Telling your food story

I finally got around to watching the finale of Top Chef Masters last night. Out of 24 Chefs who have been in the industry for a long time and who have James Beard Awards, Michelin Stars, and have owned restaurants for years, it was down to three. Their final challenge, to create a four course meal that told their food story.

Course 1: Their first food memory.

Course 2: The first time they cooked something, and they knew they wanted to be a chef.

Course 3: The first restaurant they opened.

Course 4: Where they are now and where they are heading.

From making gnocchi with an Italian mother, to living over a Pastry shop in France, to taking 20 years to get the perfect black mole sauce, every moment was exquisite. My mouth watered the entire time. I would have killed to be at that table taking that journey with them. I loved the true artistry and passion each chef had for food.

So, now I have a challenge for you--write a post about it, post in the comments, send me an email as a guest post--whatever, but I want to know! You do not have to answer all of them.

Course 1: Your first food memory.

Course 2: The first time you cooked something and knew you loved to cook (or ate something and knew you loved food).

Course 3: The first time you had to cook something all by yourself (whether it turned out well or not).

Course 4: What you wish you could cook if you had the chance.

This may just be a dream menu, or maybe we'll have a dining in and you bring one of the above mentioned dishes. I just love the idea of food telling a story, starting relationships, and bringing people together who are passionate about life, love, and everything around them. What will your story be?

Around the Web in Foodie Posts for the past couple of weeks

Sorry I have been on Hiatus, y'all. Travelling puts a crimp in my writing schedule. Luckily, a bunch of bloggers have been filling in the summer blanks:

• The FMHousewives have been talking gardens. Twice!
• The Mormon Foodie took on Salt and Sourdough Starter.
• Both B-Rad and Chou have been perfecting sauces.
• Lady Holiday & Ruby have been touring grocery stores.
• Ashes checked out Maine's Lobster Fest again (though it isn't quite ex-D3er Jen's Bratfest--though, to be honest, what is???).
• Slate talks about how food storage will help Mormon's survive an apocalypse, while the Deseret News' Mormon Times talks long term food storage.
• Finally, Top Chef Masters is crowning a winner & Top Chef: Las Vegas kicks off August 19th!

Do you have posts that you have especially enjoyed this summer?

Favorite food articles around the bloggernacle and beyond...

Some of my (semi-recent) favorite food posts:

• Dinner Group Salvation from Feminist Mormon Housewives gives me ideas. . . As did their canning one.
• A great rundown of various spices from the Mormon Foodie.
• Slate's "State of the Cookie" address. . . well, conversation, really.
• The new food storage (now called "Provident Living") section of lds.org.
• Chou's food tours -- I also love her recent Iron Man-Iron Chef challenge. Next year, I am so in!
• And from one of our own, an obsession confession (which obsesses about more than food, but who cares): Thanks ash-es!

Please share more in the comments section!

ETA: Slate has a fun one for today! Terrifying, but fun.

A D3 alumna lists scrumptious sites she wants to visit in New York!