The First Chapter

For quite some time now, I have been ruminating and subsequently procrastinating about launching a blog.  Could've, would have, should have, will.  It was not until I partially joined the 21^st century late last year and created an Instagram account that this idea started gaining traction.  Thanks to my iPad (yes I am the person who pulls out a tablet in restaurants and audibly laments poor lighting, at museums, on busy street corners and much to the amusement and possible horror of my friends – in bars), I began to experiment with image coloring, started learning the in’s and out’s of hashtags via Google and most importantly, began to document my excitement for all things gastronomic. 

My wonderful partner-in-crime Matthew suggested I create a hashtag, which we shaped with my current initials, EBB and gave life to #ebbcooks.  I proudly sent images of meals to my surprised parents.  Who made this, they asked, more than once.  It was then decided that when they visit, in lieu of going out to dinner, I would cook.  It should be noted that on their past two visits, my father has traded outstanding wine in exchange for a home cooked meal by his first born.  Friends and strangers enthusiastically liked what I was posting.  Others asked that I share recipes.  The encouragement and gusto was quite surprising and in turn, inspiring.  I truly feel that putting a respectable meal on the table makes you feel so good.  I shared my fruits.  And so it began…

I proudly hail from a family of adventuresome, gourmet eaters.  Don’t get me wrong, we also engage in plenty of un-epicurean gluttony.  I for one am a keen purveyor of super size McDonald’s French fries generously salted and hot off the press (drive through preferable), cheese puffs and Coke flavored Slurpees, Goldfish by the handful and Butterfingers at Halloween time.  A warm slab of Camembert cheese oozing on a plate.  My brother does not consider a trip to the south successful without at least one meal at Bojangles (this also rings true for layovers at the Charlotte Douglas Airport).  My sister used to participate in and win eating competitions.  It should be noted that excess aside, I do make a concerted effort to prepare healthy, usually no carb (beans aside) meals Sunday to Thursday.  The other two days it’s fair game.  I will stop here before coloring any opinions.   

In short, we love to eat – everything and anywhere.  More importantly in this case, I love to eat.  So it only seemed natural to nourish my culinary learning curve through investigation, reading, sampling, tasting, experimenting and finally, cooking.  I began subscribing to a myriad of cooking magazines, which have in turn become my food bibles.  I am no stranger to tearing pages out of the Sunday New York Times or magazines at the gym to tack on the fridge for near future simulation.  We keep a folder of pictures, recipes and other such inspiring papers in drawer that holds prized, daily essentials.  I order cookbooks via Amazon, track shipment and note days on my calendar for the postman’s delivery.  

The culinary path on which I now find myself began some time ago in our warm and ever so slightly dysfunctional little kitchen.  I say “dysfunctional” as we are slowly building our kitchen artillery.  All in good time.  It was as uncomplicated as roasting a chicken.  The night before, I generously salted the bird.  The next day, I let it come to room temperature and filled the cavity with chopped garlic, sometimes lemon, fresh stalks of rosemary, thyme, sage and lemon until it was bursting.  I then massaged its skin with a sinful amount of room temperature butter.  I liberally decorated its exterior with red pepper flakes, more thyme, added rosemary, freshly grated lemon rind.  One evening while watching television, the master globe trotter and my favorite New York personality Anthony Bourdain appeared in a kitchen somewhere in the world and spoke to using fennel seeds when roasting.  Nowadays, my chickens are naked without them. 

I nestled my organic chicken in an old Pyrex dish and crowded it with chopped carrots and Italian flat leaf parsley (I don’t have the temperament for its curly cousin).  A glug of good quality extra virgin olive oil over the top and into the oven for just under two hours at whichever temperature your oven performs best.  This neat bundle yielded a simple but delicious meal.  Now when I roast a chicken, I do everything identically but have replaced the generous stick of butter with a mindful tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil.  On this day, I paired our new favorite’s crisp, gorgeous skin and delicious meat with garlic sautéed Tuscan kale and roasted beets.  Early on, I learned that Matthew could eat beets for days.  I roast them by the pounds most Sundays to have on hand for lunches and dinners during the week.  They pair with and inspire any meal.  Often times I stain my fingers on willfully headstrong skins.  And so it goes…

When it came time to tackle the blogosphere, I approached the youngest Breyer – a true authority in the social media world.  Thank my stars, three cheers and a bottle of the finest spirits for little brothers!  My first attempt at an introduction was four pages long.  Younger brother matter-of-factly reminded me that the internet has been successful in clipping the average person’s attention span.  In short, the length would not do.  So, I hashed, deleted, shortened and rewrote.  Now, I will embark upon something at which I am not skilled – leaving a bit of mystery.  We can get to know one another over time.  In closing our conversation, he fashioned the following for his big sister:

“Kick ass at the blog.  Love what you are doing.  Don’t filter yourself for any audience.  This is your space. If you want to call a person a @*#&, do it.  If you want to say something you tried tastes like low grade dog food, do it.  Be funny.  Be natural.  Write content people want to read and return to...and throw in some recipes. You are a Breyer and have the verve to make a solid opinion, defend it and stand by it.  Give variety and people will enjoy your content.”

I have been encouraged by many to get on with it, so here we go.  I cordially invite you to join in my journey.  I promise to infuse this space with stories, humor, my verve and most importantly, recipes.   I am a newbie, so please bear with me.  In return I simply ask that you please don’t be a stranger!