Welcome!
My name is Maddie, and I am a recipe developer/mad food scientist/amateur food photographer.
I grew up cooking and dreaming of being a chef. I have always loved playing in the kitchen and cooking. It’s my meditative happy place.
When I graduated from High School, I was ready to dive into the academic world and learn everything I could about food. Four and half years of late nights, studying until I went cross-eyed, infinite cups of coffee, and somehow managing to pass all of my classes I emerged with a Bachelor of Bioproducts & Biosystems Engineering with an emphasis in Food Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition.
I know what you’re thinking – what the hell is Food Engineering?
I used college as a time to learn everything I possibly could. Food Engineering taught be about how food behaves in processing (don’t be afraid of that word, chopping veggies could be considered processing!), what certain ingredients will do to the end result of a recipe, and why they are needed. All of the weird science and chemistry that is the basis for everything we do in the kitchen. Nutrition helped me understand what this all means for us – human beings! What do these ingredients do to our bodies? How are they metabolized, and why do we need them? I believe this combination gives me a unique perspective on cooking and nutrition. I use this knowledge to explore and experiment in the kitchen.
Fun fact, I’m also a Supertaster – this just means I have extra taste receptors, so I am more sensitive to different flavors in foods! I like to think that this gives me an advantage in the kitchen when I am experimenting and developing new recipes.
So what’s my food philosophy?
My food philosophy is simple. I don’t follow a diet, and I don’t have a zero tolerance policy for any food group. I eat real, whole foods most of the time. but I will indulge in what some people consider “naughty” foods. I eat healthy food because I enjoy it, and because I know eating real food makes me feel good. So when you search through my recipes, that’s what you will find. Recipes that showcase whole food ingredients, usually seasonal, and local when I can. You won’t find a library of all grain free, sugar free, gluten free, or whatever the restrictive trend of moment is (and by no means am I criticizing those who follow a specific diet) because that’s not my lifestyle. But you will find something delicious.
So this site is my outlet for all of my food experiments in the kitchen.
…so that means I am relying on YOU for your honest feedback on my creations! Welcome to my world.