The Beginning

The Irreverent Gourmet

This is a blog for anyone who likes to eat. Most particularly it is for my friends and acquaintances who have seen me cook and wondered how I actually manage to pull things off in spite of my unorthodox approach (but more on this in a minute). It will be about food and the preparation of food for eating (which after all is the ultimate purpose), with probably a good many anecdotes thrown in.

First a little background. I cook -- according to most of my friends I am a really good cook, but my perspective is that if what I bring to the table tastes good, I've succeeded -- it's not a contest. I learned to cook at a very young age. My brothers (2) and sister and I were all taught to cook when we were young -- essentially the basics: eggs, hamburgers, oatmeal (though my Dad's sampling of my first attempt was less than stellar when I didn't know the difference between a Tsp and a Tbl.), mashed potatoes, and eventually more 'complex' endeavors like cookies.

My mother was a decent cook -- for many years when I was young I considered her a great cook -- she certainly could put together a better-than-average dinner party for my dad's cronies (lifer in the army), and she made such exotic things as Coquilles St. Jacques and marinated flank steak (long before it was de rigueur).

My dad also cooked -- well, sort of. His 'left-over omelets on Sunday were something to try not to remember (a baked bean and french fry omelet!)And I have to confess I was probably influenced by his strange experiments, though for him they were purely practical creations. But he did make a few reasonable things as well -- we used to love his Sukiyaki (Okinawan origin) and his lamb and turnips were okay (for kids -- I think turnips are an acquired taste, which I'm still acquiring).

So I had the right basic influences at home and there were other culinary experiences close to hand, e.g. my grandmother was full-Italian and she made the best home-made ravioli and meat sauce (which if I'm being really generous I might eventually share with you in this column). I always loved visiting my grandmother's house. You could count on heavenly aromas and delectable tastes.

Beyond this (and I will share more on this aspect of my experience as I blog), from the time I entered the Air Force right out of college (Vietnam era) to the present I have travelled quite a bit and with the true spirit of gustatory experience, I tried things. I found that I had a knack of being able to recreate, sometimes with a bit of help, much that I enjoyed throughout the world. And the result is, I unashamedly admit to, becoming quite an Irreverent Gourmet.

Essentially my approach to cooking is always focused on how something will taste when it is placed on the table. I don't get too wrapped up in presentation, although that can be a fun side to food preparation, and I'm very rarely concerned about conventions, the 'right' ingredients, following recipes, etc. You will get the idea as this blog develops.

I do feel there are several aspects to really good cooking that make a major difference, and the most important of these is probably passion. I love to cook. I love to cook for others, and I enjoy immensely preparing seven and eight course dinners for friends and colleagues (something that happens irregularly and perhaps 6-8 times a year). Following very closely on passion as a key to fine cooking is something that can be taught, but perhaps is difficult to learn unless you are passionate about cooking. And that is -- having a very good sense of how any given ingredient will affect a recipe. If you have this knack or knowledge, you can create, and creating is all about how I cook. Recipes to me are merely guides that may or may not form the basis for something I have in my mind to make. Here's a quick example:

Some months ago I had one of my elaborate dinners and the theme I chose was Thai-American Fusion. The pasta course evolved into a barbecue of Pronghorn Antelope (freshly taken in South Dakota) on top of Thai rice noodles. What I had in mind was to transform the antelope (a very strong sage-dominated meat) into a rich goulash-type of barbecue. To accomplish this I mixed both Thai and American flavors and the result was -- perfection -- I'm still drooling. [Now you might ask me for this recipe -- sorry, I don't have a clue what I specifically put in it much less the amounts; but perhaps if I continue this blog I will remember to write these types of things down.]

So you see -- I dream, I do, I create, I have fun and the results are often -- well, yummy. If you like food, if you like to experiment, and if you especially like to read about and fool around with making food that tastes good, you might get a kick out of what I write here.

Comments, ideas, techniques, thoughts, questions, and requests are welcome. Just be prepared for the unorthodox, with that one caveat -- it needs to taste good when you put it on the table.

Best, Joe Koob