My Thoughts on Social Kitchens

When you blog about fun in the kitchen, you make it social. Other people can see the food you make and share their own thoughts and experiences. While it is not the same as sitting in a kitchen together, it does make the process something social, and I really like that.

In an effort to make sure that I'm being a good social blogger, I'm going to make sure that I do a few things to add to the conversation. Nothing surprising, and nothing unusual, but at least one item on my list is a violation of the rules for many home cooks: I'm going to share my recipes and sources.

Whenever I meet people who don't do that, it makes me crazy in a way. I think it's a selfish behavior that isn't sensible. When someone asks you for your recipe and secret, that's the best compliment you can ever have! Not only does it taste good, they want to try it at home!

So I'll share the recipe I use to make something, as well as the source. That way you know my secrets and can try it at home too! Sharing the source lets you get that book, or view the website, so you know where I found it and why I tried it as well. I've got nothing to hide.

I'll also make note of what I do to break the recipe. The kitchen is a science lab, ingredients at fixed ratios work together in predictable ways - but it's also an art room. Adding something to a recipe to suit your own needs is a good thing, and a regular thing with me. Throwing things together from whatever I have on hand is also part of the fun, so I break the recipes constantly, and will do my best to let you know when and why I do it.

Lastly, I'll try to take a few pictures. Not a ton of them, but enough to show the process and let you see what I see. I'm going to do that from my phone camera, so it won't be food art, but it will hopefully help some.

...and that's it! The next posts will be less about the blog and more about the food - it's the holiday season after all, and I have already done some holiday work in the kitchen (complete with photos to prove it).