Tips for the clueless chef...

When you aren't naturally a cook, the idea of becomming one can be...I know...overwhelming. If you are someone who has always admired those who seem to 'have a knack for cooking', but consider yourself to be useless in the kitchen, I have good news for you! Anyone can learn to be a great cook...and even to cook gourmet!

The trick is in the practice. There's an old saying that goes, "Practice makes perfect!" But in actuality, that saying is quite false. It ought to instead be, "Practice makes permanent!" If you practice something correctly, it will become a correct habit. But if you practice something incorrectly, it will become an incorrect habit. That is why, when you start out cooking, following a recipe is sooooo important. You may be REALLY excited about trying to create new recipes or experimenting in the kitchen, but until you know more about techniques, timing and how food reacts to heat and other foods ALL to create one magnificant (or horrifying) taste, it's best to stick to the recipe. These are things you won't know until you just get out there and try. My BEST advice is to find someone who DOES know how to cook well and ask to help them in the kitchen. Make sure it is someone who will enjoy teaching you in the kitchen so that you can ask lots of questions about how things work and how certain foods react with one another to create a new taste. (It's really just chemistry at its finest!)

But if someone like that isn't available, there are tons and tons of resources out there. Plenty of cookbooks have extra information about tools, techniques, spices, etc. Some even include history and culture of foods! Don't be afraid to do some investigating. Learning about food can be really fun!

Preparing ingredients ahead of time is ALWAYS, ALWAYS helpful....even for an experienced chef...and especially when you are following a recipe.

It's a good idea to get friends and family involved in cooking as well. The purpose of this blog is to encourage people to use food to build community. So have people help you in the kitchen (but not too many...because you don't want to be overwhelmed).

The final thing is this: DON'T BE AFRAID TO FAIL! In fact, you will fail at times. God knows I did often and will continue to fail in the kitchen at times. Something overcooked, undercooked, too much salt, not enough sugar, too dry, too watery. And that's OKAY! Because that's life! Just HAVE FUN! And, more importantly, enjoy who you share it with. :)

Tomato Gorgonzola Bisque

I've decided to start whipping up soups from scratch...recipe free...hoping that this will make me a true gourmand. Tonight's experiment was Tomato Gorgonzola Bisque. Recipe as follows...with plenty of "to-tastes" because that is how you cook gourmet!

In the slow cooker:
1 - 28 oz can of plum stewed tomatoes from Trader Joe's (I cut them up a bit)
2-3 cups of heirloom tomatoes (whatever you have on hand, tomatoes bigger than large marble should be cut up)
a small block of gorgonzola cheese crumbled up (this is to taste because it is a VERY strong cheese...I used maybe 3/4 c)

pepper to taste
roughly a teaspoon of cinnamon
roughly a tablespoon of basil
roughty a teaspoon of oregano
roughly 4 c water (I used the stewed tomato can and put 1 1/2 of that)

Stir it up really well.

Cook for at least 6 hours.
Add sugar and salt to taste (sugar and salt balance the acidity of the tomatoes...I used sugar pretty liberally for this one, maybe 1 c). Then add a splash of cream...maybe a 1/4 c depending on how creamy you want it.
Stir it up, let it cook for another 5 minutes and then serve with toast or grilled sandwiches! :)

ENJOY!