The Cooking Adventure Thus Far...

With picky taste buds, a weak stomach, and a semi-severe fear of fire and heat, you wouldn't think I'd pull off my "learn to cook" New Year's resolutions of 2008, would you? It sat on the back of my mind on a lonely stool by itself in a dark closet with a door so encrusted in dust that it almost looked cozy and inviting. Come to think of it, nearly all of my New Year's resolutions never fully went into effect--until now. I regret the 7 months I've wasted, or could've used better, but there's always going to be an operation lag. Better late than never.

Besides, the great things in life take their time to arrive.
I absolutely adore the thrill of creation; the frustration just feeds your satisfaction when you achieve sweet success (which isn't always guaranteed). I've always had an affinity for recipes, and knowing that whatever comes out of the oven, off the stove, or chilled out of the fridge was made with my own hands, and since it has the potential to put a smile on other people's faces makes it even better! Of course, recipes are just guidelines to follow. After familiarizing with the ingredients, I'll create my own dish one day. I love to fantasize how I'll garnish a dish of linguine or decorate a cake. Creating and fantasizing blend together to be one of the simple, happy things in life people are often unmotivated to take advantage of. Alcohol is easy, the TV is convenient, but I still say the most rewarding things are those that take time and effort, or luck (like you know, the lottery or those games at theme parks). Well, whose to say this blog is about bashing on people; I'll leave everyone else's hobbies alone; as for me, I still like trying to save the world. (From what? I don't know, monsters?)

Point being, I've finally set the fuse on my interest in culinary arts (does that include baking?). The first official dish I threw together from scratch would be... (drum roll) the Potato Cake. It's the first step I took away from buying cake mix and just decorating the result. Of course, it's not the sweet kind of cake you're probably used to. It's composed of potatoes, some other ingredients, and cheese. The top crispy crust tastes like french fries while the inside tastes like baked potatoes and melted cheese. I enjoyed it very much. The only thing i'd complain about is how slippery the potatoes were when I had to peel them. They kept flinging out of my hands and making a racket on the counter like little kids who won't hold still for a shot... sorry mom.



Next, I attempted to fulfill a craving of mine. I was craving a spinach pizza from Cici's at the time, and after finding a seemingly easy recipe for a spinach quiche I took to making one. I discovered that I really didn't like spinach at all, and I don't think I'm very fond of quiches either. Besides, it had one major difference: the cheeses. Spinach pizza was made out of Alfredo and I used Parmesan for the quiche, but all in all, I think I did pretty well. It was definitely edible, and I ate it willingly. I couldn't necessarily judge the quiche, given that I haven't had very many in my life, but I enjoyed it. My favorite part was the crust, since I sprinkled a layer of the grated cheese on the bottom where it melted. Next time, i'd probably substitute the spinach for bacon and sausage, since it seems as if quiches were made for breakfast since it included so many eggs. Overall, I chopped and sauteed onions for the first time. Stellar!

So far, all these photos are taken with my pitiful camera phone. Ever since my camera broke, well, I haven't gotten a new one. Its death invades a lot of aspects of my life, and I hate it. I miss being able to take a good-quality picture of the simple, powerful things. Well, here's to the first, and very very lengthy blog.

Lovelovelove, Truc