Good food begins with good ingredients

I read a lot of food blogs when I'm procrastinating, and between those, my mom's cookbook collection, and her mom's cookbooks, the number one tip I always hear for better food is to start with good ingredients.

This can be a tall order when you're on a student budget. I almost always buy off-brand products, and despite my mom's constant admonitions, I almost never buy organic (unless it's cheaper than normally farmed goods!). No matter how much I would love to support local businesses and family farmers, I can't always afford to do so. So I buy at Costco and Safeway and try and assuage my guilt by buying food at the student-run CoHo on campus — at least that's nonprofit!

Today reminded me of how important good ingredients can be. One of my housemates had a birthday yesterday, and a friend bought her some delicious strawberry white peach jam from the Davis Farmers' Market. She's a caring person, so she let me coerce her into using it to make cookies.

I used a basic sugar cookie recipe, rolled tablespoon-sized balls of dough, stuck my thumb in them, and dropped some of the jam in. When they were golden brown I pulled them out of the over and my roommates and I devoured them while watching "Dexter."

Dear sweet Lord these are delicious. Even Roomie, who doesn't, as a rule, like sweet sugary things (and is therefore immune to my baking powers), was nibbling on these beauties. And they are, in fact, beautiful — the jam is very juicy and just bursting with flavor. As usual, my cell phone camera doesn't do these any justice!

Our farmers' market is held twice a week, and I know I'll be taking advantage of that to go get more jam very soon. The Davis Farmers' Market has all sorts of goodies, since it's located smack dab in the middle of an agricultural heartland. It's 35 years old and has been voted best large farmers' market in the U.S.!

Maybe while I'm there I'll pick up some tasty vegetables and bread for finals-week chow. Some people eat when they're stressed; I bake when I'm stressed. As long as I keep making sweet, succulent little cookies like these babies, I'm sure no one can have a problem — at least, until we run out.