The Return of Abandons that are Reckless.

And we're back! I've been absent since 10/25! Wow!  So much has happened--I have a kitchen table and chairs (long story, I'll not get into it)! I have inspiration in the form of Zeigen Boch (another long story, which I will get into soon)! I have a new cookbook (see below)!

It was time well-spent away from cooking, for sure.  Quite frankly, I was mired in writer's block.  And not just regular writer's block--self-esteem writer's block.

This story begins in high school; I have always enjoyed writing and feel as though there are whole aspects of myself that can only be expressed through the page.  I was editor of the newspaper and had my own column.  I had things to say back then, but mostly due to a deadline.  Besides, who doesn't know everything at eighteen? In college I wrote papers instead of opinions, but still maintained a weepy-livejournal. I eventually stopped because I felt as though I had nothing more important (or weepy) to say.

Similarly, I feel like I have nothing innovative or important to add to the blog-world, or food-world, or food-blogging-world.  With so much good out there, what fresh spin did I have on the matter?

First world problems, amiright?

I gave this matter some thought, however.  I realized that I didn't place any major goals on the blog originally because I wanted to simply write about food, either made by me or someone else.  This lack of vision is the greatest strength and weakness about this blog--I am often at a loss of what to cook with such broad horizons. 

With new revelations come new missions! I renew my vision for Reckless Abandon: I want to cook, and write about it, in a way that entertains not only myself, but hopefully, the general public.  I want to try new things, find new ways to make old things, or simply make the old things.  This is about cooking for the love of it, and writing about it for the love of it.  No less, no more.

So, on to the cooking! I bought The Gourmet Cookbook for a steal on Amazon, a suggestion from CHOW's cookbook of the month forums.  This thing is a tome--over 1,000 recipes, in hardback, with sewn-in bookmarks.  A coworker thought it was a bible out of the corner of her eye. In a way, it is. A cooking bible.

I have already flagged a few recipes from the book and have plans to make them soon.  Stay tuned!