ABOUT THIS COOK:

I was the child never allowed in the kitchen by my mother for fear that (a) I'd make a big mess and/or (b) I'd get hurt. I was also the kid who got a D in seventh grade art class. After 20 + years in the fashion industry, I am now a foodie by avocation and a professional cookie/cake artisan.

• What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
  rattlesnake

• What do you cook when home alone?
  polenta with mounds of shredded gruyere cheese

• Your most treasured kitchen possession:
  How can I pick just one?

• The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
  8