And on the 8th day there was a dinner party and it was good.

This is a blog about eating, and how we create the food that we eat. It is a blog about cooking, dinner parties, potlucks, BBQ's and late night snacks.  It is also about the people with whom we cook and with whom we share food.

'The eating club' is the unofficial name of a group of Seattle based friends.  It seems like all of our social activities revolve around cooking, eating, or both. Some of us have moved away and others have joined the eaters in Seattle. We thought it would be fun to share our cooking and dining experiences with you and each other even though we may not all be able to eat together all of the time.

...continues after the break

Our monthly chefs
Bex: In Seattle, From Northern Ireland
   Bex is... the Cooking Maverick.
Not one to stand on ceremony in the kitchen. I am much more of a cooking maverick; throwing measuring to the wind and wielding my spices and herbs with reckless abandon. For you, the great readers of The Shared Oven, I will however try my utmost to note down what I do and more importantly how much I use. As for cuisines, I enjoy cooking and eating a variety; but if you are looking for seafood you will have to wait for one of our other fine chefs - scallops and I don't agree with each other to put it midly.

Jed: In Seattle, From Bellevue, WA
   Jed Fowler is... the Cooking Engineer.
Born to a family that made everything from scratch, Jed struggled with reconciling his filial prejudices about proper cooking etiquette against the desire to squeeze an extra hour of World of Warcraft into each day. Finally kicking his crippling MMORPG/Honey Nut Cheerios addiction, he discovered that his true love isn't necessarily cooking per se, but rather working everything so the cooking process is timed as neatly as possible. It's less about food and more about managing the projects 'critical path.'

Matt: In Seattle, From Issaquah, WA

Rae: In London, UK, From Bellevue, WA

Spot: In Winston-Salem NC, From Cody WY/ Milwaukee WI
   Spot is the self proclaimed Pot Luck Queen. I love to coordinate eating events but I don't like to do all the cooking myself. My cooking tendencies lean towards comfort food and old favorites rather than the gourmet. I have been accused of being an indiscriminate eater. This is not the case. I generally have discerning taste in food unless I am really hungry. Unfortunately, I get really hungry about 5 times a day. My cooking style is chaotic. My kitchen is always a mess after I cook. I hate measuring things. I normally measure and pay attention the first time I make something and then I just make it up after that. Cooking is more fun that way. 

 Steve: In Winston-Salem NC, From Bellevue WA/San Fransisco CA
   On the one hand, I grew up eating an average American diet: crap.  McDonald's, sodas, Eggo waffles, ramen, and frozen pot pies.  The guilty truth is I STILL ADORE JUNK FOOD!  On the other hand, from a young age I've had the privilege of the finest food culture in the form of my step mother's amazing Spanish cooking and her masterful adoption of my father's traditional Peruvian cuisine.  So I also have a taste for amazing food with bold flavors and a total disregard for modern west coast "granola" healthy norms.  I love bread, rice, and meat (fish, shellfish, beef, pork, lamb, and, oh god yes, chicken).

Ursula: In Seattle, From Seattle