have some amazing ethnic grocery options in ann arbor. on any given night you can try something completely different with ingredients that may be completely new to you. our own farmers market has lots of unusual greens, squashes, radishes and peppers that are out there right now! (market days are wednesdays and saturdays here at kerrytown.) last saturday i snuck out of the fish market to buy some baby bok choy from the farmers. nobody had any but one lady had a green called choy sum…it looks a little leafier and more spinach-like so i thought i’d give it a try in a thai-style rice noodle soup. maybe not typical or traditional but the flavor was perfect—a little bitter and it went well with the sweetness of the clams and shrimp in the dish.

this week’s recipe for seafood rice noodle soup is fast, easy and healthful. it will warm your soul and take you from ann arbor to a night in bangkok.