A Tale of 2 Appetites…

 

 

Once upon a 1982, two dark-haired babies were born on opposing sides of the East coast, Christine Cochran in Clearwater, Florida, and Katy Purwin in Rochester, New York. Little could they comprehend at that time that their paths would soon cross as both relocated with their respective families, taking root in suburban Alpharetta, GA. Fast friends in high school, Christine taught Katy about the art of fashion while Katy showed Christine the perfect mascara technique, and both came together with a singular love: that of food.

                                                                                                                                                

 

Ten years later, both girls are still teaming together to garner joint culinary accomplishments, earn catering jobs large and small, and, above all, further their understanding and passion of the art that is flavor. They’re two girls living in big cities: jobs in Corporate America by day, plots to feed the world their food by night. And they have the perfect apron for every occasion. This is their blog.

Meet Katy!

 

I am fairly certain that I was predestined to cook, given that not only is every woman on the maternal side of the family a phenomenal cook, but both my Italian and Jewish/Dominican roots lend themselves to an innate fixation on food. To give a brief bio: born in Upstate New York, raised in Atlanta, met my BFF/blog co-creator somewhere around middle school. I graduated from Oglethorpe University in ‘04 with a BS and the University of Rochester’s Simon School of Business with an MBA in ’06. I currently work in brand marketing….by day, I live the uber-corporate life, and by night I’m like every other young and hungry twentysomething, trying to figure out her life and have a little fun along the way.

 

I look at the highlights of my adult life and find that so many circle back to the kitchen. Memories that we will share with you, such as developing the ice cream flavor for Jake’s, winning the sandwich contest, catering our first big event—these were momentous occasions if for no other reason than that they truly allowed my heart to sing.

 

Really and truly, the kitchen is where my passions come alive, where I feel the most me. Cooking and baking has been habitually a hobby, sporadically a job, and forever an outlet for my innermost dreams. One day, I will allow this passion to become more than a pastime, and will take the plunge into the bracing waters of following one’s dream. The exact course is yet to be determined, but one thing is certain: I’m going to be cooking for a long time to come.

 

Meet Christine!

I feel like I’m back in grade school, charged with my least favorite task: the autobiography. Funny how many times you are made to write about the same topic and how much each resulting piece varies. Alas, I must write something if we’re ever to complete this page and get this blog “rolling”…

 

My life began in Dunedin, FL where my Mom’s parents and the Italian side of my family still reside. I grew up learning how to make pasta from scratch, hanging it over broomsticks under the ceiling fans to dry while I snuggled up with Nonna to watch the latest rerun of Murder She Wrote. Soon I graduated to calamari where I learned how to decapitate, devein, and deep fry. Dessert was usually chocolate chip cookies with more oatmeal than you’d eat for breakfast. I should clarify that my dessert was usually chocolate chip cookies. With ice cream. Lots of ice cream. My grandfather, on the other hand, foregoes more traditional sweets in exchange for late night spaghetti peppered with Tabasco sauce, an aid for his “seasoned” taste buds.

The majority of my culinary education comes from my mother and her parents although my Dad’s side of the family taught me to appreciate classic sixties American cuisine. And, most importantly, my Grandfather is the only person who truly shared my unparalleled passion for ice cream. Mint chocolate chip in particular.

 

I took cooking classes in Florence, Italy, while taking a break from my very typical liberal arts education at Wake Forest University to study abroad. Since then I have dabbled in formal instruction here and there when the topic piqued my interest, but mostly I love to experiment and have picked up what little technique I have from trial and error. That’s not to say that I don’t spend plenty of time researching any recipe I can get my hands/eyes on, but I try not to get too bogged down in the details. Details kill creativity and were I to pay closer attention to them, I might not need my partner so.

 

Oh, and in the real word, I’m an IT analyst. I graduated from college into the largest consulting firm in the world, an experience that gave me priceless opportunities to live, work, and eat both across the continental US in Denver & Dallas and “off the mainland” in Honolulu. My first work experiences brought a multitude of fun & intelligent people across my path and kitchen; hopefully some of you are reading this now.

 

Three years later I decided it was time to settle back into life at home. I am now working in the same field, but locally to make women (and men) skinny “one butt at a time.” Oh, the irony J