I have always loved to play in the kitchen. I have always considered myself an adventurous cook - unafraid of trying new flavors, flavor combinations or the inevitable failures that occur with experimentation. A recipe, for me, has always been a springboard, a list of suggestions, a recommended route to get to the end result. Most recipes, again for me, lack some elusive ingredient, some aroma, something...is it umami? Most recipes seem bland, boring and pedestrian.
But why?
Why? A valid question.
That question was immediately followed by What? What can be done to elevate the flavors? What technique can be employed to create more interest in the finished dish? What is needed to insure a repeatable recipe?
Now that I have the time and absolutely nothing more to fill my time unless I get distracted by the ocean or a friend wanting to sit on the balcony and ponder meaning of our existence (which usually includes food), I decided to embark on a journey to answer those questions.
So my adventure begins; armed with nothing more than curiosity, the internet, and my kitchen tools. Is cooking an art? Is cooking a science? Can it be both? I am sure these questions have been answered before, but not by me! I need to see for myself. I need to know how things work, why they work and how to use them.
My first step is reading. Through the reading, learning. Through the learning, doing.
I will be linking my favorite cooking and cooking science sites to keep my reading lists and books in order.
This is my school. My classroom. Please attend and comment as you wish. Join me in my "homeschool" cooking/science classes. Learn with me and we can all become better at this art. Or is it science.
This week's site of choice: Serious Eats
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