Why I Do What I Do

I am tied to food. Every facet of it. I love finding a new cookbook, whether it be old or new. A new ingredient. A new foodie source (Penzeys anyone?). A new restaurant or cooking class. Planning a menu for a get-together, whether it be fancy or casual. Or just the simple act of stirring a wooden spoon in a big pot on a lazy Sunday afternoon, with the strong, familiar scent of fresh basil wafting through the air.

But just as important, I love the memories we can create with food. Food is like a favorite song that marks a special time in your life, good or bad. I still remember what song was playing when I broke up with an old boyfriend (Peter Gabriel’s Look Away), the song that is special to me and The Husband (Hootie and the Blowfish’s Hold My Hand) and the song that Nicholas loved before he was even born (whenever ‘N Sync came on the radio, he’d start jumping around in my belly).

Food does the same thing. Whether it’s a Tapas party we threw when my sister got engaged … the Chinese-themed dinner we did for The Husband’s 40th in September … an inside picnic on the floor with Nicholas … the Chinese New Year party we did last month … our countless dinners with The Neighbors … or the heart-shaped pizza Nicholas and I made for Valentine’s Day, food connects us to special times with our friends and family. Food just brings it all back home.

I’m a big fan of Michael Ruhlman and took the time to actually read his bio on his blog today (usually I just skip right to the posts), and he says exactly what I feel …

So here I am, with an occasional blog about food and cooking and cheffing. Because it matters. How we eat, what we buy and what we grow and how we feed ourselves, how we cook for our families and friends—it’s all immediately tied in to the most important mysteries, obligations and needs of being human.

A year ago today… another hospital visit.
Two years ago today… recipes from Supper Club.

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