Let's get this thing started!

So...I'm starting a food blog. I've been looking for a project to help focus my interest in food, and this is it. I love, love, love to cook, and I've got a notebook and a brain full of (hopefully) delicious ideas. I've always enjoyed cooking for Andrew, friends, and family, and I want to keep track of and share the recipes I'm making.

I've been loving the farmers' market this year, to the extent that I had to put myself on a budget to keep from buying too much produce. Yeah, my excess spending goes towards vegetables. I'm weird like that. Since the beginning of June, I have been buying all of my produce from the farmers' market, with the exception of things like lemons which are staples but don't grow here. Add in a few other factors -- a growing interest in understanding food systems and where my ingredients come from, working with MIT students and the Shape Up Somerville program to open a winter farmer's market in Somerville, the opening of local-foods store Sherman Market in Union Square -- and I've decided to start using as many locally produced ingredients in my cooking as my budget allows.

That's where the blog comes in. I'm hoping this space will help me document the dishes that come out of my kitchen, and will motivate me to keep buying local even in the winter months. Can I really cook seasonally when squash and root vegetables are the only options for months on end? I guess we'll see...While my interest in local food is the larger theme here, I also want to find a place where I can share my general love of food and cooking, and become a better cook in the process!

Now on to the fun part. Recipes and food photos coming soon!