I started cooking because I realized early on that I would probably never travel. Food was a way to learn about different countries and cultures. Understanding a method or ingredient helped me learn about the people and culture of many countries. Besides, you gotta eat and there is more than one way to skin a cat! (NO I'm not fixing cat!!!) My Icon indicates my beverage of choice. I have co-chaired our local Microbrew Festival since 1996 Mexican- Fish Tacos ( Salmon, trout), Carnitas (perfect slow cookerfood), Enchiladas Verde (I am not a gardener, but learned to raise tomatillos for this personal favorite) German - Sauerbraten (really good from Venison roast), Strudel Chinese- Pork Buns, (Chao Suo Bow), Kung Pao, General Tsao's Chicken Sushi (my daughter became a sushi chef because of our passion for sushi) Piroshki(baked dumpling, great at parties) Each New Year's Day, we make a complete meal from a country of choice, thus travelling to that country. Sushi, 3 layer wedding cakes, finally learning to can and preserve, and in Montana, everyone is a gardener and we trade overrun crops. I will take someone's zucchini and make something with it, giving them some of it, and vice versa. i forget those most easily.