I have been cooking for 20 years or so. After I moved into my first apartment away from home, I bought a copy of the Moosewood Restaurant's Sundays at the Moosewood cookbook and learned to cook using that. Not exactly a beginner's cookbook, it exposed me to a variety of ethnic quisines and cooking techniques from around the world. Thank you Molly Katzen! Travel has really expanded my cooking tastes. After college, I visited Spain and have been interested in trying different foods from around the world, particularly the area surrounding the Mediteranean Sea. I love the food of Spain, Italy, and the Middle East. I like to grill and experiment with different marinades and sauces. I am not a vegetarian, but like to make a lot of meatless meals. Recently, I have become interested in cooking healthier meals and am interested in lower calorie meals and cooking lighter. Now 50 pounds lighter, I have found that, with a little know-how and an adventurous spirit, you can cook great tasting meals that are healthier and better for you, without sacrificing great flavor. Basic American fare. Meat and potatoes. Marrying my beautiful wife, Anita. She is an even better cook than I am. Sometimes I can cook a really great meal that she really enjoys. Making her happy is my greatest triumph, and I do it as often as I can. There is really a cooking tragedy where people actually get hurt. Every cooking disappointment is really an opportunity to learn. The Tofu Pate, from the Finish section of the Sundays at the Moosewood Cookbook, was spooned steaming from the skillet into the trash can at the first test taste in 1993. Other than that, I have always been able to eat what I cooked. I may not have tried some recipes a second time, but I always give them at least one chance and learn from them.