A close friend recently asked me, in a slightly crabby tone, how exactly I map out my weekly meal plan, and how long it takes me to come up with my menu and to organize the associated grocery list. She was not happy with me when I breezily said "oh, about 10 minutes". I later realized that this was a rather misleading answer so have elaborated further below, especially since several subscribers have been kind enough to ask the same thing and they don't have to pretend to be interested in my blog.
As you may have already intuited, i am very interested in the culinary arts. Oh heck, I am just really interested in FOOD. I read about it constantly, visit specialty stores and farmers' markets whenever the opportunity presents itself and actually enjoy grocery shopping (which I have been told is rare). New recipes and cuisines are like catnip to me, as are unknown ingredients and restaurants, especially when sampled for the first time. What this means, in slightly more simplistic terms, is that food is pretty much always on my mind. I am constantly squirrelling away new ideas and recipes.
So, yes, It does usually take me 10 minutes or so to plan my menu for the week and jot down my grocery list. But I have been thinking about the dishes that it contains for weeks or months, if not years...
Email me, or comment below, and let me know how you plan your weekly menu if - in fact - you do.