Lunch At The Shop

This past spring, we had friends visiting, one of whom was an architect. We discovered Peter Miller's bookstore in Seattle and decided we needed to visit.

I didn't know anything about Peter Miller other than that he was a designer. His store was super cool–displaying all kinds of eccentric design pieces alongside some excellent books and writing tools.

We were perusing all of this cool stuff for almost an hour. I picked up a used copy of Lunch at the Shop that was a little rough around the edges. I asked the shopkeeper about new copies, and he told me it was no longer in print. I said, "Thanks," and continued shopping.

A few minutes later, I learned that the shopkeeper was Peter Miller. I had no idea! He offered to sign my book and we had a nice conversation.

I love preparing food for people, and lunch is my favorite. Breakfast is great, too, but it's easy. I can whip up something tasty with some leftovers and a fried egg. Lunch is different. Many folks rush through it, eating at their desks or scarfing something down while standing at the counter.

Lunch At The Shop is about slowing down, appreciating the break in the workday, and enjoying a meal with the people you work with or near. The opening line reads:

Some of cooking is using food you love. And some of cooking is using food you have left. Lunch is about both.

As someone who hates wasting food, I'm a big fan of leftovers, and this is spot on. Today, I used a leftover avocado as a spread for a smoked salmon sandwich. It was delicious.

I still rush through lunch sometimes, but I'm much happier when I have the chance to slow down and be creative in making a meal, especially when I get to serve others, too.

I'm also interested in sustainability and using the last bits of everything we have. It'll be fun to share some of the meals I'm making – maybe you'll find some inspiration to create and share your own slow midday meal.

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