“I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate.” - Julia Child
Funny enough, as I rapidly approach thirty, my life and love of cooking has really hit a stride. I relate to Julia Child, not just because of timing in life, but her attitude.
As a young child, growing up in Sudbury, I would go to my Grandmother's house on weekends. My father would be working away busily at MacKinnon's Liquors and my mother was trying to catch up on a week with a very busy household in one day. The first time I saw Julia Child's show was at my Grandmother's house. The sound of her voice was intriguing. The way she maneuvered around a kitchen set was impressionable to this day. Looking back, it makes me a-ok with the fact that I have a few "bull-in-a-china-shop" moments when working on a dish in my kitchen.
My interest in cooking continued in Home Economics class, with Mrs. Bowen, at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High-school I still remember how proud we all were to have created something from a bag of ingredients. Showing off at home about how I actually knew how to level off flour with a knife instead of just dipping it in the bag and making a mess!
As high-school approached, I learned a little more about dining out. At sixteen years old, I decided to go on a school trip to Costa Rica. My love for trying new cuisine really started there. I remember sitting down at a restaurant in the midst of a tropical paradise and nibbling at my salsa. It tasted like soap! WHY? It was the first time I tried a bite of fresh cilantro. My eyes widened as we tried new dishes each day.
As I reached my twenties, I really began to test out new recipes in the kitchen. I realized that Ramen wasn't just a brick of noodles with salt packets. I thought soup dumplings were just like pasta in a steaming bowl of broth. Tasting a Xiaolongbao, (soup dumpling) and knowing how to actually pronounce it correctly, made me realize I want to continue to learn each day about new cuisine.
This blog will span everything from dining out experiences in Sudbury to posting some of my own recipes. I look forward to posting and hearing your feedback!
