Wednesday, January 14, 2009

I, Sometimes Chef

I do enjoy cooking in the evening. Pax is asleep or being bathed by Holly. She gifts me this time to sip wine and make art on/near our stove/oven. And I do love heat. I thank our ancestors for fire and the earth for that magical natural gas that allows for a vigorous boil. Mmm.

Last night, I attempted a recipe from Jamie Oliver's beautiful cookbook. Yes, I'm a cookbook-cook. I know some folks like Dan Gregory can make beautiful dishes with no instructions, but not I. I need at least some framework.

So last night, we had some friends over and I thought I'd try a white fish & bacon over leeks recipe. Amos brought some amazing local bread and the Davises brought a white wine they were told "goes good with fish."

It turned out quite nicely.

Last week, Holly and I made Guiness Stew and Beef Burgundy and tonight I'm attempting to make fresh pesto and a yummy shrimp & avocado salad. And we'll be drinking our first bottle of Hendry since we left Napa...the AlbariƱo. We'll drink it as well as use it in the dressing for the shrimp salad. Mmm.

I love cooking (sometimes). We indulge more and more into finer ingredients and more elaborate recipes. But why the hell not? Is life not to be enjoyed? To taste the flavors and smell the art?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

getting your fingers in your food always improves its flavour!

Anonymous said...

i need framework too... i think being able to cook like that (like dan) without any recipe is a gift. but i'm sure glad that there are cookbooks out there for people like us who do still enjoy cooking...... this all looks/sounds delicious, ryan! i can almost smell it down here in socal :)

Nathan said...

you continue to inspire me to pursue new heights of culinary sophistication ryan.

kristi said...

i got the jamie oliver cookbook from the library but haven't cracked it open...this inspires me to peek inside. and maybe even try that fish recipe!

can't wait to try the stew either!