I don't overwork my gluten. I wish this country would officially ban trans fat, BGH, all non-local food and Pop corn chicken. Mainly European food, especially the French-German region of Alsace Lorraine, my ancestral homeland, though my heritage and affiliation with it are distant. Vegetarian, Italian, Mediterranean, Baked Goods, any health food, gourmet, in season and most certainly local produce. All things non-corporate and local. Casseroles. Legumes. Heart healthy things. Fruit and grain ridden baked goods. Rattlers, coons, Silly Putty. Paste. I learned my fundamentals from watching and helping my mom cook her mother's family dishes since I was a youngster. Most of these close-to-my heart recipes are classic housewife type foods from the depression and 1950's eras (like meatloaf, spaghetti & meatballs and chocolate chip cookies) but some are passed down German classics (Spatzle, which we make much bigger than the traditional size, and a Chocolate raisin spice loaf). I've lived with people all over the world and have borrowed their held on to their favorites, like Polenta and Carbonara from Northern Italy. Hummus when made with confidence, Apple crisp when attention to detail is considered, rich and sweet Marinara with my mom's meatballs, crumbly not flaky biscuits, fluffy whole wheat pancakes, Sweet Corn Chowder on a perfect summer eve, Spatzle, Pasta alla Carbonara. I love my family and friends for letting me try my recipes on them. I also love slowly but surely refining my girlfriend's palette with my over zealous kitchen experiments. Hummus when the garlic is immutably strong and raw tasting, apple crisp when its not autumn, Marinara when I use salted canned tomato fail to notice "Salt added" on the label, Bulgar pasta casserole... Yeast breads have terrified me ever since an 8th grade home-ec sticky bun attempt blundered into a crusty dry flat-bread.