I've always enjoyed cooking for as long as I can remember. I like trying out new recipes, and I always cook too much. I really love what I call "high involvment" cooking - in other words, recipes that require an investment of time and a wide assortment ingredients, that reward you with an impressive dish when you're finally done. (Although I acknowledge that there's an element of risk when you explore new, time consuming recipes... it can be a huge waste of time and ingredients if they backfire. See Tragedies below.) I get a lot of satisfaction from cooking anything that requires time and patience. Although I enjoy cooking Hunan Kung Pao, even though it only takes about an hour to prepare, because I know it's my boyfriends favourite and I love it when I can cook something that makes other people happy. If I followed a family tradition it would end up being the ol' stand-bys like fried potatoes or hamburger stew. Blegh. No special recipes really come to mind. :oP However, my dad is a fabulous cook when he wants to be. I don't know if it's much of a tradition, but I like his spontaneity to suddenly break out of a culinary rut by experimenting with something brave n' new that no one would ever expect from him. So if 'experimenting' is a tradition, then let's go with that. Any time people compliment my cooking, I consider it a triumph. I love entertaining and cooking for people. As a vegetarian, I'm always on the look out for robust recipes that can suitably replace the traditional fare. A few years ago I was looking for a great substitute for Christmas dinner instead of the usual Turkey. I eventually found a recipe for a faux roast made of a variety of nuts and a long laundry list of other ingredients. It took me all Christmas day to prepare and in the end it was the most bland, dry thing I've ever had the displeasure of choking down. Thankfully we didn't have anyone in for Christmas dinner besides the two of us or it could've been a far worse tragedy indeed.