Beginnings

Food brings people together on many different levels.
It’s nourishment of the soul and body;
It’s truly love…
~~Giada De Laurentiis~~

And food is what has brought all of us together…
I’m so happy you’re here…

I haven’t always had the love that I have now for cooking. Right up to my mid-20’s, I would have been perfectly content with opening a can of corn, to eat right out of the can with a spoon. Bringing a dish to pass at a party meant running to the store to buy a vegetable platter, or some cupcakes from the bakery. I had no interest in cooking.

I can remember the day that I made my first attempt at creating a recipe. I don’t even know what I was thinking, because I had absolutely zero experience in the kitchen..but I had the urge to cook, and went with it. I had to be in my mid-20’s at that point, and I had just gone to the farmer’s market. I picked up tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, onion, peppers, etc…and when I got home, I cut it all up, threw it in a big saucepan, and let it simmer down to a softened mess. I didn’t know about seasoning at that point, nor did I know about fresh herbs.

I brought it to my parent’s house..and can remember my father taking a bite and saying “This is terrible”…

I still chuckle about that today, because my father will eat anything. He’s not fussy. So for him to say that it was terrible…Then it must have really been terrible!!

…And that’s when the spark ignited. Of course I felt bad that my father hated my very first dish, but more than that..I wanted to know why it tasted terrible. I wanted to know what I did wrong…was it a matter of mixing the wrong vegetables together? Did I cook them too long?  I wanted to go back and do it right.  To perfect it.

At that point, I had a wonderful Fanny Farmer cookbook that my Aunt Linda had bought for me. I scoured through that book, reading recipes, and learning how to cook. Cooking became my passion. I loved that book, especially because she had written a little “love note” in the front…but sadly it was destroyed one day when my sink leaked and my cupboard was flooded. Devastation.

That’s when I started collecting cookbooks..I love cookbooks..they’re an inspiration, but I have to admit that it’s very hard for me to follow a recipe to a tee.. I tend to get these last minute ideas, and toss different ingredients in, which always changes the recipe up altogether!

So, from that very first day, there is no doubt that I prefer to create my own recipe, than to follow a recipe. Sometimes they’re “terrible”, and that puts me on a mission to perfect that recipe, and to always..always make it simple. Sometimes it’s a matter of a quick tweak, and sometimes it is days, weeks, or months before I get it right. And then sometimes… I hit that ball right out of the park!

In the end, it doesn’t matter if it’s a fail or a win… it’s my passion. I love to cook.

Which brings me to today.. and this blog… and you. It’s our love of food and cooking that has brought us from all parts of the world together…

I’m so thrilled that you are here…to share food and recipes…stories…and friendship…

I look forward to many more recipes and stories! I knew that I would love this blog, I just didn’t realize how much I would love it….and I have you to thank.

Thank you so much for being here…it means the world to me!