Photo by Tina Hager/White House via Getty Images

Since the election, foodies have turned pundit-like attention to speculation about who the Obamas would appoint to helm the White House kitchen. We learned this week that instead of installing a celebrity chef to the post, Cristeta Comerford will continue to wear the top toque. Recruited by former White House Chef Walter Scheib, Comerford joined the White House kitchen staff in 1995. Ten years later, she became first woman hired to the executive chef post.

A top-notch chef by all accounts, Comerford may be looking forward to forging new culinary paths when Obama takes office. The day-to-day feeding of the first family is at the heart of the job, and the Obama family reportedly has healthier -- and much more eclectic tastes -- than the Bushes. But I'd also venture to guess that given Obama's foreign policy interests, state dinners -- and the diplomatic opportunities they represent -- will return to the White House. (During 8 years in office, the Bushes hosted just 6 state dinners; the Clintons, by contrast, hosted upwards of 30).

What I'm most curious about is what Comerford will be asked to cook. President-elect Obama has spoken out about his commitment to America's farmers, sustainable agriculture, and addressing the obesity epidemic. We've also learned he genuinely enjoys food -- whether it's a simple cheeseburger on the campaign trail, or Rick Bayless' upscale regional Mexican cuisine at home in Chicago. What struck me most, though, as I combed through the blogosphere for hints about the Obamas' favorite foods, is that they seem to have very flexible palates when it comes to spice -- smoked sea salt caramels! red-chile guajillo sauce! How we use seasonings is at the heart of what differentiates one cuisine from another, and at the same time serves as a touchpoint between the foodways of different cultures. I'd love to see Comerford given the chance to integrate international flavors into the representative American cuisine typically served at state dinners. Think of it as a touch of culinary diplomacy.

© 2008 Miri Rotkovitz

If you've resolved to make 2009 the Year of Eating Healthier, know that done right, it may prove one of the most delicious years yet. By "done right," I mean ditching the fad diets, hyper-restrictive eating patterns, and obsessions about individual nutrients. It's time for a saner approach to food and health, and one that doesn't resort to scientific reductionism.

There's much to say about the nutritional merits of this Avocado and Pomegranate Salad With Cumin-Lime Vinaigrette, for example. It's loaded with antioxidants, heart-healthy fats, and disease-fighting phytochemicals. But in a sense, all of that is beside the point, because -- news flash! -- in case you'd forgotten, we eat food , not Vitamin B6 or Alpha-linolenic acid.

As Michael Pollan distills things in In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, the smartest way to eat is according to his oft-quoted credo: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

Pollan isn't suggesting we subsist on bunny food, but that we focus on the incredible diversity of real food -- as in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, perhaps wild fish and game -- instead of the slickly-marketed, dubiously-fortified, highly-processed foods that dominate American supermarkets. The beauty part is that real food, well-prepared, is so pleasurable to eat. Eat well, and the nutrition takes care of itself.

© 2008 Miri Rotkovitz

On New Year's Day, the BBC reported that the mental health charity Mind was urging people not to make resolutions, for fear that they could weaken self-esteem, or even promote depression or feelings of failure. The charity suggested focusing instead on positive goals like being active, getting in touch with nature, or doing volunteer work. To me, those things sound like resolutions, but I take Mind's point that they don't involve self-chastisement.

And maybe that's what's most important to remember about New Year's resolutions -- they're meant to be a process, and one that ultimately makes you feel good, whether about yourself or the world at large. So don't forget to enjoy yourself along the way. Unless you're going for total asceticism as an end in itself, a little indulgence is a nice thing, and may be just what you need to stay on track, whatever your resolution. To that end, I offer this Very Vanilla Sugar, and my sincerest wishes to all for a sweet new year!

© 2008 Miri Rotkovitz

I've never met anyone who didn't like latkes, so with 3 days of Chanukah left to go, I thought I'd share a recipe for the iconic potato pancakes. Potato latke purists beware, though -- this is a website devoted to herbs and spices, so these aren't quite your Bubbe's latkes.

Moroccan cuisine is renowned for its lush and sophisticated use of spice, and was the inspiration for these Potato Latkes With Ras El Hanout. Ras el hanout means "top of the shop" in Arabic, and denotes a merchant's best spices, so it's especially fitting for a holiday celebration. If you don't have the spice blend on hand, you'll find a simple recipe for ras el hanout here.