Why a blog?

I have been thinking of a blog for quite a while, both to stretch myself from a writing perspective and as an attempt to document what I am hoping is going to be a new vocational direction for me.

I have been doing some creative writing for some time now, not to any great effect, but it is enjoyable and I find it helps me to organise myself.

I have always cooked for as long as I can remember. My mother was always inclusive with us in the kitchen as children and my father even got his hands dirty on occasion - a very rare, but tasty, event.

Growing up in the mid 60's in S.E. Asia and always being a bit adventurous (or hungry!) I have never been constrained by familiarity. Whether is was swapping sandwiches at school or swapping recipes with my friend's mothers I have never been one for timidity in the kitchen!

From my mother I have gotten a British traditionalist streak where the aim is to produce enough tasty, filling and healthy food to supply a small army - or a family of three, whichever comes first. Pies, casseroles, soups, stews, roasts and other such traditional English fare were the mainstay of my early culinary attempts.

When I went flatting, there were the usual Kiwi student delicacies - curried sausages, spag bol, lasagne, macaroni cheese, 'schnitzel' (please don't confuse with that wonderful Austrian dish...) and rissoles. This was colonial cooking at it's most basic. But as I grew in my kitchen forays and as I became more familiar with my ingredients and techniques, I have always tried to push the boat out as far as conventionality has gone.

With a move to Europe I came of age, in a culinary sense, and realised how provincial New Zealand really was when it came to food. Sure there are fine-dining restaurants in NZ, the equal of any other country, but what people cook at home is fairly traditional British stuff. With role models like Alison Holst and the Edmonds Cookbook to guide us, how could we go wrong ? :)

Suffice it to say, spending half a year working in a French Restaurant and multiple trips to France, Netherlands, Germany opened my eyes to the immense variety of food and food techniques that are out there.

I am comfortable with sauces and meats, reductions and glazes, vegetables, purees and such, butchery, forcemeats, herbs, spices, ingredients and materials. But I have neglected the 'other' side of the culinary coin - baking.
To that end, I have enrolled at Leiths to do one of their one-day masterclasses in pastry and I hope to enrol in Bertonet's for one of their two-day bread and viennoiserie courses.

This blog is my attempt to document my growth as a baker.