A Spicy Love Affair
Written by Mike Cheliak on September 25, 2009 – 11:23 am -First of all…get your minds out of the gutter!
This is all about the wonderful experience you can have just by expanding your dry pantry to include a variety of international spices and flavours.
Many years ago (in the 80’s), I was fortunate to work in the food and beverage industry. I worked my way up and around from the service end to the kitchen end and worked under a number of very talented Chefs.
The one common factor in all good Chefs (home or professional) is the ability to mix, match and meld a bevy of spices into an amazing creation fit for any palate.
This early introduction to cooking and “Spicery” as I like to call it created a lifetime love affair with spices. From the earthy standards to the exotic mixtures of the Middle East and the Asian Continent; the combinations of flavours is endless.
In the North American culture, many people have avoided or never been exposed to these marvellous tastes and tantalizing layers of flavour. Our obsession with quick fix meals, fast food and processed food has created an almost entire generation of people who think fine food is a Gourmet Frozen Pizza.
In comes wonderful programming like the Food Network. Food TV both in Canada and the USA is a fantastic channel that promotes the exploration of flavour, texture and creatively wonderful food experiences.
As one of my favourite (late) personalities, Pasquale Carpino so aptly put it; cooking is combination of Art, Fantasy and Vocation. A very simple way to say that we combine our artistic abilities through creation of flavours while using our imagination to remove the limits on what we combine and then package this all together with the learning and knowledge that is important for the technical side of cooking (ID…how long to cook a roast).
“Spicery” is one of the most fantastic ways to bring out the Culinary Artist in you. Read about them, sample them, combine them and most of all experience them!
For my money, I would rather have a simple meal made at home with a gorgeous combination of flavourful spices than hammer down a Monster Burger from some fast food chain.
In happiness and health as always!
Mike C
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