The mantra growing up was “you will finish what’s on your plate”. Not because this meant you would get dessert but because that is what you do. No ifs, ands, or buts. I’ve thought a lot about what that saying has done to my relationship with food and I’m happy that there has been a shift to stop forcing kids to eat everything. I came up with Finish The Dish as a slight throwback to my parents but more to expand my repertoire of dishes I can’t get enough of. Why go to all the effort of preparing a home-cooked meal that is just so-so?
My name is Irene Lindvall, I'm half-Japanese and I live in Western Washington state. My husband Eric is my co-pilot in this adventure, and our little dog Mia has become the street sweeper for the kitchen. My initial goal for this year long quest of recipe making was going to be a new recipe every night, but I realized that might be a little ambitious. Instead, I want to mix in my old favorites, perfect them if possible, and share them with people. I am also stipulating that we will not be eating dinner at our home every night so I will be trying my hand at baking (I currently suck at it) as well as making a lovely breakfast or lunch to keep me honest in my desire to learn new dishes. The idea of having a daily update seems daunting, but I want to document it. Mostly because I love taking photos of food (hopefully I can become better at this as well), but I think it will help me be accountable for making a home cooked meal. Other desires include opening up my new crock-pot, further exploring what my Dutch oven and cast iron skillets can do and delving further into my roots in Japanese cuisine. Above all else, I will be honest in detailing what I learn, no matter how big or small, because there is no reason to be afraid of cooking.