Growing up in the United States in the 70s and 80s I never spent a lot of time in the kitchen. My biggest culinary achievements at the time were pretty much limited to boxed macaroni and cheese and canned cinnamon rolls. Beyond that, if it couldn’t be microwaved, I didn’t cook it. I had no desire to spend hours chopping vegetables or kneading bread. What was the point?

During college, however, I had roommates who knew how to cook and they shared with me the fruits of their labor. Even then, though, I didn’t value their gifts as much as I do now.

There is a Middle Eastern tradition that goes something along the lines of, if you share a meal with someone you are friends for life. Such is the power of food. It can create whole relationships and soothe past grievances. It can literally create peace. Of course, if you’ve ever been at the table with someone who stuck their nose up to everything presented, you know that food can also create strife. Ever so slowly, I have become aware of just how much I took for granted the value of a shared meal.

So it is with this awareness that I started paying more attention to food–where it comes from, how to cook it, its impact on health and economies, its impact on relationships. About four years ago, I embarked on a journey that started in my own kitchen. I’ve come a long way since my days of boxed mac-and-cheese, but I have a long way to go. I am not at a level where I can stray from a recipe and create amazing dishes, but I am reaching a point in my experiences where I can see patterns and find substitutions without consulting 12 cooking websites first.

When I cook, I tend to lean heavily on recipes by Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) and King Arthur Flour. The recipes from these two sources have been generally well-received if for no other reason than because all the ingredients tend to be easy to find in my local grocery stores. There is nothing more frustrating than to start a recipe and discover some exotic ingredient that is not available within a 50-mile-radius of home. Still, I must continue to stretch and learn, so other resources–books and online recipe sites–will be called into service.

My goal here is to not only open my heart and mind to the power of food but to share with you what I’ve learned. And of course, hearing about your own experiences of favorite meals (made or eaten or both), will enhance this learning for all of us. Because food is such a shared experience, this blog will extend beyond my own kitchen. I will also share stories and insights on favorite restaurants and inspiring meals shared with friends.

I hope you’ll join me at this virtual table and, in so doing, become a friend for life.