All illustrations by Erin Filson.
APRIL 2016
ARIES Mar 21 - Apr 19 —Out like a lamb, out like a ram, out like cured ham... It goes something like that. This is a month for ambition, dear food friend, and your adventurous nature is leading the way towards health and happiness! Beware of creating speed bumps to slow yourself down, though—sometimes when there's nothing for Aries to worry about, you make some stuff up. Turn off your inner doubt off by beginning each day with a signature cup of joe, and don't be afraid to think deeply about it. Are your coffee beans locally roasted? Does the coffee place near your job use fair trade varieties? Ask all the questions you can, and definitely ask your local barista for suggestions on a new way to take those first sips of the day. Try soy milk! Add honey instead of sugar! Ditch coffee completely and drink a cold-pressed green juice! Your pioneering spirit is alive and well, and the best part of waking up just might be a new sense of Spring energy. And a new, fun drink in the AM.
TAURUS Apr 20 - May 20 —We may have rain showers on the horizon for this month, but the bad news ends there for you, Taurus. You can leave trials and tribulations behind for a while, and focus on your inner bliss. No bull! It'll take some of that classic patience of yours, if you choose to properly employ it, and be careful of blinding yourself to the important stuff while frolicking around. Eat breakfast every day, no skipping—the boost of energy and the sense of early morning accomplishment will have immediate and lasting impact. Let's not be boring about this, though, and keep the morning meal colorful, eclectic, and bursting with flavor! Grilled bell peppers and fresh, garden-grown herbs are a quick, easy way to have you jumping out of bed each morning. There's a lot of pleasure in the cooking process itself, too—make it part of your April routine, and share whenever possible. Doesn't hurt to have some help with the dishes.
GEMINI May 21 - June 20 —Showers bring flowers, it's true, and the coming of spring has you seeing double rainbows and pairs of turtle doves! You may be feeling a bit lucky this month, like the happy sun is shining only for you. Don't go buying lottery tickets, necessarily, but your inquisitive nature may find some lovely investment opportunities. See if you can find a local co-op or CSA and get a share of the locally-grown produce and other goodies—each time you pick up a box full of surprise veggies or fresh meats, you'll be treated to a cooking challenge as well as a community pat-on-the-back! Look to the interwebs for some fun ideas (the Instagram accounts with the beautiful photography are always fun) and challenge yourself to cook outside the box. Take a gamble, it just might pay off in delicious, delicious ways.
CANCER June 21 - July 22 —There's no side-stepping this month, Crab, so let's crack April open with the hammer of cheese, love, and understanding. This month is all about living in the moment, drinking it in, and eating wonderful things along the way. Just don't drink and drive people away with an excess of moody behavior! May we suggest a strong cup of tea? There are some incredible tea companies out there, and make a delectable goal of drinking a different cup each day this month. Ask your local shop or barista about the difference between tea producers or flavors, and write down your favorites. You'll be amazed at how much a 5-minute tea break mid-morning will keep your emotions on the level and your head full of sunshine. Also, it's generally pretty cool to know your tea—impress friends and family, gain immense respect for the international culture surrounding this ancient beverage, and pour it all over ice as this lovely Spring season heats up.
LEO July 23 - Aug 22 —In like a lion, out like a lion, always a lion, forever and ever, ROAR! Start those engines and prepare your king-of-the-jungle heart for 30 days of accomplishment and subsequent pride. Maybe take things one-at-a-time, though, otherwise the catapult that is YOU might just go too far. Your goal for this month can be as simple as "a better lunch" - pack it, cook it, or locally-source it every day this month, and watch your productivity skyrocket. This doesn't even need to be complicated: pick a different veggie, cheese, and protein for each lunch of the week, mixing and matching with condiments and fresh bread for a fun noontime surprise every day. Try pita bread with feta and chicken salad on Monday! Grab hummus, crackers, and fresh chèvre for Friday! Go crazy! Just don't be late for that 1PM meeting...
VIRGO Aug 23 - Sept 22 —Step blinking into the warm light of April, my friend, and take a deep breath of NOT winter. It's time for a healthy thawing-out of all your worries and fears for an all-around cleansing month! Let's get vegetal, vegetal, I wanna get vegetal...with vegetables, of course. Pick up a new and crazy veggie at a farmers market and spend the week perfecting the techniques of spring essentials like ramps, peas, radishes, and artichokes. Look to the pros for all the secrets on picking, cleaning, and cooking these natural delicacies, but follow your instincts and don't let yourself worry about the outcome. The vegetables just might be so inspiring that you decide to go completely meatless! We support this fresh period, and we shall revel in your status as a "Vegetable Whisperer." Make sure to get an extra dose of cheese this month, though, as we don't want your protein intake to slip. Plus, cheese is kind of our thing.
LIBRA Sept 23 - Oct 22 —A little more sunshine on this side... A little more rain on that side... The balance of nature is settling, and you are the triumphant beholder. April is easy like Sunday morning...brunch. So dig in! And don't let anyone or anything pull you away. Focus on the little things this month, and once you decide to improve something in your path don't let go of the idea. Actually, brunch is the perfect place to start! Make this a go-to meal for April, and use each week to practice for an End-of-April Brunch Extravaganza with friends, family, and every person on the planet who wants a great brunch. Or just friends and family! Try breakfast bakes with eggs, french bread, smoked ham, and asparagus, with Comté from France grated on top. Fire up the oven and make bacon bowls in muffin tins, filled with scrambled eggs, aged cheddar, and hot sauce. Better yet, fire up the grill on a clear, warm day and make brunch flatbreads with grilled scallion, creme fraîche, and smoked salmon. I've got a hunch that you'll munch a bunch of brunch.
SCORPIO Oct 23 - Nov 21 —From under the gray stone of winter we crawl, minds filled with ambition and already plotting the brilliance of this new month. You're a force to be reckoned with in April, and anything you put your mind to can easily be accomplished in the fresh light of spring. Beware the urge to scurry back to the darkness! You need to keep focused, and a midday snack every day will be your ticket to success. "Snack" doesn't have to mean baby carrots or fruit salad, O Mighty Scorpion, and let cheese be your guide to new heights of quickie nibbles. Goat cheese, figs, and honey! Cheddar, apples, and pepper jelly! Blue cheese, chocolate, and coffee! With these classic combos at the ready for an afternoon pick-me-up, those Winter days will melt into memory quicker than you can say, "Gruyere, prosciutto, and roasted red peppers!"
SAGITTARIUS Nov 22 - Dec 21 —Your stance is solid, bow held at the ready - deep breath in, and release the arrow that was March. Onto the next! April will be yours for the taking, especially when it comes to your relationships, and especially when handled over a delectable meal. Be prepared to walk the line between strengthening your bonds and over-stretching them, my friend. We wouldn't want you to snap. Dinners at dusk are your new goal for the next four weeks, and you might have the time of your life making it a habit. Invite new people to share in the beauty that is an early-evening dinner as the sun disappears for the day, and work things out over elegant meals and amazing conversation. I'm not talking barbecue ribs and sloppy joes, either—keep it classy with pan seared scallops in lemon cream sauce, or a piquant salad of charred romaine, caesar dressing, and crispy pancetta. Light, easy, and connected: let this be your motto.
CAPRICORN Dec 22 - Jan 19 —Hold on to your fools, April, because practical Capricorn has taken the wheel! There'll be no pranking here, because this 30-day stretch is no joke for our unstoppable ambition. However, this year is making you a bit of a go-go-goat, and stopping to smell the roses this month will be your saving grace. Full of practicality and good instincts, you know you shouldn't be eating too late. Keep supper before 7 or 8 PM, and think about cutting the carbs out of the meal a few nights a week. Transitions from heavier pasta meals and winter-appropriate cuts of red meat to lighter, healthier fare are in the works. Aid them by highlighting seafood, citrus, raw vegetables, and fruit-based meals! You know you'll have a blast doing it, you'll feel great eating it, and you'll probably impress a few people along the way with some new cooking skills. Take it all in, enjoy it while it lasts, and move on to the next amazing meal.
AQUARIUS Jan 20 - Feb 18 —The waves of spring are finally lapping at the seashore, and sweet Aquarius knows exactly how to surf. Your strong sense of self is guiding you this month, and the ride will be incredible as long as you keep one foot on the ground. The dreamy sights and smells of springtime foods are trying desperately to lure you into complete Aquarian detachment from jobs, hobbies, even people! So take extra care to keep connected in the newborn sunlight by planning an inaugural picnic. Invite those who you've been kept away from by winter weather, and treat them to the best of picnicking delights. Try your hand at pickling, especially with interesting subjects like green beans and radishes. Talk to family about their favorite techniques, and dream up new recipes with old friends in the confident light of April!
PISCES Feb 19 - March 20 —Upstream we go, with all the drive and ambition we can muster, and the guiding planet Neptune leading the way decisively. Welcome to April! You can feel the resurgence of compassion for fellow man, and the insatiable need to help something, somewhere. Hone that feeling into the spirit of brotherly eating! We both know you have some tricks up your sleeve when it comes to the kitchen, and April is a great month for you to put on your teaching hat. Grab someone who is hungry to learn, throw on a tasteful apron and matching grin, and prove your worth as a master egg-beater, an award-winning veggie slicer 'n' dicer, a maverick of mixing cookie dough! Whatever it is, it needs to be shared. And boy, you'll feel good afterwards.
