Clara Simó, a Catalan teacher and known on social media as @clarafogons, has presented her new book Amb dos fogons! in the current context of concern about food waste and the rising cost of living in Catalonia.
Reflection on waste and domestic economy
Simó has underlined the importance of taking advantage of food and avoiding throwing away food. The author considers that too much is wasted, often due to lack of knowledge. In Simó's own words,
"We throw away everything we can and that cannot be. We throw away too much, many times out of ignorance, because we don't know that we can do something else with it" - Clara Simó, professor and author
The economic situation has also been a reason for analysis. Simó has pointed out that the price increase affects most families in Catalonia. In his view, "we are all a little poor" given the current cost of food and housing.
Catalan Language and Cuisine, Two Parallel Fields
The author defends the need to preserve both the Catalan language and Catalan cuisine. She considers that both are going through difficulties, although she maintains hope for their recovery. Simó explains that her teaching work and her culinary passion feed each other.
"Even more, if I can, I work on both at the same time. When I teach Catalan, I make reference to cooking, and in the cookbook, I make references to the Catalan language" - Clara Simó, professor and author
In her work, Simó has included vegan recipes and advocates for improvisation in the kitchen, demystifying the need to follow recipes strictly. She has tried not to set exact quantities in her recipes so that the reader experiments and discovers new paths.
Personal preferences and vision on cuisine
Simó defines herself as an "infomerdi", rejecting the label of influencer due to the posturing it implies. She is not particularly fond of meat, although she consumes it from time to time. Her partner, of Argentine origin, lives with resignation. Regarding her preferences, she highlights eggs as a versatile and daily food, and botifarra d'ou as the best contribution of Catalan cuisine. Entrecote, on the other hand, is a dish she would never order.
As for the importance of food, Simó prioritizes what is eaten over the company. For her, the content of the plate is essential, while the company is circumstantial.