Digesting Life

The act of eating has always been religious. Food and drink are such a vital part of life that to discard them as simple acts of eating and drinking seem to me like dismissing one of the few pleasures that are made available to anyone. Remember, Eve didn't get kicked out of Eden for knitting, nope....she ate and by eating became enlightened.

To find that perfect flavor; that perfect food moment, is to me like walking down a mountain trail, turning a corner and suddenly seeing that perfect sunset off a vista of such beauty that you have to breath in, sharply, and then make a mental note so you will never-ever forget!

For the record, my mother was a phenomenal cook when I was young. My father was one of those hard working-grease-under-the-nails kind of guys who asked for simple things:
~A clean house
~Quiet, respectful children (sorry on that one dad)
~And most importantly a well cooked and tasty dinner waiting for him when he got home from work.

When dad died, mom became immersed in dieting and health. Losing someone to cancer can do that to a person, but for the record, she had been a chubby girl when she was growing up. Once she lost that weight, she never wanted to go back. So, gone were the endless platters of high calorie and indulgent foods I grew up with. If I wanted a great spaghetti, or stew or incredible sauce, I had to figure out how to do it for myself.

So I did.

There are somethings I will never get right no matter how I try, but fortunately most of those things are in the sweets department. (I really do believe that the pastry gene skips a generation)

Fortunately, there are some things I not only learned but improved on. Sorry mom but my rice kicks ass over your pilaf. Al says so and my son never lies! (well not where food is concerned)

So, this is a food blog. Short and sweet. I find great comfort in writing about food, eating it, cooking it, finding a tasty little snack combo that I may never have had before and also about where to go to get the perfect nosh.

It is also about service, price and reality.

I have had the honor of working with some really great caterers and chefs both as an event planner and when I have worked back of house as a catering chef myself. I know what I know about food and service but also know what a real family can afford and what is realistic to spend if you do NOT have more money than sense.

I would love to see where this leads me. When you do what you love, you do it well. And with the exception of my husband and my son, food is it!