A move to Ireland in June 07 was a challenge I really wasn't prepared for. It has been difficult, leaving friends, family, my career. By trade I am a certified veterinary technician, with a back ground in restaurant management. I have always loved to cook. I enjoy tweaking recipes, and duplicating meals and tastes. There has been a learning curve, getting used to the way things are done here in Ireland. Very small fridge and oven are just the beginning. But, the move has for the first time in my life allowed me the opportunity to not work. I have the time to experiment in the kitchen like never before. I do remember to count my blessings- Cooking, or probably more accurate, sharing my cooking with friends brings me a very deep sense of fulfillment. I love to make the foods they love to eat. I take great pride in having friends gather for a meal, and having them tell me they can't believe I made something. Good friends, good food, good wine, good conversation- only money can buy the wine, the others are priceless. While my mom cooked every day when I was growing up, its my dads cooking that was the influence. BBQ'n steaks and burgers instead of turkey for the holidays. Split Pea soup with ham on Christmas Eve- a tradition my sister still carries on- an open house for friend to gather at the holiday with special foods that only made an appearance once a year Sushi to rival my favorite Sushi restaurant- Vegetarian Indian, Middle Eastern and Greek dishes Using "veggie" products to make them say "are you sure there's no meat in here?" Figuring out how to make "mock" food items I can't find in Ireland- and learning to substitute ingredients to make the foods we love ciabatta and sour dough, but I will succeed as these are two of my favorite breads. UPDATE April 08 With the addition of two books,the Bread Bakers Apprentice, and Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day- the very wet, slack doughs are no longer a problem. I highly recommend these two book for anyone who loves to bake bread. Especially the 5 Min a day one- absolutely the best, EVER!