After my home, food has probably been my biggest non-commercial art and creative outlet in the past. I learned basic cooking in my childhood home, where we were all part of the “kitchen crew,” especially if we were entertaining on Sundays or preparing holiday meals. 

As an adult, the art and comfort of food expanded and became a way of expressing myself, communicating care, and gathering friends. I enjoy tackling challenging and reknown recipes of some of culinary arts’ greats, but also simple, seasonal faire. Sometimes classic or famous recipes make it through intact and “unimproved,” but cooking is kind of like jazz…if you love it, you’re frequently improvising on the fly. 

These days, my creative food forays are often inspired by our travels and the food and unique flavors and ingredients of other cultures (as well as what is fresh and seasonal locally.) I frequently “triangulate” dishes, looking at multiple recipe variations and then choosing a new route based on my tastes, my experiences, and the spices and ingredients that lie at the ready, like a painter with a palette. For me, cooking is a form of meditation. With wine. 

Inspirations: A new exotic spice, farmers markets (especially abroad), cooking magazines and blogs, dinner parties for friends, the seasons.