food network shows

To truly appreciate something you must go without it.

I grew up in a single parent household at times we ate well at times we did not. My life and childhood was by no means miserable or damaging but what it did do is teach me how to prepare, adapt, and appreciate food.

I began cooking at 12 (an earlier age than most) to provide me and my brother a hot meal while my mother worked and attended school. My mom would leave out a dinner in the morning with directions on how to prepare it. There would usually be a package of chicken on the stove and directions “heat at 375 for 45 ” and so on and so forth for whatever meal was left out for dinner. I volunteered and assisted in preparing Holiday Meals as well.

There were times I would have little to eat, this was more than likely because I was a teenager at the time and ate every snack in the house within a few days. But I will always remember the times I had to go with little or no food.

I learned to adapt food at times when we had little food available. I tend to find ingredients that pair well with one another such as ramen noodles and the addition of a little Parmesan Cheese to enhance the meal made a miserable meal into something fairly enjoyable. Even something as simple as Ramen could be made into a meal if you were creative enough. Friends still tell stories of government cheese and the recipes they had come up with during the tough times. I also learned to adapt meals earlier than that around the age of 8 when I had gotten ill and could not stomach the taste of spaghetti sauce. For a period of time when pasta was prepared I would head to the store to pick up a small can of gravy.

I did have positive experiences as well, On Sunday dinners and Holidays where we would gather together as a family after church with Grandparents. I enjoyed meals prepared of Swedish and French descent. It seemed anytime a meal was made with effort and care you could taste it through the food. These were meals that were passed down through generations and I was able to experience them

Holiday meals however always seemed to be similar to me:

Turkey or Ham
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Squash
Beets
Corn/Veg
Rolls

All Holiday Meals were prepared traditional and in similar style. Desserts were my mom’s specialty and being introduced to new creative desserts showed me that there are creative ways to prepare traditional foods.

My attempt on an apple crisp recipe in which I accidentally substituted an amount of sugar for salt did teach me real quickly how to pay attention to specifics to ingredients.

I had children at a fairly young age and had to learn very quickly how to budget meals but make them health conscious as well. Pasta always seemed to find its way into my meals for a little while but one can only take so much of this before figuring out it is not a healthy way to live and I eventually figured out ways to make healthy well balanced meals introducing proteins, vegetables, and grains.

However as a member of the National Guard for a weekend a month or two weeks out of the year I would be subjected to MRE ‘s (Government prepared and prepackaged meals similar to rations). This was pre Iraq and these meals hadn’t made much progress since Vietnam. This would allow me to continue an appreciation of home prepared meals. My marriage did not last but my love for preparing meals for people I cared about did.

My love for being creative came in a perfect storm…

I went through a brief period of unemployment.

While home I had access to the Internet and millions of food ideas at my fingertips.

I started to watch and pay attention to food network TV and soon had access to top chefs and ideas. More than any other I enjoyed watching shows on barbecue. The food network always showcases barbecue and learning the basic ingredients of barbecue can shed a brand new light on how you prepare basic meats and chicken as well as appetizers. My recommendation for beginners would be to get a great barbecue book and begin there.I connected with Southern culture and their reference to memorable dishes. When you walk away from a good meal you remember what you ate and you look forward to eating it again. This is what makes holiday memories so special.

I slowly began to get creative and take my love of preparing food to another level.

I like to take a normal traditional meal and, as Emeril would say,” kick it up a notch”. Meals are tested primarily on my Girlfriend of 8 years, she is an Italian with a palette brought up on homemade Italian foods and would seem difficult to impress. During the Holidays Stuffing, carrot dishes, potatoes, and squash all carry moderations and there are a thousand things you can do to alter traditions and make them your own. Even Turkey can be made differently. This is proven through the increased popularity of Deep Fried Turkey, which I have yet to experience (Although I have prepared a “Turducken”). Social Events like a football game, cookout, or gathering of friends and family become a time for me to test out my ideas on eagerly awaiting people and for the most part a dish is coupled with a compliment. Not all come out as expected but for me this is always fun and always complimented. As I said when you do care and enjoy what you’re doing it can be tasted through the food.

Looking back my love of preparing and appreciating foods dates back to my childhood…If it is a Wednesday Night and I am in the mood for a specific food I can now research the necessary ingredients, alter it to my preference, and prepare it. I have the ability make what I want when I want it and enjoy it and that is probably why I prefer cooking. After doing this for so long I have come to appreciate a home cooked meal more often than going out to eat.

By: Ronnie Marlborough

About the Author: