Embarking on a culinary adventure

When most children my age were shirking off their greens or trying to secretly slip parts of their dinners to the dog under the table, I just wanted to try new foods and taste new flavours. My condition was quite opposite to that of my younger brother’s. “John, you have to finish your dinner before leaving the table,” my parents would say, and my brother would take one bite of whatever had been cooked up that evening and chew, and chew, and chew, without ever actually swallowing and moving on to the next forkful. I don’t know how he did it, but this would go on, often for an hour, until my parents gave up.

John is now going to be 20 years old, and I must say his attitude towards food has pulled a 180. Save for a few oddities presumably left over from childhood – like an aversion to corn, both of the canned and cob form, the rest of my maize-loving family does not quite understand – his appetite and taste seem to grow for every year older he gets.

I, on the other hand, haven’t changed all that much. I still love food, and it’s not just about eating. Cooking is never – or at least very rarely – a chore, but a way to relax after a day of work (I wish I could say the same about the dishes, though). And when it comes to shopping, while many of my friends head out clothes or shoe shopping to indulge themselves and expend a good part of their paycheques, give me a grocery store or, better yet, a farmers market, and I’m set.

I remember when I moved out of my parents’ house, one thing I was most excited about was not so much the freedom to come and go as I pleased. No, I was really looking forward to that first grocery run. Now, don’t assume I come from a family that cannot cook. Every time I head home for a visit, my mom has come up with all kinds of new recipes to go along with old favourites. My dad, who started working from home a few years ago, also started trying his hand at kitchen craft and proved his culinary talents weren’t limited to steak and burger on the grill in the summertime. As a matter of fact, I think part of my love for everything food has to do with them, and having a place with my own kitchen meant I could try new things and experiment with new recipes, without having to worry my mom with the messy dishes I was piling up in and around the sink (I did always clean up, though), or subjecting my family to those trial recipes that did not make the grade.

There is something special about food. Every culture has its specific dishes, and most people have their favourite foods. I think everyone can imagine tasting that comfort food that brings them back to being a kid again, or simply serves up exactly what it’s named after.

Over the next weeks, I hope to show you what food is all about to me and maybe even share a few of my own kitchen tips and secrets. So, stay tuned for plenty of dirty dishes, shopping expeditions, gastronomic outings, and culinary adventures. If we’re lucky, I might even get my mom to dish on her recipe for creamed spinach. Fingers crossed!