Hi all. It’s been a while. Been busy lately working on some projects and running my Food as Medicine course at my medical school, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. But even so, I think about food and this blog constantly. After considerable thought and experience with my course(and some insightful advice from my girlfriend), I’ve discovered what the purpose of this blog is and will be beyond what I initially set out to accomplish.

Aside from offering healthy and healthful recipes, which can be found all throughout the interwebs, with most posts I make I want to put the spotlight on individual ingredients, the protagonists and supporting cast members of every comestible that so pleases your palette. I will choose a food, spice, herb, etc, whether familiar or wholly foreign to me, and begin by exploring its storied history, sharing a personal or historical anecdote. Then I’ll discuss it’s “flavor profile”, along with what other ingredients go well with this one, and what foods this ingredient can really shine in. Here I will link to the recipe portion of my blog with some of my favorite recipes incorporating the ingredient of the day.

And lastly, I will often attempt to write about the fabled, rumored, or evidence based health impact of consuming said ingredient (and will make sure to note whether it seems more tale or truth, reporting how good the evidence for a health benefit or harm is). I hope i might help clarify points of confusion or misunderstanding regarding health impacts of said ingredient, and highlight controversies where they exist.

I hope this new way of engaging with this blog will help you and I both find more meaning in food. Let me know what you think! I welcome feedback and suggestions for a new direction or improvements.

reGourds,

Michael