Hi Everyone, my name is Rob and I live in the Tampa Bay Area (Florida). Im 64, semi retired (still drink wine) and love to cook. My first understanding that food could be "different" happened when I was about 13 years old. My father and I were sitting at the breakfast table and mom served a plate of scrambled eggs with bacon, cooked the way she always did. My sister came running down the stairs and said she forgot she had to be at school early....so mom left immediately to take her. My dad got up from the table and picked up the platter of eggs and bacon, carefully put them in aluminum foil and buried then in the trash. He then called me into the kitchen and fried new bacon, it was so amazing, crisp in some parts and soft in the other parts and it tasted sooooo different than the cardboard hard bacon mom and grandma cooked. The eggs, OMG, so soft and creamy and moist. We sat down and savored every bite. I asked dad where he learned to do that and he "just said here and there". I then asked why he didn't cook all the time and he said "its your moms "job", she trained her whole life for it and if I took it away it would break her heart". This was 1963, my father never cooked for me again, but I started...and my father smiled and winked at me every time....
I also have had the opportunity to eat all over Europe, South American and the Islands which just reenforced that the same foods can be prepared so many different way, that is one part of what continues to hold my interest with ChefSteps. The other part is the community comprising the Forum. For over two years now I have read EVERY post in the forum and can not remember even ONE nasty or demeaning remark...other than the spammers. The few haters are simply ignored and go away fast..ya gotta love it!
The people just joining or the ones who are apprehensive about the more complex recipes I urge you to relax and give them a try. Yes, the first time can be very trying but, when you do it the second time you will wonder why you had that apprehension the first time (kinda like sex).
Oh, and cooking while drinking wine makes it easier....except for breakfast....then a Bloody Mary works better..
I hope everyone posts in this section. It would be helpful to know more about people to better respond to their posts..
Rob The HammeredChef
