About TTK

“This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!”

― Julia Child, My Life in France

My mother is an exceptional cook – so were her mother and her mother’s mother. My sister, my sister-in-laws, my aunts (both sides of the family), and even my brothers are first-rate cooks. Best of all, my husband is an amazing cook, which came in handy over the years. My life has been filled with an abundance of food experiences, all of which have been orchestrated by everyone else, but me.

“…no one is born a great cook, one learns by doing.”

― Julia Child, My Life in France

I cook – but not exceptionally. This has been by choice and circumstances. I was one of those career women, focused on business, marketing, statistical analysis and keeping up with the latest technology. As many of you know through personal experience – this is enough to keep anyone completely occupied. The last thing I wanted to do was come home and whip up a sumptuous dinner. I have learned that meal complexity is in direct proportion to the amount of pots and pans that end up in the sink for washing. It is a mathematical certainty that I have tried, and continue to try, to avoid.

Did I want to be a great cook? Absolutely! I secretly looked at the food channel and told myself “one day, some day or maybe next week.” My bookshelves are stuffed with recipe books dating back to my grandmother’s day. My e-mail inbox and RSS feeds are filled with newsletters from The Barefoot Contessa, Mark Bittman, Whole foods, Saveur, Chatelaine, Taste of Home – to name just a few. They have all been waiting for me to say, “Today I will begin.” My blog, Taking the Kitchen (TTK) is about the enjoyment of food. It is my journey, but it is also one that is shared within our local and global communities.

Breaking bread is an ancient custom that has come down through generations. In every kitchen and behind every recipe, there is a tradition. The act of preparing and partaking speaks to our diverse cultural heritages and social values. It is universal. It is about the present.  Today, I will begin…

Rebecca

Lunch on a Venice Street