Hello friend, and welcome to Cozy Chemistry.
A quiet, warm, little haven where we shall explore and discover the chemistry of cooking, growing, nourishing, and perhaps even relationships. My desire is to guide and aid, but also to encourage you to exercise your intuition and creativity, as this has been the basis of my process for over 15 years.
I was raised in rural Idaho, into a family of six that expanded to ten when I was 12 years old. I was home-schooled the length of my primary education, and I was a dreamer; a melancholy soul with a cheerful face. I spent my days exploring the woods with my brothers and sisters, and lost myself in creating writing, sketching, reading, and cooking.
My earliest distinctive memory of cooking is from the age of about 9, when my older brother taught me to make Grandma Harriet’s brownies, but my parents have a photo somewhere of me at the age of 4 or 5, making myself a sandwich at the dinner table because I didn’t like what was offered. I was a difficult child when it came to food- likely being pickier than all my siblings put together- and it has only been through the process of beginning to cook myself that I have expanded my palate beyond my wildest dreams, and discovered a taste for many, many foods.
These days I consider myself an intuitive home chef, often making substitutions to established recipes due to differing tastes, unavailable ingredients, and many other factors. More recently I have delved into the wonderful worlds of fermentation and fungiculture. It won’t take long for you to notice that natural wellness is another of my passions, and through food is my favorite way to achieve better health.
In the spring of 2021 I hit rock bottom with my gut health. While it is still an ongoing process, I have dedicated myself to healing my body via natural means, utilizing the wonderful resources placed upon Earth for our use and enjoyment. I desire to cultivate a healthy body to grow future children, and to set those children up for health success in their own lives. My journey has been difficult and complicated, resulting in anything from cutting out gluten, nightshades, refined sugars, caffeine, etc, to implementing yoga, counseling for anxiety, and regular chiropractic care.
These days, I reside in North Carolina with my husband (The Alchemist), two precious cats that I think may be physically attached to me sometimes (Vegeta and Radical Edward), and some 30-odd houseplants. We have a vertical hydroponic system in our basement for growing leafy greens and herbs, and my fridge nearly always smells of kimchi and sauerkraut.
If I could translate all these wonderful smells and tastes to you via this page I would, but alas words shall have to do!
God bless,
Amanda, the Cozy Chemist