Dear reader,
Hello!
This is my first post in the new Glow Chef blog.
But there are already so many blogs … Why create a new one? And about food?
I Have Four Fundamental Reasons For This:
1. I’m Always Thinking About Food
It’s true … since I was a child. I always loved to eat. And my fondest memories are related to food.
My childhood is forever linked to Ericeira, where I spent every summer until I was 18 years old. In addition to the cold sea and huge waves (I do not know how I dared, but I had amazing swims there), I will never forget the cakes … the “hot donuts” on the beach; the cakes in every coffee shop around the main square, that competed for the best pastry chefs every year; and of course, the “areia” cookie!
For me, Ericeira’s “areias” (‘areia’ means sand, in Portuguese) was the equivalent of scones in the Famous Five books: the perfect epilogue to a good holiday adventure, always a celebration at snack time.
And so on… I’m sure I’ll tell more of these stories as time goes by 🙂
2. Learning How To Cook Was A Lot Of Work
It’s true … I missed a golden opportunity to learn how to cook with my grandmothers, especially grandmother Emilia, who was the true domestic goddess. I’m sorry to this day. And I must say there are dishes that I avoid even trying to cook or eat because they will never, ever, be as good as the ones she made.
My first experience of domestic independence – and therefore of having to feed myself – happened in the United States, when I went to Chicago for my MBA. A disaster! I kept eating in restaurants for two years. Well, if you have ever seen the size of servings in the Midwest, you can easily picture that when I returned I could not fit into any of the clothes I took from home. None!
Always a self-starter, I learned by reading, by watching, by doing. Today I cook every day, every meal, for myself and my family. But it took me a few years to get here … And for that reason, I totally understand that it is not easy.
3. I Have A View On What Healthy Food Is
It’s true … I may even become a conversational bore if you let me.
I still remember the way we cooked and ate in Portugal when I was little and I must tell you that we knew better then. There was less industry, more food. Flours were the exception, vegetables, meat, and fish were the norms – this was in a country that was quite poor at the time. We were only allowed to eat ONE yogurt a day!
There are foods or ingredients that today take a disproportionate share of our daily diet, which is responsible for the growing obesity of the population, including children, and for diseases that significantly impair our quality of life.
When we talk about healthy eating we think of deprivation right away. And of shopping in esoteric places, of strange and distant products. I would like to show that it is not so, quite the contrary. Healthy eating is rich in flavor and nutrients, and much simpler to achieve than you might think.
4. I Love Sharing
It’s true … and I have a lot of material! I have collected books (and read them), I have followed a lot of blogs, consulted many nutrition and anti-aging specialists … I have gathered a lot of information, which I tested and filtered through at least twenty years and several phases of my life.
So, for all the above reasons, it turns out that I will love to share with you my stories, recipes, experiences, and results, to help you cook and eat better every day.
Let yourself be inspired …
With love,
Sílvia
