A Cooking Journal

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I like to improvise in the kitchen. Most nights, I don't use a recipe at all. That's the reward for spending hours in the kitchen, which started when I was living at home and helping my mom with dinners (she is a big improviser too). You begin to get a feel for flavors, and techniques, and the best ingredient pairings. Reading a lot of food blogs and cookbooks and recipes over the years also plays a huge role in the success of kitchen improvisation, as does having a well-stocked pantry. 

The other night, my husband and I came up with a delicious dish together--we totally winged it and it was just perfect. I rarely have the urge to write down something I came up with, but this time I did. There were a few key ingredients in this dish that made the flavors meld together beautifully, and if left out the next time around, I don't think this dish would sing the way it did.

So my husband suggested I begin a cooking journal, where I can write down my own tips and tricks and recipes as they occur to me, or tape in cut-out recipes from my new Cook's Illustrated subscription. I really love this idea and I'm now on the hunt to find the perfect journal, one that is both big enough and sturdy enough to last forever! (This cork one would be perfect--it reminds me of a wine bottle cork, and it's probably quite durable--but unfortunately it's a bit too small.)

What do you think of a cooking journal? Do you have something like this?