Thursday, January 29, 2009

Hi! I’m Hot Pepper – the senior voice more so in terms of professional years :-) I chose this name because I’m spiceeecy…. I like all things hot, probably because of my Louisiana roots.

Hi ! I’m Thyme – this is a most appropriate name for me since I love all things that have to deal with food and cooking. Herbs are the way that I give spice to each and every dish that I cook. My friends always say that I infuse love into food that I prepare, and I would say that it is so true. I chose the name Thyme because this is my time --- my time to shine and to show the world what I am made of.

Welcome to our blog. This is our first attempt at writing a blog, so please bear with us as we fine tune our entries and get this dish cookin’. Please excuse the play on words related to food, but we’ll probably be doing some of that unless it gets obnoxious or boring. However our desire to use food metaphors is very much connected to reasons for this blog. Let us explain.

Hot Pepper: We both are nutritionists by training with academics, research, science, dietetics, doctorates and other initials out the ying-yang behind our names. A few years back, I started this non-profit, the Community Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI), to begin doing some programs and activities outside of my real job. I’m a frustrated bureaucrat, who wanted to give back to my community hopefully in a meaningful way. Needless to say life took over and for various reasons my dream didn’t really take off. In 2008, I decided no matter what, I was going to start back on CFNI, come hook or crook, cohorts or not, money or not. I thought the best way to get started was to create a website and web-based activities that could be done in addition to working for food and a roof over my head.

I started talking to Thyme who’s the more technologically astute among the two of us. She was game and off we went. The goal was to establish the website by the end of 2008 ---- mission accomplished. A major, major objective was to have fun. Thyme suggested writing a blog and now with this entry ---- mission accomplished. With that said, let us tell you a little bit about how we hope to plan the menu, shop for the ingredients, cook up a storm, lay the table, and enjoy the fruits of our labor. Again the food metaphors, but thru this blog we plan to:

1. Journal the development of CFNI.
2. Highlight our Skillet Gatherings.
3. Feature recipes.
4. Describe visits to local food venues (i.e., farmers’ markets, farms, interesting places to eat) so look out for Hot Thymes in the City!
5. Provide food and nutrition information.
6. Display lots and lots of pictures.

Thyme: Our first Skillet Gathering was a dream come true --- a forum where we blend food, conversation, and community. We invited those who came from far and near to share in our first Skillet Gathering on January 20, 2009. This marked a new beginning for us. A time when we celebrated the inauguration of our first African American President, and it was important for us to celebrate the launching of the CFNI website, this marks the dawn of a new day. Through Skillet Gatherings we hope to share food, recipes, and great meals with friends, new and old --- a format that we hope to share with the world. Gone are the days of what not to eat, but here comes a fun way to share and live a life full of enthusiasm for what food can be. Food was meant to nourish our souls and heal us from within. If this is what you are looking for, then you have come to the right place.

It’s our thyme!