[KYHeirloomer]

Yes, we do, Cathy. But I think we need to get something straight.

Different means different. It does not mean better or worse. I happen to think meatloaf is real good eats. I don't make it only because it upsets Friend Wife's system. And nothing in the world holds a candle to soup beans with some onion chopped in and a hunk of cornbread on the side.

I cook the way I do for several reasons. First off, I have the time and inclination. There's nothing I enjoy more than fooling around with different flavors, and ethnic influences, and ingredients. That's also why I plate a bit more fancy than most people. It's part of the dining experience. For instance, last night's starter consisted of a small wedge of the Tortilla on a saucer. Criss-crossed over it were two strips of red pepper confit. Flanking it, on one side, was a pair of olives, on the other a couple of dilled aspargus spears. Not the sort of thing I expect the typical home cook to do.

Second, it's part of my work. As you know, I'm in charge of the cookbook review staff at Cheftalk.com. But I do many of the reviews myself. Our rule of thumb is that a reviewer prepare at least two recipes from each book. Personally, I'm not satisified unless I do at least three---two savory and one sweet. So a lot of the meals I prepare are based around recipes in those cookbooks.

This whole menu:

Tortilla Espanole (starter)
Turmeric Squid with Tamarind Sauce
Cous Cous
Orange-Mint Salad
Cappiciano Pana Cotta

with the exception of the cous cous, came entirely out of such cookbooks. Here's the breakdown:

Tortilla Espanole---from the brand new CIA's Spain and the World Table, although it's a classic tapa.

Turmeric Squid with Tamarind Sauce---from Where Flavor Was Born, which I consider one of the most important cookbooks published in 2007.

Orange-Mint Salad---from The North African Kitchen. A great recipe, btw, especially as a foil to more spicy foods.

Cappiciano Panna Cotta---from the book Panna Cotta: Italy's Elegant Custard Made Easy. Perhaps the most complex recipe in the book, because it consists of three different layers.