When did you start cooking?
I started cooking when I was around 13 and there were often weeknights I had to babysit my brothers because my parents had part time jobs in the evenings. At that point, it was mostly very simple things, often from my mom's "Campbell's Classics" cookbook (believe it or not, it was not filled with cream soup-based casseroles - our favorite dishes were the tamale pie, chicken tetrazini and Cincinnati chili!) I always helped my mom with whatever cooking needed to be done for the holidays, but I really started to develop my skills and style when I moved in with my husband (then fiance) after graduating college.
Who inspires you?
Many of the bloggers out there who create such delicious-sounding dishes that are also beautiful to look at, because I really believe that food is an art, both gastronomically and visually. And I'll have to say Rachel Ray - she really does seem like an everyday girl who has made her dream of sharing food with others come true.
If you could have lessons from one chef, who would it be?
I think I'd with Bobby Flay - he really seems to know all the proper techniques very well, and I admire his use of creative flavor and texture combinations.
Favorite thing to cook/bake? Etc.
Lately I am into anything "little" - like bite size appetizers and desserts, with care taken to make sure they look special. It's a labor of love making all those little pieces, but it's something I fnd people really enjoy seeing and tasting.
What's one fear you have in the kitchen?
I'm usually very confident that my food tastes good, so I get very hung up on presentation and appearance! Especially when serving guests or preparing for company, I want everything to look as good as it tastes, and I've been known to remake things that don't look just right.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
Featured Blog of the Week
Cara at Cara's Cravings
Joelen choose Cara's blog because I admire her cooking style. It's fresh, colorful, healthy and I have no doubt in my mind that her food tastes just as fabulous as they look in her blog. :)
Check out Cara's Blog
Joelen choose Cara's blog because I admire her cooking style. It's fresh, colorful, healthy and I have no doubt in my mind that her food tastes just as fabulous as they look in her blog. :)
Check out Cara's Blog
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Q & A with Joelen
When did you start cooking?
I was pretty much born & raised in the kitchen, thanks to my parents who were caterers. They've sinced retired, but through them I picked up the passion for food and cooking. As a result of helping them out in the kitchen throughout childhood and adolescence, cooking became second nature. When I was in high school, I would hold dinner parties with friends every month. It was at that point I coupled my love of cooking and entertaining - which I love to do to this day.
Who inspires you?
Anything and everything inspires me! From walking around and catching a whiff of a certain food, flipping through magazines and noticing an interesting recipe, riding public transportation and hearing ethnic languages around me... food is such an amazing medium to connect with people of all ages, backgrounds and tastes. If you pay close enough attention, you can relate food to pretty much anything and everything!
If you could have lessons from one chef, who would it be?
Julia Child. She was a pioneer for home cooks and professionals alike. I can picture an easygoing lesson with Julia full of laughs, eating and enjoying our creations together.
Favorite thing to cook/bake? Etc.
There isn't a specific dish or meal that I can call "favorite" - there's just too many dishes I love to pick just one!. Due to the exposure I've had to Asian food, its definitely my forte, but I love learning about various ethnic cuisines. Whether it be experimenting with various Indian spices to making homemade phyllo dough or just dining in an ethnic restaurant off the beaten path, I'm most interested in tying in both food and culture....
What's one fear you have in the kitchen?
The only fear I have is not having my hands to work with. Even a badly fractured wrist and a cast won't stop me from cooking! As for cooking, I'm still not sold on working with yeast. I have in the past with much success, but its not one of my preferred ingredients to work with.
What's one fear you had in the kitchen but have overcame?I was intimidated working with phyllo dough. However, after playing with it in various ways and desserts... and also most recently making it from scratch with a friend, it's something I look forward to using. In fact, I tend to have store bought phyllo dough as a staple in my freezer!
I was pretty much born & raised in the kitchen, thanks to my parents who were caterers. They've sinced retired, but through them I picked up the passion for food and cooking. As a result of helping them out in the kitchen throughout childhood and adolescence, cooking became second nature. When I was in high school, I would hold dinner parties with friends every month. It was at that point I coupled my love of cooking and entertaining - which I love to do to this day.
Who inspires you?
Anything and everything inspires me! From walking around and catching a whiff of a certain food, flipping through magazines and noticing an interesting recipe, riding public transportation and hearing ethnic languages around me... food is such an amazing medium to connect with people of all ages, backgrounds and tastes. If you pay close enough attention, you can relate food to pretty much anything and everything!
If you could have lessons from one chef, who would it be?
Julia Child. She was a pioneer for home cooks and professionals alike. I can picture an easygoing lesson with Julia full of laughs, eating and enjoying our creations together.
Favorite thing to cook/bake? Etc.
There isn't a specific dish or meal that I can call "favorite" - there's just too many dishes I love to pick just one!. Due to the exposure I've had to Asian food, its definitely my forte, but I love learning about various ethnic cuisines. Whether it be experimenting with various Indian spices to making homemade phyllo dough or just dining in an ethnic restaurant off the beaten path, I'm most interested in tying in both food and culture....
What's one fear you have in the kitchen?
The only fear I have is not having my hands to work with. Even a badly fractured wrist and a cast won't stop me from cooking! As for cooking, I'm still not sold on working with yeast. I have in the past with much success, but its not one of my preferred ingredients to work with.
What's one fear you had in the kitchen but have overcame?I was intimidated working with phyllo dough. However, after playing with it in various ways and desserts... and also most recently making it from scratch with a friend, it's something I look forward to using. In fact, I tend to have store bought phyllo dough as a staple in my freezer!
Monday, November 19, 2007
Featured Blog of the Week
Joelen at Joelen's Culinary Adventures
Jade choose Joelen's blog because I think that she does a great job of adding all her recipes and entertaining tips (rather than just a few) from her cooking events to her blog for others to view and/or use. Also, all the blog posts about her cooking group events are really interesting and great to read!
Check out Joelens blog!
Jade choose Joelen's blog because I think that she does a great job of adding all her recipes and entertaining tips (rather than just a few) from her cooking events to her blog for others to view and/or use. Also, all the blog posts about her cooking group events are really interesting and great to read!
Check out Joelens blog!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Q & A with Jade
When did you start cooking?
I have always been a baker, not really a cook so much until I started graduate school in 2001. It was my first real apartment (not a dorm room :) and I started to make dinner for myself. I loved creating new things and trying out new recipes. I'm an artist, so I guess I realized that cooking was also an art and I took to it quickly. I've been into it ever since and now, I actually cook more than I bake and love it.
Who inspires you?
My mom is a great cook and I grew up knowing what good food was - we always had the holidays at my house and my mom made everything from scratch. I think what inspires me in general to cook is creating great food for my family and friends. I love hosting parties and having people over. I often send my mom home with leftovers now instead of the other way around.
If you could have lessons from one chef, who would it be?
This is a difficult question for me, since I love to take cooking lessons and would happily accept lessons with anyone that knows more than myself (plus, there are too many great chefs to choose from)! I take random classes (cooking, wine, baking) at a culinary school in New York City sometimes and I learn so much each time. I'm getting into french cooking so lessons from someone versed in basic french cooking skills would be great! I love Ina Garten's style too.
Favorite thing to cook/bake? Etc.
In the fall/winter, I love to make soups and stews/chilis. In the summer, I love to experiment with different salads and grilled food. I also love baking anything new - especially fancy cakes or individual desserts.
What's one fear you have in the kitchen?
At this time (that will likely change!), I don't really have a "fear" in the kitchen - there are things that I don't know how to do yet, for example, I have yet to cook many large pieces of meat (full turkey, roast beef, etc). I'm not scared of them :), but I worry that I'll buy this big piece of meat and then over/under cook it. I hate wasting things. I'm a bit apprehensive to make candy also - not chocolate, but sugar candy. I'm just learning the different sugar crack phases....and it is so easy to burn yourself.
What's one fear you had in the kitchen but have overcame?
I made my first roast chicken the other day! It was actually really easy. I'm such a loser that I actually had my husband take a picture of it for my "first year married" photo album (it felt like a "married" meal). I also learned how to make my own stock this year, which is also not difficult - that was really rewarding. It helps me to really use all the ingredients and scraps in the kitchen (I save all my vegetable "garbage" in the freezer to make stock) which reduces my garbage (I'm into being green :).
I have always been a baker, not really a cook so much until I started graduate school in 2001. It was my first real apartment (not a dorm room :) and I started to make dinner for myself. I loved creating new things and trying out new recipes. I'm an artist, so I guess I realized that cooking was also an art and I took to it quickly. I've been into it ever since and now, I actually cook more than I bake and love it.
Who inspires you?
My mom is a great cook and I grew up knowing what good food was - we always had the holidays at my house and my mom made everything from scratch. I think what inspires me in general to cook is creating great food for my family and friends. I love hosting parties and having people over. I often send my mom home with leftovers now instead of the other way around.
If you could have lessons from one chef, who would it be?
This is a difficult question for me, since I love to take cooking lessons and would happily accept lessons with anyone that knows more than myself (plus, there are too many great chefs to choose from)! I take random classes (cooking, wine, baking) at a culinary school in New York City sometimes and I learn so much each time. I'm getting into french cooking so lessons from someone versed in basic french cooking skills would be great! I love Ina Garten's style too.
Favorite thing to cook/bake? Etc.
In the fall/winter, I love to make soups and stews/chilis. In the summer, I love to experiment with different salads and grilled food. I also love baking anything new - especially fancy cakes or individual desserts.
What's one fear you have in the kitchen?
At this time (that will likely change!), I don't really have a "fear" in the kitchen - there are things that I don't know how to do yet, for example, I have yet to cook many large pieces of meat (full turkey, roast beef, etc). I'm not scared of them :), but I worry that I'll buy this big piece of meat and then over/under cook it. I hate wasting things. I'm a bit apprehensive to make candy also - not chocolate, but sugar candy. I'm just learning the different sugar crack phases....and it is so easy to burn yourself.
What's one fear you had in the kitchen but have overcame?
I made my first roast chicken the other day! It was actually really easy. I'm such a loser that I actually had my husband take a picture of it for my "first year married" photo album (it felt like a "married" meal). I also learned how to make my own stock this year, which is also not difficult - that was really rewarding. It helps me to really use all the ingredients and scraps in the kitchen (I save all my vegetable "garbage" in the freezer to make stock) which reduces my garbage (I'm into being green :).
Monday, November 12, 2007
Featured Blog of the Week
Jade at Apples & Oranges
Katie choose Jade's blog because she always has fun fresh ideas that are simple but unique and her photography is just so awesome! I WISH i could take pictures 1/8 good as she does!
Check out Jades blog!
Katie choose Jade's blog because she always has fun fresh ideas that are simple but unique and her photography is just so awesome! I WISH i could take pictures 1/8 good as she does!
Check out Jades blog!
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Q & A with Katie
When did you start cooking?
Oh goodness. I'm not sure exactly, but before I can remember. I actually have this great picture my mother took of me, where I couldn't have been more than 2 years old, standing on a stool in our old kitchen in a onesie stirring a bowl of something or other with the most "Excuse me! Trying to be professional here!" look on my face. It's hilarious. I am going to have to find that picture and post it.
Who inspires you?
Over the years it has been the various picky eaters in my life. It originally started with my younger brother, or my learning-to-cook-guinea-pig, and now my husband and sister in law. They inspire me by challenging to break out of what I like to cook and eat (healthy/high fashion/exotic ingredients) and force me to come up with good recipes that meet their various picky needs. They'd eat and love Hamburger Helper and Cream of Whatever chicken and rice if you let them. Blech. I am challenged to produce recipes with basic ingredients they love, but break them out of the mold of over-processed and prepackaged food which is no good for the body.
If you could have lessons from one chef, who would it be?
Definitely Alton Brown. I don't watch Food Network anymore, but when I used to in college (when I had time, that is)I refused to watch anyone but him. I have never liked following recipes and am subsequently horrible at it. It's bad enough I have to remember to record what I put into things and follow recipes for my blog now. Alton Brown is all about knowing the specific properties of certain foods and how they react in cooking. I can then go out and use those ingredients, maximizing their potential, in any recipe rather than just blindly following one.
Favorite thing to cook/bake? Etc.
I don't like baking so much... I have just started to this past year. I love cooking, but I am fickle. Haha. So right now my huge obsession is with braising. I am obsessed with braising any meat. That will rub off soon, I'm sure, then I will move onto something else.
What's one fear you have in the kitchen?
I read this every week and I always think, "What the heck would my answer be!??". I still don't have an answer. I love challenging myself. I have way to much pride and love to make recipes/whip up new things for company before trying them. Probably not the best idea, but I can't help it. I love cooking in bulk. Hence my catering company. :) I think my biggest fear, not so much in cooking, but in entertaining, is making things that people don't like. Only because I always ask "Is there anything you are allergic to/don't like?" before I have people over and keep grilling them about it. It never fails that I will bring up a dish or a meal or even make an appetizer and someone will say, oh yeah I don't eat such-and-such (a lot of times, olives, mushrooms, eggplant, etc). Yeah, thanks....:(
What's one fear you had in the kitchen but have overcame?
Definitely baking. I've always hated it and outsourced it. I hate the mess of it all, flour everywhere, sticky chocolate lining bowls, all the containers you need to prep. Oh, and the worst part is waiting forever for it to come out of the oven. I never saw it as hands-on enough. Well, the last straw was two years ago when our neighborhood had a cookie exchange. I had to make 12 dozen cookies and they turned out kind of blah. I'm sort of (lol - extremely) competitive and I HATED that mine weren't the best. SO I decided to start baking a lot more. I think I have come a long way and now, although I hate the time it takes, I LOVE baking and feel so rewarded when the baked goods come out of the oven fabulously.
Oh goodness. I'm not sure exactly, but before I can remember. I actually have this great picture my mother took of me, where I couldn't have been more than 2 years old, standing on a stool in our old kitchen in a onesie stirring a bowl of something or other with the most "Excuse me! Trying to be professional here!" look on my face. It's hilarious. I am going to have to find that picture and post it.
Who inspires you?
Over the years it has been the various picky eaters in my life. It originally started with my younger brother, or my learning-to-cook-guinea-pig, and now my husband and sister in law. They inspire me by challenging to break out of what I like to cook and eat (healthy/high fashion/exotic ingredients) and force me to come up with good recipes that meet their various picky needs. They'd eat and love Hamburger Helper and Cream of Whatever chicken and rice if you let them. Blech. I am challenged to produce recipes with basic ingredients they love, but break them out of the mold of over-processed and prepackaged food which is no good for the body.
If you could have lessons from one chef, who would it be?
Definitely Alton Brown. I don't watch Food Network anymore, but when I used to in college (when I had time, that is)I refused to watch anyone but him. I have never liked following recipes and am subsequently horrible at it. It's bad enough I have to remember to record what I put into things and follow recipes for my blog now. Alton Brown is all about knowing the specific properties of certain foods and how they react in cooking. I can then go out and use those ingredients, maximizing their potential, in any recipe rather than just blindly following one.
Favorite thing to cook/bake? Etc.
I don't like baking so much... I have just started to this past year. I love cooking, but I am fickle. Haha. So right now my huge obsession is with braising. I am obsessed with braising any meat. That will rub off soon, I'm sure, then I will move onto something else.
What's one fear you have in the kitchen?
I read this every week and I always think, "What the heck would my answer be!??". I still don't have an answer. I love challenging myself. I have way to much pride and love to make recipes/whip up new things for company before trying them. Probably not the best idea, but I can't help it. I love cooking in bulk. Hence my catering company. :) I think my biggest fear, not so much in cooking, but in entertaining, is making things that people don't like. Only because I always ask "Is there anything you are allergic to/don't like?" before I have people over and keep grilling them about it. It never fails that I will bring up a dish or a meal or even make an appetizer and someone will say, oh yeah I don't eat such-and-such (a lot of times, olives, mushrooms, eggplant, etc). Yeah, thanks....:(
What's one fear you had in the kitchen but have overcame?
Definitely baking. I've always hated it and outsourced it. I hate the mess of it all, flour everywhere, sticky chocolate lining bowls, all the containers you need to prep. Oh, and the worst part is waiting forever for it to come out of the oven. I never saw it as hands-on enough. Well, the last straw was two years ago when our neighborhood had a cookie exchange. I had to make 12 dozen cookies and they turned out kind of blah. I'm sort of (lol - extremely) competitive and I HATED that mine weren't the best. SO I decided to start baking a lot more. I think I have come a long way and now, although I hate the time it takes, I LOVE baking and feel so rewarded when the baked goods come out of the oven fabulously.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Homegrown Gourmet
- Anyone can play!
- A theme will be picked by the host. Participants will make a dish that follows the theme and that somehow represents their home region- town, state, area. Representation can feature a local ingredient, be a traditional dish from your area, or be a creative twist.
- Participants will have 3-4 weeks (host discretion) to complete their recipes and post them to their blog (or email the pics and text), and notify the host. The host will then post the results and then let everyone know via email or message board the results are up!An explanation of your dish is required; it can be a story about the local custom or ingredient, how you came about eating/ making the recipe, or an explanation about how your creative dish fits the theme.
- Fresh and local foods are encouraged!
- When the round is done, the host will announce their favorite dish by updating their blog. Favorite is completely subjective to the host- no one expects the host to make and taste test all the dishes, it is just something that strikes the host's fancy! The creator of the fave gets the honor of hosting the next round, if they so choose!
To check out round three please go to Columbus Foodie, the deadline is Nov. 26th.
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