Hi from San Diego!

[mlbatt]

Thanks to my new pal @FrogPrincesse, I've rejoined this forum after a significant absence. Unfortunately, I don't even remember my former username...

I run a cookbook club in San Diego - we've just begun our eighth year - meeting monthly (met virtually during covid lockdowns). It's so fun to dig into a cookbook or theme and share our results and our dishes.

I've been retired almost 11 years, so I have time to cook and explore the food scene here in CA. I was very fortunate to be able to leave the workplace in my mid-50s. My background is in special events and data analysis (weird combo, I know). I also have a terrible postcard addiction and have just started to sew again after about 20 years.

Lately I've discovered that i can tell when something I'm baking is done just by how it smells. Usually something I make regularly (like sourdough bread or certain cookies). I guess after so many years, it's kind of ingrained in me.

Anyhoo, happy to be back!

[FrogPrincesse]

Hi @mlbatt, great to see you here!  You will find that eGullet is a friendly and knowledgeable group, and you will fit right in! Welcome!

[Smithy]

I would love to know which cookbooks you explore and what you think! You might join our massive league of enablers. 🙂

 

Meanwhile...welcome (back) to eGullet. It's good to have you here.

 

 

[mlbatt]

12 hours ago, Smithy said:

I would love to know which cookbooks you explore and what you think! You might join our massive league of enablers. 🙂

 

Meanwhile...welcome (back) to eGullet. It's good to have you here.

Oh gosh! So many cookbooks! In January, we covered Stanley Tucci's first 2 books (The Tucci Cookbook and The Tucci Table). We've  had multiple Ottolenghi themes (it was our very first gathering). We try to stick with books that are widely available to members, so we've done so many of the popular books/authors: Smitten Kitchen, Ina Garten, Melissa Clark, Rick Bayless, Julia Child... etc, etc.

 

But we've also had fun more esoteric themes: our October gathering was a hoot where we cooked from Zach Neil's The Nightmare Before Dinner and Death for Dinner (surprisingly good food). And we dressed in costume! Over the years, we've tackled Piret's Cookbook (a vintage book from a now-defunct San Diego restaurant) and with a couple of Denis Cotter's cookbooks (he runs a vegetarian restaurant in Cork, Ireland). Two books by Marnie Hanel for our "summer picnic" theme, Native American foods featuring Sean Sherman's Sioux Chef book and Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations by Lois Ellen Frank.

 

We've covered many types cuisines: lots of vegetarian themes, plus Indonesian, Soul Food, Cajun, Thai, Indian, French, Italian, Persian, Moroccan, Mexican, Cuban, Spanish, Hawaiian, Greek - but so many more to explore.

 

Thanks for the welcome!

[Smithy]

1 hour ago, mlbatt said:

Two books by Marnie Hanel for our "summer picnic" theme, Native American foods featuring Sean Sherman's Sioux Chef book and Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations by Lois Ellen Frank.

 

I've looked at The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen (eG-friendly Amazon.com link) many times but not actually purchased or cooked from it yet. Do you mean it's part of an upcoming plan, or something you cooked from in a past summer? I'd love to know what you think about it.

 

By the way -- as part of welcoming you, I should also have stated that if you have problems navigating the site, or questions about where to post something, feel free to PM a host. I'm one of 'em.

[mlbatt]

38 minutes ago, Smithy said:

 

I've looked at The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen (eG-friendly Amazon.com link) many times but not actually purchased or cooked from it yet. Do you mean it's part of an upcoming plan, or something you cooked from in a past summer? I'd love to know what you think about it.

 

By the way -- as part of welcoming you, I should also have stated that if you have problems navigating the site, or questions about where to post something, feel free to PM a host. I'm one of 'em.

Thanks! We cooked from that book in 2022. From what i can recall, there were no real issues with recipes. It was fun to explore some ingredients that are different from our standard fare. There are some photos up on our website, but not sure if I can put a link here (but you can google san diego cookbook club).