Cooking Through Seafood Simple by Eric Ripert

It is by no means an original idea; we have Julie Powell and her adventures through Julia Childs' Mastering The Art of French Cooking to thank for this endeavor. In fact, several friends have taken on similar tasks, most notably an impressive undertaking of the Half Baked Harvest cookbook, documented recipe by recipe on a friend's private Instagram Story. Others have taken on similar projects. Youtube chefs like Andrew Rae have become famous for working through real and imaginary recipes in television shows and movies. All became better at what they do and I'm a fan of their works. 

These are a few notable and personal examples of utilizing others' work for pushing personal boundaries, learning a craft and challenging oneself. I'm sure countless others have also documented their work not just for the benefit of providing structure to their efforts but to hold themselves accountable as well. To those unnamed culinary self-taught academics, I wish the best of luck. 

For myself, the challenge comes not from a place of needing structure or accountability or any other need for self improvement, though I'm sure the endeavor I plan to pursue will certainly offer those benefits. No, I wish to take on this challenge solely for the not-so-lofty and ignoble purpose of "why not?" 

It is something to do just because the challenge is there to take on. 

A friend of mine told me he got into mountain climbing because when he sees a mountain he simply must get to the top for the sole reason that it is there. I climbed Mount Rainier with him and discovered the feeling at 12,000 feet at the expense of sensation in my fingers. It’s some deep rooted, prehistoric urge which induces tunnel vision to the end goal. 

The act of mountain climbing, to those who like to stay on flat ground, is a very silly thing to do. It doesn’t achieve anything for a bigger purpose. And yet, people all over the world see mountains and decide they must get to the top. The urge must stem from the human instinct to see if we can do it. 

But I digress. Cooking from one’s own kitchen is not mountain climbing, nor should it be held in such high regard, yet the sentiment remains. Without any ulterior motives or self indulgent aspirations, the project can take on a life of its own. Let the process guide itself. Who knows, maybe something will be learned about cooking along the way. But that's not the point. At least, that's not the main point. 

And so, with a small New York City kitchen, half a dozen or so grocery stores in a 10 block radius of the Upper West Side, and importantly, time to do so, I plan to work through Eric Ripert's Seafood Simple. 

On face value, one can assume this will be, well, simple. It's in the name, isn't it? But there's TK recipes in the book and I've never fileted a fish. Or shuck an oyster. Or eaten monkfish for that matter. And so I ask myself, "Why not?"