Food Buzz "Next Food Blog Star" Entry #1

As a publisher at Food Buzz, I have decided to enter their competition for “The Next Food Blog Star”, not only in hopes to expand my blogging opportunities, but also to give me a chance to glance inward at my motivations and grow as a writer and cook over these last years. I’m really honored to be a part of this, and a little giddy considering that Dana Cowin is going to read my blog. The first entry is “What defines you as a food blogger and why should you be the next food blog star?”

My love of food began as a child, with my dad being an executive hotel chef and me spending Saturday mornings going to work with him and watching him make huge amounts of beef consommé or roasted meats. My mom usually cooked at home and was also a great cook (and baker). My journey started when I was about 8, hungry, and not willing to do any work for it. I wanted brownies. My mom, busy at the time, told me to make them myself. From the back of the house she walked me through it, making me assemble all the ingredients and mixing them in order until finally I was rewarded with gooey, hot brownies. Success! And I never looked back.

S'mores Cupcakes

Flash forward to my college years, and my cooking really took off when I met my wife, Emily, and we moved in together. I feel this is directly related to her being what I call a “taste test subject”, a job she still does not object to. We both love food, and she loves that I cook for her. So I began trying out new cuisines, stocking ingredients I was gaining familiarity with, and cooking dishes both of us could enjoy on a college budget. Now I’m out of school and a chemist, and I always say I love my job, but food is my passion.

Avocado and Pineapple Salsa

For me starting a food blog was about sharing recipes and experiences as I cooked. I wanted to write down my thoughts, my successes/failures, and my experiences as I grew as a home cook. This serves as both a tale of my cooking life as well as a reflection for me to look back and see what I have learned. I also want to share my recipes with friends and family as well as compile a collection of knowledge and experiences for future generations of my family. What defines me is a pure, whole hearted love for all things food. I love to eat, to cook, and the joy both of these bring to me and friends or family (and even my Sheepdog).

Braised Artichokes

I cook the same way I approach chemistry, trying to make every dish (or reaction) the absolute best it can be. My first blog, Boilermaker Kitchen, was a journal of my experiences, recipes, and places I dined. It served me extremely well, and over this time I formulated a point of view, something I feel I can be used to teach and share with home cooks around the country. I try to make meals a bit on the cheap, using what’s on sale and what’s in season to maximize the taste and minimize the cost. So that’s where Cooking With Wolfes came from, an idea I’m extremely proud of, food without the fuss.

Molly Dog!

I believe I have a lot to share in my writing, both recipes and experience. My science, my Southwestern upbringing, even my Midwestern stint where I really learned to experiment and hone my craft. It’s something I put my heart into, and I think people enjoy my cooking and the experiences I have to share.