I learned to cook from my mom, as she learned to cook from hers. I grew up in the kitchen: reading at the table while my mom made dinner, trimming green beans or peeling garlic for a recipe, fetching basil from the herb garden so my mom could make pesto, and eventually cooking entire recipes on my own. I learned how to cook through osmosis, I think--the information just seeped into my being as I grew up around cooking. As an adult with a family of my own, I've continued to cook and experiment in the kitchen.
I've realized recently that my experience of growing up around cooking is not shared by everyone. In fact, despite the popularity of cooking shows on TV and the Web, less and less of us actually cook. There are several reasons for this, but here are two of the big ones:
1. Most of us have to work outside of the home. There are less and less stay-at-home moms and dads every year, and all that working outside of the home makes it hard for us to spend the time in the kitchen that my mom and grandmother did. Convenience foods are, well, just more convenient than making dinner from scratch.
2. With less people cooking, less people grow up with cooking in their homes. And when we don't learn at home, in the informal apprenticeship such as the one I experienced, we are less likely to cook as adults. This leads to less individuals who cook in each generation.
Now, at the same time that less and less of us actually cook, the state of our health is in decline. I'm not a doctor or a nutritionist, so I won't get into that data, but it's no secret that many of the convenience foods that we consume in such high quantities (fast food, processed food) are contributing to this decline. Cooking at home is a great way to control the quality of the ingredients and meals we consume and feed our families!
I understand that making the leap from eating out to cooking at home is daunting. That's why I'm inviting you into my kitchen--you can just observe and absorb if you want, or you can join me and make some of my favorite meals for your own family. If you didn't grow up in the kitchen, please feel free to come hang out in mine!
I make up some recipes, use recipes I find in cookbooks and online, and modify classics. I am not at all ashamed to use some ingredients made for convenience (hello, Trader Joe's Mirepoix! I love you!). I don't think making dinner for my family means I have to spend hours doing everything from scratch. I don't have time for that, and many of you don't either. I've adapted what I learned from my mom to fit my modern, busy life.
Something I HAVE kept from my mom's kitchen is a focus on healthy, organic foods. I usually choose organic produce, grass-fed beef, and pasture-roaming chicken when I shop. I don't get preachy about it, and you can certainly cook alongside me with whatever groceries you prefer.
So, welcome to my kitchen! I'm happy to have you here. Please let me know what you think of the recipes and videos I share, and happy cooking!
*Quick note about what I am NOT: I am not a professional chef. I love professional chefs and admire them greatly, but I am not one of them. I am a home cook, and I can help you be the same. I am also not a dietician. I have ideas about eating healthy and living a healthy lifestyle, and these ideas are well-researched and thoroughly considered. However, I am not qualified to give professional advice about nutrition. I am just a very invested pursuer of ever greater wellness!
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