Lately I have been watching "The Next Food Network Star" on Food Network. One question they ask the contestants is what is his/her philosophy on food. Some contestants really struggle with this and it makes me scratch my head wondering why. If you're passionate enough about food and cooking to make it onto a televised show then you should know how you feel about and see food. Right? So what's my philosophy you ask?
I could say anything goes because that's how it feels sometimes. But if I had to tell someone what drives how I cook it would be that I try to modernize the classics. Everyone loves comfort food and you put a cookbook in front of me that has "grandma's" in the title and I'm all over it. But, to be honest, some of the foods of yesteryear weren't that great. Back in the days of lard and limited access to spices the food somehow got lost. I like to taste my food and use fats, spices, herbs, etc. to enhance it. Last week I picked up some fresh produce for dinner including corn on the cob, tomatoes, and asparagus. In trying to decide on a protein I couldn't help but think how wonderful that would all taste with fried chicken. However, we had been having a bad nutrition week so I felt like lightening up. Don't get me wrong, I love some good fried chicken and we have it on occasion but it just didn't seem right for this particular night. Instead, I looked at what I had on hand. With some chicken breasts, the remnants of a bottle of white wine, and a handful of baby bellas I pulled together chicken with a white wine and mushroom sauce. We loved it! And I didn't regret not having fried chicken at all.
I also dissect ingredients. I can honestly say that 99% of the time when I use a recipe I change it in some way. My mind is constantly thinking of which ingredients I can substitute that may be easier to find or may simply satisfy my family's tastes better. My poor husband has sat through many a meal with me in a restaurant that I critique to figure out what's in it and what I could do to make it better at home. And there are certain things like pasta that I will never order out. If it won't present a challenge for me to make at home I won't order it. I use eating out as a learning and growing experience as much as using it as a break from cooking. Yes, even foodies need a break sometimes.
I am fortunate in many ways. I have a husband that will try anything once. We've had some winners like the aforementioned chicken but I've had some doosies as well that elicits a "what do you call this dish" which means "please don't make this again." My son is pretty varietal in what he will eat as well. He's a boy who loves his chicken nuggets and Chef Boyardee but he also, at the age of 2, was sitting down to eat grilled salmon and thinks nothing of having fresh asparagus as a vegetable option. Now at 5 he will eat most of what I put in front of him without complaint. This summer his particular favorite is grilled shrimp. I too am lucky that I live in a large enough area that finding ingredients presents little challenge. Food Network is the televised bible of food for me and if I see something there, I have a good chance of finding it here. I also think I have a skill in dissecting a recipe or a dish and making it my own. Most of the time I feel like I make people pretty happy through food. And I like to make it fun. After a trip to the zoo it's not unheard of for me to make my son a zoo themed dinner. Let's face it. We have to eat so why not enjoy both the process and the final product.
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