Food is my passion. Life is too short to eat wimpy food.
I learned to cook out of self defense. I grew up on a chicken farm in Ontario California in the '50s with a wonderful extended family, but nobody could cook! So I started experimenting.
When I went off to college, I found myself being the only kid who liked the food in the dorms. That was an eye opening experience, a big A-haa moment! It was the start of my life long voyage of food discovery.
I started exploring new food ideas, restaurants and cultures and expanded my cooking experimentation.
Later when I took a job with lots of global travel, I broadened my culinary knowledge and cooking skills. Often I'd take a cooking class when visiting a new area - but other than short courses at local cooking stores and schools and a life long love of cooking television I have no formal culinary education.
Since I retired in Sept. 2004, my wife Mary and I have been exploring the Pacific Coast of North America aboard our Valiant 50 sailboat, "Raptor Dance". We also have a vacation home in Santa Rosa, California.
We've been as far North as the West end of Vancouver Island and as far South as Zihuatanejo, Mexico. Over 7500 sea miles so far.
We often entertain, both at home and aboard. Our friends have pleaded with us to write a cook book or star in a cooking program based on our food and culinary teaching ability.
We won the 2006 - 2007 Chili cook offs in Zihuatanejo and Puerto Vallarta. So far, we're 2 for 2.
If you'd like to find out more about us and our life afloat, where we've been, read our stories and some of our recipes see
http://raptordance.com
If you want to look further into my past life, including my experience at teaching and public speaking, you can see my "Emeritus" professional profile at
http://www.linkedin.com/in/billfinkelstein
