I agree w/several of the prior posters but it certainly does help to grow up in an envirionment where cooking & experimentation are practiced. My Grandmothers both turned me loose in the kitchen at a very young age (my Mom was a meat & potatoes cook). Both of them not only allowed me to experiment but also how to 'clean as you go' which also makes things much simpler. Hopefully my daughters interest will continue. As an aside, I don't measure anything, so if I were creating a cookbook there would most likely be a ton of lines that say "...season to taste" or "...add as needed". LOL

Speaking of Foodies... where has NYCTravelSnob been latley? I haven't seen her post for a while.

Okay, here is what I had for dinner last night:

Cut up some red onion, carrots and Yukon Gold potatoes, toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, and place in a roasting pan. (Lori, if you're reading this, I used my Le Creuset braiser you gave me for Christmas!)On top of this, I placed chicken thighs (seasoned with a little salt and pepper). I mixed up 3TBS of honey with 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar and poured that over the veg/chicken. Bake at 425 for about an hour. Add a salad and there's your dinner.

Johanna

Are food threads as long as this one allowed on the Europe forum? I thought Fodors editors had become quite decisive about non-travel threads. Glad to see it's easing up.

One of the sentences above I disagree with:

"people who value food have to know some how to cook at home..."
That is true of me and many, but not all. People can appreciate art without caring about wielding a paint brush.

In my opinion, the most healthful food is whatever has as few additives as possible, whatever is not commercially processed, and whatever fills the belly and gives pleasure at the same time. That doesn't mean I eat according to those guidelines all the time.

We each have different personal health issues, so perhaps one person can't have any butter or another person any sugar at all, but that doesn't mean that all butter and sugar is unhealthful. Not all cooking oils are healthful either and we're all realizing that just because a food is low in cholesterol doesn't mean it isn't full of trans fats, or preservatives, or very high levels of sodium.
Julia Child lived into her 90s and sang the praises of a little cream and butter here and there, and she despised the ubiquitous skinless chicken breast.As PatrickLondon said, all things in moderation.

What do I eat at home? Salads, fruits and vegetables, fish, poultry, and also some red meat. Brown rice rather than white. Eggs and bacon sometimes. Desserts in small portions. Good bread with some butter. When I go out I order similar things, but expand it to food I don't cook regularly myself, like Italian, Chinese, Spanish, and French.

One good source of recipes is the American magazine "Cooking Light."

gracie04, I wouldn't do too much wondering aloud about where former posters are now.

gracie04, I wouldn't do too much wondering aloud about where former posters are now.

Hi Shalott
Not quite sure what this means. Glad you like Cooking Light magazine, though. My sister works there. I agree, it is a good magazine!

Johanna

topping in hopes of more great recipes.

gracie,
there is more at US forum. Use well

exuse me what is mirepoix ???
I am cooking seafood buriido. How do I stert with mirepoix of chopped onion, celery, and carrots???
Thanks

Julia was also quite a drinker & I don't mean wine...I believe she favored martini's & such. Once again, moderation is the key. (& good genes don't hurt either...)

Coincidentally, I was just watching another in this series - I do hope you get it in America some time:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/poshnosh/

Julia certainly lived her life to the fullest. I saw a bio on her on PBS a few months ago - and was fascinated. CIA. Didn't cook until 32 years old. Sense of humor all the way through.

Hi Ziana
>I am cooking seafood buriido. How do I stert with mirepoix of chopped onion, celery, and carrots???<

A mirepoix is finely diced onion, celery and carrots that is gently sauted so that the onions do not brown.

It is the basic "aromatics" in French and cooking.

The Spanish would start with a "sofrito" of onion, peppers, garlic and cilantor.

In Cajun cooking you would use green peppers, celery and onion.

Did you mean "burrito"?

My question for Ziana - Do you never google? It's amazing that not only would the question be answered there, but lots of additional information as well.

It's not a burrito or a buriido, it's a bourride.

Which is, I just learned by googling is "Mediterranean bouillabaisse".

It's amazing what one can learn on this site!

Thanks, ira, StCirg!!!
buriido turned out to be to kill for.
I found out lot about saffron...pinch of it is $16.00!!! But I got it anyway out of curiosity! Taste? Not sure...
Tarragon was great in buriido.
So what not so healthy? Heavy cream?
Oh, well, can't please everybody...LOL

Thanks,
I think next week it is a slow roasted lamb leg.