What's In a Name?

Whether your love or loathe your own, there's no shaking a name. From our first moments on earth to our last, we are called by it, loved by it and defined by it. Which is why, when it comes to naming my brand-new blog chronicling adventures and mis-adventures in cooking, the name was a conundrum. (So much a conundrum, in fact, that a draft just sat in my email for weeks, the more weeks and perhaps then months, piling up with name ideas; I now predict my first-born child will be nameless for at least 3 months.) 

So, as much as I believe 'Fork It Over' will be a fitting standard-bearer for what's to come here (more on that in a minute), perhaps the rejected and cast-aside names can also help tell the story of who I am—in both the kitchen and in life.

Everything In the Kitchen Sink

As a cook, I apply to the theory that the better the meal, most likely the messier the kitchen. In other words, my kitchen sink often looks like batter-strewn battleground. Cooking, like life, is often messy—and all the more beautiful for it. Part of my goal with 'Fork it Over' is to share simple, satisfying recipes, not perfect ones.  I often make mistakes when cooking, but I hope to instill in both you and myself a fearless abandon to at least try new recipes, even if sometimes goes wrong.

Kitchen Comforts

My husband and I live in Seattle, one of the most beautiful, yet wet places in the country to call home. This climate lends to frequent cravings for comfort food, dishes that warm the soul and act as a cure-all after stressful workdays: Slow-cooked, braised meats; simply perfect chicken chili; and revamped Italian staples like rosemary white chicken lasagna or homemade butternut squash ravioli. From easy, 15-minute recipes to weekend projects, cozy, heartening fare reigns in our house.

Eat Your Heart Out

Okay, don't laugh, but I think cooking a meal for someone is one of the greatest ways to say, 'I love you.' I am infatuated by the connections that happen over a dinner table; food truly brings us together in a way that almost nothing else can (okay, perhaps alcohol, but that is a different kind of bonding that usually ends after a hefty dose of TMI with a perfect stranger).  I love entertaining, feeding and making new friends over food; it is truly where my heart lies.

Big Mouth

What I wrote above was actually very sweet, wasn't it? Yeah, don't expect too much of that, because most of my dishes will also be served with a side of sass. If I burn my arm trying to make caramel (again), I'll have a story to tell about that and perhaps a practical checklist for you on how to avoid that yourself (don't dip your finger into it to check the temperature). If I spend an entire day to hand-cutting ravioli only to discover I sugared, instead of salted it (again), there will be some ranting. My rampant sarcasm is hard to contain.

So, why 'Fork It Over', then? 

Outside of the fact that I love a good double entendre, this name seemed to encompass all the ideas above—a couple parts sassy and spicy, another part, savory and sweet; with an over-arching goal to just share it all with you. So, I invite you to pull up a proverbial chair, grab a fork and dig in.