about

Welcome to the merry gourmet – my little corner of the net where I share my experiences with all things culinary. I’ve been on a constant mission to teach myself to cook, and the merry gourmet is where I share that adventure with you.

I eat. I cook. And I write about it.

Merry-Jennifer, aka the merry gourmet

A Little History

I grew up eating frozen TV dinners, macaroni and cheese out of the blue box, and tuna noodle casserole. Like most working parents, mine didn’t always have the time – or money – for much else. I have a few standout food-related memories from my childhood – oyster roasts by a bonfire, tasting a sip of Dom Perignon at age twelve, baking homemade pretzels with a babysitter, and watching sausage being made from a freshly slaughtered hog at a babysitter’s house. I think these vivid memories have helped spark the interest in food and wine that I have today.

When I became pregnant with my daughter in 2003, things changed for me. There was something about becoming a mother that made me want to step into the kitchen after avoiding it for years. My husband had always done the cooking for us, but the tide began turning that year. Later, when Madeline was around six months old, my husband and I took a six-week long wine-tasting course that met once a week. In addition to being a great excuse to have have a scheduled babysitter for date night, it was a real eye-opening experience into the vast world – and culture – of wine.

My day job has nothing to do with food or wine. I’m a practicing physician, and I’ve learned that it’s in my best interest — good mental health, you know – to have hobbies and passions outside of work. So, while I spend most of my days at work, most weekends are mine to mess around in the kitchen.

I’m having a blast teaching myself to cook, and I know that my children are watching. I’m hoping to provide them with some good memories of their own.

Disclosure

Any products I write about here on the merry gourmet are products that I like using for one reason or another. Occasionally, I may receive a product sample free, and if I choose to write about that product, I promise to disclose how I received it. If it’s not explicitly stated, you can assume I spent my own cash for the ingredients and equipment that I use.

Comments and Feedback

I welcome comments, so please leave me one. In fact, I get lonely if I don’t have comments on my posts. If I’ve made an error or typo, or if you have other constructive criticism, please feel free to comment or email me. But, please be kind and polite in your comments. Since this is my little spot on the web, I reserve the right to delete any offensive or rude comments. Also, if your comment contains any links that seem like spam, I’ll delete it.

Would you rather email me? Please do! I promise to answer all of my emails in a timely fashion. You can reach me at themerrygourmet [at] gmail [dot] com or at merryjennifer [at] gmail [dot] com.