I don’t know about you but in my kitchen, sometimes the greatest creations happen simply by accident.  I’m known for adding a pinch of this and a handful of that, stiring it all up… and hoping it turns out.  Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t but I must admit, there aren’t too many creations that are completely inedible.

I became a “Chef” simply by accident.  I grew up in an Italian kitchen and while you may think that makes me a wicked Chef, the truth is, my mamma never taught me to cook and she never wanted our help in the kitchen.  Cooking for her family gave her purpose.  The kitchen was her domain.  In order to get some time in at the stove, I had to move out and get my own kitchen.

I taught myself to cook.  First with the usual channels: cookbooks, TV programs, and recipes from friends.  When The Food Network launched in Canada, I became an instant addict.  Whenever I’d eat out, I’d study what was on my plate, certain that I could replicate it at home.  But I never strayed too far from the basics - pasta, chicken, and the occassional stir fry – these were the cornerstones of my culinary expertise.  When I wanted good eats, I went home to mamma. 

To be fair, I absorbed a fair bit by osmosis and learned the rest courtesy of the good ol’ WWW but I’m the first to admit that my gnocchi or my lasagna doesn’t taste nearly as good as my mum’s.

Luckily, though, my foodie interests have expanded beyond the basics and even beyond anything that mamma would cook, mainly to save myself the disappointment when I compare it to the tastes in my memories.

Welcome to my kitchen.  Won’t you join me next time you’re looking for something good to eat?