Welcome to my blog

Greetings!

My name is Charlie Borst. I live in central Virginia and work in suburban Maryland. I'm the father of two great teenage girls and husband to Elizabeth, a warm, caring and beautiful spouse.

But this is not a blog about me or my family. As the name implies, I like, no, make that love to cook (I had to settle for "like" for the name of the blog, as "Charlie Loves to Cook" was already taken.) Cooking has always been one of my life's real passions. I love the transformative nature of the act: not only the chemical and physical things that happen to food when elements are combined and heat is applied, but the pure sensual and emotional response from those who partake. I've started this blog then not only to share some of my recipes and experiences, but to seek comments and suggestions on how to make it all better.

To me, cooking --and great meals that result from it -- is all about using natural, and most of all, fresh ingredients. My inspirations are seasonal: in spring, summer and early fall, they come from what's available at the locally-grown (within a 100-mile radius) farmers market. In non-growing seasons or to supplement, I take my cooking cues from the produce aisle or the fish and meat counters. As much as I can, I resist cooking from a box or a can or a freezer. I'm a big fan of savory food: while I can and do bake, it's often as more of an accompaniment than the main attraction. Like most 50-somethings I know, I'm trying to cut down on excess fats and too much meat--but you will find lots grilled meats and roasts on my table...and I'm a huge fan of butter as a necessary and complementary ingredient for almost anything.

My recipe inspirations are book and Web-driven, but I frequently depart the text and improvise. My favorite sources include Mark Bittman ("How to Cook Everything"), Mitchell Davis ("Kitchen Sense"), Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby ("License to Grill"), Marcella Hazan ("The Classic Italian Cookbook") and Cameron Stracher ("Dinner With Dad"). I'm a huge fan of Cook's Illustrated for breaking down the whys and wherefores of cooking (who would have known that cutting an onion with the grain produces a different taste than cutting across the grain?) I watch Food Network more for entertainment value than learning, and I detest shows like "Hell's Kitchen" for making food preparation a competitive and confrontational act. I enjoy watching Anthony Bourdain, but that's more for the exotic locale and the host's frequent imbibing.

Lastly, I'm a huge believer that while good equipment helps, it's more about ingredients and technique than brands. Don't get me wrong: I love my Shun knives and All-Clad pans--and I'll readily admit that I lust after a Wolfe cooktop as much as most men long for a 52-inch plasma TV--but I've cooked some pretty great meals on a standard GE gas cooktop and my mid-priced grills.

So that's me...I hope you enjoy the food. As Chairman Kaga would say, "Allez Cuisine!"