ABOUT THIS COOK:

I have cooked since I was 10. I grew up with the influences of Italtian and Jewish cooking outside of San Francisco. I love to shop at farmers markets but since I now live in a climate that gets cold, I have to cook very seasonly. I am a wife and mother of three and have always cooked for family and friends. I went back to school at 42 for my BA in art history and recently completed a masters degree in education. I work for a famous university. My students bring me back food from their home countries. I have a beach cottage where I love to cook and a sweet doggie who loves to be at my feet to catch errant treats.

• What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
  sea clams

• What do you cook when home alone?
  Grilled cheese sandwiches

• Your most treasured kitchen possession:
  my handmade wooden spatula

• The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
  8-10