What a "Foodie" Can Love About Winter

This weekend I was emailing a friend of mine and started thinking about all the great new things I have tried and/ or cooked up so far this winter season. The cold winter offers up the perfect excuse to stay in, turn on the oven, and cook up some wonderful warming comfort foods. Thinking back just since Christmas I have tried quite a lot of new things. This winter I made my first home made brownies from scratch, my first homemade quiche crust ( several times now), my first poached chicken for a chicken pot pie, my first whole mustard tarragon vinaigrette, my first cranberry orange bread, first ginger snaps, first biscotti, first from scratch pancakes, first lentil soup, first split pea soup, 2nd ever beef stew (with grass feed beef). I also ate mackerel, rock fish, conk, sardines, roasted duck and bluefish for the first time. Thanks to Natalie I had my first taste of freshly fermented kimchi, and yummy homemade lentil cakes. Tiny things really, but I grew up on boxed cake and wonder bread! Breaking outside of old patterns can be hard if your on auto pilot... but so much fun when you do! I am still taking small steps of sorts in the quest for kitchen knowledge and culinary um... prowess .... defined as (Superior skill or ability. Superior strength, courage, or daring, especially in battle!) but, this is one quest that guarantees reward.