I am a Software Engineer, Recipe Developer, Appalachian Cook and Patisserie/Desserts Maker.
Software Engineer
I have been a software engineer for over 30 years. My preferred stack, currently, is Linux, Node, Python, Pandas, MySQL/NoSQL with visualization via Canvas, D3 and various JS frameworks. Having done this for over 40 years, I have seen it all. My resume is available on demand for people who I think need it, but this is a web presence serving primarily as brochure-ware for those interested in what I do, not to find a job. I have more people requesting my help than I know what to do with.
Recipe Developer
In terms of engineering, my flagship vehicle is FlavorSci, a graphics heavy, flavor matching database containing over 8 million combinations of complementary ingredients with helpful information like the fact that ginger and basil are complementary and share 53 molecules of a mostly sweet profile and 9 molecules of an almond profile ( in case you’re even more curious, ginger and basil share nearly 200 flavor profiles that include rose, peanut , lavender and bitter among the list ). Ingredient combinations are linked with color coded lines that correspond to their complement strength. While basil and ginger do have a lot in common, a quick look at the graphing shows that ginger has more in common with orange, pears, lemons, carrots, rice and tofu. Access to FlavorSci is available on demand, just email me.
Appalachian Cook ( and other cooking )
I don’t ever use the word “chef”, at least in regards to myself, because I believe it’s insulting to actual chefs I work with who are super talented, and who do really hard work like manage kitchens and employees. I am merely a cook. I have spent a considerable amount of time in Kentucky doing a deep dive into my Appalachian roots and traditions and when I say “Appalachian” I am referring specifically to “Southern Appalachian”. The distinction is important because I technically still live in “Appalachia” (Connecticut).
“Appalachian” does not always equal “southern” cooking, although there is some overlap. Appalachian cooking developed around what people could grow, forage, hunt or preserve in the mountains like corn, beans, squash, wild greens, ramps, game and preserved meats. Appalachian food also draws heavily on drying, smoking, pickling and fermenting due to limited access to refrigeration and markets.
The cooking I do now is for a few regular clients in the Hamptons and Amagansett who are Appalachian enthusiasts. It’s also more of a popular and safe Appalachian style since some truly traditional Appalachian dishes would require that I have clients to sign a waiver ( think hog brains and eggs, for example ). Otherwise, I am a stickler on traditional Appalachian foodways i.e. I would never put sugar in cornbread.