Who's Cooking?

My life in food...

~When I was a toddler, I was not an avid eater. My extremely patient grandmother would have to chase me down and then cajole me to take each little bite.

Some of my earliest food memories were inspired by my father. It was late, maybe after dinner when my mom brought out an oven pan lined with aluminum foil. My dad made all sorts of exaggerated noises of ecstasy and descended upon the pan like it was manna from heaven.  Even at a young age, I was worldly enough to know my dad was doing it for my benefit. Then I caught the scent; the wondrous fragrance of roasted red meat and sweet scent of barbeque sauce. Thick cut short ribs quickly broiled, slightly charred on the outside, and wonderfully rare within. As I salivated, my dad sliced off a small chunk and popped it into my mouth. The rich flavors of beef, tangy taste of barbeque, and tenderness of the meat…they say you never forget your first love.

A few years ago, I attended a kids’ birthday party and the mom/host said something about me, that I’ll never forget, “This woman knows so much about cooking, what am I going to serve her if she comes??” She said it half-jokingly but I’ve heard similar remarks before.

So let me give you a very brief peek into my life; I’m a single, working mom of two youngsters. Many of my recipes take less than 30min. That’s due to a combination of thinking ahead (dammit, with traffic I’ll never make it to the store after work. Hmmm…what’s in the fridge…) and moving as quickly as possible as soon as I get home. Believe me, having to race and get dinner on the table while trying to appease a 4yr old AND helping a 6yr old with his homework- I am NOT spending hours in the kitchen preparing complicated gourmet meals. 

When I was 7 or 8yrs old, I discovered the wonders of the kitchen and have loved cooking ever since. Few things excite me more than exploring different ethnic cuisines, trying a new ingredient, or executing a dish well. I love to be able to pass on to others, what I have learned and am still learning along my "food" journey.