Normally we chefs pride ourselves on being able to do most anything in the kitchen. But just because you CAN doesn’t mean you HAVE to! I mean, yes, I CAN cut up peppers and onions for fajitas but when I’m in a pinch (or just feeling lazy) I grab the colorful, already mis en place pepper package! Convenience sometimes means a little extra cash will be output but you know it and I know it – time is money! And for those occasions (and a few others) I’m here to tell you, storebought is fine!

A pinch of salt. A dash of pepper. Terms used frequently while cooking. Commandments to chefs who live and die by proper seasoning. And the basis of my collection. But to say I just have a pinch or a dash is quite the understatement! In fact I have 129 pinches and dashes! And if you know me then you know I’m referring to my salt and pepper collection!

There are few pleasures in life more comforting than sitting down with a good book and letting it whisk you away to another world outside of your own. For me, often times while turning the pages of a cookbook, I travel to another country, to another city or even simply into someone else’s home... But books about cooking don’t have to be cookbooks in the traditional sense of the word.

Have you ever noticed when people say “Let’s get together” it is usually for coffee, drinks, lunch, appetizers, etc.? Somehow the invitation always centers around food! Why is that? I tend to think it’s because food is communal. It’s sharing not only your physical presence with someone, but also partaking in a sensory experience together. There’s something comforting in filling your senses with good company and good food simultaneously.

I rely daily on my ability to taste my food. It’s essential to what I do for a living to ensure that the seasoning is on point, that the quality of what I am delivering to clients upholds the standards that I’ve set when promoting my food as “delicious”. I need to be able to taste ingredients together and know they are balanced and complimentary. I need to be confident that the love I’m putting into the cooking effort is accurately reflected and felt when a client takes their first bite.

Quanto Basta is about letting go and trusting yourself. Simply start with recipes that are basic; no matter your preferred cuisine type. Find recipes you can practice making to taste without worrying about messing up the end product. Practice once, practice twice and by the third time I bet you’ll be brave enough to add more salt, or use wine instead of stock, or even add a new spice or two that will elevate your dish to new levels.

As a lover of all things culinary, I feel that I have a fairly wide knowledge of food (at least in comparison to my family!).  That being said, I am always excited (and sometimes amused) to learn a new tidbit or fun food fact. 

I think that’s one of the things about cooking that I love so much. You can make it your own – you don’t have to be precise – recipes are merely a guide. When you cook with your heart and by feel, you are letting something bigger than absolute measurements and ingredients drive the end product.