TheGrumpyGourmand is a test kitchen and learning laboratory for cooking. It is an honest space documenting my path to over-come a self-imposed challenge: to become an expert cook. Armed with a few basic skills imparted to me by my mother, some recipes from my grandmother, and a wild imagination, I am determined.

I am attempting to put some order to the process, by starting a cookbook challenge. Cooking my way through cookbooks old and new, from basics like The Joy of Cooking to restaurant quality recipes from Momofuku Milk Bar and Prune. I hope to gain new skills along the way like how to make perfectly poached eggs, how to chop and dice vegetables, and how to beautifully ice a chocolate buttercream birthday cake without ripping apart the cake(you know what i’m talking about…).

I plan to document new kitchen creations like peanut-brittle chocolate chip and marshmallow cookies and old standards like beef bourguignon, complete with recipes, step-by-step photos and tips (dos and don’ts). I won’t pretend to have gotten it right every time, but I will make the effort to make it twice so you don’t have to!