I am very pleased to have found this forum. A little bit about myself. I am 36 years old. I started my adult life in IT. That served me very well for 12 years or so. I loved IT. I loved the challenges. Networking protocols, security, Unix administration, you name it I loved it. However as time wore on I just got more and more burned out. I couldn't handle the rampant ignorance flooding my profession anymore. My peers and especially those in management that could not tell an ARP from a Carp. It just became to much. So after my last job at TWA airlines in 2001 went kaboom I just threw in the towel. Moved back to my home city, Wichita, and kind of aimlessly drifted for longer than I want to admit. :)
However now I am married to a wonderful Indian woman, who makes amazing indian food btw, and could not be happier. She has taken a good job up here in Milwaukee. Her job has now afforded me the time and opportunity to finally pursue the only other thing I have ever enjoyed besides IT, cooking. I now have the time to go after my dream and follow my love of cooking.
I have a strong connection to my Irish roots. And as a consequence have really been focusing in the last year or so in learning Irish cuisine. Which I believe is a dying art. Certainly in most parts of the US at least when you go to an "Irish" pub/restaurant their idea of Irish is fish and chips. I hope to change that one day and eventually open my own small place to push Artisan Irish breads and food to the public. That is my dream. But that goal is far away, I have much to learn before then.
I am a FIRM believer in using organic, local farmer produce, and grass fed and grass finished animals. While it is more costly to procure I know its healthier for the people I serve and you CAN taste the difference in the food when it is eaten vs items you pick up at walmart.
I like bold flavors. My mother always use to tell me go easy as a kid when I would help her cook with herbs and seasoning. She used to say "Subtle, you just want a hint of the flavor." Not me! When I cook I want FLAVOR! Go big or go home :) I want people to taste the rosemary, the garlic, the sage.
I have much to learn, and I think this site will be a valuable asset on the road to my dream. Thank you for providing this wonderful resource!
Sincerely,
Chris Watson
