“Cutting the Cord”

A little over 3 years ago, we decided to get rid of cable (also known as cutting the cord). We weren’t watching over 90% of the channels and couldn’t justify the the hefty monthly cost. We switched over to a combination of “Over the Air HD Antenna (OTA)” for live local shows, and streaming services (like Netflix, Crackle, Tastemade, YouTube, etc.) for all the rest of our TV entertainment.

No More Food Network! Now what?

We haven’t regretted the move once. We’re not sports fanatics or movie-buffs, so what we get through common services is more than enough for our family’s entertainment needs.

One channel I did miss for a while at the start of our transition was The Food Network. But, (by necessity) I quickly realized there were more options out there. Lucky for me, that list of options keeps growing as more content sources latch on to the streaming bandwagon.

I’m curious. With the huge increase in food shows over the years, I wonder if people are cooking more or less frequently these days. Personally, I can admit that there have been weeks where I’m a little guilty of the latter. Even so, I must say that for me, I often feel inspired and I gain some knowledge–whether it’s about a new cooking technique, or new ingredient I’ve never heard of, or about food and culture in different parts of the world. I may not cook everyday, but I do know that for me, watching these food shows gives me inspiration and motivation–and they’re my favourite TV entertainment.

So what’s cooking on our TV?

Our boys mostly watch YouTube channels, which is very typical with their friends as well. Netflix Canada content accounts for roughly 70% of TV watching for Liz and I. Since I’m the cook of our blogging duo, I’ve latched onto (and binge watched) a few of the Netflix cooking shows. Some of these include: Chef’s Table, The Mind of a Chef, Anthony Bourdain: A Cook’s Tour, A Cook Abroad, and more. Although I’ll never cook at that level, Chef’s Table is my all-time favourite cooking show…ever! Those Chefs are like food scientists and artists rolled up into one! Compared to their food art, I’m painting by numbers 🙂 … but it’s still fun to watch!

So what inspired today’s recipe?

I recently started watching a show on Netflix called, In Search of Israeli Cuisine. It’s amazing how many new shows you can find by searching with keywords instead of navigating. I love learning about food from other cultures. Although a bit of the delicious-looking food highlighted in the show was very different from what I typically cook, the Israeli Salad caught my attention. I’ve had this salad a few times, at local restaurants, and loved it! When they mentioned it on the show, I immediately thought it would be a perfect addition to our blog, and obviously our bellies.

How did it Taste?

It was fantastic. It’s really not that different from some others salads I’ve made at home. However, this recipe has parsley, which I don’t usually add to salads, and it also uses lemon juice, where as I typically use red wine or balsamic vinegar. I encountered lots of variations of the salad. Some have other types of peppers, garlic, mint instead if parsley, seasonings, etc. The version we’re sharing with you contains ingredients that were more or less the foundation of most of the recipes we checked out. After nudging some red onions off to the side of his plate, even our little picky eater enjoyed it.

That Netflix show was my inspiration for this fresh salad–a taste that reminded us of summer… and that’s a warm welcome during these cold days of winter. Bring on the inspiration…and this Israeli salad, and eat well, friends!

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