Texas Dutch Oven Origins

      Hi! Carolyn here. As you can tell, cooking has been a part of my life since I was young. I grew up in a household where both parents worked, and meals consisted of easy, quick and simple meals. When I was in middle school & high school, I would come home from school make my brother and myself a snack and turn on the Food Network Channel. At that time, Barefoot Contessa would be coming on after either Sandra Lee or DeLaurentis. 

 

     By watching Ina Garten, I learned how to adapt flavor, try new recipes, an most importantly love cooking. There's a core memory I have in middle school where I would ask my mom to buy arborrio rice and all the ingredients to make risotto. I made it so often that to be honest, I haven't ever had a craving for it since. Same thing, in college I had come home for a holiday break and my entire family had events. I was home alone and had discovered Champagne. I enjoyed an evening to myself baking and cooking while consuming an entire bottle. Fast forward, my brother comes home, gives me some flack for being a little more than tipsy, so we have some good belly laughs. Twenty or so minutes later, my parents come home and mom (very reasonably so) yells at me from downstairs for destroying the kitchen.  All I could muster out were lots and lots of..... Giggles.

 

     Since then, my husband and I have moved to the Netherlands. Away from family friends and our home, cooking is a way to feel connected to my family, my roots, and a way to spend my free time. TDO was born out of love and I am so excited to have you here.

 

     Thank you for coming on this journey with me to cook, enjoy the company with which we share this food, and hopefully create memorable stories along the way.