Welkumme

After trying to run a blog during my freshman year, I learned two very important facts about blogging:
1. Don't try and run a blog with a crappy concept.
2. Writing succinct, funny, and interesting posts are hard as hell.

So, with a better concept for a blog, I'd figure posting would get a little easier.
Wrong.

Instead, I've spent the last day and a half trying to figure out Multivariate Calculus and what to write in the first post.
I finally came to the realization that the best thing to do is to be frank about what this blog is NOT meant to be.

First and foremost, while this may be a blog about food, I am not going to waste my time or your attention span on dishing out watered-down advise on how to properly sear and roast a pork loin. Nor am I going to update you on food gossip or review that new cookbook by (Insert your favorite overly-caffinated, maybe drug addicted Food Network Host). There is a perfectly good blog that does it (Slashfood) and it would be useless to try and one-up them. They know what they are talking about. Myself? Not so much.

Instead, I will talk about the culinary experiences of a monetarily challenged college student (i.e. Me). From turning a quality box of Kraft Spirals Mac n' Cheese into something a little better (Pasta Sprinkle from Penzeys and Kosher salt) to saving my roommate's ass as he tries to microwave a cup of noodles. More or less, I will make every effort to turn my fairly vanilla day-to-day operations into something that I regret later in life.

But more importantly, I want to highlight the experience that anyone can enjoy in Western Pennsylvania. Far too often I've heard outsiders rip on Pittsburgh for being uncultured. As a rust belt city, most Americans assume that we are back-water, Ford F150 driving, overly-emotional football fanatics (O.K., the last part is true).

Specifically, I want to delve into the culinary scene of Pittsburgh. Again, from an outsider's point of view, Pittsburgh's greatest culinary addition to the world is the concept of fries ON a sandwich. Never mind the fact that we are a city constituted of many distinct and proud cultural, ethnic, and racial groups.

Also, personally I want to find other restaurants. My taste buds run on a strict outline:

Chinese - Zaw's
Thai - Bangkok Balcony
Pizza - Mineo's (if with parents), Aiello's (if with friends)
Italian - La Cucina Flagrea
Indian - Sree's
Etc. Etc. You get the point.

Hence, this blog will serve two purposes: it will raise awareness to the variety and quality of food available in Pittsburgh and it will force me to try new flavors. Win-win scenario.

I hope your level of excitement is as high as my level of anxiety.