Introductions

Hello fellow reader! 

Curious Cook
In the beginning...

I am the Curious Cook and welcome to my kitchen adventures! I picked this name because I do not, by any means, consider myself to have any raw talent when it comes to preparing food. Instead, I am simply fascinated by food and desire to deepen my relationship with it. As it stands, grocery stores seem to be operating in a time warp as for I get lost in the parade of colorful produce and shapes of pasta noodles. I find myself reading the pages of cook books as if it were a novel from Oprah's book club. Certain smells or social gatherings instantly trigger food-laced memories; the smell of charcoal in particular stirs up thoughts of corn on the cob that is so delightful you sacrifice clean hands and kernel-free teeth to experience the cocktail of warm, sweet juices and melted butter... and tender pork chops with... oh geez, where was I?  Oh yes, my love for food... I believe that food is of paramount importance beyond serving the purpose as basic sustenance. Food engenders childhood memories, cultural traditions, religious events, and emotions. It is a daily parallel that all humans have in common, creating conversational foundations for strangers to become better aquatinted and reasons for old friends to congregate. For me, cooking is a way for me to expand the limits of my palate, knowledge, and imagination. With a background in food and nutritional sciences, I am fascinated by a food's origin and journey into global cuisine. My kitchen (cramped and under-equipped being that I'm still a full-time student), is my three dimensional canvas where I can mix, puree, caramelize, and scramble up curious combinations of raw  ingredients into tasty edibles. This blog is intended to record and reflect (in no particular chronological or ingredient pattern) my culinary experiences of my journey to becoming a curious chef! 

Dedicated to Joe

The love of my life and guinea pig for my culinary concoctions. Thank you for your consistent support in letting me "indulge" in my wildest aspirations.