Description

You may ask, "why the hell am I reading this blog? I'm not a nerd!" Or maybe you suspect that you are, and are, as yet, unwilling to admit it. But ultimately, a blog that is about cooking for nerds requires a description of what that means, at least to me.

Many things have been written, and many words said, disparaging the "nerd." As with many things, the contempt lies not in truth, but in words. The term "nerd," once a epithet laid at the feet of the pocket-protectored, Commodore 64 programming high pants wearers that sought to hide from social interaction, has become a badge of honor. Nerds invented the internet. Not Al Gore. Though he is a nerd. Nerds created the computer you're now using. Nerds are the reason that your TV is pretty, and the reason that you have video games. Nerds created microwaves, iPods, and even the electric motor that coaxes your blender into turning a handful of ingredients into a margarita. And anyone that helps make margaritas is not all bad.

That being said, I propose a new definition for "nerd." A nerd is a person that seeks to understand the world through reason and inquiry, and then applies that understanding to everyday life. A nerd is a person that sees a problem and says, "hey, science can fix that." Mostly, a nerd is a person who lives a glorious life of the mind, their thoughts enriching the mundane details around them, until every problem is an opportunity for invention, every failing is a chance for improvement, and every task is one that can be accomplished with a little knowledge and a little reason.

So Natural 20 is a blog for those people. As a nerd, I learned to cook through experimentation, analysis, and science. I've had many failures, and so will you, but I strive to help you avoid some of them, and to take the ones you do experience as a chance to improve. So here is how this little corner of the internet will work: Each time I post, I will include two sections. The first will be some brief words about the science, technique, or gadgets of cooking. Let's be honest--nerds love gadgets. The second part of each post will be a recipe. These will be recipes that I have tried myself, and have subjected my friends to, as well.

I am writing for people like myself who want to learn rather than merely copy. Thus, my recipes will include very detailed descriptions of techniques and ingredients, and why things are as they are. I hope that we can share what we know and all be better cooks for it.

Also, nerds like girls, and girls like dudes that can cook. It stands to reason, really.