Sorry for the prolonged absence.  I am nearly 35 weeks now, and I have been TIRED.  I’ve done a little cooking and a little eating, but the big tech news is that my T2i arrived today, so perhaps my pictures will be improving.  As far as cooking goes, I made a stracciatella semifreddo today for the big dinner tomorrow … and I am cooking (with my brother-in-law) an umpteen course Thanksgiving feast for at least 12.  I am posting this today mostly to bind myself to the necessity of a great big Cook post soon.  Thanks for your patience!

Just a few lines in the way of objectives, while I get my act together.  Three of my favorite hobbies are playing with my tech toys, eating in nice restaurants and cooking at home.  I’ve been an Apple aficionado for nearly 20 years, and while I’m not a programmer or any kind of paid expert, I have converted 3 friends over to the land of OS X, persuaded many more to get iPhones, and as my reward, serve as tech support for all of them.  Actually, I serve as tech support for all of my friends, even the ones who persist with Windows computers and opt for Android phones.  It’s not that I have any formal training; it’s just that I have a good sense for how these things should work, enough interest to keep on top of tech news, and the determination to fix tech issues no matter how long it takes.  (It helps if they’ll buy me a latte, though.)

I’ve also long enjoyed dining at Chicago’s many awesome restaurants, and want to start keeping track of all my fabulous meals (and cocktails and glasses of wine.  I LOVE me some fancy cocktails).  This blog may be a bit ill-timed on that front, however; my first baby is due in December, so cocktails have been non-existent, and I’ve been needing to get the approval of the seafood app on my iPhone every time I order a meal.  I can only assume that the presence of my as-yet-unnamed baby boy will coincide with a sad decline in my restaurant excursions.  That’s OK though — it’ll make me all the more enthusiastic about those I actually get to go to, and, it leads nicely into the final topic of this site …

Cooking!  I’ve always had an on-and-off interest in cooking, mostly aspirational.  I was the kind of person who lusted after fancy kitchen equipment and rarely used it once acquired.  However, I redid my kitchen in a pretty modest way about two years ago, and ever since then, I’ve been cooking more and more.  I also encountered a cliché pregnancy side effect — nesting.  The cooking frequency has increased exponentially, and I’m happy to say I’m pretty good at it.  I’m constantly clipping recipes to Evernote (so they are right there to search on my iPhone from Whole Foods, natch) and have even started baking a bit.  If you knew me, you’d know that means business as far as I am concerned — my initial forays were savory only, and my only electric mixer is a 38-year-old hand mixer that I believe my parents were given as a wedding present.  The power cord is constantly falling out — and yet I still made chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes with them that people have been raving about for weeks.  Weeks, I tell you!  Anyway, with baby on the way, I hope to be making his food at home and posting about it here, along with items that are more palatable for adults.

I think these three topics mesh together really nicely — for instance, I don’t have an iPad yet, but I think if and when I get one (not till the 2nd generation, I’ve been an Apple fan long enough to learn that lesson), its primary utility for me will be as a cooking aid.  So, I plan to be posting pictures of delicious dishes, musing on whether to buy new Apple products, and gushing over gustatory delights.  I hope you’ll check back in soon.