Welcome to Taurus at the Table! My name is Abby, I’m a 23-year-old located in Maryland, right outside of Washington, DC. I’m starting up this blog as a lover of food – but also a lover of my comfort zone. My writing will follow my journey as I broaden my horizons in the world of food.
As the title of my blog suggests, I am a Taurus. I’ve always believed my astrological sign plays into both my love for both food and my comfort zone. One day we can really get into the nitty gritty of the astrology – but let’s just start with the basics. Tauruses are known to be food lovers, valuing the material world and the finer things in life (think wine, cheese, charcuterie, glowing candles, expensive perfume, etc.). We love to use our senses and food is the perfect outlet. However, Tauruses are also notoriously stubborn (we are represented by the bull, after all). We love stability, reliability, routine, and comfort.
Those descriptions may be stereotypes or generalizations, but for me? They’re reality.
I wouldn’t call myself a chef by any means. I’m an anxious, meticulous, serial recipe follower. When I’m in the kitchen, I keep my eyes on the written recipe the whole time – even if I’ve made the meal a hundred times over. I follow the step-by-step instructions like they’re law.
“Adventurous” is not necessarily how I am with food – but I’m not closed off either. I’m somewhere between a kid who only eats chicken tenders and Anthony Bourdain.
When it comes to picking a restaurant – I often find myself in a rut. I’ve probably got a roster of 5 restaurants that I’ll end up choosing from. And if I try to branch out and try a new place – I get overwhelmed by my options and give up.
I’m very lucky to live in a town with no shortage of local restaurant options. Within a mile of my house, I can find over 10 cuisines including Kenyan, Korean, Vietnamese, Guatemalan, Greek, Salvadoran, and Jamaican. Just driving down the street I’m surrounded by storefronts with mouthwatering images of their meals plastered on the windows – calling out “Abby! Abby! Try something new!”
So today I’m here to answer their call.
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved food. I remember being no older than 7 years old, sitting in front of my TV watching Rachel Ray, Giada De Laurentiis, Guy Fieri, and Ina Garten. Who needs Nickelodeon when you can discover America’s greatest Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives?
I wasn’t a gourmet chef as a kid, but scrambled eggs and hot dogs were the two main dishes I could prepare for myself. I remember I used to heat up a frying pan, throw in some butter and a hot dog. Then I would open that spice drawer and go to town: salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, Italian seasoning, you name it. This was like a creative outlet for me – I could put any spices I wanted on my hot dog; the world was my oyster!
However, somewhere along the way I lost that creative touch I once had in the kitchen when I made my hot dogs. As much as I love to watch shows like Chopped or Guy’s Grocery Games – where the contestants throw together a scrumptious meal with unlikely ingredients – I just feel like that’s not a reality for me.
But life is short, and I want to feel free and creative with my food. So, what’s stopping me?
Through this blog I am embarking on a journey to get adventurous with food. I’ll be trying new recipes, new restaurants, and freestyling in the kitchen to see what I can create. Join me as I push myself out of my stubborn, Taurus, comfort zone!