@Tallbirdmace
Well I am a Brit, London born and bred. Whilst travelling in Australia in 2002, I met an Oklahoman-who I married in 2004 and moved to Texas to be with. We have a daughter born in November '08. At school in the UK I studied Home Economics, but never really "got it". As I have aged and practised cooking (and eating all round the world!) I have a better idea of what works for me, and how to get there. The way I grade my cooking is: if I would have happily paid for something in a resturant, I make it a pretty little card, print it out and keep it for ever. If it was 'just okay' I will almost certainly never cook it again.