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There's Always Thyme.


From what I understand, it took Julia Child and company around XXX years to finish and publish "Mastering the Art of French Cooking".  I always wondering how on earth it took so long!  Well, as I open my notes from when I started "Flour On My Nose" and the most recent endeavor, "The Sunflower Diaries" I see that I started out on the journey to publish a "bang up, top drawer" cookbook for those who enjoy reading them well over 10 years ago. There is no excuse.  Yes. Time does fly.  

I do have some sympathy for those of you who claim “I just don’t have time to cook at home!” Some.  Since the industry that I've been working in for 20 plus years has all but dried up for a gal of my vintage, I've taken to the things I know best.  1) Feeding people and b) Feeding people very well.  

The first step was to get back to basics and simplify life; that begins with a well stocked kitchen!

Even if you aren’t a food fanatic, you can still cook at home 7 nights a week if you have ingredients and the right tools at your fingertips.  I'm not saying you SHOULD cook 7 nights a week, every week.  Your efforts need to be rewarded by perhaps a nice dinner out (if you forget what that is, it involves someone bringing what you ask for TO YOU AND, as a bonus that someone else cleans up and does the dishes).

Here is the Cliff Notes version that will get you started:

Cool Stuff:
1 awesome Paring Knife (spend the money, you'll be glad you did)
1 awesome 6" Chef's Knife (see above note)
*make sure your knives are sharp.
Silicon spatula

What to have in the Pantry:
Rice... brown, wild, long grain, in a bag, in a box
Vegetable, Chicken and or Beef Stock/Broth (of course if it expires, toss it)
Canned tomatoes... steamed, diced
Tomato paste... it lasts forever and you'll never be sorry you bought the huge box of it a Costco
Canned Pineapple.  You'll thank me one day.
Bread Crumbs.
Vinegars... all of them (Rice Wine, Balsamic, White, Red Wine...)


What to have in the Freezer:





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