The birthplace of all blogs is an idea – and a desire to share that idea with others in the hope that they will be intrigued enough to share their thoughts and ideas in return. Here’s hoping.

Wikipedia(R) describes a “Foodie” as ” a person who has an ardent or refined interest in food and alcoholic beverages.” They go on to say that, “A foodie seeks out new food experiences as a hobby rather than simply eating out of convenience or hunger.” One of the synonyms (thesaurus, anyone) is the word “Gourmet” which sounds more refined, if a little less catchy, but I’m not so sure the two words are truly synonymous. Around here, we tend to “seek out new food experiences” in our own kitchen, rather than venturing forth into the restaurants and bars of the world in search of unique fare. Perhaps it is our idealism that makes us think that by making our own discoveries we are able to enjoy them more. Regardless, it has become a great way to spend time together doing something we love, a source of pleasure and an endless font of fun and laughter, even if sometimes we’re laughing at ourselves – or, and one must be careful here, each other.

We don’t just enjoy experiencing new things, we enjoy experimenting and creating new things (well, at least, they’re new to us) and sharing the successes (Research and Development) and not so successful ongoing efforts (Trial and Error.) If anyone has already been there /done that and would like to help us out at any stage in the game, please don’t hesitate to point out the error of our ways! We think it’s important to mention here that we are not independently wealthy, that we work full time and have to watch our spending like most of the rest of you. We watch the sale ads and check the managers’ specials at the supermarket and dig through our freezer for inspiration. Coupons are always helpful (though I’ll never be as good at couponing as my sister is – maybe I can get her to do a guest spot one of these days and she can teach us all a thing or two!) Saving a few dollars here and there can enable you to splurge on the occasional filet or sea scallops when they’re on sale, or maybe even buy that fabulous kitchen gadget you’ve had your eye on for 6 months! We’ll share tips and tricks for saving – and not wasting food – as well. Not to mention how much money you’ll save when you can eat better gourmet meals at home than you can in most restaurants – at a fraction of the cost!

So, enough of an intro. Welcome to the DIY Bistro. We’d like to help you create your own little bistro at your house. Grab a glass of wine and stay a while.