United States Chef

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I Love Wagner Ware

Lutz, FL. , FL (United States)
Joined October 02, 2012
Intermediate Cook

1 recipe

Active Chef, 98 CookEatShare points

CookEatShare Points

Profile - 23

Recipes - 2

Photos - 9

Reviews - 24

Comments - 24

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Friends - 8

Groups - 8

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Total - 98

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My recent absence: 11 days in St Joe's north, now I'm in rehab and most likley be here several more weeks, not dead yet! blessings to all

About me

The last line of my profile stats states I'm a active chef, this is not true, I have not found any means to edit this line. At the best I'm a intermediate cook, Never would I have the unmitigated chutzpah to title myself as chef, an honor one must earn through education, apprenticeship and qualification, just assuming the title is the absolute expression of disrespect for the profession, art and the people that have the discipline to earn the title. just had to set the record straight.

Grew up in a rural area about two hours out of Chicago in the 50's, raised primarily by my maternal Grand Parents, William and Maude (Spitfire) Rosenberg. Grandma was full blooded Cherokee, Grandpa was 3/4 Cherokee & 1/4 Jewish Russian immigrant of the early 1800's, Lewis Rosenberg, a medical practitioner. My pop was Sicilian, liberated when the allied forces took Sicily, (WWII) he was an aviator joining the allied forces on liberation. Both of my folks were lost to the Korean conflict in '52, I have no memory of them. Many of his extended family immigrated and settled in Chicago, most went into business, baking, restaurants & commercial food supply. Being Sicilian their dedication and love of family well, they took responsibility for me when I became too much for folks in their 90's to deal with. My good fortune continued when their culture and work ethics rubbed off on me, I have been given such blessings, luck and done disgustingly little with those blessings.

Grandma was skinny, barely 5' tall, at 100 she could still touch her toes, had a vocabulary that could leave any gathering of Navy Chief's red faced. She was determined, loving, tender, loved to teach and an incredibly talented and resourceful cook, she also had a short and very volatile fuse, she could wing any cast iron utensil at least 40' with deadly accuracy, I've got the scars to prove it, didn't take much to get the vocabulary into overdrive. Naturally the long time patrons of her "Tailor Street Diner" considered her venomous raving as supper entertainment often sitting at the counter with a newspaper reading an article aloud, saying "Spitfire what do you think about that"
just hoping they could hit the right button for lift off.

My most fond memory’s, standing on my crate next to her before a monstrous, looming black "Malleable" wood fired stove. This is the source of my love and respect of cooking and those that have mastered the art through practice and perseverance.

When the Calo's and Bonelli's took me in the first place I settled in was the kitchen, this is where the real education and appreciation for the foundation & wisdom grandma gave began.

It gives me pleasure and comfort to think of you and hope you enjoy and share the treasures from Grandma's wisdom and my experimentation. What a shame it would be to loose these to the fog of time.

All recipes are basic guides and how to develop techniques and why, it is up to you to make it your own. My best advise to anyone developing their cooking skills, handle and select your ingredients with care most of all, cook with love and cherish the memories the scents and experience bring to mind, pass this love and respect to your children. Every body has to eat, knowing how to select nutritious ingredients and preparing them in a flavorful interesting and economical fashion is just a logical survival skill everybody should know.

My challenge now is converting my bizarre three hands of Jasmine rice, two 3 finger pinches of ... style into something logical for everybody, guess a counting-averaging scale is in my future.

"May the Schwartz be with you" Mel Brooks

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