This time is different.

I have this habit of having a lot of grand ideas. Last year I wanted to move to the Caribbean with my husband to live a lower paced life and raise little island children. Last month I looked into applying for the Le Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris. Needless to say, neither one of these has happened. It is not because they are bad ideas, but because I have not put my money where my mouth is. I have a habit of this.

This time is different.

This week I begin my culinary journey- an idea that I am sticking with. I might have tried to back out of it, if it had not been for the support from my friends, family, and those of you out in Xanga world. Each new person who heard my idea or read my blog raised my level of excitement. Each person who commented helped to firm my commitment to my plan. I received four cookbooks this holiday season. My coworkers stated that I cannot cook any meals on Friday or Saturday because leftovers will not last until Monday. As I begin this year, all I can say is thank you. Thank you for your support and excitement. It has made all the difference.

This time is different.

I have now whittled my first recipe selection down to two. I am leaning towards the choice below. However, I have some questions about the recipe.

I found this recipe in the cookbook, ”Discovery of a Continent” by Marcus Samuelsson. The book was a gift from my cousin. It highlights recipes from the African countries that Starbucks gets all of their coffee from (yes, it was bought there). In the book there is a recipe for Chicken Peanut Stew. It has Scotch bonnet chilies, ginger, peanuts, tomatoes, and spinach to name just a few ingredients. It calls for ”two cups of unsalted peanuts.” It never clarifies if they are supposed to be roasted or boiled. In the recipe, I have to pan toast them. Am I supposed to get raw peanuts?

Has anyone cooked anything similar and has some ideas? What type of peanut do people think will work better?

The holidays are now over, and my attention has turned to the new year and the challenge in front of me. I have been scouring the recipe books with excitement and anxiety over choosing “the first” recipe. I have harassed the people I know with my neurotic nature- should I make something easy to give myself confidence, or something challenging. If I fail at challenging, then I have no where to go but up. Or should it be something in the middle ground? I know I am putting too much analyzing thought into it, but I cannot help it.

What level of dish should I take on first?

Although I have not written as often I would of liked, I have kept up with my culinary reading. I am picking up lots of tips from the various books. I have learned that the dishes I believed I had mastered, I have not- dishes like chicken soup or beef stew. I have been making them for years (and people enjoy them). But in reading my cookbooks, there are many steps that I have unknowingly always left out. When you make chicken soup you are supposed to roast the bones in the oven until they have a rich brown color (60-90 minutes). Then you put them in a pot of water to make the stock. One is also supposed to roast the vegetables separately. This is a lot of extra work. Not to mention that it makes a much bigger mess in the kitchen. I do not know how many professional chefs take these careful steps, but I am going to believe for now that years of cooking cannot be wrong. If this is what they teach in the great culinary schools- they have to be right. I am definitely going to check for myself.

What dishes are your favorite and you believe you have mastered?

I want to first apologize for not blogging in several days. I was swept up into a whirlwind of holiday parties. But I missed blogging, missed reading your blogs, and I missed your comments.

Yesterday my husband and I set up our Christmas tree. I always love this process. As we unpacked each ornament, I was flooded with memories. Each ornament is either bought at a certain time, made by someone special, or given for a unique reason. When my husband and I first moved in together, we did not own the unique ornaments I had put on my tree growing up. We went to CVS and bought the shiny glass bauble ornaments- they were not the same. However, we found a way to love our new ornaments. Every year we have our friends over to decorate our tree. We make each one of them sign (in permanent marker) an ornament with their name or with a message. They go back for five years, and each year reflects the spirit of that time. I have now inherited the ornaments I grew up with, but the written on, simple CVS baubles are among my favorites.

Do you have favorite holiday traditions?

Many of your comments have talked about different tv celebrities or cooking shows. There are so many great ones out there. Food Network is a great source. Their shows cover a wide variety of cuisines, techniques, and approaches to food. I am a big fan of Alton Brown and “Good Eats.” Many of the people I know do not like him because he is a bit of a geek and his shows take a scientific approach to food. I really enjoy his show. When watching “Iron Chef”, my husband and I like to try to guess what the secret ingredient is and if the challenger will prevail. We tune in to Paula Deen to get our dose of fat and cheese (I think everything tastes better with cheese). Whenever I watch the history of food shows I am always amazed by how many twinkies, pints of ice cream, and popcorn that is produced for us to eat everyday. I love Duff in “Ace of Cakes” and his cake making skills. I do think that most of his staff is high while baking, but they are still masters. I always enjoy watching the food competitions they have in Vegas. What these chefs create is unbelievable. The sugar sculptures, gingerbread houses, or desserts always blow my mind.

What are your favorite food tv shows?

I am a bit of a nerd. In addition to cooking, I also love to read. Mysteries are my favorite. In the last year I have really become interested in travel and cooking logs. A recent comment asked if I have ever read Julie and Julia by Julie Powell. It is a story of a woman who decides to cook every recipe in The Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck in one year. I read this book and felt inspired by her idea. I am not that ambitious and settled on my once a week meal. Julia’s autobiography, My Life in France written by her and Alex Prud’Homme talks about her career. She was in her late 30′s when she went to cooking school. It is inspiring to know that one can change anything or everything about our lives, at any age. I am also enjoying reading Paula Deen’s It Ain’t All about the Cookin’. The book chronicles her journey through poverty as a single mother, extreme agoraphobia, and how she began her business with just $200. She is another inspiring example. My husband and I love to watch Paula on the food network. She uses so much fat, butter and cream- it is like food porn. Last week she fried a cake. And then frosted it with cream cheese frosting. Yum and ick all at the same time.

What types of books do you like to read?

We have talked about our senses and how they affect our memories. The aroma of certain foods will instantly transport one back to grandma’s kitchen or overwhelm one with memories of people that are no longer with us. In addition there are foods that once we eat them, their flavors are forever imprinted on our taste buds. My friend talks about her mother’s eggplant parmigiana. My friend is a great cook, but no matter how hard she tries, her parmigiana is never as good. I remember the way my father presented food. I become hungry for it before I even tasted it- just by looking at it.

What we hear while cooking and eating can also create responses and memories. I have an affinity for the Hallelujah chorus because my father listened to it while he made Christmas Eve dinner. When I do the cooking prep work, I like to listen to slower and more reflective music. The repetitive action of chopping gives me the time to think. When I move to more active cooking, I like upbeat music. I hope to integrate the sense of hearing into my cooking.

What music do you like to listen to when doing particular activities? 

Today, December 1st is World AIDS Day. 40 million people are infected with HIV/AIDS. I think most of us all know someone whose life has been impacted by this virus. It is a topic that is close to my heart. I work as a Social Worker with families and individuals who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Although the news does not carry as many stories about this epidemic, rates of transmission have not gone down- in fact last year more people transmitted HIV/AIDS then in the previous year. To me, the scariest statistic is that 1 in 4 people who are HIV+ do not know it. Lets stop AIDS by preventing any more new infections.  I do not want to be preachy or a buzz kill. Go on and get your groove on, just protect yourself.  

In the quiet moments of today, I hope that you will reflect and think of those that have lost their battle with HIV/AIDS and send strength to those that are still fighting it. Think of the families and friends who provide unending love and support. Send courage to all those who will never give up until we have found a cure.

We don’t always cook difficult or exotic dishes. I don’t think many of us have the time everyday. I know I do not have the money for goose or lobster or truffles all the time. I am looking forward to cooking with these ingredients. But I also want to master many basic techniques. When I make quiche, I hope to make the crust myself. I am hoping it will be buttery, light, and fluffy. I don’t know if it will be, because even the simplest recipes can also be complicated. In The Art of French Cooking Julia Childs describes making an omelette:

“The depth of the egg mass in the pan should not be over 1/4 inch, as the eggs must cook quickly. A pan with a 7-inch bottom is right for the 2 to 3 egg omelette…When transferring the omelette, hold the plate in your left hand. Turn the omelette pan so its handle is to your right. Grasp the handle with your right hand, thumb on top. Rest the lip of the pan slightly off the center of the plate so the omelette will land in the middle of the plate. Then tilt the plate and pan at a 45-degree angle”

I never think this much when I am making eggs. I break the egg into a pan that is sitting on the stove and use my spatula to move the egg around the pan. Making an egg is basic, but sounds so complicated. I think one of the weeks with have to be everything egg- from omelettes to poached to scrambled.

What techniques have you mastered?