Getting Started

I've been thinking about why people blog...why joe schmoe thinks that the world is interested in his thoughts. Facebook has become in many ways a blog, with status updates, etc.

It never occurred to me to blog, because I am always busy - juggling home, school, and work - but somehow, I'm always online. I'm addicted to learning new things no matter what the subject matter.

What I should be doing now is either grading discussion postings, preparing a lecture, or working on my research proposal but instead I'm BLOGGING...that's hilarious.

I like to cook, because I like to eat. I like to think of eating as an experience - I should be fat but I'm not...though perhaps I am by pop culture standards.

I grew up eating healthy foods - no salt, sugar, beef, pork, or milk.

I started cooking in the 7th grade (20+ years ago) when I had Home Ec. I loved it. Our teacher was Ms. Mazepink, she shopped at Macy's By Appointment. We made homeade pasta sauce, stir frys, cinnamon rolls, etc. I went home and recreated the recipes, even advancing to making venison (my father was a hunter, the venison came wrapped in green butcher paper).

Eventually my mother stopped cooking. I would call Grandmom Lou for tips on how to prepare stuff. I cooked most stuff in a Sharp Carousel Convection Oven - I guess that's when I fell in love with convection cooking. I currently have a Kitchenaid convection range and a Sharp Grill 2 microwave/convection oven.

I did a lot of cooking by recipes. I fell in love with kitchenware - utensils, gadgets, etc...you should see my kitchen now, so much stuff...In the 90's I shopped at Lechters...a kitchen place in the mall and I bought cookbook - I think it was called Creative Cooking...I started preparing meals from that. Now I avoid kitchen stores (my favorites were Williams-Sonoma, Kitchen Kapers, Bed Bath and Beyond) because I can't imagine that I need another thing and I know I can't help myself.

And that's how it went. My family likes to eat. I remember as a young adult, planning what we'd eat three days in advance with my mom, aunt, and cousin. I enjoyed Good Food and still despise poorly prepared food.

I like to prepare food for company but am always anxious about if it's good...

I love ethnic food - AUTHENTIC ethnic food...not this stuff watered down to American tastes. I like to go to the source for recipes and preferably spices.

So, my husband claims it was my roasted chicken that sold him, which is why he bought the Kitchenaid oven shortly after we were married - I couldn't recreate the roasted chicken in a gas oven. You know, my favorite grandmother was a terrible cook, but made a great roasted chicken. She also made me eat bread and butter with every meal...

I guess it's my life experiences that have broadened my cooking horizons and subsequently made me restless as well. I always want something different. It's funny, my husband exposed me to Jamaican cuisine, and different methods of preparing fish...now he rarely cooks anything.

It was in 2004 at International Day at my children's school, that the ethnic cooking really took off - I was introduced to Biryani and Zigni. From traveling and meeting different people, I like all kinds of foods, especially from the East. I always want the powder - whatever the authentic spice blend might be, I want it. My sister-in-law is Filipino but I never learned the recipes even 25 years later.

I like to think that I'm known for cooking good, interesting food. Now, it's hard though because I'm juggling so many things. My family now appreciates a decent meal and I enjoy preparing one...I think it's the way I express love.

I've only recently traded in the Trader Joes "cuisine" for my home cooking, and it's been great.

I guess that's what this blog is all about.