When I was younger, my mother used to make me sit at the dinner table for upwards of 45 minutes until I would take the brussel sprout out of the side of my mouth and just swallow it. I never wanted to do it because it tasted so awful to me.
Today, I'll try almost anything. I credit this mostly to Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern of the Travel Channel. Watching their shows has made me want to travel everywhere and eat pretty much everything, from local delicacies off the street carts in Shanghai to the meat pies in Jamaica. This world is full of too much unknown to settle for spaghetti and meatballs or a hamburger every night of the week.
It is often said by culinary artists and famous chefs that food is the best way to learn about someone's culture. Well what happens when your country does not have a defined and particular culture? This nation was founded by immigrants, and they have been crossing oceans to come here for hundreds of years. They would bring with them the culinary and cultural ideas from their home lands. American culture has always been a melting pot of foreign cultures and it shows the most in the food we eat.
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The craziest thing I have eaten yet is a chicken heart. It was part of a rodizio that I had at Fernandes Steak House in Newark. A fire has closed the restaurant for the time being but they vow to re-open soon. That's good news considering it is the home of the best dinner I have ever had in my life.
With this blog, I want to share my culinary adventures with anyone that is willing to read about them. Hopefully it will serve as a guide for those that think they have to settle for McDonald's or Burger King when they can't decide what's for dinner. There is always a restaurant that you keep forgetting about around the corner or a few ingredients at the supermarket that could make a great dinner at home while saving money.
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My girlfriend and I try to go out to eat once or twice a week. On the other nights, she's always cooking up something ridiculously good in the kitchen. I hope to be able to provide suggestions and stories that will pique the interest of the reader so we can all find something better to eat as well as learn a little about a different culture by trying their food. Stay tuned!
If you have a recipe you'd like me to try, e-mail me at atimoni2628@gmail.com. You can also follow me on Twitter @timoninjd.
