In the Beginning...

It all started when I was a little girl. While there are many things that get lost in the albums of memory, there are some things that seem to have taken root in my mind. I can remember many, many meals we had when I was growing up. My bedroom may not be a distinct memory, but I can recall the kitchen in almost every house we lived in.



Our birthdays were celebrated by and with food -we were allowed to choose what we wanted for each meal on our special day. My grandma loved to cook, I found a copy of Gastronomique on her kitchen shelf. I remember canning peaches with her, making jams and jellies, and baking cookies at her house on Christmas with my cousins.


My grandpa was an avid gardener, and his kale, green and red bell peppers, tomatoes, corn and even artichokes were a constant source of interest for me. He would meander around his garden, moving a hose, patiently training a tomato vine, pulling off some dead leaves or branches. He raised birds and would feed them greens from his garden because it would make their coats brighter. His orange and lemon trees made for wonderful snacks when the southern California heat made you crave sweet fruit juice. The flavor of store bought lemons cannot compare with the mild flavor of the large, soft-rind citrus my grandpa would grow.



As I made my way through adolescence, cooking and baking were always a great part of us. My mom would make homemade candies that were the rave wherever people were lucky enough to be where they were: peanut butter cups, toffee, fudge and chocolate covered caramel cookies. Her coffee cake was another staple, that last minute quick cake you could throw in the oven when company was unexpectedly coming over or if you just wanted something delicious to nibble on. You only needed an egg and a few other pantry items and voila! there it was, with its delicious, crunchy, buttery topping and tender cake it was the perfect dessert or a delightful way to start the day.

And so I was destined to be a 'foodie'. I began cooking for my family when I was about 12 years old, and my love for food has grown from there.

This blog will be all about food and only food. If I try a new kitchen product, I will post it here with a detailed review. Any new recipes I try, cookbooks I read, or methods I find, I will write about them and include pictures and links. If you have suggestions or question, please e-mail me! I have tried lots of recipes and if I don't know the answer, I will try to find someone who does!

So, here it goes...