Finding The Best And Bringing It Home ~ An Interview With Bunkycooks

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"Finding the best and bringing it home" is what Gwen Pratesi is all about. She cooked as a child, and as an adult you can still find her cooking up a storm. For most of us that would be enough, but not Gwen. Heading out on the open road and finding out just where her food comes from is what she now loves to do. Right along with her theme of seeking out what's best in the kitchen, Gwen not only finds out where her food comes from, but she often makes time to meet the chefs that are cooking up good food, too.

At Bunkycooks you'll find Gwen's "On The Road" series, along with her "Chef Interview" series, too. There'll be none of this just sittin' around business for Gwen. Nope she's out there finding the best and bringing it home to share with you and me.

Be sure to take a listen to my chat with Gwen, (click the arrow above). Get to know her a bit better, and her message about the important connection of "farm to table". It's worth taking some time to think about. Find out what she keeps in her pantry, and what tips she's picked up along the way from her "Chef Interviews".

Gwen shares a scrumptious Roasted Tomato Soup recipe with you, too. Perfect comfort food for year-round eating. Enjoy!

Lentil and Kale Soup ~ Weigh-In Wednesday

Ta-dah! I'm ready to begin week 2 of a Healthy New Year! Only fifty-one more weeks to go!

I've decided to call these "review-of-the-week" posts "Weigh-In Wednesday"! On Wednesdays I'll be "weighing in" both literally and figuratively. My doctors and I will know the "numbers" but you, my friend, get to hear about everything else. Okay, to be fair, at some point I'll be sharing numbers in some way shape or form, but remember that's not the focus. Getting healthy is. Thanks for being here, and for all of your support.

It's been an interesting week, which is code for "it didn't go as planned." The good news is I did start to make some changes.

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Last-Minute San Francisco Cioppino ~ A Labor of Love

The pastel pink hues of dusk were just beginning to set in the sky when I found myself arriving back home after a long day out. As I was approaching the driveway I could see, tucked away in the corner by our front door, a delivery box. What a relief. All day my thoughts were wandering away to home wondering if that very box had arrived. And it had. As promised.

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Butternut Squash Soup with Blood Orange and Honey Glazed Water Chestnuts

Okie dokie, as promised, here's the soup I made that was inspired by Chef Fraser's Roasted Squash and Chestnut Soup. As you know I'm more apt to pull out a cookbook and follow a recipe before I am willing to "play" with a recipe, especially one without measurements for the ingredients. Today's self-imposed cooking challenge was nerve-wracking and exhilarating all at the same time! I have to admit that always using a recipe is a bit like having a crutch in the kitchen to lean on. So as I'm expanding my cooking skills I'm beginning to take more chances. Are you? I hope so. Come on we'll do this together.

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An Interview with Chef Neal Fraser ~ Roasted Squash and Chestnut Soup

Click here to subscribe to the podcast at iTunes.
Right-Click here then choose "save link as" to download the podcast to your computer so you can listen to it on your portable device.

Not too long ago a family friend told Hubby about Chef Neal Fraser. He asked Hubby if he thought I'd be interested in interviewing the Chef. Hubby said he didn't think so. Hubby said no because he knew that not long before I had a less-than-appealing encounter with a chef that, well, left a bad taste in my mouth. I had said to Hubby that it would be a while before I would be willing to deal with any chefs again. It was one of those bruised ego moments that thankfully passed quickly, and I knew our family friend wouldn't offer up just anyone to me, so I decided to go ahead and inquire. I'm so glad I did, too, because Chef Fraser is an enthusiastic and passionate chef, who not only is working on realizing his dream location for his restaurant "Grace" in the summer of 2011, but he does a lot of philanthropic work, too. Take a listen to our chat, get to know Chef Fraser, and let him walk you through how to make his Roasted Squash and Chestnut Soup recipe! Tomorrow, I'll share with you my version of the recipe.

Chef Fraser, THANK YOU! We here appreciate you taking time out of your busy, busy schedule to chat with us. :-)

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