{"id":2456364,"date":"2020-03-26T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-26T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/?p=323292"},"modified":"2020-03-26T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2020-03-26T18:00:00","slug":"the-joy-of-cooking-how-to-embrace-quarantine-and-focus-on-a-basic-life-skill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/the-joy-of-cooking-how-to-embrace-quarantine-and-focus-on-a-basic-life-skill\/","title":{"rendered":"The joy of cooking: How to embrace quarantine and focus on a basic life skill"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.5333333333333\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-323292-196\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/food-atw-032620-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/food-atw-032620-1-768x1024.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"May Selby\/Courtesy photo | Since closing 520 Grill last week amid the coronavirus crisis, chef-owner Troy Selby has been enjoying cooking at home with family (including Remy, 6, in background).\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Since closing 520 Grill last week amid the coronavirus crisis, chef-owner Troy Selby has been enjoying cooking at home with family (including Remy, 6, in background).<\/strong><br \/>May Selby\/Courtesy photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/food-atw-032620-1-768x1024.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Since closing 520 Grill last week amid the coronavirus crisis, chef-owner Troy Selby has been enjoying cooking at home with family (including Remy, 6, in background).\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/food-atw-032620-1-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/food-atw-032620-1-1-1024x683.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Getty Images | \" class=\"h-100\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><strong><\/strong><br \/>Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/food-atw-032620-1-1-1024x683.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/food-atw-032620-1-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/food-atw-032620-1-2-1024x683.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Getty Images\/iStockphoto | iStockphoto | Horizontal view of pizza preparing at home\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>Horizontal view of pizza preparing at home<\/strong><br \/>Getty Images\/iStockphoto | iStockphoto<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/food-atw-032620-1-2-1024x683.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Horizontal view of pizza preparing at home\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/food-atw-032620-1-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/food-atw-032620-1-3-1024x724.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Getty Images | For 'Fantastic Fungi' sidebar\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"7\">\n<p><strong>For &#8216;Fantastic Fungi&#8217; sidebar<\/strong><br \/>Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/food-atw-032620-1-3-1024x724.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"For 'Fantastic Fungi' sidebar\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/food-atw-032620-1-4-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/food-atw-032620-1-4-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Getty Images | for sidebar\" class=\"h-100\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><strong>for sidebar<\/strong><br \/>Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/food-atw-032620-1-4-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"for sidebar\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/food-atw-032620-1-5-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/food-atw-032620-1-5-1024x682.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Getty Images | \" class=\"h-100\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><strong><\/strong><br \/>Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/food-atw-032620-1-5-1024x682.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/magazines\/aspen-times-weekly\/the-joy-of-cookinghow-to-embrace-quarantine-and-focus-on-a-basic-life-skill\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/magazines\/aspen-times-weekly\/the-joy-of-cookinghow-to-embrace-quarantine-and-focus-on-a-basic-life-skill\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Last week was the weirdest ever for chef Troy Selby, who founded 520 Grill on Cooper Avenue 10 years ago this May. On Tuesday, Selby ceased takeout operations from the restaurant, despite a provision allowing food to-go under the Colorado governor\u2019s 30-day coronavirus ban on dine-in restaurants beginning Monday. Normally 520 Grill is one of few affordable Aspen eateries to run through offseason, but the easygoing small-business owner felt uneasy about staying open now.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cI have a great staff of hardworking Latinos who are near and dear to me,\u201d explains Selby, who faced dozens of customers daily at 520\u2019s counter along with four full-time employees. \u201cWe\u2019re family. I feel responsible for their lives, too.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">A silver lining to shutting down shop? \u201cI am cooking at home again because I\u2019m not at the restaurant all the time, coming and going, coming and going,\u201d Selby says. \u201cIt\u2019s a great time to cook for fun, out of my routine, and that inspires me. We\u2019ve been enjoying family time, eating breakfast and dinner together.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Aspenites on lockdown may or may not share Selby\u2019s enthusiasm for home cooking, but it\u2019s what we must do. While supporting local restaurants that offer takeout and delivery is important, it\u2019s financially unsustainable for the average citizen long-term. Now is time to sharpen knives and fire up the stove. Cooking is a basic survival skill, and embracing the task will make quarantine most tolerable.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cBest place to start is with food that you like to eat\u2014whether Mexican or breakfast food, things your mom made for you or your grandmother made with you,\u201d Selby notes. \u201cSoup\u2019s good because it gets you chopping ingredients and cooking.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">In fact, when we talk, Selby is about to make soup for Sunday dinner, having received a pile of random ingredients (wild mushrooms, p\u00e2t\u00e9, hearty vegetables) from The Little Nell. The goods were doled out to friends and employees in an effort to salvage perishables from Ajax Tavern, element 47, and various Aspen-Snowmass on-mountain restaurants. (May Selby, Troy\u2019s wife and ATW \u201cMountain Mayhem\u201d columnist, manages the Nell\u2019s public relations.)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cI\u2019ll make a nice potato-leek-fennel soup out of that,\u201d the chef muses. \u201cOne of my greatest talents is making something from nothing, from the mystery box. \u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Take that cue, dear readers! Confidence is key to kitchen success. While you might not possess the ingrained expertise of a professional chef, following a few simple tips can help soften the stress of feeding yourself day in and day out during trying times.<\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\"><span>FIRST, BELIEVE IN YOUR ABILITY<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cThere are things you do know how to make, even though you think you don\u2019t know how to cook,\u201d quips Aspen-based nutritionist and holistic health practitioner Sheridan Semple. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t need to be fancy. Charlie Tarver made a comment, like, Everybody can make a sandwich. You could live through this whole time just making sandwiches! You\u2019d probably get bored, but you\u2019re gonna be able to feed yourself no matter what.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Consider your cravings, and decide to make foods you enjoy eating. Then, go for it.<\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\"><span>BE PLAYFUL<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cTry to make it fun,\u201d says Selby, whose six-and-a-half-year-old son, Remy, helps shred lettuce with a plastic kids\u2019 knife. That might include making French toast or pancakes for dinner, or starting a kitchen dance party with music cranked loud. \u201cIt\u2019s hard with children,\u201d he adds, \u201csome are interested in food and some are not.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Meanwhile, Semple suggests the copycat method. Lately, she shares, \u201cMy stepson\u2019s mom is having fun replicating the things she\u2019d normally go out to eat, and figuring out how to make them at home.\u201d<\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\"><span>TAKE SHORTCUTS<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cNowadays there are so many premade items available at the store to get you started: salad in a bag, rice pilaf,\u201d Semple says. \u201cStart (there), then add in a fresh ingredient. You don\u2019t have to be Julia Child to get yourself through this time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">While Google is a click away, consider acquiring a book that contains a breadth of information in one package. (Semple recommends \u201cThe Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom,\u201d which includes a comprehensive guide to preparing all sorts of omnivore foods in various styles, including eggs, produce, lean meats, and fish).<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Depending on your budget, experiment with a subscription meal-delivery service such as Blue Apron or Green Chef, which sends pre-portioned ingredients and step-by-step instructions to your doorstep.<\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\"><span>LET CREATIVITY FLOW<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cAs long as you\u2019re not baking or creating a souffl\u00e9 that requires exact measurements, you don\u2019t have to follow a recipe to a T,\u201d Selby notes. Taste your work often, and season with salt accordingly. Sometimes all that\u2019s needed is a splash of acid (vinegar, lemon juice) or a sprinkle of heat to enhance flavor. Trust your tastebuds.<\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\"><span>COOK IN BATCHES<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">While chefs and restaurateurs have access to a wide array of ingredients on hand at all times, Selby proposes that home cooks practice efficiency by batch-cooking foods in advance. He cites 520 Grill\u2019s go-to \u201ctaco fiesta bar\u201d catering spreads, a hit with the police department, fire station and other local organizations that require a mass of food at a reasonable price. Begin by buying ingredients in multiples (but no hoarding!)<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">\u201cIf you\u2019re cooking steak on the barbecue, cook a little extra steak, chop it up, and make tacos the next night. Instead of cooking one whole chicken, cook three chickens: one for dinner, one for chicken soup, one for chicken enchiladas, that kind of thing.\u201d<\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\"><span>JUST ADD VEGETABLES<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">When considering what to cook, go green. Your body will thank you. \u201cEven if you\u2019re eating junk food and it\u2019s so hard to stop, just start adding vegetables,\u201d Semple says. \u201cThat\u2019s going to alkalize your body and give you nutrients. You might be surprised: after you do that, you might not want as much pizza or chips. When your cells\u2019 needs are met, you have fewer cravings.\u201d<\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\"><span>RELAX, IT\u2019S JUST COOKING<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\">Give yourself a break if you mess up. \u201cEverybody is stressed out right now. The more you can love yourself where you\u2019re at, the better your immune system will be,\u201d Semple concludes. \u201cStart adding vegetables, pat yourself on the back, and call it good!\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Special Sections-ATW-ATW_Body_Serif\"><span><em><a href=\"mailto:amandaraewashere@gmail.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">amandaraewashere@gmail.com<\/a><i class=\"fas fa-external-link-alt\"><\/i><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/magazines\/aspen-times-weekly\/the-joy-of-cookinghow-to-embrace-quarantine-and-focus-on-a-basic-life-skill\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Since closing 520 Grill last week amid the coronavirus crisis, chef-owner Troy Selby has been enjoying cooking at home with family (including Remy, 6, in background).May Selby\/Courtesy photo Getty Images Horizontal view of pizza preparing at homeGetty Images\/iStockphoto | iStockphoto For &#8216;Fantastic Fungi&#8217; sidebarGetty Images for sidebarGetty Images Getty Images Show CaptionsHide Captions Last week [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2456364","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-18 03:55:40","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2456364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2456364"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2456364\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2456364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2456364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2456364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}