Inspiration

So - a good friend of mine, J2, and I were out last night (as we do almost every week) to our favorite Monday night treat. As we were enjoying our amazing Little James wine and yummy bruschetta, we were talking about how I should start a blog about food - places that I have gone to eat and loved and things that I have cooked. Maybe because it is Fall Break and I'm still recovering from last Saturday, maybe it is because I am excited about my upcoming party, or maybe because J2 is just full of good ideas, but I have been inspired to start!

I love to cook and I love to eat - I was the one growing up who would finish breakfast, look around, and ask "So, what's for dinner tonight?" My dad is a delicious cook and my mom a wonderful planner/shopper/chopper/cheerleader, so obviously cooking and eating good food runs in the family.

Some of my favorite things pertaining to food are (in no particular order):

• cupcakes (but only really good ones with delicious and pretty frosting!)
• reading cookbooks for fun - they really are satisfying and quick reads
• trying out new recipes
• a good glass of wine
• take-out pizza (I figure that I better be honest from the get-go and just put it out in the open)
• eating at delicious restaurants with good friends
• CHEESE!!!! (all kinds)
• bread - almost in any form - loaf, roll...you name it, I'll probably eat it
• reading reviews about food, restaurants, happy hours, cookbooks
• my lime-green KitchenAid mixer - it really is one of the coolest things ever

So - even though I am doing this, I am not promising to be faithful and update it frequently or take fancy pictures of everything I eat. I do promise to share good food and experiences I have.

*I am not a food critic, and I don't think that a blog is the place to be a food critic. I just want to share my thoughts and ideas about food.*

Up first: on Saturday I am throwing a tapas party with J2 for some friends that will be from "The Opera Lover's Cookbook." This cookbook has made me drool for

a few years now, and the other two recipes that I have tried from it are really quite good, so I am looking forward to throwing a whole party! I get to go shopping on Thursday and make the empanadas first. So excited! (Pretend you can read backwards to enjoy the picture of the chapter!)