After a life in the media, first radio, then Public Broadcasting, Independent filmmaking and finally on staff for a large animation production company I embarked on the passion of my life, cooking. Cooking began for me in an economics class in Jr. High where making biscuits awakened my sleeping brain. I began running home after school to pull out one of mom's cookboods where I'd close my eyes, open the book and attempt to cook whatever my finger landed on. I still play this game with the vast array of cookbooks and magazines I've collected over the years. In 2001 I opened the WildFlower Cafe in Mosier, Oregon with the help of my husband who ran the front of the businesses while I cooked with my staff. Our 2,000 sq. ft. building, summer staff of 20+ employees and 83 seats made a lot of folks very, very happy for almost 5 years. We sold the place and for 2 years I pulled back, planned a house we had built for us then tried working in childcare finding it almost as crazy as owning a restaurant.
Now, I am launching WildFlower Chef Services, on-line cooking classes in which I teach my guests and viewers how to cook.
The latest writings in our culinary society hit upon the idea that Americans have become couch cooks, a phenomenon that started when Julia Childs hit the airwaves. I can't refute this stance though I am sure it over looks the hundreds of thousands of cooks it did get to avoid the couch because they were indeed in the kitchen. Our couch society was not created by cooking shows, it just became another channel the couch potatoes switched to. OOPS I am refuting the article so never mind. Fact is, there are those who merely watch and those who do.
I hope to reach those wiling to cook, to learn, to experiment and to change eating habits. In the process I will be turning people onto the Columbia River Gorge. A fact I take on with some hesitation. I see what happened to my beloved town of Portland, Oregon which has evolved into one of the hippest, foodiest, interesting cities in America when I really loved it best BEFORE everyone else discovered it. Same with the Gorge. We are not over crowded, over polluted, over foodized but we will get there. There is just too much great local food and wine out here NOT to be discovered and the day my little valley of Mosier appears on the cover of Gourmet, or Bon Appetit, or Saveur then I'll shed a tear, proudly however.
So, my latest incarnation is that of instructor which brings me around full circle having graduated from The University of Northern Colorado education certified. I also specialize in creating cocktail parties, catering cocktail parties and small dinner parties and bake for a couple of coffee houses. All of this makes me happy and that is just what Jobs talks about in his commencement speech.
My blog will cover many different things. I have musings of being a restaurant owner, I have personal musings of life and food. I even will sell my WildFlower Cafe Cookbook on-line as it has some old one-of-a-kind family recipes such as grandmother Vera's date bread pudding as well as original recipes from my heart that fed thousands of happy customers who drove for miles to dine at The WildFlower Cafe.
My blog could be titled "MY BRAIN ON FOOD."
Join me, follow my brain if you can, soon, watch my videos, learn, share, dine.
Best Wishes,
WildFlower Chef Suzi
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