Culinary Adventures

There's something about taking ingredients, the raw, basic stuff that alone makes no sense, combining them, manipulating them, taking out the good, leaving the bad, to create something else entirely. It's part power trip, part chemistry, all great when it works and a tragedy when it fails.

That may be why i enjoy cooking so much. That sense of control. The world may be turning on its head, but here in this little corner, butter, milk, sugar, and chocolate will still turn into fudge.

Yeah, it could be all those reasons. Or it could be the heaping helpings of praise when doling out freshly made cookies.

Whatever the reason is, i cook. And here are some of the most recent adventures at Casa Power

Crunchy french toast.

Best when topped with strawberries

Shrimp risotto

Looks sweet and innocent but this Italian rice packs a punch. Half a serving size and you're full for the rest of the day.

Blueberry muffins

"No I don't know this muffin man of whom you speak, but i know someone who makes some kick-butt blueberry muffins."

Fail Cake (Double Chocolate)

Waited a full six hours before icing and it still feel apart.

Double delicious bars

The layers of chocolate, butterscotch and graham accent Fish Eye's soft yet sweet palate. And it tastes really good.

My mom is the real Julia Child in our house. She's been known to take recipes and put her own twist on them. she can make a full weeks worth of meals from memory alone. She's the anti-Child in that she doesn't need the exacting measurements Child used. But she's very Child-like in her passion for trying new things and experimenting in the kitchen, smiling whether or not it goes well.

I think the biggest commonality between the two is that Child cooked for her husband, Paul. That's how she got into the culinary arts in the first place. I believe the same goes for mom. I've seen her struggle all day with a recipe, literally not leave the kitchen for hours, and then completely forget the struggles while watching the fruits of her labor devoured at the table.

Like today, after we lost most of the stewed tomato base when some klutz forgot to hold onto the bowl (sorry), she didn't fret. Just when right back at it, with a second batch.

Hours of work - from planning to shopping to preparation to cooking - all for that hum of satisfaction after the first bite.