Welp, the first edition of The Food Blog has come. It was fun setting up the page and learning a bit more about how to add to my website...then the hard, cold reality of knowing that I have to actually add content to the Blog was kind of important...ya know, since I want people to read it and all. I reckon its at this point that I give the basic philosophy of why I am doing this. Boring or not, here goes.
Humble Starting Points
I grew up between two households and between two parents that couldn't really stand each other (which make one wonder how they ever ended up married) but they never let on. My Mom would do the best she could with what she had and we/I always ate pretty well. Then, every so often, Mom would scrape together a few bucks and the next thing you know, theres a huge pot of King Crab legs in the middle of the living room and most of the family and a few friends were there. Whether Mom knew it or not, it was one of the highlights of growing up.
Then there was Dad. Not only was this the guy that set my culinary path in motion but he was also the guy that made me realize that good food didn't have to come from a 5 star restaurant, 5 star can happen at home. One night we can home from school not thinking too much and my Dad had returned from a long day on the Sales Trail (a pain I know well these days). When it came dinner time, there were dimmed lights and candles. In the 80's we didn't really think WTF out loud, but we were damn sure thinking it. On the table there was an electric frying pan filled with hot oil, cubed cuts of beef, skewers, and small dishes of spices and sauces for dipping. We didn't really know what the Hell was going on but here I am 25 years later and still remembering it as if it was yesterday. The Old Man had a way of taking something cheap and simple and making it a Huge Food Memory.
Grandma lent a hand as well. The woman was a culinary explorer who was married to a Meat and Taters kind of guy. Besides that baking of everything, and I mean EVERYTHING (cookies, cakes, pies, oh Dear God the pies). After I began to realize what Living for Food was all about, it was her that got me into Lamb, Endive, Riddicio, Turnips...The Pasties, Oh God those little meat pies filled with head exploding flavor. This woman would never use shortening to make her Pastie Crusts. She insisted on using good, old fashioned Suet. Not easy to get these days but Damn! The difference in paying attention to the small details was instantly branded on my Culinary Soul.
Been There, Done That....and Just Now Remembering it......
I had the good fortune to spend a good bit of time overseas with the Military. Being in Europe was a huge culinary influence but only after 20 years. The time I spent in Europe was a drunken, laughing, exploring, partying good time. I ate in restaurants that served extraordinary food as every day meals. Of course, being somewhat liquefied and not paying much attention to where or what I was eating, it didn't sink in until years later what I was doing: Soaking up culture and flavors that I remember a clear as a bell but haven't cared to apply until now. Italy, France, Israel, Spain, even Egypt had its offerings. If you eat in a culture, you are a small part of that culture. Although I didn't realize it at the time, falafel was to become one of my favorites. Do yourself a favor and go vegetarian for a few weeks and see what the Middle East has to offer. I promise, you will never think bad of vegetarian again.
Having Said All That........
It has come to that point in my life where I want to find out if the old saying is true. "If you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life". Well, I'm about to find out.
This blog, the website, the menus, the endless days of being tired as hell after working a long day and still hammering away at thoughts and ideas are all an effort to live by food. Cooking, blending spices, helping people out are all things I love to do. Now, lets just see if I can make a living at it. Wish me luck...I'm gonna need it!
Rob
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