ABOUT THIS COOK:

In 2009, after living more than twenty years in NYC, my husband, young daughter and I packed up our lives and embarked on a grand adventure, moving to Victoria, B.C. There are many things that we miss about New York (among them ripe, vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh ravioli and New York bagels), but, I have to admit, that living in the Pacific Northwest has been pretty amazing food-wise. Now we have a yard with plum and apple trees, a raspberry and strawberry patch and a Concord grape arbor. I have a vegetable and herb garden, which seems to expand every year, so I can grow at least some of our food. And we have an amazing farmer's market a block from our house. Eating well has always been important to me. And cooking has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I love eating seasonally and locally. I enjoy trying new recipes and inventing ones of my own. I find it great fun to eat globally and experiment with different cuisines. And it's been very rewarding introducing my daughter to cooking and eating, making for her the dishes that I love and teaching her where our food comes from. She was a picky toddler, but now she is a pretty adventurous eater (she'll try most things and enjoys eating squid, broccoli rabe, farro, duck and sushi).

• What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
  Some stringy, unidentified meat in China (hopefully, it wasn't dog or cat!)

• What do you cook when home alone?
  Pasta with lots of butter and Parmesan cheese -- comfort food from childhood.

• Your most treasured kitchen possession:
  My grandmother's salad bowl and a rolling pin my father made for me.

• The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
  4-6