Introduction

Hello fellow steemers, this introduction is a little overdue but I am still fairly new to the platform. My name is Lorenzo and I am from Michigan, USA. Believe it or not I am not in college as I am still in high school. In school I receive straight A's and am beginning to take college classes while still in high school. Unfortunately, my school doesn't have a cooking class so I decided to start a food blog to explore my interests in cooking further. Besides cooking and school I enjoy spending time with my family, working out, and fishing. Now that you know a little more about me, I will explain more about my food background and blog.

My Cooking Style

I have been cooking for as long as I can remember and have always been fascinated by cuisine. Some of my fondest memories include my Nona (Italian word for Grandma) teaching me how to cook. My Nona's kitchen was capable of turning out Michelin capable cuisine along with some Gordon Ramsay style berating on my Nona's part (often directed at me for fucking up the canoli). In terms of my cooking style my roots are definitely in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. However, through my curiosity for other cultures, I am always seeking new cuisines to explore. The most unique aspect of my cooking is that after dabbling in another culture's cuisine I take the next step to fuse one culture to another on the same dish. The result is always something new and exciting.

My Food Philosophy

My food philosophy is extremely simple; in fact it can be summarized in one word: Real. What do I mean by real food? Well real simply means the food I cook uses the freshest ingredients in their most unprocessed form (when possible). Having a "Real" food philosophy is the best way to eat right and stay in shape. The biggest challenge to this is getting the food to taste good enough to the point that a sugar crazed 5 year old would enjoy it. Folks, great tasting food doesn't need to be loaded up with sugar, salt, and fat. In many of my dishes the main flavorings are high quality spices and even the main ingredients themselves such as vegetables or fruits.

My Work

The following are my latest creations:

Pictured above is my take on a French classic: Ratatouille. This version derives some influence from the Italian dish caponata as well. On top is a finger of polenta for added sustenance. Surrounding the Ratatouille on the bottom is a vinegary roasted pepper sauce. This sauce was necessary in balancing with the rich olive oil roasted vegetables.

Above is my interpretation of the classic short rib. I braised the short ribs with red wine and beef stock for about 4 hours in the oven. In making the side gravy I separated the fat from the drippings and added roasted garlic for a rich yet clean sauce. My twist was the raspberry wine reduction and the parsley foam. The tart, acidic reduction paired nicely with the fattiness of the short ribs. In addition, the parsley foam added more vibrancy to the dish.

If you are interested in my food blog please show your support by up-voting my story, following me, and resteeming thank you! Also please comment and I will do my best to reply to everyone :)