Style for Style

The longer I've been cooking, the more I learn about my own personal style when it comes to food and cuisine. It has definitely evolved since I fired my first stove. When Ben and I were first married, I was definitely all over the place. From French to New American, I really couldn't find my palate. About two years ago, I started feeling my way through sweet-savory dishes. I loved the melding of the complexities of the sweet and salty. 

One of the first dishes I created was seared duck breast with a madeira-mango-stock reduction. The 7-course tasting menu I did for my sister-in-law (it was a baby shower gift) was definitely heavy on the sweet-savory theme.

Two years later, I seem to have evolved (laterally, perhaps) to adhering to the slow foods movement. I really appreciate the fresh, local ingredients I can get my hands on here in Wisconsin. I suppose it's because there's such a short season for things green that I now tend to make simpler foods, foregoing too many ingredients and a pretty plate for making the base ingredients the star. I've also started utilizing a lot of aromatics like lemongrass, various herbs and more South Asian spices. 

I just find it interesting how tastes change. I'm sure I'll still make my duck breasts and lamb chops once in awhile, but it doesn't really get the creative and salivary juices flowing.

I'm excited to learn where my taste buds will take me next!