My Morning Chocolate

In the couple of months I’ve known Wendi Mosteiko of Bon Appetit Hon, I’ve seen that she’s an incredibly generous food blogger.  In addition to posting stories and recipes five days a week, she still has time to comment and offer tips on other food blogs, including this one.  Today, Wendi talks about her thoughts on adapting recipes, her favorite meals, and the food lessons she’s learned during her years of blogging. 

My Morning Chocolate:  When did you get interested in food, and who were your biggest food influences?  

Wendi at Bon Appetit Hon:  I got interested in cooking and food about five years ago.  Until that point, I was living a mostly Lean Cuisine, frozen blob life.  I had a tiny apartment kitchen with oddly small appliances (and zero counter space) and I think I used that as an excuse not to challenge myself to eat better.  When the Food Network, and my husband (he brought cable to the relationship), came into my life I began to see that cooking was not out of my reach and that I didn’t have to depend on frozen meals or spaghetti all the time. 

I would have to say that my biggest influences were Food Network (generally) and my grandmother.  Food Network opened the door of my curiosity about cooking, and the memories of my grandmother fixing big Sunday dinners are what grounds my cooking style.  Of course, my grandmother is also the same person who introduced me to frozen meals, cooking bags, and Swanson chicken pot pie.  As a product of her times – she’s 87 now – she experienced the first food revolution when frozen, canned, and convenience foods were the housewife’s salvation.

MMC:  Why did you decide to start Bon Appetit Hon? 

Wendi @ BAH:  I started blogging in 2007 when my husband was overseas on his second deployment to Iraq.  At that time, the blog was used more as a tool for him to see what was going on at home (we were undergoing a kitchen and bath remodel at the time) and for family and friends to be able to get updates on how he was.  It didn’t have any specific focus in the beginning but as time went on, it evolved into being about the food. 

As I got more into the food blogger community here in Baltimore, I realized that the name of old blog really didn’t communicate that.  Since I didn’t have a specific focus in mind when I started blogging, I didn’t give a whole lot of thought to what I called it.  But as I started trying to promote myself, I realized that Exit 51 didn’t really scream FOOD!  So in 2009, just as Exit 51 was about to enter the Terrible Two’s, I decided it was time to make a change.  Call it growing pains, or an identity crisis, or whatever you like.  And Bon Appetit Hon was born. 

The general idea behind Exit 51 was life’s journey…you start in one place, end up in another, and have twists, turns, adventures and detours along the way.  I’ve chosen to illustrate that philosophy through my experiences as a self taught home cook with Bon Appetit Hon. Whether a recipe is a win, a fail, or somewhere in between, there are many teachable moments served up at my dining room table.  I’ve gone on quests for the perfect cake recipe.  I’ve admitted that I need to face my fear of yeast.  I’ve tried to reconnect with food memories.  And I’ve publicly proclaimed my love of bacon and Andy Nelson’s pulled pork. 

My hope is that even if someone doesn’t click on the print button for the recipes, they will at least come back for the storytelling.

MMC:  I love that you adapt recipes from other sources.  What advice do you have for others who want to use recipes as a springboard? 

Wendi @ BAH:  I constantly adapt recipes.  Usually it’s because I’m feeling lazy and don’t want to dice an onion or smash garlic.  Other times it’s because I don’t have specific ingredients on hand.  And then there are instances when I decide that I want to use something I have that the original recipe doesn’t call for. 

For me, adaptation is honestly less about my own personal creativity and more about what I have, what I like, and what I do or do not feel like doing at any given moment. 

Because in the big picture, I could not create a recipe to save my life. 

In my opinion, the reality is that so much of what we do with cooking and recipes is built on what other people have done before us.  So in a sense, I believe that we are all constantly adapting other people’s ideas, ratios, and techniques.  I personally have a hard time when someone claims to have “created” an “original” recipe when the reality is that the fundamental basis of the recipe is what is widely used.  Ok, so you used peaches instead of strawberries in that shortcake recipe.  And you added ginger or cinnamon or nutmeg to your whipped cream.  But I would have to assume that in the history of man, someone, at some point, has also done this.  So to me, that’s an adaptation. 

But something like frozen bison pops?  That would be an original recipe.  Not necessarily one that I would want to try but I’m thinking that’s a pretty original idea. 

Back to your original question, I view recipes like road maps.  They are just one suggested route.  If you don’t like the scenery, or want to visit the World’s Largest Ball of String, take a detour.  Make the journey enjoyable and even if the final destination doesn’t turn out to be your favorite place in the whole wide world, it will have been worthwhile.

MMC:  That’s an interesting take on recipe adaptations – and a good segue into my next questions:  what’s your favorite go-to dish for the following situations:

Wendi @ BAH:  I have a nasty habit of thinking that I need to get through all the recipes that are waiting to be tested – if you could only see the folders I have of dishes that have yet to be made – before I reach back to older ones.  So while I know there are some true gems filed away in my three ring binders, they don’t get as much love as they should and I wouldn’t say that I have any go to recipes for certain occasions.  But if I had to pick and choose specific dishes, I’m particularly fond of these:

Weeknight Dinner (Splurge)
Ina Garten’s Tagliarelle with Truffle Butter
The fancy pasta is exquisite (and worth every penny of the price) and the truffle butter sauce is luxurious.  Paired with a simple green salad, not only is this meal super quick (the pasta only takes 3 minutes to cook) but it is indulgent without totally wrecking your grocery budget.

Weeknight Dinner (Comfort)
Meat Loaf Muffins
During the week I am all about meals that do not take forever to get to the table.  I love that by cooking the meat loaf in a muffin tin, you cut the cooking time down substantially.  And you end up with individual portions of meat loaf.  I’ve got other meat loaf recipes but I think this is my gold star winner.

Weekend Dinner with Friends (Splurge)
Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Rosemary, Chocolate, and Wine Sauce; Mushroom Risotto
Seriously, if I can make this dish, anyone can.  It’s not a quick recipe but it has never let me down.  I’m partial to a nice medium rare steak but since I don’t cook steak well, this is another way that I can enjoy a quality piece of beef.  The sauce is beyond belief.  I pair this with an easy riosotto (the mushrooms are completely optional) for an unforgettable meal.

Weekend Dinner with Friends (Comfort)
Pot Roast Carbonnade; Rosemary Buttered Rolls
The pot roast carbonnade recipe is my new roasty/stewey bff.  This is a great make ahead recipe that is even better the second day.  And it is extremely budget friendly.  I’ve never really met a roll I didn’t like.  Especially not when it has melted butter, sea salt, and rosemary.

Dessert for a Crowd
Chocolate Double Spice Cookies
I like to balance the workload in the kitchen.  If dinner is very hands on, I like dessert to be easy.  And nothing could be easier than these spicy sweet cookies.

Brunch
Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp
Quick.  Easy.  Delish.  Enough said.

MMC:  I’m trying the thai coconut curry shrimp first.  So now that you have a few years of cooking and blogging under your belt, what are the top 5 most valuable lessons you’ve learned about food?

1. Salt is your friend.  I use kosher salt in my cooking.  And it has made a tremendous difference.
2. Taste for seasoning as you go.  If the flavor is bland or flat, see Item 1 above.
3. Food connects us all to one another.
4. Fresh peas ROCK.
5. Food trends come and go but a good recipe is timeless.

Thanks so much, Wendi!  For stories and recipes five days a week, visit Bon Appetit Hon or follow @bonappetithon on Twitter.