I have been thinking a bit more about your observations. :)

I must admit I was suprised by your appreciation of the pictures of my food because of course all I see is imperfection and things I could do better. I'm nearly always dissatisfied.

I hope you don't mind if I encourage you! :) I wonder whether as a scientist you may be a touch too comfortable with recipes ie precise formulas. Recipes are really reasuring but they tend to immunise against actually learning and gaining a personal feel and understanding of the effect of each ingredient and the effect of variation and combination. I may be over-assuming but perhaps you are more comfortable with clear and concise rules. Cooking is about perfecting through exploring and recipes are about making sure you can repeat it.

The key thing is to have a go and keep going and don't be too worried if it is too often wrong. Start off by thinking free-format like "what might be nice with what". Inventiveness and creativity so often starts with ignorance about what cannot be done and without the inhibitions of rules. If you look at a meal a couple of piccies up - it is simply bought in fishcakes and peas in a parsley sauce. Really cheap and really easy. It really couldn't be simpler but it is my wife's favourite meal.

In thinking about your post, I wonder whether the difference is that I am not scientific so like stumbling around in the dark with food and you need the light on and do not have the degree of confidence of working without the safety net of precise instructions?

Thanks again for the nice words of encouragement.

:)

Yes sir. I agree with your assessment.

Well, for me, I bust my hind end (literally) to stay in shape. I look at most food as fuel, but still have delights once in a while. My body tells me what to do most of the time. If I crave Rice or Spaghetti, I know I need carbs. If I crave Steak or Fish or Chicken, I need protein. After an especially hard run or a big workout, I sometimes get blowback on hunger where I could eat away my workout easily. I have to try and fill up on veggies more than the Cream Pie my brain THINKS it wants. ;)

The S.O. is like Sarah Jessica Parker. She eats well and does not exercise, but looks lean and fit. She barks constantly when we happen to dine together at a place like "Chef's Pancake House" that the food is too fattening and the portions are too large, while she chows it down like a starving dog. Me? I look at a stack of pancakes with Syrup and butter and say to myself, "Crap, that's a 10k run to burn that off. And my hip is still bothering me. Perhaps today, I'll have the egg white omelette with veggies. Sometimes not. My willpower is not what it used to be when it comes to delightful treats.

Today I dined at my favorite seafood bistro, "McCormick and Schmick's".

The dish? Mussels in delightful wine sauce with sourdough bread for dunking. With a Ceasar side salad. Spec Tac U Lar. :)

Yes, I know in Paris it's Mussels and Fries, but luckily, I'm not a big French Fry Fan, so I dunk Sourdough Bread instead.

Actually it is Moules frites and it is Belge not French.

That's why the chain is helpfully called Leon de Bruxelles .... :D

Philadelphia

-Cap'n Crunch cereal
-Mango Cardamom Turmeric shake

Manhattan

-Peanut butter with honey
-Salmon with potatoes, broccoli, and salad
-Sourdough bread

Today, I had a larger mug of tea. ^

I was unhappy with the amount of tea I was being served at home and it seemed the me that the bottleneck was the size of my mugs. So I ordered eight identical mugs from Amazon. Seven was sent from Milton Keynes on Thursday and arrived here on Friday, but one very lucky mug has taken the following holiday - it has to be read from the bottom up.

I hope it enjoys it's new home and being filled with tea. :)

Wouldn't it have been easier robbing them from Starbucks like everyone else ? :D

You know .... i have never been into a Starbucks. :cool:

And I refuse going to a starbucks. Absolutely refuse.

You're not missing out much. They're pretty inoffensive as it goes though.

Yup, it's just a coffee shop.
If I feel like a coffee and lo and behold there's a Starbucks in front of me I'll go in and buy one.
Same with cafe Nero.
Or any other chain.
Is there something about world domination or starving coffee plantation workers I'm missing ?

Made a lovely kale soup with a local organic farm's kale, organic carrots, some leftover steak, organic spinach, and a variety of beans. A nice hearty soup for a nice fall day -- perfect with a splash of EVOO.

In France for the weekend - they do seem to love their horse meat.
Hardly any obesity in the small city I was visiting but EVERYONE smoked like a chimney.

So, you have been eating horse meat? Or cigarettes?

What about "smoked horsemeat"? :p