Hello. Is anyone out there????

I always thought that people who feel the need to blog  do not have a life.  I guess I now am officially without a life!  I never understood why anyone would care about what other people were doing on almost a minute by minute basis (Twitter).  Who cares anyway?  I guess now I will care if someone else is interested in what I am doing and what I think.

I spend (and have spent) much of my life in the kitchen.  Cooking is a passion, a hobby, it is therapeutic and rewarding.  I started cooking rather elaborate dishes when I was very young.  I remember making Beef Fondue, Quiche, Crepes Suzette and Bananas Foster for family when I was in 7th grade.  It sounds as though I had some fire fetish thing going on, but I was really into all the fancy dishes and entertaining.  I went to work in several restaurants when I was a little older.  Although I was under the legal age to work in these places, I convinced the management how serious I was about owning my own restaurant later in life.  I wanted hands on training and I was willing to do whatever it took to get the job.

In high school, I would always prepare dinner parties for friends (complete with wine as long as no one drove home!).  I was convinced I was destined to be a chef because of my love of cooking.  I obtained  information on cooking schools in France (La Varenne and Le Cordon Bleu), but was dissuaded by the college counselor to attend a culinary school.  Instead, she really wanted me to look into Cornell’s Hotel and Restaurant Management program.  I was not interested in running a hotel or a restaurant.  I wanted to be in the kitchen.  I do not think that anyone really understood my desire to cook.  I really just wanted to cook.  I did not want to go to college.  I had visions of owning my own restaurant and never saw me doing anything else.

When I went off to college (instead of culinary school), I became very confused about what to major in and never felt fulfilled.  I fumbled around for many years and finally did find a career that I loved and was good at, but I still had that feeling that I had really missed something in my life by not going to culinary school and doing what I truly was passionate about.

I am now cooking and baking more than ever  many years after the lost opportunity to attend the right school.  We put a professional kitchen in our house 2 years ago.  I am now known as the person that cooks really great dinners and always entertains.  Everyone needs to be known for doing something special.  I guess I cannot complain about my recognition.  We actually have a really difficult time going out to dinner now.  My husband always says “you cook better than this”.  I find that I feel that way too.  I am excited that I can turn out restaurant (or better) quality meals and share them with family and friends.  It is very satisfying to know that my dishes are truly enjoyed by others.

I now hope that I can share some of these recipes, tips, fun information, recommendations and restaurant reviews with all of you.  I am sure there will be much trial and error as I blog my way through (perhaps with a kitchen disaster or two along the way), but I am hoping that someone out there will read this and enjoy what I have to say as much as I enjoy the time I spend learning in the kitchen.

Music To Cook By…

Here is the link