Mom and Dad - First comes love.....
I hold many dear memories from my childhood and adolescence that are brought upon by many things: songs, scents, seasons, and of course food. I consider my folks to be my childhood heros: my Dad keeping down two jobs, Mom working in the evening, and volunteering galore, and still getting a home cooked meal on the table almost everday of the week.
...then comes marriage...
Sometimes my sisters and I had to fend for ourselves and that is where my love and passion for cooking continued to grow. Cooking with my mom initially started the ball rolling, and just being in the kitchen with the rest of the family at home or during family function with relatives, well, it was always a kitchen party! But when left to my own devices, I decided to experiment with the traditional meals we were used to eating: potatoes, meat, sauces, stews, soups, crepes, perogies, cabbage rolls, casserole type foods. As you can see, almost everything was cooked. And sometimes overcooked. We did of course eat fruit and vegetables; most of our vegetables were cooked, in soups and stews, or simply as side-dishes, but still cooked.
...then comes Monika in a baby carriage!
As we all got older and more educated about our health and foods, we began to incorporate more fresh foods, steaming our food, eating less red meat, and more whole grains. By using up whatever was in the kitchen pantry, new creations emerged; fresh herbs, spices, and various other food items replaced others. Of course, we did not stray too far from our traditional meals, especially during the holidays.
I love to eat. I enjoy eating something new and different, learning about the food and what makes it what it is. I love taking that and applying it to our day-to-day cooking at home. I get very excited when I am about to begin cooking something new and trying it out for the first time. My creative juices begin to flow and I become totally immersed in the creation.
Then...
...and now.
I hope to pass on this love of cooking to my son. I hope to show him that you can make whatever you want with whatever you have in your kitchen. I am very excited for when he can start helping us prepare and cook food and take part in our own little kitchen parties!
