Learning to cook like a Pinckney!

If there is one thing that I've learned about the Pinckney family since Graym and I have started dating, it's that they sure do like to eat. I don't mean an "eat until you want to explode" or "always seen with a cookie in one hand and a cupcake in the other" kind of eat. They like to eat good, wholesome, healthy foods that not only fill the tummy but also strengthen and develop the body. Many of the yummy meals Erin, Aunt Beth, and Kay post on Facebook (and let's not forgot all the delicious plates I've consumed at Grammie's house!) leave me with major cravings and a hope to someday be able to do the same.

See, in my house I grew up with a male chef. My papa was the master cook and he provided many of the meals. I never grew up thinking that I would ever need to be the primary meal provider but instead always imagined marrying a man who, like my papa, would prepare dinner with my occasional assistance or meal prep. As I got older and started dating, though, I quickly found out that my picture of a testosterone filled kitchen was about as uncommon as a purple duck. Ok, so that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but there is a pretty wide gap between the female/male family chef ratio. My cooking skills were (correction: are) pretty much zilch since I never learned or thought I really needed to learn how to cook.

This wouldn't be such a challenge if it wasn't for the fact that Graym has come to expect such high caliber meals. Even a simple salad is made extraordinary in this family with the various toppings of fruits, nuts, and seeds that speckle the plate with taste and color. Graym has been wonderfully food-spoiled throughout this life, firstly by his own mom's wonderful and organic cooking, and then by the nutrient-rich meals he's had at every Thanksgiving, Christmas, and birthday (and currently every day!).

The wonderful thing about this is that I don't feel like I need to cook well for Graym, but I want to. Becoming a part of this family has inspired me to dive into the world of food culture and experience for myself what healthy, home-cooked, vegetable-filled meals taste like. Though I began my quest into the world of veggies when I got to college and chose to live a healthier lifestyle, it wasn't until Graym that I became much bolder in my food choices. Though there are still many many more things to try, I can now say that I enjoy a great variety of food that are filled with flavor without the yucky fake coloring, high fructose corn syrup, and excess sugar. I've learned to read labels, pick healthier choices, and enjoy the feeling of cooking your very own meal.

As a wife-to-be, I want to provide my future husband meals that he will not only enjoy, but be good for him. I want to learn to cook from scratch, not from a box. I want to use fresh fruits and veggies, not frozen. I can even say that I would like to have my very own vegetable garden one day, where I can cook meals with the food I have hand-grown. I know I have a long way to go before I'll be able to achieve all of my culinary goals, but with a wedding just over 10 months away I really gotta jump on the bandwagon! I hope I can continue to learn and be inspired by the Pinckney family, though with food being a common conversation started and cooking a way to bring them together, I don't think that will be too difficult!

Hopefully Graym can be patient with me during our first year of marriage (I'm sure there will be many things that aren't too great but he'll lovingly eat anyways), and hopefully I can pick up a pointer or two from so many of the wonderful women in Graym's life that have fed him so well :)

Happy cooking everyone!