Okay, so I love food.  I think about it almost every hour, of every day.  It’s funny really.  I think back even a short ten years ago and know that I wasn’t as in love with food then, as I am now.  I remember the time when I cooked, to eat.  It’s so different now. It might be because my husband (whom I married slightly more than ten years ago) is a chef, and his love of food has grown along with mine.  I wasn’t raised to love food, in fact, I barely knew how to boil water after graduating from high school and going off on my own.  Whatever the reason, I love to cook and eat.  And today I just have two words for you;  Creamed Spinach.  Yes, I know some of you are rolling your eyes or your stomach is turning at the thought of it.  But I know, there is also a good number of you that are salivating at the idea!  But the big deal is that yet another cooking mystery that I have avoided, stayed away from and truly feared for quite some time……has been conquered!!!  Béchamel Sauce baby!  It was amazing!  I remember reading about this Mother Sauce; how it should be velvety, smooth, creamy……mmm, all those wonderful adjectives used in describing something that glides across your tongue.  It was like the first time I made homemade Hollandaise.  I thought, no way can I make this………then I did, and it was incredible!  Now I tell my friends how easy it is to make their own Hollandaise at home.  They think I am crazy, but cooking homemade gourmet food is so much easier than most people think!  And seriously, I am embrassed that is was that easy and I hadn’t tried it before now!  My husband laughed at me (and of course coached me) the whole time.  He couldn’t believe I hadn’t made it before!  I love Spinach; in a salad, steamed with garlic and seasoned salt and just a splash of olive oil.  So why wouldn’t I love it with an amazing, velvety smooth Béchamel Sauce in it.  Ahhhh, it was delicious!  We had a beautiful roast pork, broccoli and sweet potatoes with it and I have to say was one of the best Easter dinners we’ve had ever!!!  We found a great (and inexpensive too) bottle of wine from Trader Joe’s called Chariot.  It was sweet and full and the perfect compliment to that amazing meal!  I don’t claim to be a professional chef, or sommelier, but I know and LOVE great food and wine, so that’s what I promise to share with you.  I am however, afraid;  Now that I know how to make this incredible sauce, I will have to make amazing homemade macaroni and cheese, or au gratin potatoes or a million other things!  So my quest has begun; three sauces conquered.  Béchamel, Hollandaise and Vinaigrette.  Next up, Velouté sauce.  Most say Tomato should be listed in the Five “Mother” sauces–I make my own Tomato sauce every summer with our gardens harvest, so I know I have that conquered!
So much for trying to lose that mysterious five pounds I recently gained………

Promising not to wait so long until my next post,

Happy eating~Shawn