In the middle of a difficult year at a difficult job with stress hormones roiling around the office in tidal waves large enough to knock over an unsuspecting UPS driver I decided to take back one part of my life. That part of my life is the food I eat, giving up what normally passed as food but was really just fuel to get through the day with little or no taste for the chance to eat really simple good food.

So it's back to basics although for me it's more like the first day of Kindergarten. I spent years reading Peter Mayle starting with the classic "A Year in Provence". Food is celebrated in his books like no where else I've ever seen. Simple ingredients, gorgeous meals. They make you immediately want to run out and buy real bakery bread (around here it's Panera), hit the fancy cheese display at the grocery store, and wander through wine displays.

My other inspiration is Emeril Lagasse. His show on FLN Fine Living Network is a perfect way to unwind after the day. Yes, he has a professional kitchen and staff but he spends a lot of time on the basics and his other show Emeril Green is even better. On Emeril Green he's closer to my level.

So after dealing with all of the excuses - how can I make a meal from scratch in the evenings when I'm exhausted, what do I do with all of the not-so-good food in my freezer and cabinets, how much is all this going to cost, and on, and on, I finally did it. I went to the store, bought an armful of vegetables, some fruit, garlic, flour, butter, milk (we're really starting from ground zero here), yogurt, and basic spices.

So far I've learned that I'm not going to ever cook anything that has to be set aflame on the stove. Just not going there ever again. I made buttermilk biscuits that tasted delicious but looked like small lumpy pancakes. I discovered polenta, the simplest, most soul satisfying thing you can eat especially in cold weather. I made it from a recipe in a fairly fancy cookbook but even they allowed microwave preparation and it's amazing how good cornmeal, chicken broth, salt, butter, and parmesan-reggiano taste together.

Portobello mushrooms were another surprise. I sauteed some baby portobellos in butter with salt and pepper, toasted a piece of french bread, added a petit glass of wine and it was the perfect meal after a really draining day.

My budget has not suffered. Basic ingredients are not expensive and if you plan a few meals you can use them several different ways and come out with very different meals. I hate leftovers and this way I can cook the amount I want so less wasted food.

As far as health goes, it's been great. Less aches and pains at night, good sleep, healthy skin, and generally feeling really good. I never thought out this part of it so it's been a nice surprise. The other surprise is appetite control. I don't diet, don't even own a scale but I want to stay healthy enough to take the dogs for a brisk walk, work in the yard, and climb the stairs at work and still be able to carry on a conversation when I get to the top.

So read that copy of "A Year in Provence", check out Emeril in all his glory and grab a few fresh things the next time you're at the store. The journey is just as good as the destination on this trip.