Jumping out of my comfort zone and taking a bite out of life!

Time after time I’ve been asked the age-old question of “What are you passionate about?” And for years I struggled, I never knew how to answer that. So I spent countless hours of my life trying to discover this hidden passion, at times even trying to create one because I thought that’s what I needed to do. Sure, I have hobbies and they’re wonderful for idle time (which is very little) but they have never provided me with the satisfaction of a passion. And then one day it hit me, that “thing” that I can’t live without, that makes me so elated at times and yet also disappoints me. That thing that keeps me coming back for more, day after day, week after week… The one thing I absolutely cannot live without. So ladies and gentlemen, my passion… is food. I derive so much happiness, satisfaction, pleasure, delight, and every other positive emotion, from food! I can’t even begin to describe the excitement that jolts through me each time I try a new restaurant, or going back to an old favorite. My taste buds do their little happy dance every time I allow them to indulge in things like brussels sprouts sautéed in duck fat with crispy pancetta, or perfectly grilled octopus, my mom’s pierogi, or one of my absolute most favorite things… chicken wings. I have cultivated my palate over my many years, to be an unpretentious, equal opportunity lover of all things food.
And I love cooking food too (yes, I am quite the catch). The sense of pride that comes from creating a meal that is then savored by my diners is like nothing else I’ve ever felt. Seeing the looks on their faces when they take that first bite? Priceless to me. It’s kind of like winning the elusive Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes, except I have no idea what that feels like because I’ve never gotten a knock on my door with the countless times I’ve entered. I will never claim to be a culinary genius, I’ll leave that to the pros, but I will say I make a mean batch of cold sesame noodles and a pretty decent piece of salmon.
So to my readers, all 3 of you at this point, thank you for taking this new risk with me and letting me completely jump out of my comfort zone with both feet. I hope you enjoy the many entries to come, and I hope to be your food guru and teach you how to let out your inner fat kid too.
And to the supporters of this magic carpet ride, my friends and family, thank you for the incredible encouragement, support, and confidence in me. You have truly pushed me to not only figure out what I’m passionate about in life, but to also do something with that in this blog. I can never thank you all enough, but this now means you are required to be my most devoted readers.
Bon appetit!