Cooking Ideas

I love to try new recipes.

But even more I love to use what I have to make my own recipes.

You know what I'm talking about.  Something you can't replicate because of what is in it, or because of how you cooked it.  That kind of thing.

I used a starter for most of my bread.  A few different kinds I used commercial yeast.  But the starter is literally where it all started.

The starter talked to me.  Unlike at some bakeries where I worked, They had a very cut and dried formula for their starter.  And they got a consistent loaf of bread.  That is not what I am saying.

What I mean is there bread was semi-homogenius.  Consistent and good, but nothing special.

Not that I am anything amazing, but I was part of my bread.  From when and how much I fed my starter, to the taste, to everything about it, I was part of it.

It starts with air, water, and flour temp.  You have to get it to the same total each time.  That is the basics.  But like so much else in life, you can bring it to another level.

I don't really know what to say about it, but it makes me sad to think how people could do great things in their life and stay with just above average.  And that so many other people think that is great.

OR MAYBE, I am the one who is mistaken.  To bring something to higher level, be it bread or anything you do, may be a waste of time.  People could never appreciate it.  Not because they don't want to or are to stupid or ignorant, but because it truly does not matter.

That is my biggest problem in life.  So very sad to me.

About Me

I've been cooking for 20 something years.  Professionally for about 5 years, for myself and my family the whole time.  I owned a bakery for half of those years.

Bread mostly, and handmade croissants.  At the time my life was devoted to that bread. Awards were won, but better yet, I met people every day for years who wanted my bread.

They did not want bread, they want MY bread.  It was wonderful.

Anyway, can't be married with 2 children and be devoted so much to something else so it had to end.

Now I cook daily.

I would have it no other way.