C is for Cooking: About Me

I have been reading food blogs and taking pictures of my own creations for a long time. In January, I decided that I was ready to enter the world of food blogging and share a little bit of what goes on in my kitchen. Call it a New Year's Resolution or whatever you like; I was ready to begin a brand new project.

I am 26 years old and live and work in Charlottesville, Virginia. I went to the University of Virginia and got a job teaching 3rd grade at a school that I fell in love with while volunteering. Although I enjoy teaching and can't see myself really doing anything else, I also love the way that cooking and baking help me escape the stresses of my job. When I'm cooking, I don't have to give directions, repeat myself, or look around for confused faces; I don't have to be perky or even professional. I can just be me!

I got married in May of 2010 to my man of five years-Peter. He enjoys what goes on in our kitchen and he's a willing guinea pig, but he's also a meat n' potatoes kind of guy. He'd be perfectly content with a regular meal rotation of pot roast, spaghetti with meat sauce, beef stew, hamburgers and macaroni & cheese. The classics! He isn't like this every day of the year, but I can count on Peter to enjoy the standard fare as well as the deluxe dishes that come out of my kitchen.

I like to try new things regularly and experiment with fresh ingredients whether they're local, in season, or just calling to me from a grocery store display. I enjoy visiting the farmer's market in Charlottesville for some of my produce and herbs, but I also participate in a local crop share agreement. A friend and I share a farm box each week (April through December) from Horse & Buggy produce and I have really enjoyed the challenge of trying to use local, fresh ingredients in new and interesting ways. We've picked up some items that I've never even seen before! Have you ever had an ambercup squash or a green zebra tomato? I have! The CSA helps me feel connected to the community, but it also encourages me to try new things in the kitchen because each week I get a variety of produce to experiment with.

I get my inspiration from cook books, food blogs, my travels, food network, and from my foodie friends. I learned how to follow a recipe, use common sense, make a careful grocery list, and plan menus from my mother. From my dad, I learned how to "cook clean," work with care and attention, and always taste the sauce to see if it needs a little something extra. From my best friend, Nicci, I know that it is completely fine to be domestic; she is a creative, talented entertainer and I have enjoyed sharing many, many kitchen experiences with her. From my dear friend Cynthia, I've learned to use good knives, good pans, and good ingredients. She introduced me to culinary masterminds like Alice Waters, Thomas Keller, and David Lebowitz and she makes me want to exercise so that we can continue to eat all the delicious recipes we plan to make together. Lastly, I learned how to be adventurous from my meat n' potatoes husband. Even though he loves classic comfort food at home, he's the reason I've ever tasted foie gras, squid ink, and fried alligator.