About Me

I started adulthood as a self- taught cook, not really "taught" but like everyone else my age, relied on Betty Crocker and Better Homes and Gardens cook book to "learn." What I learned was how to follow a recipe and make disgustingly bland food. I didn't think to explore the books of Julia Child because like every 20 something,  I wanted color PICTURES.

After our hot dog, hamburger, meatloaf and macaroni days (kids), I started to experiment with the heavy food of Chef Paul Prudhomme, and various taste of home magazines, etc.  This was all still before the days of Food Network.. My families' arteries are still recovering from this phase.

Then I went down the Jenny Craig path where I didn't have to deal with cooking.  This was after food preparation became a mere drudgery, with nothing exciting to show for the tedious work. Living in Minneapolis at the time, all we could afford was Perkins or some other sad little family diner ala bland food. "Fancy" dinners out were prime rib, nothing inspiring for the home cook there.

Once the kids and their finicky palates were out of the nest and Food Network was in full swing, I discovered Giada De Laurentiis, Ina Garten, Alton Brown, Anne Burrell, and was fascinated.  Several book purchases later (Spice Bible, The Professional Chef, Julia Child's books, etc.,) I learned I didn't know SQUAT about cooking, and have much, much more to learn.  Food Network.com has provided me (along with a local organic CSA and farmers' markets) with an endless resource of new things to try, and I can honestly say, cooking, where have you BEEN all my life?  Living in San Diego, CA, gives us ample opportunity to try new things and challenges me to top what we can get in one of our great restaurants available in the state.