Filling the Gastronomic Void

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Resources for meal making merriment

Sadly, I am not a natural cook. I have known people who can taste a dish at a restaurant and then go and replicate it using merely their memory of the tastes along with their knowledge of food. To me, that kind of talent can be describe as nothing less than artistry.

I am more of a food scientist, however. I need recipes to prepare food. Despite the fact that I've become a pretty good cook, I cannot start without a basic idea written on paper. So, I always start with a recipe.

My favorite recipies have come from a couple of common sources, The Joy of Cooking and The New Homes and Gardens Cookbook from my childhood are the first places I look. But there are many specialty cookbooks on the shelves at home too and they are all filled with little postits and bookmarks. I have also found some really great recipes online at Bon Appetit, Cooking Light, Saveur, Epicurous, and AllRecipies.

The recipes here are all derive from these sources. Each has been tweaked to taste, particular ingredients, or portion size. A few are so cobbled together they might even be considered 'new.' :)