CH: On the subject of diabetes, in the section about blood sugar you say that food doesn’t actually have a fixed glycemic index—the way it’s cooked can make a difference. I had never heard that before, but it’s fascinating to think that al dente pasta is better for your blood sugar levels than overcooked, mushy pasta.
DM: Oh, dramatically so. And it’s that way with any kind of mushy grains, because of the way the sugars break down during cooking; [grains] get mushy if you just kind of set the pot on the stove and walk away, rather than thinking through carefully how you’re going to prepare them. (This rule does not necessarily hold true for nonstarchy carbs like veggies—a slow-cooked bean and veggie stew is not higher glycemic.) And then there’s also the way in which foods are combined. The classic example that I give is that corn tortillas have a relatively high glycemic index, but if you eat them with beans, all of a sudden the glycemic index of the tortillas comes down to match that of the beans. Because our stomach is not like some little sorting factory; things actually get processed together.
CH: Following these food traditions and combinations seems like it’s much easier to do at home than when you’re eating out. Because as you say, even if you go to an “authentic” taqueria, you don’t know what kind of processed, modern oils they’re using, and there are probably way more calories in their dishes than in the traditional versions from the home country.
DM: In one of the first chapters, I talk about a Thai restaurant that I love. I was waiting for the bathroom and I look over and I literally see these crates and crates of Skippy peanut butter. My heart just sank at that moment. So people have been asking me, are you anti-restaurant? Is the restaurant industry going to come after you for this book? And I started thinking of the role that restaurants play in these cultures that I visited. It’s not like people on Crete or in Okinawa don’t go out to eat. But the difference is that it’s a treat. It’s really like one of the feasting days, going out to a restaurant. Because the idea is that you’re getting something that’s just richer and more prepared than something you’re going to get at home. And so the family dresses up, you go out all together, and it’s a big deal, a special night.
CH: I was going to ask you about the convenience factor.
DM: I don’t mean to sound self-righteous about this, but I don’t have hired help. I’m a doctor, I have two kids, I teach, I manage to exercise most days, and I still manage to cook. It’s just a matter of priorities. It’s a matter of deciding that this is the way you’re going to spend family time and relaxation time—not in front of the TV, not driving somewhere in your car, but actually just in the kitchen for a half hour or 40 minutes, making a meal.
CH: And it doesn’t have to take longer than that.
DM: No, it doesn’t. I do believe in modern conveniences like rice cookers and slow cookers and things like that. I have to say I use them a lot, and I give riffs on a lot of the recipes using them. Actually pretty much all of the recipes you can throw in a slow cooker. But when people give me that as the ground rule—“well, you know, I just don’t have time to cook, so you’re going to have to find a solution for me that doesn’t involve cooking”—the answer is: Sorry.
When people really get sick, they have all the time in the world. All of a sudden they go to all these doctor’s appointments and they have to stand in line at a pharmacy to buy their medications. And they have to go for testing and they have to go for follow-up, and they have to spend all the hours being anxious about their disease, losing productive time doing that. And it’s like, just invest a little bit ahead of time. But I know that’s not the politically correct answer.
I mean, people are cooking, but it’s just not part of the popular culture to be proud of yourself as a home cook. I think it’s considered anti-feminist, because the idea is that women are the ones that ultimately are going to be trapped in the kitchen. I have quite a few friends that really feel that for them it’s been a strong political statement to not cook. But I think the onus is on the family, whatever your family structure is. Whoever lives under your roof, you all cook together.
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