First Entry Introduction

My mother always said I could and would be anything I ever wanted to be. Well she was right.  I do very well at living and being excited with the present moment at hand. I also love to share my enthusiasm, love, insight, and vigor with those I encounter each day. I live in the smallest incorporated town in Arizona: Winkelman, a blink of a town that is famous for being the last stop to get gas before Globe. We have three legal businesses, one of which is one my favorite grocery stores in all of Arizona-- Giorsettis. One of my other favorite places to find the precious ingredients I create love and nourishment with is Oracle Market-- where I work 35 miles south of Winkelman, and 35 miles north of Tucson.

I am a butcher... And I love it. I am the real deal and take pride in my ability to look at live animal (even as I often know it's name as it looks deep into my soul batting its eyes) and effectively kill, or harvest politely, and break any animal species down (process) into all available options based on anatomical characteristics. And, well, because of those anatomical characteristics, I can distinguish what meat should be prepared in which manner. My love of food and cooking, spices, savor, and deep rooted satisfaction is the heart of most my food. It is a privilege to be a butcher. For the majority of all prepared meals in America, meat is the root ingredient and I get to be the beginning source of that for so many people. I can't make a person be a good cook. But I can at least provide a good base for the root of their meal.

I don't like to eat. Eating is boring. I associate it with physical necessity, boredom, obesity, and lack of soul or appreciation. On the hand, savoring is appreciating all the combinations of smell, texture, taste, love, and energy put into a dish and/or its accompaniments. I like to savor. I like to taste something and know that it was made with pride and love in all regards. It's nourishing. Just a little bit satisfies the soul, satiates the appetite, mesmerizes the mind, supplies necessary nourishment, and acts as a viaduct connecting the heart of the cook to those consuming. Take one bite into love prepared food and it sort of stops time. Or at least slows it down. Good food is meant to be shared. And so this blog is here to share what I know and create each day with food with a broader audience than just my three children, friends, family, and love.

Famous chefs often focus on one genre of cooking: Italian, Asian, low-fat, Southern, simple, etc. But I am way more unfocused than that. Southern Italian is my specialty, but I am bored with it. Mexican is fun because I cook it just as good (if not better) than most Mexicans. A sort of "oh yeah, try this gringo's comida" mental competitive thing takes over. It must be a result of being in the racial minority of the community Winkelman. Asian is fun to experiment with. Russian is so delicious. But cooking love manifested ingredients I guess is my style. I cook what is gonna be in the moment good tonight: seasonally grown, I guess; locally purchased, most likely; vibrantly colorful, as much as my tattoos a given; savory sensational, usually the case; and made from the heart with soul.... Definitely!!!!