ABOUT THIS COOK:

I traded my stilettos for meadows, exchanging my gold frequent flyer status to move home to Vermont and save the family farm. I grow everything that I possibly have time for, we make a lot of hay and cook up a storm of (mostly original) recipes. I also help out with my husband's cheesemaking company, at his family farm over the hill - von Trapp Farmstead. We got married at our farm - Bliss Ridge - in August, 2010 and have since opened it up as a wedding venue. I am currently writing a food-centric book and started a recipe/farm life/garden blog here: www.saucyvermont.com

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

• What do you cook when home alone?
  Fancy hot chocolate, poached eggs with siracha and kimchi and whatever I need to preserve from the gardens!

• Your most treasured kitchen possession:
  "treasured" is a bit of a stretch, they're all just replaceable things...the huge knife w/ caribou handle - a wedding present from Tony, is sweet, the le creuset crepe pan & braising dishes are fab, and the polka-dot apron from Janet.

• The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
  It depends who they are!! I like two if it is my husband and I, six - eight is usually great, if you invited them because you wanted to!