Around the same time, another aspect of food began to intrigue me: the healthful side of eating. Everyone knew the phrase, "eat your broccoli," and that Popeye was so strong because he ate his spinach, but what was it about those foods that made them good for you? Why were you supposed to eat vegetables? Why did it matter if you had ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner? I would ask my parents, but they could only answer so much, and I found that my curiosity continued on. I tried to research some of this stuff on my own, but discovered quickly how confusing and convoluted food and nutrition information is on the internet.
It wasn't until the end of my freshman year of college that I actually took the plunge and adopted a major that would help me answer all of my questions while, at the same time, teaching me even more about the science behind food that could help with my baking aspirations. I became a nutrition major and haven't looked back since. At the end of my sophomore year, I took another deep breath and started up this blog. College wasn't the easiest stage in my life, and I found myself in a constant balancing act between wanting to look at things in a positive way but falling prey to natural internal pessimism, something I now like to call Floptimism. It was my hope that by learning to cook and bake (more than boxed brownies and grilled cheese), I would be able to overcome the cynicism within me. So many things can go wrong in the kitchen, and minor set-backs can seem like catastrophes in the heat of the moment. If I could learn to keep my cool in those situations, maybe I could do the same in others. At the very least, it would give me a hobby that involved a deep passion of mine, and I would learn a new skill in the process.
I never imagined that Floptimism would turn into what it has become. Of course I fantasized about becoming the next Julie of Julie and Julia stardom, I would get book deals and a cute celebrity actress would play me in a film rendition of my journey. But realistically, I could only ever picture my family reading what I had to say. I'm so grateful for and thrilled about all of the people I'm now able to share my recipes and experiences with. I feel like I have grown so much as a cook and a person, expressing myself to you and reading about your own personal stories. I haven't quite mastered the art of Optimism yet, but I'd like to think I'm getting a little better at bouncing back from the flops than ever before.
Plus, I can now officially say that I can do more than bake boxed brownies and cook grilled cheese ;)
Thank you for reading!
-Jess
