09 January 2010

Blog Redux - How I went from just a Stay-At-Home Dad to a gourmet chef


I am very specific about so much.  Some may say anal retentive.  That's not necessarily a bad thing.  I realized that corners are cut so often in food to make it filling by taking away food value and adding junk.  When I was in high school, I regularly dined on hot dogs, Little Debbie cakes, and Pringles chips.  The rare times I ate salad, I drenched it in ranch or French dressing.  My wife is trying to figure out what happened to the man she married.  Now I eat plenty of salad, cook most of what I eat, and try to keep food as fresh and nutritious as possible.

I get bored easily, so I am constantly researching new culinary adventures.  The only real problem is that I live in a small town (of about 55,000 people), which makes it a challenge to find fresh, obscure food.  Besides that, I am enjoying leaning to cook gourmet.  The following are my goals in cooking:
  • To use fresh, home-grown vegetables and fruits as much as possible.
  • To refrain from recipes which begin, "Open a can of X soup."
  • To prepare as much as possible from within my own kitchen.
  • To go on culinary adventures even on a Tuesday night.
  • To use all-natural and organic ingredients when prices and budgets allow.
  • To cook as healthy as a particular night's recipe will allow -- but not to skimp on taste by using unnatural ingredients to attain lower sodium, fat, or anything else.
  • To plan ahead by menu planning - thus stocking our cupboards with products that can be used throughout the week and saving money by following store sales.
At least once a week, I will write about my adventures in food.  This week was Italian week.  We had, among other foods, Perogies Alio e Olio (with olive oil and garlic), pizza with a homemade crust and homemade sauce, Tortellini in Brodo (broth), and home creamed spinach for Eggs A La Florentine.  Starting tomorrow, I'll post weekly menus then let you know some of the joys of my cooking.  Bon appetit!