Dave's Kitchen Revolution

I love to cook, but I'm not sure I could take up the
Challenge that Dave has. Can you imagine asking people to suggest three ingredients and then you had to create a dish? Then post that dish on your blog? Yep, me neither. Can you imagine what people might suggest?

I was cruising around looking at different blogs and came across Dave's Kitchen. I was immediately intrigued and sent an email off to Dave hoping that he would be interested in being interviewed. Well he answered that he would and what follows is a taste of Dave's Kitchen Revolution... Let me know if you suggest three ingredients on his blog....I'd love to see the result!

Are you professionally trained as a chef?

I am not professionally trained. I was taught by my mother along with my brothers while we were growing up. She said we would be moving out one day and would need to know how to cook. I have done a lot of studying and watch the pros on TV.

Why three ingredients rather then two or four?

When I was thinking about it, two seemed like it would be too easy to create something and 4 and more may over-complicate the dishes.

Why did you begin this project and when?

I began this project at the beginning of this year and have already got a decent sized following. I started it because I love to cook and it's one of my passions. My wife is an online marketing expert and has been teaching me to interact online through different sources. Also, I thought that with the ingredient challenge that I would create a unique interaction between the readers and I.

What are the top two really strange "three ingredient" combination's someone has suggested? Did you actually come up with something?

My number one would be liver, black licorice, and blue cheese. I was worried about this and considered not doing it as my family was disgusted at the idea of it. However, I snuck the ingredients into our home and made something interesting. I prepared a breaded liver topped with a black licorice sauce and rice with apricot blue cheese. Definitely not my favorite, but the children loved the liver and black licorice sauce. I would classify this as one of my "bloopers". Recipe: Liver with black licorice sauce and blue cheese rice

My number two would be potatoes, marshmallows and maple syrup. I thought this was funny because I had just been wondering when someone would suggest marshmallows the day it was suggested. With these ingredients, I created a cherry marshmallow salad dressing and maple syrup glazed potatoes. The potatoes became a house favorite and I have been making them regularly.
Recipe: Potatoes marshmallows and maple syrup

What are the most common three? What did you make?

I don't really have any common ones yet. Everyone seems quite set upon trying to stump me by suggesting the weird ingredients.


Have you ever been stumped? and why?

I was almost stumped with the liver challenge that I talked about earlier. The reason why is because it is with ingredients that I don't particularly like. And I say almost because I did come up with something, even if it wasn't a huge success.

What is your favorite meal and why?

I would have to say that I would go with a great steak. Whether grilled, pan fried or cooked within a cream sauce (also in my blog) it would be my favorite. On the side I would go with pan fried potatoes with spinach, onions and oyster mushrooms. For the vegetable, I would say asparagus topped with some jalapeno gouda. As for why, I find it very fulfilling and satisfying whenever I eat it. Don't get me wrong, I love trying new foods and I am fairly certain that I will get a new favorite eventually.

How long do you plan to continue this challenge?

I have no plan on discontinuing the challenge. My ultimate goal would be to have so many requests that I would have to make 1-2 per day.

Would you visit this site, Etsy, and tell me the one item on the front page that you would purchase and why.

I would have to say the edible green leaves by SugarRobot that was showing when I visited. It is an edible leaf that would be an excellent garnish to a dessert.


Had you ever heard of Etsy before today?

My wife has a wedding blog and often blogs about items featured on Etsy. She has also purchased a fair bit of items from there including the throw pillows on our bed.

Is there anything else that you would like to share?

I would like to say that even though not all of my challenges will be a success, I can not achieve success without them.

On a final note, this has become a highlight in our home. I have 3 younger children (ages 6, 8 and 10) and most children would cringe at and refuse to eat the items I have been using. My children complain when I make regular food that wasn't a suggested challenge. They are even getting involved with the suggesting. Overall, it's turning out great and is introducing my children to a wide variety of new and interesting foods.

About me
I am a husband to a fantastic and beautiful wife and father to three wonderful children. I have a passion for cooking, woodworking and playing baseball. When it comes to cooking in our home, it's done by me 98% of the time, but it's something I like to do. I aspire to become one of the great chefs and dream about owning a restaurant. Cooking allows my creative side to come out and I try to portray it within the flavors that I merge together in each dish that I create. And a good challenge makes it all a bit more interesting.