Why do YOU cook, Aleta Watson?

San Jose Mercury News readers will surely recognize the name Aleta Watson. Aleta is an award-winning reporter and restaurant reviewer who was on staff there for quite a while.

I'm always curious about what restaurant reviewers choose to cook at home. Thankfully Aleta has a gorgeous blog, Skillet Chronicles, that satisfies my curiosity while inspiring my own creativity. It turns out Aleta cooks the way I do and the same things that appeal to her generally appeal to me too. She is also a proponent of the joy one finds in the kitchen! Can I get an "amen"? If you enjoy my blog, I'm confident you will enjoy discovering hers too.

"The salty tang of preserved lemon in a chicken tagine. The deep savor of slow-cooked cassoulet. The sweet satisfaction of Sicilian cookies stuffed with ground figs and nuts. I cook because I’m a curious eater. I love to taste new foods, explore unfamiliar cooking techniques and share my finds.

When I was growing up, our family meals leaned heavily toward red meat, potatoes and frozen vegetables. Although my mother was a good cook, she stuck with what she knew. Not until I left home did I realize what a wide range of flavors the world had to offer.

A friend introduced me to Chinese food, Indian curries and “Joy of Cooking” and a lifelong love affair with pots and pans began. I reveled in the challenge and creativity of working with my hands in the kitchen after days toiling as a reporter and editor in Bay Area newsrooms. Trying out new recipes and feeding the results to family and friends became one of my favorite pastimes.

Even when I worked as a restaurant critic, I generally preferred cooking to eating out. The food served at most restaurants not only was disappointing but laden with salt and fat. My family ate better when we shopped for and prepared our own meals. We knew where our ingredients came from and the food was fresher, better tasting and more nutritious.

Now, I’m on a mission to help more people discover the pleasures of cooking for themselves and their families, using local ingredients in season. Everyone knows it’s good for the wallet, better for the body, and a boon for the planet. But too few people seem to realize how much fun it can be."

Why do YOU cook, Aleta Watson?

San Jose Mercury News readers will surely recognize the name Aleta Watson. Aleta is an award-winning reporter and restaurant reviewer who was on staff there for quite a while.

I'm always curious about what restaurant reviewers choose to cook at home. Thankfully Aleta has a gorgeous blog, Skillet Chronicles, that satisfies my curiosity while inspiring my own creativity. It turns out Aleta cooks the way I do and the same things that appeal to her generally appeal to me too. She is also a proponent of the joy one finds in the kitchen! Can I get an "amen"? If you enjoy my blog, I'm confident you will enjoy discovering hers too.

"The salty tang of preserved lemon in a chicken tagine. The deep savor of slow-cooked cassoulet. The sweet satisfaction of Sicilian cookies stuffed with ground figs and nuts. I cook because I’m a curious eater. I love to taste new foods, explore unfamiliar cooking techniques and share my finds.

When I was growing up, our family meals leaned heavily toward red meat, potatoes and frozen vegetables. Although my mother was a good cook, she stuck with what she knew. Not until I left home did I realize what a wide range of flavors the world had to offer.

A friend introduced me to Chinese food, Indian curries and “Joy of Cooking” and a lifelong love affair with pots and pans began. I reveled in the challenge and creativity of working with my hands in the kitchen after days toiling as a reporter and editor in Bay Area newsrooms. Trying out new recipes and feeding the results to family and friends became one of my favorite pastimes.

Even when I worked as a restaurant critic, I generally preferred cooking to eating out. The food served at most restaurants not only was disappointing but laden with salt and fat. My family ate better when we shopped for and prepared our own meals. We knew where our ingredients came from and the food was fresher, better tasting and more nutritious.

Now, I’m on a mission to help more people discover the pleasures of cooking for themselves and their families, using local ingredients in season. Everyone knows it’s good for the wallet, better for the body, and a boon for the planet. But too few people seem to realize how much fun it can be."

Why do YOU cook, Aleta Watson?

San Jose Mercury News readers will surely recognize the name Aleta Watson. Aleta is an award-winning reporter and restaurant reviewer who was on staff there for quite a while.

I'm always curious about what restaurant reviewers choose to cook at home. Thankfully Aleta has a gorgeous blog, Skillet Chronicles, that satisfies my curiosity while inspiring my own creativity. It turns out Aleta cooks the way I do and the same things that appeal to her generally appeal to me too. She is also a proponent of the joy one finds in the kitchen! Can I get an "amen"? If you enjoy my blog, I'm confident you will enjoy discovering hers too.

"The salty tang of preserved lemon in a chicken tagine. The deep savor of slow-cooked cassoulet. The sweet satisfaction of Sicilian cookies stuffed with ground figs and nuts. I cook because I’m a curious eater. I love to taste new foods, explore unfamiliar cooking techniques and share my finds.

When I was growing up, our family meals leaned heavily toward red meat, potatoes and frozen vegetables. Although my mother was a good cook, she stuck with what she knew. Not until I left home did I realize what a wide range of flavors the world had to offer.

A friend introduced me to Chinese food, Indian curries and “Joy of Cooking” and a lifelong love affair with pots and pans began. I reveled in the challenge and creativity of working with my hands in the kitchen after days toiling as a reporter and editor in Bay Area newsrooms. Trying out new recipes and feeding the results to family and friends became one of my favorite pastimes.

Even when I worked as a restaurant critic, I generally preferred cooking to eating out. The food served at most restaurants not only was disappointing but laden with salt and fat. My family ate better when we shopped for and prepared our own meals. We knew where our ingredients came from and the food was fresher, better tasting and more nutritious.

Now, I’m on a mission to help more people discover the pleasures of cooking for themselves and their families, using local ingredients in season. Everyone knows it’s good for the wallet, better for the body, and a boon for the planet. But too few people seem to realize how much fun it can be."

Why do YOU bake, Irvin Lin?

While Irvin Lin is a relative newcomer to food blogging, having launched Eat the Love earlier this year, he has quickly been embraced by bakers, cooks and food lovers. He's extremely talented as a baker, having won various competitions, including the Food Wars:Pie or Die, also this year. Lin does it all with a sense of joy and humor that is positively delicious.

"There is something slightly schizophrenic about being a home baker.

It’s a soothing zen-like solitary experience where precision measurements are needed to ensure a perfect end result. It’s a bit magical, when you put that batter or dough into the oven, at the correct temperature, and it comes out a baked good, something worthy of sharing with the people you love. Baking may be a lot of science (as well as a lot of art – don’t let anyone tell you any differently) but it’s also a magic that everyone can access. Few things in life create the warm happy feeling I get when I smell something baking in the oven.

But baking is also an act of social engagement, as all my baked goods are meant to be shared with friends, family and loved ones. I enjoy cooking, but to me, cooking is something I do to survive. Everyone needs to eat, and cooking is one of the ways that I provide sustenance to my body. But baking…baking is about pleasure. It’s about providing an experience to not only for yourself but for others as well. Cooking is a necessary. It’s a need. Baking is special. It’s a want.

I bake because I love to give joy to others. I love to watch other people eat. I love to watch their reactions when they take a bite of pie that I’ve made, or break off a piece of cookie and put it in their mouth. I love watching their eyes light up as they see the dessert placed in front of them. I love to see their eye roll to the back of their head as they savor that rich butter and sugar that I use in my sweet baked goods. I love hearing about how a specific dessert reminds them of their trip to France, or their wedding day, or of their childhood kitchen. I love talking to them about desserts and baked goods, because inevitably, every single person has a story about their favorite cookie, their favorite cake, and/or their favorite pie.

It is not everyday that people eat desserts. However, every time someone bakes, a normal occasion is turned into a special occasion. I strive to have as many special occasions as possible. I bake because baking is a way to connect with others. Baking is a joy. And we all need a little more joy in our lives."

Why do YOU bake, Irvin Lin?

While Irvin Lin is a relative newcomer to food blogging, having launched Eat the Love earlier this year, he has quickly been embraced by bakers, cooks and food lovers. He's extremely talented as a baker, having won various competitions, including the Food Wars:Pie or Die, also this year. Lin does it all with a sense of joy and humor that is positively delicious.

"There is something slightly schizophrenic about being a home baker.

It’s a soothing zen-like solitary experience where precision measurements are needed to ensure a perfect end result. It’s a bit magical, when you put that batter or dough into the oven, at the correct temperature, and it comes out a baked good, something worthy of sharing with the people you love. Baking may be a lot of science (as well as a lot of art – don’t let anyone tell you any differently) but it’s also a magic that everyone can access. Few things in life create the warm happy feeling I get when I smell something baking in the oven.

But baking is also an act of social engagement, as all my baked goods are meant to be shared with friends, family and loved ones. I enjoy cooking, but to me, cooking is something I do to survive. Everyone needs to eat, and cooking is one of the ways that I provide sustenance to my body. But baking…baking is about pleasure. It’s about providing an experience to not only for yourself but for others as well. Cooking is a necessary. It’s a need. Baking is special. It’s a want.

I bake because I love to give joy to others. I love to watch other people eat. I love to watch their reactions when they take a bite of pie that I’ve made, or break off a piece of cookie and put it in their mouth. I love watching their eyes light up as they see the dessert placed in front of them. I love to see their eye roll to the back of their head as they savor that rich butter and sugar that I use in my sweet baked goods. I love hearing about how a specific dessert reminds them of their trip to France, or their wedding day, or of their childhood kitchen. I love talking to them about desserts and baked goods, because inevitably, every single person has a story about their favorite cookie, their favorite cake, and/or their favorite pie.

It is not everyday that people eat desserts. However, every time someone bakes, a normal occasion is turned into a special occasion. I strive to have as many special occasions as possible. I bake because baking is a way to connect with others. Baking is a joy. And we all need a little more joy in our lives."

Why do YOU bake, Irvin Lin?

While Irvin Lin is a relative newcomer to food blogging, having launched Eat the Love earlier this year, he has quickly been embraced by bakers, cooks and food lovers. He's extremely talented as a baker, having won various competitions, including the Food Wars:Pie or Die, also this year. Lin does it all with a sense of joy and humor that is positively delicious.

"There is something slightly schizophrenic about being a home baker.

It’s a soothing zen-like solitary experience where precision measurements are needed to ensure a perfect end result. It’s a bit magical, when you put that batter or dough into the oven, at the correct temperature, and it comes out a baked good, something worthy of sharing with the people you love. Baking may be a lot of science (as well as a lot of art – don’t let anyone tell you any differently) but it’s also a magic that everyone can access. Few things in life create the warm happy feeling I get when I smell something baking in the oven.

But baking is also an act of social engagement, as all my baked goods are meant to be shared with friends, family and loved ones. I enjoy cooking, but to me, cooking is something I do to survive. Everyone needs to eat, and cooking is one of the ways that I provide sustenance to my body. But baking…baking is about pleasure. It’s about providing an experience to not only for yourself but for others as well. Cooking is a necessary. It’s a need. Baking is special. It’s a want.

I bake because I love to give joy to others. I love to watch other people eat. I love to watch their reactions when they take a bite of pie that I’ve made, or break off a piece of cookie and put it in their mouth. I love watching their eyes light up as they see the dessert placed in front of them. I love to see their eye roll to the back of their head as they savor that rich butter and sugar that I use in my sweet baked goods. I love hearing about how a specific dessert reminds them of their trip to France, or their wedding day, or of their childhood kitchen. I love talking to them about desserts and baked goods, because inevitably, every single person has a story about their favorite cookie, their favorite cake, and/or their favorite pie.

It is not everyday that people eat desserts. However, every time someone bakes, a normal occasion is turned into a special occasion. I strive to have as many special occasions as possible. I bake because baking is a way to connect with others. Baking is a joy. And we all need a little more joy in our lives."

Why do YOU cook, Dianne Jacob?

If you are a food blogger or an aspiring food writer, there is a good chance you know Dianne Jacob, author of Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Blogs, Reviews, Memoir, and More, now in it's second edition. She's an editor, a writer, a teacher, a cook and a coach. She has helped countless people get book deals and polished their writing. After meeting her at a book signing years ago, we've gotten to be friends and I've been lucky enough to share the stage with her at various conferences.

In addition to Will Write for Food she co-wrote Grilled Pizzas and Piadinas, and past work experience includes both newspaper and magazine editing. Her popular and provocative blog addresses food writing and blogging issues, but it doesn't answer the question--why does Dianne cook? So, I'm happy to give her that opportunity here.

"I’m a storyteller first, not a chef. As far as cooking goes, I’m just an enthusiastic home cook who makes food in a small kitchen with no Viking range, no Sub-Zero refrigerator, and without the countertop appliances I covet, such as a panini maker, rice cooker or slow cooker.

I started cooking as a teenager in high school. My mother got a job working evenings so she wasn’t home to make dinner for my dad, sister and me. She was an amazing ethnic cook but would not allow me in the kitchen because she said doing so would ruin the food. As the eldest daughter I was suddenly in charge of dinner and on my own, leafing through the Wednesday food section of the Vancouver Sun because we had no cookbooks.

That year I made dinner dishes foreign to our family, like red peppers stuffed with rice (tasteless), battered fried chicken (still bloody) and a frozen coffee dessert where I used coffee grounds instead of the specified amount of brewed coffee (inedible). My dad pretended he didn’t notice on all occasions, but was particularly miffed to not be served meat at every meal.

So began my culinary adventure. It has morphed over the years according to fads (crazy about Moroccan food currently), whatever I’m reading (usually from a stack of cookbooks next to my bed), and interest in my parents’ heritage cooking (Iraqi and Indian Jewish cuisine.)

I take inspiration from the farmer’s market, because I aspire to a mostly plant-based diet.
I love seeking out whatever’s in season, including produce I don’t know much about. It was only a few years ago that I discovered greens, and now they are common in my refrigerator. Other times I find produce that reminds me of home. My mother boiled fresh fava beans in salted water. I began with that simple preparation, but now I mash them with olive oil, fresh thyme and garlic, and spread the green paste on little toasts.

Today I cook because I prefer my own food. I didn’t think I would ever say that, because outside my house is much tastier and more complicated cooking, available for purchase. But my food is generally healthier than what’s served in restaurants, so on a daily basis, it’s better for me. And I like the transition from long hours at my desk to the kitchen, using muscle memory instead of my brain.

As a food writer, I cook to learn new techniques and to understand recipes, particularly when I am testing them for publication. Sometimes I cook to try new kinds of foods. I just bought my first bag of almond meal and have only made one baked item with it, a sensational apricot tart on the cover of Farmer's Market Desserts. I served it to my book group at the height of summer. That reminds me of another reason why I cook: to pamper people I adore.

My husband and I are both home during the day and we eat our meals together. I find it difficult get to the store sometimes – let alone restaurants -- so we are dependent on what I make. Right now I don’t have much other than raw produce waiting for me in the fridge, so I’d better get to work."

Why do YOU cook, Dianne Jacob?

If you are a food blogger or an aspiring food writer, there is a good chance you know Dianne Jacob, author of Will Write for Food: The Complete Guide to Writing Cookbooks, Blogs, Reviews, Memoir, and More, now in it's second edition. She's an editor, a writer, a teacher, a cook and a coach. She has helped countless people get book deals and polished their writing. After meeting her at a book signing years ago, we've gotten to be friends and I've been lucky enough to share the stage with her at various conferences.

In addition to Will Write for Food she co-wrote Grilled Pizzas and Piadinas, and past work experience includes both newspaper and magazine editing. Her popular and provocative blog addresses food writing and blogging issues, but it doesn't answer the question--why does Dianne cook? So, I'm happy to give her that opportunity here.

"I’m a storyteller first, not a chef. As far as cooking goes, I’m just an enthusiastic home cook who makes food in a small kitchen with no Viking range, no Sub-Zero refrigerator, and without the countertop appliances I covet, such as a panini maker, rice cooker or slow cooker.

I started cooking as a teenager in high school. My mother got a job working evenings so she wasn’t home to make dinner for my dad, sister and me. She was an amazing ethnic cook but would not allow me in the kitchen because she said doing so would ruin the food. As the eldest daughter I was suddenly in charge of dinner and on my own, leafing through the Wednesday food section of the Vancouver Sun because we had no cookbooks.

That year I made dinner dishes foreign to our family, like red peppers stuffed with rice (tasteless), battered fried chicken (still bloody) and a frozen coffee dessert where I used coffee grounds instead of the specified amount of brewed coffee (inedible). My dad pretended he didn’t notice on all occasions, but was particularly miffed to not be served meat at every meal.

So began my culinary adventure. It has morphed over the years according to fads (crazy about Moroccan food currently), whatever I’m reading (usually from a stack of cookbooks next to my bed), and interest in my parents’ heritage cooking (Iraqi and Indian Jewish cuisine.)

I take inspiration from the farmer’s market, because I aspire to a mostly plant-based diet.
I love seeking out whatever’s in season, including produce I don’t know much about. It was only a few years ago that I discovered greens, and now they are common in my refrigerator. Other times I find produce that reminds me of home. My mother boiled fresh fava beans in salted water. I began with that simple preparation, but now I mash them with olive oil, fresh thyme and garlic, and spread the green paste on little toasts.

Today I cook because I prefer my own food. I didn’t think I would ever say that, because outside my house is much tastier and more complicated cooking, available for purchase. But my food is generally healthier than what’s served in restaurants, so on a daily basis, it’s better for me. And I like the transition from long hours at my desk to the kitchen, using muscle memory instead of my brain.

As a food writer, I cook to learn new techniques and to understand recipes, particularly when I am testing them for publication. Sometimes I cook to try new kinds of foods. I just bought my first bag of almond meal and have only made one baked item with it, a sensational apricot tart on the cover of Farmer's Market Desserts. I served it to my book group at the height of summer. That reminds me of another reason why I cook: to pamper people I adore.

My husband and I are both home during the day and we eat our meals together. I find it difficult get to the store sometimes – let alone restaurants -- so we are dependent on what I make. Right now I don’t have much other than raw produce waiting for me in the fridge, so I’d better get to work."