Disclaimers by a Reluctant Cook in China

I like to write and I like to eat but I never seem to have time to do either. Actually I do, of course, eat regularly. I have been known to become "hangry" (hungry+angry) when I go for long periods without food (aka more than a couple of hours), so I tend to eat 3-4 times a day in an attempt to be more likable.

When I say I don't have time to eat then, I mean I don't really have much time to eat the delicious home-made food I grew up eating and which keeps me healthy and satisfied and feeling like a real person. While I still eat fresh and healthy things, they tend to consist of the same ingredients tossed together in a salad, which is fine a few times a week but can get old. I am starting this blog in an effort to write, and eat, and share with others my attempt to balance a busy schedule and an aversion to dishes with my desire to eat at home, to eat varied things, to eat well. A few things you should know about me if you still want to read on:

1. I grew up Italian-Brazilian and tend to lean towards light, mediterranean food.
2. I live in Shanghai, China, and am constantly battling to find ingredients I enjoy cooking with at a reasonable price; this often means I need to get creative!
3. I am a total amateur. This means I keep things simple and anyone should be able to cook what I cook; it also means you should not come here expecting fancy gourmet food.
4. I have no fancy kitchen equipment.
5. I hate recipes.
6. I may occasionally (aka often) pepper this blog with non food-related things because I sometimes need a place to just rant a bit.
7. I am not a super enthusiastic cook; I just like homemade food.
8. I have a busy work schedule and my life does not revolve around the kitchen. I try to use my time in the kitchen as efficiently as possible so I can keep a full-time job, eat homemade and still have a social life!

That's it, enjoy!