About

A bit about me and why I am writing this blog: I am not a professional chef and I have never been to culinary school. What I am is a better-than-average home cook, and the purpose of this blog is to share recipes I prepare each day and to pass on some tips I have picked up over the years. I learned to cook when in my mid-twenties I became single and realized that if I didn’t learn to cook I would be the one to suffer. So, I went out and bought Julia Child’s wonderful “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” that had been published a few years earlier. Little by little I learned the basics—and learned to improvise. One of the things that I figured out along the way is that a mere handful of simple techniques opens up a whole universe of good food and that preparing meals at home was much, much less expensive than eating out. Over time, I learned that coming home from work and preparing a meal was a great way to decompress from the stress of the day. And I learned to keep things simple. While professional chefs may feel the need to innovate to prove their mettle, a good home cook can make do with a basic repertoire—and an understanding of what goes into a good meal. I want to make it clear from the outset that I am not a “foodie” who chases the latest trend. My food ranges from simple “mommy food” to various ethnic cuisines. I use recipes to get ideas and so that I don’t forget anything critical, but I adapt them to suit myself and what I happen to have on hand. The recipes I post will be as adapted but when I have used a published recipe as a starting point I will post a reference. I invite feedback and suggestions. I don’t know where this will go but I hope that at least a few people will join me on the journey.