I'm Hungry Let's Cook.... Back to the beginning

People ask me ALL the time how and why I love cooking. I will start by telling you a little about myself. My name is Amanda and I was born in Canada with Southern roots. I am married with 6 kids, ranging in ages from 13-26. Two oldest are boys, followed by 4 girls. My mother was born in MooseJaw and raised in both Saskatchewan and Alberta. My father was born in Southern Louisiana, and moved around a lot due to my grandfather being in the oilfield. My parents met in Edmonton, got married and had me. Unfortunately my parents divorced and my father moved back to Louisiana to be with his parents and family.

I spent many summers in the deep south fishing, swimming in the bayou, sitting on the docks baiting crabs, spending time at the Gulf of Mexico and learning about my roots.

My mom liked to cook, but really only the big meals for holidays. My sister, brother, and I were young, so we were scooted out of the kitchen when it was time for the meals to be made. She rarely let us help or learn when we were little. Most meals at home on a daily basis were simple. Basic meat, potatoes, veggies, or some nights was soup and sandwiches. Mom was definitely a great cook when she wanted to be. Holidays rolled around and we all could not wait for the favourites; cabbage rolls, stuffing and the turkey! It made our tummies growl with all the amazing smells coming from the kitchen. To this day I still use her recipe for stuffing, and it brings back so many fond memories.

The summers in the south is where the love of food for me began. My grandmother and stepmom were and are my biggest mentors and influential women in my life. There never has to be a reason for a lot of food to be made when you are Cajun. There is always a gathering, a party, or a festival of some sort happening.

The summer I turned 16 I was your regular rebellious teenager and made the decision to move to the south. Grade 11, my junior year, was tough. I was the new kid in school and the curriculum was not the same. After school I would help my grandmother or my step mom make meals, or just watch and learn. I honestly would skip homework, or lie it was done, to sometimes watch the process going on in the kitchen. Sorry mom and dad, yes I skipped a lot of homework lol. On the weekends the smell of a roux being made filled the house. Gumbo was always a full morning affair in any true Cajun household. Of course a good gumbo was never complete without potato salad. My parents were early risers and sometimes we would go outside and find an ice chest already filled with crabs, which meant either a boil or some work ahead. The painful, time consuming process of peeling live crabs was not fun, but those sore fingers was always worth it. Family gatherings often meant a crawfish boil was going down. The smell of Tony Chachere’s and crab boil seasonings simmering in the boiling pot, was heaven. While we lined the tables with newspaper, my dad threw in the potatoes, onions, sausage and corn on the cob into the pot. Once those ingredients had boiled for awhile the 45 pound sack of crawfish was added. All the kids stood around trying to listen to see if they made any noise. When people hear Louisiana the first things that come to mind... New Orleans, Zydeco music, and of course Tabasco. My parents live 10 minutes from Avery Island, where the famous Tabasco is made. Tours of the jungle gardens, the gift shop, and the Tabasco plant are a must when I venture home. On some days you can smell the unique spice in the air.

I graduated highschool and spent another year and a half exploring cooking and learning about myself. Then I decided to return to Canada, got married and began a family. I made a lot of my kids’ baby food so they could experience different tastes, smells and textures. As they grew older they helped me in the kitchen, creating fun healthy meals. My children have become my biggest critics as well as my favourite cheerleaders. I have to admit sometimes I took their criticism hard. The last few years I began documenting what I create and spending more time looking at recipes, and putting my own spin on some dishes that say ME. I have never really gone by a recipe, cooking to me is the marriage of flavours and smells to make the soul satisfied. My husband and I love going on road trips to find little places and try dishes. Everytime I go home (I call home Louisiana) the smell of the swamp, the humidity, and walking into my parents house meant gaining a few pounds. My step mom is always prepared to make all my favourites and spoil us. Our daily adventures consist of finding and inhaling the incredible cuisine of the deep south. A list of my favourites are Boudin and Cracklins’, Catfish, PoBoys, Jambalaya, Gumbo, Crawfish, Crabs and Cowboy Beans(my stepmom is the queen of this dish and I still can not get this one completely right).

Blog adventures have been something I have wanted to do for a long time. My husband has encouraged me for a few years, as well as many co-workers, family and friends. The push came from someone who I admire very much. She is a creator, a mom, a warrior, a wife, and owner of 3 local restaurants. Talking about myself is not the easiest, but I am going full throttle to do something I love... talking, creating, and experiencing this adventure. I am excited for you all to join me, and my co-blogger Liz, sharing our favorite dishes, memoirs, and history. On occasion we will pop in a few blogs from chefs in our beautiful lake town.

Cheers,

Amanda Gibson

Sylvan Lake Alberta Canada