The Starving Artist Cookbook: Origins

Starving is a relative term. It doesn't necessarily have to mean physically starving for food. Starving has been applied to the need for sustenance such as food, drink, finances, emotional health, and many other aspects of our existence. For me, it encompasses several of these aspects not the least of which is a lack of financial stability at this point in my life. That is not to say it has always been that way, or that there is nothing I could do about it. I have made a choice; the choice to pursue my artistic dreams after years of living a more traditional life. Some might call this a mid-life crisis... I chose to simply call this living. There is a difference between living and existing and for years I only existed. I am choosing to live life to the fullest and pursue long since forgotten dreams during my short stay in this life. Hopefully, my pursuit of these dreams will inspire others to reach out for a little piece of that pie themselves. Thus the background for arriving at the place where the book idea began.

I came to Winston-Salem, not by choice, but by circumstances. Thinking my stay here was temporary, I chose to explore the arts district to seek inspiration before returning home, which at the time was Wilmington, NC. As I strolled down Trade Street, I passed a collaborative Atelier with a "Studio For Rent" sign in the window. Curious, I stopped to inquire, although I had absolutely no intention of renting anything. Inside was a cute little woman who's art happens to be painting clothing, and she was funny, curious and very engaging at the time... and I found myself saying, "I'll take it," and handing her a small cash deposit. That was a little over a year ago. Within a few months several other artists had come to reside with there wares inside this unique little collective, and we started collaborating on events that included both visual and performing arts.

It was at one such event that the book was born. We had been working all day preparing for an event and at some point realized that none of us had eaten that day. I had cooked several times before in our little kitchen thus I was elected to try to find something to feed us, as most of us did not have the funds that day to order any type of take out. After checking the kitchen I was dumbfounded as to what to do. What I found was: a package of 18 chicken legs that we had picked up at the grocery store for less than $3.00, a couple of eggs, some canned vegetable, a tiny bit of butter and the crumbs in a leftover bag of flavored Doritos. I couldn't even find any salt or pepper. Suddenly, an idea sprang to mind and the rest is history. I took the eggs and coated the chicken, then rolled the chicken legs in the Dorito crumbs and fried it in that little bit of butter I had. I served it up with whatever that can of vegetables was and it won absolutely rave reviews. Someone piped up and said I should write a book. Someone else piped up and said "Yeah, The Starving Artist Cookbook."

That is how the book came to be. The premise: How to create delicious food for practically nothing. It is challenging and fun to create something from nothing. Oh, isn't that the very essence of art? Creating something beautiful where nothing existed before? Of course it is. I am having a great time working on this project and I hope upon completion, ya'll will enjoy the finished product as much as I have enjoyed creating it.