Green is the Day

So, it’s Earth Day, and every media outlet is letting us know the fragility of planet we have been so heavily treading upon. They will for the week inundate us with statistics, tips and guilt for what we have done. Well, we are more than a few generations into industrial living and while reverting back to a pastoral lifestyle maybe a personal fantasy – it is not bound to happen. Instead, it is more of an evaluation of our approach to living and what behavioral changes we can put in place to help strength the ripple of change

The choice is what can I do and what do I want to do? Personally, I buy my food locally as much as possible – I wish I could say it is because of some environmental mission rather it was from the selfishness and my wanting the best flavor. How fortunate my artist need fell into alignment with the current social conscience. What I will do starting today is bringing my compostibles to the market where they will convert into soil, and then sell it back to me. If only my apartment got some got light. I don’t use air-conditioning; I have embraced my father’s cry, “shut off the light!” I am living my life as aware as possible and even if I am not prefect I have enough self-imposed guilt to keep me carrying my own shopping bags, rinsing out Ziplocs and remove my clothes from the dryer while still damp.




Sauce Vert - yields approx. 2 cups

1/4-cup capers
2 garlic cloves - chopped
1/8-cup chopped cornichons
1 cup pitted green olives
1/2-cup Italian parsley - leaves only
1/8-cup thyme - leaves only
1-cup watercress - tough stems discarded
1/4-cup tarragon vinegar
1/4-cup water
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2-cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


Place all ingredients, save the oil, in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Blend the mixture until fairly smooth, and then with the machine running slowly pour in the oil. Correct seasoning.