I've been trying to figure out what to include on this site. Seems rather silly, doesn't it, for a so-called cooking site. The Clever Chef. The issue with that is that I am certainly not a chef. And clever? Not unless you catch me somewhere between 4pm and dinnertime.

There are some days when I cook up a storm - from bread to bagels and lunch and dinner all from scratch - and other days, nil (tonight, sushi!). I experiment far too much to feel comfortable printing recipes, really - there's always something to be improved upon.

Lately, however, I've been reading a lot about food - I've just finished Evan Jones' "American Food", a stoic 400+ page history and recipe archive rolled into one. I made the baked beans - fantastic. But it doesn't take a cook to figure beans + salt pork + molasses + maple syrup + heat + time = fabulous. Besides that, I'm still making a ton of Japanese food (okonomiyaki this weekend), and after a trip to Fubonn, making no less than 3 lotus root recipes, sesame noodles (based upon Deb's recipe, the dressing lacking in "oomph"), a sweet chili-sauce purchase, and coriander use (an ignored herb for the most part).

It's been food, food, food for the past... well, ever, and I've nothing to write? Can't be possible, can it? Yet somehow I'm stuck and you end up with this drivel.

Thus - at least a post per week - a promise. I can't ensure goodness, quality, or completeness. And god help me if I just start spouting off Michael Polan inspired rhetoric. But maybe I can make this work. Oh, and if I state what I'll be writing about next and the end of each post, I'll remember to take photos.

So, next post? Okonomiyaki. See you then!

*Tonight's post was written 4/25/2008, long-hand at Virginia Cafe, downtown Portland, after a very long day at work.

Posted at 10:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After the husband and I got back from Montana over Memorial Day weekend, I couldn't find my camera battery charger. While my battery was drained dry, I made many amazing things. However, I found the battery charger last Friday, and, with the help of Helen Corbitt, started making Gravlax. Since Gravlax is a 48-72 hour process, it should be done this evening, and once it's sliced, diced, and tasted, there will be a new entry up here.
Also, a very Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband, who is my taste-tester, dish washer, test subject, and best friend. Everybody at once: aaaaawwwwwww....

Posted at 9:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I haven't made anything at home besides scrambled eggs and tunafish salad in the past week. Which is really horribly lazy, but the husband is out of town, and currently, it's not much fun for me to cook for myself. However, I plan on making something incredible tonight, which should be on here within the next couple of days, so be patient (Amychan, Fern, and possibly the 1 other person who is reading this). I promise I'll have something up soon. ^_^

Posted at 4:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm going to Vegas for the weekend, so there won't be any updates until I'm back, when I regale the memory of the throw-together dinner of which I took photographs on Wednesday. See you on Sunday!

Posted at 10:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

...there was 12+ hours of Photoshopping and Dreamweavering. Once the creation was set, she saw it was good. Congratulating herself on a job well done, she named the site The Clever Chef, because that's what she eventually wanted to be. And in the first paragraph of the first post, she tired of refering to herself in the 3rd person.

Welcome to my brand-spanking-new foodblog. After running my own personal site for 3+ years, I finally made the decision quite suddenly to start this - an extension of my site based off of my food preferences, trials, and errors. I really can't make any promises about the quality of writing, or the quality of the photos. I can, however, guarantee that if you like food, you will most likely enjoy the recipes and information of which this site should soon be full. I do not consider myself a writer, as such, but I do enjoy writing. Almost as much as I enjoy cooking (and purchasing kitcheny items).

Feel free to comment and send constructive criticism. I promise I can take it.

Posted at 4:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)