Hi There! I'm Jan Nunes, the creator of Encharted Cook.
I Love To Cook!... and I love sharing what I cook with family and friends. For me it isn't enough to just share a recipe though. I want you to know how I came to have my recipes and how I have adapted recipes for how we cook today. I love cooking so much, everyday I want to be a better cook and I want to be a more creative cook.
My love for cooking started when I was very young, when my Dad taught me how to make coffee on the stove...perked coffee. I remember that morning well. He asked me to stand in front of the stove as he turned on a front burner. He then asked, "can you see the height of the flame?" I could see it and I had my first "cooking" lesson.
Of course, that first pot of coffee was nothing fancy like a cappuccino or latte. It was a working man's cup of joe that my Dad loved...and I loved making it for him.
That love for cooking has never left me and over the years I have stayed current with new cooking trends as they have come up. Throughout my life I have sought to learn more and to try new cooking and baking techniques. My cooking journey has led me to take classes whenever I could.
Most notably I have had classes at some of the best culinary schools and venues in the San Francisco Bay area including Ramekins Culinary School in Sonoma, the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, and the San Francisco Cooking School.
Of all the classes I have had, my all-time favorite class was “The Great Holiday Chocolate Class” with David Lebovitz back in 2004. It was a hands-on class, where we each made 5 different chocolate treats with direct supervision by David. I still can’t believe I was so lucky to spot the class offering and learn from one of the best pastry chefs of our time!
A native Californian, I now live in Florida with my husband and two cats. I miss my beloved California with its abundance of fresh produce and international trends, but I now get to try southern regional dishes, while still discovering the latest and most fun trends in cooking and baking.
Here is a picture of me just out of the shower and toward the end of preparing a Thanksgiving Dinner in 1985. Grandma and I were chatting when someone took the photo.
From the several pictures I stumbled upon recently, I know the menu was Barbecued Turkey cooked indirect method on a round Weber Grill, My Family's Holiday Dressing, Sweet Potato Casserole (Yes! The one with the marshmallows!), Green Salad with Mandarin Oranges and Sliced Almonds, and Pumpkin Pie with Real Whipped Cream. To me this picture shows how much cooking in America has changed... and yet has stayed the same.
Today, I believe we are living in a great time for sharing what we each know and living our best life possible. I hope you will find something on my blog you love… and I would very much like to hear from you! You are all welcome to contact me. Just shoot me an email at [email protected]
So, Let's Cook! ~Jan