About Lauren

that's me!

My Food Philosophy

1.  I do believe that you are what you eat, especially at the most basic level.  And in that regard, I want to be delicious.  When the eventual zombie apocalypse hits, I will probably survive for a while thanks to a vast canon of zombie knowledge I’ve gleaned from years of watching B horror films, but eventually I will probably succumb to the re-animated hordes and in that case, I think the zombies deserve a good meal.

2.  People should eat real food.  If you can’t pronounce it, you probably shouldn’t eat it.  Clearly, this may not be possible all the time.  But as a regular habit, it works.  After all, if #1 is true and you are what you eat…do you want to be a fresh, ripe strawberry or “cinnamyl isobutyrate” (one of the ingredients in artificial strawberry flavoring)?

3.  Food should be taken seriously with as much lightheartedness as possible.  You have to eat.  You might not like it, but them’s the rules.  You may as well make whatever you eat the best you can within your means.  You don’t need to buy expensive organic ingredients.  You should, however, make eating fresh, quality ingredients a priority whenever it is possible for you. You should also enjoy it.  Food is how most cultures celebrate their past, present and futures, it’s how most cultures celebrate holidays and love.  Cooking and eating should be fun and enjoyable and experimental.  You should learn about new ingredients and throw parties and eat ice cream in direct sunlight.

Random Facts About Me

• I’m married, to Josh, a computer geek/homebrewer.
• We have two dogs, Winston and Maggie.  Winston is half Shar pei, half Basset.  Maggie is a Mastiff.  They are both adorable and full of mischief.
• I am an Academic Technologist, a person who makes teaching and learning more awesome with a judicious application of good technology and common sense.
• I live in a 150-year old Italian style brick house that Josh and I bought in 2010.  We don’t have any ghosts but we do have a stairway to nowhere.
• I love, love, LOVE old movies and b horror films.
• The first dish I ever learned to make on my own was skillet donuts.  I was four.  After that, twice baked potatoes.
• I ate my first solid food at 9 months.  It was popcorn.  Or as I like to think of it, angels.
• My birthday is in December.  I am confused by the new astrological guidelines.  Apparently I’m a Sagittarius and a Capricorn?  I think not.
• I think that chocolaty-ness is close to godliness.
• My favorite food is comfort food: ribs (dry rubbed, kansas city style sauce on the side), baked mac&cheese, greens, cornbread, buttermilk biscuits, chocolate chip cookies.
• I don’t eat: seafood.
• My grandmother can’t believe I don’t eat: seafood.
• My biggest food challenge: pancakes. Soup. Cinnamon rolls. Asian food.
• I’m a giant Mario nerd.  As I write this, a three inch tall plastic Goomba toy is staring at me from my desk.  He says hi.
• I don’t have a culinary degree, or any aspiration to get one.  I’m not looking for a tv show.  I don’t plan to write and sell a cookbook.  I learned to cook by doing it.  I enjoy cooking and food and I want to enjoy it with you.