“A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe.”
thomas keller
Food should be delicious, easy to prepare .. and beautiful! At least in my book anyways. We are all so fortunate to live in a world filled with so many incredible types of cuisine from cultures across the globe. There are grocery stores on almost every corner and if you look a little harder, there are tiny markets and hidden gems of various ethnicities with ingredients just waiting to be explored.
I love to eat healthy, but I also love comfort food! That’s why I decided to name my food channel “Nina’s Comfort Kitchen”. Better yet, I love healthy food that brings comfort. What types of food fill your belly and make you feel good? What lifts your soul when you smell that aroma coming home, in your own kitchen or when you walk into a relative’s or friend’s home for a shared meal? Mmm, the smell of garlic being sauteed in a pan. The aroma of fresh bread in the oven. The scent of cinnamon, apples, and cloves of my mom’s Oatmeal Apple Crisp. I’m getting hungry already!
Cooking for friends is what really fills my heart and soul with love and happiness. Making delicious meal for people I love is pure joy! There’s nothing like prepping ingredients for dinner, having friends over, and sitting down at a table and enjoying a meal together. They say the kitchen is the heart of the home and my kitchen is definitely is where my heart lives.
I especially love local ingredients, lean proteins and bright and beautiful produce. These are things that make me feel good to prepare, good to eat, and good for my belly. Tofu, chicken, and fish, organic greens, mmmm .. soo good!
When I head outdoors camping in Summertime, food is never boring either. I absolutely love when I can prep and cook a meal for my partner and friends around the campfire. I love a hotdog or smore as much as the next person, but oh do I love making some good eats out under the stars!
“I love to take something ordinary and make it really special.”
INA GARTEN
When I say I eat local, I try to source and support local farmers as often as possible. When it comes to seafood, I want it to be Wild and sustainable! Fresh local oysters and mussels, wild salmon, halibut, and cod are some of my favorites. Seared scallops make my mouth water. I could live on ahi poke alone. I’ll take my calamari with the the tentacles please and thank you! There’s nothing like fresh wild caught seafood, truly.
Living in the Northwest, the forests are abundant with wildlife. Especially wild mushrooms! Last year, I began foraging for the first time. Not only is getting out in the trees and Nature good for the mind and soul, it truly is a treasure hunt when you start discovering the bounty of the woods. Fresh chanterelles and lobster mushrooms make excellent sauce for pasta, bisque soups, and even lobster mushroom crabcakes! How about nettle pesto made with almonds or walnuts instead of pine nuts? Delicious!
Comfort food comes in all forms whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner, or some times second dinner. *wink* I love things that stick to my ribs, that’s thrown on the grill, and I’m not shy when it comes to meat and potatoes. When soup season is on, it’s on! And there’s nothing like a sweet or savory cocktail to wash it all down.
Nina’s Comfort Kitchen is where I will share recipes, cooking tips and techniques, best kitchen gadgets, simple and delicious snack suggestions, stories, food porn from dining adventures as well as restaurant recommendations.
A toast to you for joining me here and thank you for coming along with me on my cooking adventure!
Cheers friends!
“You learn a lot about someone when you share a meal together.”
ANTHONY BOURDAIN
