“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” — James Beard
I don’t think I tell you enough how grateful I am for my readers. Blogging can feel like writing in a vacuum, and sometimes I feel like I’m talking to myself, but then I get comments from you and the vacuum disappears! One of the big reasons I blog is YOU. You are a source of inspiration for me, whether it be a comment that helps me to find the most fabulous pumpkin scone recipe on the planet,
thinking about what makes a good slow cooker,
letting me know when you’ve tried out one of my recipes (I LOVE hearing that!), or just letting me know what you’re thinking. Sometimes one of your comments really gets me thinking. I got one of those comments on my last post early this morning from Kathy. She asked, “I know you obviously cook what is easier in the country that you happen to be in, but do you feel that you miss Japanese cooking, or do you just not ‘feel’ like cooking it so much?” Such a great question! The question started me down a path of thinking about what I cook and why, what my family eats, what ends up on this blog, and what my sources of inspiration are. So this morning, I’d like to share a few of those thoughts with you instead of what I had planned. Hopefully somewhere in there I’ll answer your question Kathy!
One thing that can be a good thing and a bad thing about food blogging is you only see a very small fraction of what we eat on a daily basis. I tend to share fun new things we’ve tried, new creations, or the biggest disasters. What you don’t see are the ho hum dishes, our favorite things that we eat on a reoccurring basis, or things that get replaced in the blogging queue by something I’m more excited about sharing. After reading Kathy’s comment I’ve realized that Japanese food has fallen into the categories of what you don’t see. Squirrel and I tend to eat quite a bit of Japanese food on a daily basis, but we are in a self-imposed rut. There are a few things that we both love that are quick and easy, so I tend to make them a lot. We eat a lot of onigiri and miso soup, for example.
So this explains part of the rut, but why has the variety of Japanese foods I cook dwindled? Do I miss Japanese cooking? YES! If anything I miss Japanese food more and more the longer we have been back in the US. So what’s the problem? I think the “problem” lies in where I draw my inspiration. What I cook tends to be inspired by a variety of sources: nostalgia, habit, other food blogs, newspaper/magazine articles, your comments, my moods/cravings, time (or the lack thereof), and what I see when I go to the grocery store. Although I am confronted with an overwhelming amount of variety when I go to the grocery store here in the US, it is all a bit “familiar.” Contrast this to my experience of doing my grocery shopping in Japan where each and every trip was an adventure, as I was constantly looking at things that were new and unfamiliar. Take for example the seafood section. Talk about variety! Tons of different fish and creatures that I had never seen in a grocery store before, let alone cooked. Trying new things and cooking new Japanese dishes was easy when there were so many new things that I couldn’t wait to put in my grocery basket and take home and experiment with. In addition, having two little Fujilings to constantly run after definitely keeps me busy and on my toes, so sometimes I admit, that I go with what is easy and what takes less planning and thought. Based on that fact, I’m extra excited about my new cooking project, which I expect will be a great source of inspiration and will give my family lots of variety in the Japanese cuisine arena.
Okay, now for the giveaway! I am going to give one of you a set of my all-time favorite measuring spoons (plus a few other surprise goodies).
What I want from you is a comment telling me about what inspires you in the kitchen and why you cook what you cook. After thinking about my own answers I’m very curious to hear yours! So talk to me! I will keep the comments open until this Friday, June 19th, 10 pm PST, and announce the winner (using a random number generator) on Monday (June 22nd). Make sure you leave me a way to contact you. This giveaway is open to all of my readers (international included). *Comments are now closed and the winner will be announced on Monday, June 22, 2009!
Coming Tomorrow: One Good (Meat)Loaf
{ 76 comments… read them below or add one }
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Unfortunately at the moment, my inspiration is driven by pregnancy cravings but before my current anti-food state I loved to read recipes. So my inspiration is more from others, rarely do I make something entirely my own or off the top of my head. Probably 10% comes from what Neal pipes up and suggests and probably 90% of what he suggests are ideas from your blog :) It usually goes "Hey, did you know La Fuji Mama blogged about this…" as a 'subtle' hint. So you can count yourself as a source of our inspiration :)
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Hot dang, those are some cool measuring spoons!
What inspires me to cook?
My family. In my opinion, cooking/baking keeps my family together. It's quality time that we have and I know they will have good memories of what I make for them! My college boy desperately missed my cooking while he was gone, but he was able to develop his own culinary skills!
Why do I cook what I cook?
Comfort foods that bring an amazing aroma that greets my family. I also like the challenge of creating copy-cat dishes from other restaurants. This keeps our food budget costs down, and again, brings our family together!
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What inspires me to cook is my husband, he loves everything that i cook and i love coming up with new recipes to surprise him, i like cooking what i cook because its always a surprise for him and he always loves it, no matter what i cook it's always something different. We both love all different kinds of food so i like keeping it fun :)
daer0n_ at hotmail dot ocm
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I think my appliances inspire. I cook because I love to hear them! weird I know.
hockiemack at hotmail.com
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My own healthy appetite is what inspires me! I've been branching out into more ethnic dishes and while some of my experiments have been a touch too spicy, I love cooking something new (as long as I don't catch the stove on fire…again…)
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I'm inspired to give people I cook for new sensations – to widen their palette and have them share the same pleasure that I get from the symphony of ingredients that is cooking.
So many people spend their whole lives not eating particular foods because they *don't like* them, when really they've never tasted them.
So many people also don't have the chance to try foods from different countries and discover new delights.
Cooking = enjoying the world around you.
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I think of cooking for others as sort of my gift to them. I get to make things with my own hands and watch people enjoy it.
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For the first time… I decided to click on the "follow-up comments" and have been reading all of them!
It has been fascinating to read the answers to "why do you cook what you cook!"
I want to commend "La Fuji Mama" for her topic… it has obviously attracted a lot of diverse reactions!
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I cook what I cook for the reaction…I love to hear people moan and groan when they bite into perfectly cooked meat, or a super moist cake. I love to hear the Ooh's and Ahh's of a beautiful salad or a perfect loaf of bread!
I have to say, I do make your french bread recipe at least once a week and have found all sorts of fun ways to plan a meal around it!
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Since I started blogging, I never get to cook the same food/dish again…its always modified in some way or another but never the same…i think what inspires me most in the kitchen is the thought that I want to make as much delicious dishes as i can so that when i come home and be with my husband and son, i get to cook those for them to enjoy!
hmmm, why i cook what i cook because i wanted to learn a variety of dishes..although i like and love and still deeply rooted to asian cuisine, i have that huge huge passion to learn other cuisine because i want to broaden my knowledge and to train my palate…when i'm in the kitchen,i find it ALWAYS fun and exciting learning experience and that's just to me is unbelieveable! (even if i burn or overseason a dish or two)=P
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Interesting how the answer changes to this question. I NOW cook what I cook mostly as a balance for my husband and toddler son. I want to prepare healthy foods that I can fix sometimes quickly after a long day at work, or something I can take more time with on the weekends. I love trying new things out with my son – my husband and I are pretty adventurous eaters and Max is turning into one too – which is great since we're moving to Japan in 6 weeks! Can't wait, can't wait!
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There are a few receipts I have to repeat very often since the kids love them, such as lasagna and pasta with bolognese sauce, but I try to cook different meals and love to try new receipts. And what inspires me most is coming up with a new receipt using the ingredients I have at hand. Quiches are especially good for this; you can always create a different one by changing some of the ingredients and they're so good!
Thank you for the inspiration!
ap_lemos at yahoo dot com
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Recently my inspiration from cooking has come from cooking blogs! :) I got in a rut & was only cooking the same things over & over, & the whole family was getting sick of it! Then I spoke with a friend about the impact having dinner together every night can have on our children. It really made me think. We almost always have dinner together as a family but do I make it an event that my husband & children WANT to attend? I've been really inspired lately to try new foods from your blog & some others so that I make dinner a very special event. This is OUR time to enjoy each other's company, and my time to show my love for my family by making something special just for them. The biggest reward is when my oldest daughter says, wow mom, did you make this for me!? Its good!
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I'm a 20 year old college student, and have only been seriously cooking for the last year or two. I've always had a passion for the kitchen, probably from being there so much when my grandmothers and mom were cooking as a child. People are my inspiration for cooking. I love the look on someone's face when they are enjoying a yummy meal made by yours truly, especially when it's a recipe I've come up with myself. I love creating meals that bring those who I care about together. This is especially true with cakes. I love baking, because who doesn't love a cute cake?? every time I make a recipe, I will undoubtedly think about the person whom I've, in my mind, paired that recipe with. Cookies? Grandma. Kielbasa? Nanny. Sweet Potato Casserole? Mom. Flank Steak? Dad. Every recipe is tied to a specific person or occasion, usually at which I was introduced to it or cooked it for the first time. I love cooking, I love people, and I love how the two compliment each other :)
~Holly (oxicleen22@yahoo.com)
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I love to cook and try new recipes. My problem is finding the time to do so. My family loves when I cook. I love when my daughter or my husband requests a specific dish because it makes me feel good, one to make it for them and two that it was good enough the last time I made it that it made an impression on them! I just hate to clean up after cooking!
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I'm inspired by cooking blogs! No, really!! I always like it when I know a "real" person has tried and tested the recipe. I know it will work…. I also cook what I cook based on the ingredients I have on hand (taking 3 kids to the store at 3 in the afternoon is NOT fun). I try to stock up on all the basics and buy the unusual ingredients when I get around to actually making a list.
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I have two big sources of inspiration – recipes from friends, blogs, or magazines, and also what I see at the market on a given day. (I guess there is a third – I have taken to poaching rhubarb from a friend's garden, so it's been all things rhubarb for a few weeks now.)
I tend to cook what I know will get eaten (many particular palates in this house) and save the more adventurous items for parties or potlucks where there are lots of folks who love all sorts of food.
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I hope this can apply to baking as well, because there is nothing more enjoyable to me than whipping up a giant batch of cupcakes!
Currently what inspires me is the cupcake cookbook entitled "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World." The recipes yield the richest, most delectable cupcakes I have ever tasted, and the book provides a lot of very interesting and creative recipes.
The main reason I bake cupcakes is to share them with others. They are really the perfect gift; what could be better than a beautifully decorated, individually-sized cake? There is nothing better than watching the joy on my friends faces when they bite into one of my cupcake creations!
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p.s. I forgot to add my e-mail! Sorry!
kaitlindiemer@yahoo.com
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To be truthful, I have not been motivated to cook much the past year. I used to cook for my family. Now it is just hubby and me….and I'm really struggling with the empty nest thing…a bit late. Our baby has been away at college for 4 years and took his first job 8 hours away from home and now getting married. So….reality just really hit me this past year.
Now, those spoons…..they look cool. Maybe that would make me more eager. I do always cook a great meal and love to try new things when our growing family does get together. I guess I need an attitude adjustment. Love your web site…..new to me. I had a piano recital and used a few of the pretzel/cupcake ideas found here. The party was a big hit. Thanks for your site.
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I'm the baker in the family. I just love making sweet stuff because it seems to make everyone so happy. Nothing brings a group of people together quite like a baked good!
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I just love cooking. I usually make my own versions of foods I like or that I've seen other people cook.
danilander87@hotmail.com
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I love cooking, but especially baking! I bake so that everyone else in the house loves what I make! I am usually not hungry anymore by the time I am done cooking or baking…I just like to see everybody else enjoy it. I can tell if everyone liked it if it lasts no longer than 2 days!
Amber
Crystalclearbc@aol.com
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I'm a moody cook…lol. All dependent on my mood. What sounds good, what do I have on hand, what will my picky eaters eat ;), what is healthy, what do I have time to make, what is the easiest to clean up (lol…I have to cook and clean)? I draw inspiration from my mom. She cooked comfort foods. TV, blogs, recipe sites, recreating restaurant favorites, findy recipes for picky eaters, etc. It's always interesting when I figure out what's for dinner. But, we always try to eat dinner at the table as a family!
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Right now, what inspires me is fresh vegetables. Healthy cooking with lots of herbs and colorful veggies. I have recently lost a lot of weight and I am inspired to eat well but healthy. Just in time for the summer harvests.
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I would have to say in order of importance….
What do I have on hand?
seasonal choices? ex. fresh strawberries, i better make biscuits
my mood
If something new, what ever I have seen on foodnetwork or while blogging, that I usually adapt the the above criteria.
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