Coconut Oil and Mustard Greens

Tonight I dine on mustard greens and collards stir fried in coconut oil with burdock root and buckwheat kasha. I cannot tell you how awesome my apartment smells tonight. I've tried three different brands of coconut oil. The first two were equally gross, rancid smelling and imparted the same taste to my food. I threw them both out. But then I discovered Nutiva brand. I bought it at Fairway's organic market - but I've seen it at whole foods and also in my local health food store - Vitality Health Foods - 212-472-7700- 1412 1st Avenue (74th & 75th) in New York. I have to say I love this store, but I wish they would rent a bigger space. Every time I shop there (3-4 times a week) I knock something over. Trouble is now my hands smell like coconut. Although it is a lovely smell, so I don't mind and it beats smelling of garlic or turmeric, two spices I love as well but alas with no kitchen fan, I am not making any heavy duty curry any time soon. Last week I made some "greens" curry style and it did not smell up the apartment.

On another note, I joined the Weston A. Price Foundation in New York City (http://www.wprice-nyc.org/) and I will be ordering raw milk from Pennsylvania to be delivered to me somewhere in Manhattan. I'm really excited to try it. I've had it in Europe and in cheeses, but I'm really curious to try it on a more regular basis. I'd really love some raw goat milk and am going to see if I can get my hands on that. I'm searching for a good Indian store to buy goat meat at in New York City. I'm still also searching for the most economical form of grass fed beef - it is incredibly difficult to find. From my research, Ottomanelli's (http://www.nycotto.com/butchershop/index.php?cPath=40) on York Avenue and 82nd Street sells it. I've had the "grass fed" sirloin once there. I'm still puzzled why they put "grass fed" in quotes. The meat was incredibly tasty but also incredibly expensive. I'll continue to shop there but no more than every 2 months or so. I might try to buy direct from a farm and see what I can get through Weston A. Price and the CSAs around New York. I can't wait till April when my CSA membership starts, that is if I make it off the wait list. Until then, I buy my veggies at Fairway when I can get across town (usually run through the park and bus back) or at Vitality Health Foods.

I'm thoroughly enjoying my dinner of sauteed greens, kasha and tofu. Yum! The kasha is especially good. Its slightly larger grained than what I remember as a child when my only experience was when it was in a dish called kasha varnikes (recipe: http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blpasta3.htm) that had bowtie pasta in it. I suppose if you cover the grains in egg and then chicken fat, how can they taste bad? Tonight, I didn't quite use that recipe!