Day 163

30 posts in thirty days.


30 random facts about me.


Fun Fact #13: I am an excellent cook.

When I was growing up, my mom worked nights in order to be home when I went to school, and be home when I got home from school. It was a pretty effective situation, with her being a single mother and all. One of the things that she taught me how to do (along with my aunt and grandmother) was cook.

"You're not going to be one of those men who turn 30 and don't know how to do nothing in the kitchen but clean it, take out the trash, and burn water." - My mom

The first time I was allowed to use the stove without adult supervision was at 8. At that time, my menu was pretty limited: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Ramen Noodles, and Hot Dogs. By that time, I was cooking for my cousin, who's a year younger than me. We would get in the kitchen, and we started experimenting with different ways to spice up our grilled cheese. I mean, really, how many different ways can you spice up grilled cheese? We didn't care, though. That was some fun times, finding out that we liked grilled ham and cheese better than grilled bologna and cheese.

As I got older, my menu expanded, until I hit high school. That's when I REALLY started to make my own dishes: Chicken Parmesan, Chicken Tetrazzini, Chili, Spaghetti, Baked Ziti, Meatloaf with a Red Wine Marinade. Italian dishes was (and still is) my specialty. My ex admitted to me that one of the big reasons we were together was because I was a mean cook.

I put my heart and love into the food I cook. I cook for my family, I cook for my friends, I'll even cook for my co-workers, if I like them enough. I try not to cook for people I don't know, especially females. Reason? I'm not trying to marry some female I just met.

Seriously.

Do you realize how many times I've been asked out on a date JUST because of my cooking? It's crazy. I don't think that men that can cook are that rare, are they? I credit my mother and aunt and grandmother. They took my butt into the kitchen, and made me watch them cook. I know how to make cakes and brownies from scratch, not from no box. I can make some pies. I even know how to make homemade ice cream, which is amazing and a feat unto itself.

Lately, I've been experimenting with cooking some Penne all'arrabbiata, a spicy pasta dish known for it's heat from the peppers in the sauce, and Insalata Caprese, which is a simple salad, but I use diced Prosciutto cotto (sea salt cured ham), and sprinkle some Asiago cheese on top. I serve it with a nice chilled Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Yes, I know it's a red wine. Yes, I know that salads normally come with a white wine, but the Prosciutto and the Asiago really brings out the flavor in the red wine. Yes, I do realize you are looking at the screen with a face that says you have no idea what I'm talking about. No, I don't care.

If you're really want some good food that's not fried all the time, talk to me and let me know. If I feel comfortable enough, I'll cook for you. Just know that if you're a female, you're probably either going to ask me out, or if you're taken, get mad at your significant other for not being able to cook like I do. Just a fair warning.

There you have it, folks. Fun Fact #13: I am an excellent cook.

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