The Basics

Food, cooking and kitchens.

These things have never been so popular. Is it the advent of the Food Network that has transformed everyone who’s ever held a whisk into a gourmet chef? With stainless steel kitchen appliances all the rage, granite countertops shipped to homes like the latest altars and recipes that include the likes of spicy gorgonzola pine nut herb butter, the once-humble task of preparing food for those you love has been edged out.

There’s a competitiveness pervading kitchens that's fueled by programming that forces cooks to prepare some outrageous dishes. Specialty kitchen shops and catalogs have transformed homes into five-star restaurants. Casual conversations about a weekend meal with friends reveal that all the people I know have mastered the art of fine cooking. In fact, it would seem that no one would be outdone by any of the current roster of celebrity chefs.

Now that’s fine if you like that sort of thing but my kitchen and this blog are about the art of nurturing through cooking. Don’t come here looking for recipes with black garlic. You’ll be disappointed. My kitchen is simpler and the food far less complicated. I’m just whipping up food that tastes good…is easy to prepare…and kind of reminds you of food you’ve enjoyed all your life. This is food that is shared on dishes that have been in the family for a few generations…with some laughter at the table…and the crickets outside.

The other reason I’m writing is this: it’s been pointed out that the dishes I make are tasty but they’re only served once. That’s because when I plan a meal, I start by thinking of the person/people I’m cooking for and then pull together specific ingredients that I know they’ll like. In the end, they’re served familiar, favorite food that’s just put together a little differently…unfortunately it’s put together differently each time. My friends and family were getting frustrated because they knew that even if they really liked something, they’d probably never see it again because I didn’t write it down. So now I’m going to try writing things down.