Make Me a Sam’ich!
For my inaugural blog on Dining with Dale I would like to introduce myself and why I am doing this (web site, FB page, food pics, etc.).
As a 50-year-old male, I get a quite a few comments about how I make most of the meals. It all started with my mother. She is a phenomenal cook! Growing up I always had outstanding home-made meals. I don’t think I ate a hotdog until I was a teenager (I still don’t care for most hotdogs). She didn’t like buying/serving us processed food. We sat down at the kitchen or dining room table for every meal, as a family. I think that is very important as a growing family and too often that doesn’t happen much in todays society. My mom would explain to us kids about what she was making and show us how it was done. I remember making meals with my mother and how much fun it was.
I always knew the meals I ate at home were special. My friends would comment about the great meals we had at our house. Not taking away from the wonderful meals they were getting at their house. It’s just that we ate good, really good! When I joined the Air Force I quickly learned what I was missing at home. The meals were not bad, but nothing like I was used to at home.
I was married for 27 years, and I fully admit I rarely cooked, except for grilling. I think that is the norm for most guys today. Looking back, I should have done more of the share of cooking. My wife cooked good and our kids grew up eating at the kitchen table almost every night. Again, I think this is very important for a strong family.
Shit happened, and my marriage ended. I’m not getting into the reasons for its demise… but it is a part of my story.
As a single person, I needed to start cooking again. I didn’t like eating processed/prepared foods, so, out of necessity and desire, I made my own meals. At that time in my life, I was listening to Jack Spirko of The Survival Podcast and Chef Keith Snow of Harvest Eating Podcast. I was learning about Paleo lifestyle and sustainable living and Permaculture. Those podcasts shaped the was I viewed food and my cooking style. I started to use more and more organic ingredients and non-GMO foods. I had to learn how to do without most grains (corn, wheat, soy, etc). The meats I used were mostly wild game that I harvested myself and free-range, grass fed beef, pork and chicken. Yes, it was more expensive, but the flavor was better, and I was reducing all the chemicals that most supermarket meat has imbedded. I will refrain from stepping on my Paleo soap box this post.
When I met Christi (my wonderful and lovely girlfriend), I was already fully into making all my meals with wholesome ingredients. I had to learn about the different foods she doesn’t like to eat (“fins, feathers, and fungus”). Luckily she started to eat chicken by the time I met her. I adapted my menu to her likes, but I still eat fish and wild game when she isn’t here.
Christi was taking photos of the meals I made and posting them on Facebook (FB). She was getting a lot of positive comments and likes from the meals I was creating. I started to post pictures to my wall. My brother-in-law, and a childhood best-friend, would tease me about doing the cooking in my relationship with Christi.
He would post “Make me a Sam’ich!” It is in all good fun. One day, Christi and her friends suggested that I should make a FB page that was dedicated to my cooking. They came up with the name “Dining with Dale.” Soon that FB page was created and I started to post all of my food pictures, techniques and recipes to that page. Today, I have 67 followers and that number is growing quickly.
I created this web-site so I have a better way to post recipes, and for people to find those recipes much easier. In addition, I wanted to review the equipment I use while making these recipes. I will also be reviewing various ingredients and cooking processes.
You will notice that in most of my recipes, I have started to link ingredients to Amazon. These links will take you to the same ingredients/products I use every day. I did this because I would get asked about what brand of something I used. Now you can quickly find out what I use, and an easy way to order it from Amazon. I am doing the same thing for equipment reviews. Each review will have a link to the exact product I use!
With this web site launched, I have an easier method to communicate everything I am doing with my cooking. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy sharing my experiences and food with everyone. If you haven’t had a chance to sample my cooking, give us a shout! We love to have guest over any time.
Please feel free to share anything on this site with your friends and family.
-Dale Van Camp