Cheers! Sandra. R.
About Me
What got me going:
“Are these egg whites whipped enough?” “What is sauteing?” “The recipe is calling for superfine sugar. What is that?” “What should I serve?” “What should I wear?” “Can you think of a fun birthday idea?” “It’s another invitation from Patty.”
I majored in Economics and Art History, but in hindsight, when looking back on those years, it is my love for cooking and entertaining in which I was truly educated. I was always perplexed why people didn’t come to ask me questions on “supply and demand” or Kandinsky’s color theory, but instead showered me with all their domestic inquiries. I have always known that cooking is my love and my passion. My peers, however, realized before me that this was truly something in which I excelled. This had never dawned on me because preparing scrumptious goodies purely for my friends enjoyment is what makes me happiest. When I receive questions, I never think twice, I am just pleased people are interested in my love. Not everyone has the same enthusiasm, but from all the questions I have received over the years, there definitely is an interest and desire from the twenty-, thirty- something adult to cook, entertain, and ultimately feel comfortable in the kitchen. All of these individuals are more than capable of developing their own flare and, without a doubt, learn to dazzle their guests.
A little bit more about me:
I’ve been cooking for as long as I can remember; I would venture to say I began even before I could walk. At that point, cooking meant creating a toxic mess and giving my mother a heart attack when I would mix all the household cleaners together. I graduated to actual edible products when I would climb up onto the counters using drawer handles as my ladder and would then dig through Tupperware containers of flour, pale brown sugar and Irish oatmeal. What I remember through all my years, however, above all else, was that the kitchen was always a warm- a place to hang out, talk, eat, cook. I have two sisters and we all share the same passion for the kitchen but what I think is so funny is how different we all are. It is not only our food choices and presentation, but even how we approach the entire process. My eldest sister loves putting food coloring in everything as she greases the entire kitchen with her buttery fingers; she is whimsical and carefree. My other sister treats cooking as if it was an exact science and it is imperative that her counter space must always be spotless.
Growing up, athletes and/or Hollywood stars were not my idols, I had Entertainers I admired. As a little girl I started to notice and appreciate the events that these individuals would host, and what I realized was that each entertainer had a style of their own. One was not better or less than the other. Sometimes I think entertaining is like clothing. If you are not comfortable in what you are wearing you don’t wear it well; you are not comfortable. Entertaining is similar. It is all about finding the style that works for you.
What do I tell my friends who say they can’t cook? I ask them…
“There must be something they can make”. Sure enough there always is something. That something may be rice crispy treats. (Don’t knock it; everybody loves them and it involves cooking skills that can be applied to a variety of recipes.) So, just dive in and try. You will be amazed at what you can do. Don’t stop if you make a flop, you’ll learn something every time! My mistakes/flops are many, but the smiles on people’s faces when I have created something special makes me forget them all.
Posted on: January 8th, 2007