Hi!
My name is Debby, and I live on the beautiful Monterey Peninsula of California. I am married, and have a grown son. I often refer to them as "my boys" or "my men". They are my honest food critics, and very often my inspiration when I cook or bake. Like so many other bloggers, mine was originally started as a way to organize and share recipes with friends. Over the last couple of years, my blog has evolved into a format of sharing step-by-step photos on how I made my recipe. I'm so highly visual, that I hope my instructions will inspire someone to try one of my recipes-- and that it will give them the confidence to do it.
My family tree:
My mother was born and raised in Southern Germany-- Bad Reichenhall, to be exact. She met my father, while he was stationed in Austria and they were married a few months later. I have two older brothers. I came into this world, while my father was stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii. Later, our family moved to Germany when he was stationed there for a few years. Finally, my father was transferred to Ft. Ord, California where he retired in 1963. While both of my parents are now gone, I have lived here ever since-- and I cannot imagine living anywhere else
Unlike my mother's family, I did not follow in the restaurant business, and I had no desire to go to culinary school. When I moved into my first apartment, at the age of 18, I would whip up meals with boxed mixes, canned cream soups, and gravy packets. At that time in my life, it was cheap and easy. To this day, I love comfort food but I try not to eat that way all the time!
My cooking influences:
My mother's family owned restaurants in Germany, and she was an excellent cook herself. As a little girl, I always wanted to own an Easy Bake Oven. But, my Mutti insisted that I learn how to use a real oven. That's where my love of baking got started. I had to help my mom to cook for our family when I was as young as eight years old. At the time, I wasn't happy about it. Little did I know that, as I matured, I felt comfortable in the kitchen.
All through Middle School and most of my high school years, I had to wear German Dirndls, while I learned how to run my mother's Bavarian Delicatessen. She had a few tables, in her deli, where I'd serve our customers hot German sausages and a few side dishes. At the time I resented it. Later on in life, those experiences taught me to have my own entrepreneurial spirit!
My father was Latino, and I recall childhood trips to my "Nana's" small ranch, where I'd watch her make homemade tortillas and refried beans. Hence, I love both Mexican and German food. I'm also a huge fan of Italian cooking. I'm at the infant stage of learning to make more Asian and Indian food, but I just keep trying new things!
My current style of cooking:
My style of cooking began to change, when Food Network first premiered on television. I would study the chef's kitchen skills, and I'd practice what I watched. I became intrigued with wanting to make recipes "from scratch". I began to pay closer attention to what ingredients I am cooking with. I now buy organic ingredients whenever I can. Over the last 10 years, I have completely eliminated processed foods, high fructose corn syrup and mixes from my pantry. I've become more aware of where my food is grown, and how my animal proteins were raised. I am fortunate that I live in one of the richest agricultural areas on the planet-- the Salinas Valley of California!
My cooking philosophy:
Today, instead of shopping for the cheapest food to buy, I spend a little more for quality food. My family's palate has changed, to where we rarely eat fast food. I've built an arsenal of dinner recipes that I can have on the table in 30 minutes or less, and it's become my own version of fast food, for work nights. On the weekends, I enjoy more time in the kitchen for Sunday Suppers. While we still enjoy dining in a quality restaurant, I believe that we have saved a lot of money by dining more at home. My definition of a"foodie" is that I can visualize how a recipe will taste, just by reading the ingredients. I find that food blogs have become one of my favorite sources for recipe inspiration. How I became a blogger:
I first began as a food blog lurker. I stumbled across "The Pioneer Woman Cooks" wildly popular food blog, and I was hooked. I loved the photography, and Ree's style of step-by-step photos. For the longest time, it never occurred to me that I should start my own blog. I didn't think I had the camera skills that I saw on so many blogs. Heck, I just had an inexpensive point-and-shoot digital camera and zero confidence that I could photograph food.
Just jump in and do it!
I started this blog, in 2008, because I wanted to document how to make the German recipes that my mother taught me to make. I learned them the same way her mother taught her-- by watching, and never measuring. I have family members and friends, who would ask me for the recipes and I didn't have any to share! I've spent time "eyeballing" and then measuring the ingredients, so that I can share with my readers how to make some of our favorite dishes like "Austrian Goulash", or my mother's famous German Potato Salad. I used to post recipes daily, then every other day. Lately, I can only post on weekends, because my job has me away from home for very long hours.
The Blogger Community:
It took a few months before I started to receive comments. Like the movie "Julie and Julia", I was so excited! I began to visit more and more food blogs, and there are thousands more I have yet to discover. I'm amazed at how close I feel to so many of my fellow bloggers. While I've never met most of my food blog family, I feel as though they are friends. The blogs that I visit most often, are listed on my ever-evolving Blog Roll (on my blog sidebar). I'm always adding to them. I appreciate all the comments that I receive, and I try to reply and/or visit the bloggers who leave them.
Photography:
I aspire to achieve the level of photography that I see with some of the "Divas" of food blogger world. I finally upgraded to a Canon Rebel T1I, in November of 2010. It's a lot different than a point-and-shoot, and I have a lot more of the bells and whistles to learn! I can't give any dazzling advice on photography, except that I've learned to never use flash when photographing food. I try to shoot with natural light, whenever possible. In the winter months, I have a professional light/stand that my husband has given to me on "permanent loan". My food photos haven't been "styled"-- heck, no! Usually, my family is hungry and I have to plate, shoot and serve as quickly as I can!
My food aversions: I become frustrated with picky eaters. Yet, I find that are a few things I simply don't like. Believe me, I've tried to overcome my aversions, and I won't give up. Still no luck in liking:
My food aversions: I become frustrated with picky eaters. Yet, I find that are a few things I simply don't like. Believe me, I've tried to overcome my aversions, and I won't give up. Still no luck in liking:
- Goat cheese (my taste buds are turned off by the strong flavor)
- Butternut or acorn squash (I've drenched this in honey and all kinds of herbs, but to no avail. My palate still says "ew" I will eat it, though, if I'm a dinner guest.
- Liver. 'Nuff said
- Watermelon (very un-American, I know). My tastes buds say "why"?
- Garbanzo beans (my taste buds say "boring" and funky texture)
- Falafel (see above bullet)
- Stuffing (very odd. I make great stuffing, but it does nothing for me)
- Caramel
- Almond/Marzipan (must be my German genes)
- French fries/Pomme Frites (food crack)
- Potatoes (see Fries): boiled, baked, steamed, roasted, mashed.
- Dark Roast Coffee with Half 'N Half. That first cup of the morning is the best.
- Prime Rib - Crusty exterior, medium.
- Moist white cake with Swiss Buttercream
- Cream of Mushroom Soup - my favorite soup of all time
My favorite recipe sources (other than Food Blogs):
I have all of Ina Garten's cookbooks. I identify with her style of cooking and baking. I find Ina's recipes are uncomplicated, not too fussy and are pretty much guaranteed to be delicious! I used to roll my eyes every time Ina would say to use "good" ingredients. But, now I get it.
Tyler Florence, Anne Burrell, Michael Symon, have also been a culinary influence on me.
I'm also a fan of Cook's Illustrated, Cook's Country & America's Test Kitchen. King Arthur Flour is one of my favorite cooking sites-- I love their baking ingredients and I only use King Arthur Flours. Unbleached All-Purpose Flour is the only type of white flour I will use.
OTHER PERSONAL INFORMATION:
I owned 5 horses for a period of 35 years. I used to compete at horse shows, and later I became an avid trail rider. As my horses became old, and finally went to the pasture in the sky, I didn't replace them. Finally, my last horse-- Savannah Sue-- became too old to ride. She spent the last two years of her life living on a ranch and enjoying the retirement that she deserved. I lost her in June of 2010. I miss her terribly, but my saddle and reins are put away for good.
My husband and I travel as often as we can. I was once a travel agent, for 15 years, and I've visited some exotic places from South America to Iceland. I've visited very few parts of the United States, so that is where most of our travels tend to lead us.
PLEASE DON'T COPY
It's common courtesy to honor that my photographs and written copy are copyrighted. Copying my work, without asking me, and using them on your own blog is downright rude and I would never do that to anyone else. If you want to use my photos, please ask for permission. I usually will give it, provided that you link back to my site. The blogger community thanks you for your cooperation.
OTHER PERSONAL INFORMATION:
I owned 5 horses for a period of 35 years. I used to compete at horse shows, and later I became an avid trail rider. As my horses became old, and finally went to the pasture in the sky, I didn't replace them. Finally, my last horse-- Savannah Sue-- became too old to ride. She spent the last two years of her life living on a ranch and enjoying the retirement that she deserved. I lost her in June of 2010. I miss her terribly, but my saddle and reins are put away for good.
My husband and I travel as often as we can. I was once a travel agent, for 15 years, and I've visited some exotic places from South America to Iceland. I've visited very few parts of the United States, so that is where most of our travels tend to lead us.
PLEASE DON'T COPY
It's common courtesy to honor that my photographs and written copy are copyrighted. Copying my work, without asking me, and using them on your own blog is downright rude and I would never do that to anyone else. If you want to use my photos, please ask for permission. I usually will give it, provided that you link back to my site. The blogger community thanks you for your cooperation.
CONTACT ME:
If I can answer any questions for you, my email contact is foodiewife@gmail.com.
Thanks for stopping by this page, and for reading!
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