Passion for Food from a Kid's Point of View

Pickles and Cake isn't a blog about tricking your kids into eating canned green beans or hiding zucchini in the brownies. Our blog helps break down the complicated steps of cooking, celebrates creativity in the kitchen and strives to demystify gourmet food for both kids and adults. See and taste the joy and discovery of food from a kids perspective.

What do you do when you realize that your kids will eat anything? Start a gourmet kids food blog, of course!

Once it was clear that my young daughters were adventurous eaters, I began to search for a website or blog that could help me turn my passion for food into something I could pass along to my kids. I was hoping to find ideas to kick-start meals and food related projects. I had so much trouble finding that guidance, I decided to start my own food blog dedicated to the adventurous child eater. It has been a life-affirming experience.

The name Pickles and Cake originated from two huge revelations that came my way around this same time. My first batch of butter-cream frosting and my first jar of homemade pickles. Somehow, I had no idea how different these items were from the prepackaged counterparts and it was a real eye opener for me. A little effort and fresh ingredients equaled amazing flavor that blew away anything sold in a store. It was that a-ha moment I needed.

3 years later, the girls are so involved with picking new foods and recipes to try. We take tons of eye-catching pictures of each adventure. Our favorite challenge is coming up with a new recipe. We will pick a cuisine from another culture or an unusual ingredient we found at a farmers market and use that as our starting point.

Creativity in the kitchen has always been a passion of mine and was fueled even more while attending college in the Boston area. In the Air Force and in college I was famous for taking a handful of leftover ingredients in a seemingly empty fridge and work them into an amazing meal. I found a job in fine dining while going to college and learned so much about fresh ingredients, sauces, and flavor combinations – a whole new world beyond my clever casseroles and savory stir fries opened up. This new driving force is now being shared with my children and anyone else who wants to come along for the ride.

At Pickles and Cake, we showcase both healthy and hedonistic food from around the globe. The primary focus revolves around culinary adventures and epicurean delights you can experience with your children. My daughters consistently surprise me with their enthusiasm for trying new foods and I use this blog to inspire myself and others to move beyond Easy Mac and Juice Boxes. Don't get me wrong, I love a good batch of "mac and chee” just like the next guy and I'll be the first to recognize that sometimes the easy way out is the only way to get through dinnertime. That being said, my ultimate goal is to help reinforce the belief that good food is worth making time for and that eating well should always be an option.

Take the time to cook with your kids instead of just serving them and there is a much better chance that they will eat what you bring to the table. Cooking and dining with your family can be a great way to stay connected and celebrate life's many blessings.

Is it true that every good blog entry ends with a poignant quote? Probably not, but this one does...

"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all." ~ Harriet van Horne