Happy Fat Tuesday!

I know it is almost over but I have been saying Happy Fat Tuesday all day long and I have gotten some crazy stares here in Richardson, TX.  But you know what, I do not care!  I think it should be a Happy Fat Tuesday!  Even if you do not partake in the festivities where you are, you can go somewhere and toast with a bowl of gumbo, a shrimp po boy, a big ole creamy praline, or a hot cup of chicory coffee.  Man, I am making myself very hungry!  

As a child I remember going to Mardi Gras often.  I remember the parades and the beads.  That was the thing, getting the mother load.  I still have a box of beads in one of my closets that seems to multiply every time I rediscover it.  My mom who was born and raised in New Orleans, use to go to Mardi Gras every year and would bring back beads to the granddaughters so year after year of  beads add up.  When I worked in corporate america, I would bring beads from that same box to the office and throw them on desks.  For my daughter's 16th birthday, she wanted a Mardi Gras theme so again, I took beads from the box and used them as decorations and party favors (she is now 23!) So I think they multiply in the dark, hey I'm just saying....Mardi Gras is magical!  Maybe next year we all can go and support New Orleans and attend the parades and ask them to throw you some beads but I may actually bring some and throw them back. :-)

Interesting web site

Ok so I have been doing a lot with facebook and twitter lately and come across a lot of foodie type of  web sites and here is one I found that was interesting :  foodess.com

Check it out.  Good visuals.

Cook on!

Meeting at the chamber!

About a month ago, I joined our local chamber of commerce.  I have been really trying to market my business in many different ways so one of the ways mentioned in my studies at the Culinary Business Academy was to look into joining the local chamber.  So today there is an orientation and lunch.  I am not sure what to expect but I am going to walk in there with a positive outlook and lots of business cards.  

Besides joining the chamber, I have sent out postcards advertising my business to local neighborhoods, and tomorrow will be the first time my ad will run in the Dallas Morning News insert called Neighborhood Go. 

Do you have any unique marketing ideas....pass them on.

Cook on!

Do we teach our kids to cook anymore?

I remember growing up a lot of years ago and watching my mother cut up stuff and stir stuff and boil stuff and put stuff in the oven and then when all that was done, a delicious meal was set before me.  Back then, fast food was the exception instead of the rule.  I remember growing up in San Antonio on special occasions, we would go to a restaurant called Earl Able and the food was always so good.  But the food never could compare to my mom's cooking.  During my younger years we would sometimes stay over at my cousin's house and there were 8 kids in that family, the oldest daughter Yolanda, would just make the most wonderful simple dishes and the next oldest daughter MarShiela baked the most wonderful cakes and pies as well as made a mean dinner anytime of the week. But they came by it honestly because their mom Helen to me made the most wonderful enchilada's.  Then in the summer, we would spend time at my grandmother's house in New Orleans and that was a whole new type of cooking lesson.  The things that came out of that kitchen were so good.  I guess I have always been surrounded by good cooks which only cultivated my love for cooking more.  

But I guess my question is, don't we teach our kids to cook anymore?  With the 99 cent drive through meals sometimes it is easier to feed them that type of food but what if, just what if we taught them how to make a few simple dishes well so they could be self sufficient.  Now, don't get me wrong, as much as I would like to say my two oldest children went off to college making shrimp creole and smothered chicken, that did not happen. Honestly, I taught both of them to cook pretty much over the phone.  They would call with a taste for something and I would guide them through with phone instructions and e-mail recipes.  I must say in my defense they did know how to cook simple things, survivable things, I will not go hungry in my dorm things.

I cannot tell you how many young women have come up to me asking me to teach them how to cook.  This was not something their parents did when they lived at home or like my kids, they were busy with other things and did not have the time to learn.  I feel pretty bad for those right now who do not know how because with the economy the way it is, the most cost effective way to eat is to prepare meals at home.   

Teaching young people to cook can start with simple pre cut cookies on a cookie sheet.  Then graduate to making them from scratch.  Teach kitchen safety along the way.  Then graduate them to their favorite meal.  At the least before your child goes off to school, they should know how to scramble an egg, make taco's, or make spaghetti.  Obesity can be fought with knowing what is being prepared and what is in what you eat.  Did you know if you eat breakfast or dinner out on a regular basis, your chances of becoming obese are doubled?  Just a little foodimentary for thought.  

Cook on.......

If you are in the Dallas area and are interested in cooking classes, contact me at ahlalou.com

What would you like to learn how to cook?

Is there a dish that you remember from childhood, or a meal you have had that you really want to learn how to cook?  What do you want to learn how to cook.  Let me know....just curious.

What is beurre blanc?

Beurre blanc is a hot butter sauce made with a vinegar and shallot reduction to which butter is added (lemon juice is sometimes used).

Tibits from foodimentary

I started following foodimentary on twitter and this gentleman sends out tweets on a regular basis.  He is awesome.  You get unknown facts like:  the pasta and seasoning mix "hamburger helper" was introduced in 1970.  It was created during a meat shortage.

Check it out. If you have twitter ( http://twitter.com/Foodimentary ) or facebook, he is on both.  Go to foodimentary.com (coming soon) but it will take you to facebook and twitter.

If you do not have either, I will be updating his tidbits on this blog.  He is just a guy with a lot of time on his hand who tweets about food stuff.  How neat.  

Cook on!