The belly rules the mind

That's an old Spanish proverb. It's real old. Like all proverbs. I mean who's got time to write new ones?

Anyway, I've said it before but I'll say it again - I am really only ever concerned with my next meal. I make weekly meal plans. A new recipe finds itself pinned under my fork 2 or 3 times a week. Cooking is how I relax after work and how I most enjoy spending time with the raddest people I know. I care about where it comes from and how it came to be before it began it's journey to my stomach. Hooray for food!

I read a lot about food and the agriculture industry. I watch way too many documentaries and spend too long in the grocery store making decisions, but it pleases me. I hope some of my recent findings please you too! Some exciting stuff, some scary stuff & eye candy too.

I found out yesterday that the first zero-packaging grocery store in the US might be opening right here in Austin, TX! Sometimes when I get excited I will stammer and then say 'there are no words!' but thats a lie. I always have words. If I don't have something to say please lean in and check for a pulse, okay? So, here are my words - this is fucking amazing. Pardon my french, but that is how I feel. They need donations to make this happen though. I am going to toss $50 their way because imagining a store with out brand names and logos and goofy mascots competing for my attention and my pay check just makes me giddy. To think my pantry could be free of these things as well - eek! It means a world with a little less marketing, which don't get me wrong, great marketing really turns me on, but these days we do not get a free moment. Something is almost always blatantly or subconciously trying to get our wallets out of our pockets. It's exhausting and wether we realize it or not it fills our heads with crap that ultimately does not serve us. It forces us to make decisions about things we may never even purchase, causing stress and anxiety in small yet affecting doses. I'd rather just get to the point. Filling my belly with the good stuff while I stop contributing to the landfills that will not always be out of sight and out of mind. And now fine readers In.gredients

Now, on a less thrilling tip.. Here are some terrifying maps! One showing the locations of Americas top 8 burger franchises, the other of places where bars out number grocery stores. I feel that there are some errors on this map because Austin, TX does not show up as a hot spot. If I tried to name every bar in this town it would not only be boring, but exhausting to boot.

Okay, it's gross but... Feast your eyes on this (for a larger view just click on it).

The only thing I like more than food is good illustration. When I found They Draw and Cook my heart skipped a beat! Then I thought 'Damn it! why didn't I come up with this?' but that's a bull shit thing to think (pardon my french again! I have potty mouth today). Seriously though who cares who came up with it, just that it exists! There plans to illustrate some of my favorite recipes and I will surely let you know when I submit them. Until then, here are a few of my favorites! (again, if you want to get up close and personal just click on the images)

Well, I'm stupid hungry now and I turn into a betch when I'm hungry and I don't want to subject you lovely people to that.

xo,

Bonnie Rue

p.s. Remember, you can eat off my plate if I can eat off of yours.