ABOUT THIS COOK:

By day, I'm a hard-working strategic and creative planner at a big PR firm, working with food and consumer clients. Outside of that - I'm either in kitchen or at a restaurant, supermarket, specialty foods store or have my nose in a food magazine or book. I luuuv to cook and entertain - sometimes just for me and sometimes for lots of friends and family. Also an avid traveler and always fascinated with trips to grocery stores in foreign places.

• What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
  Peanut butter, lettuce & mayonnaise sandwiches, growing up! Bah! Sounds so disgusting now!

• What do you cook when home alone?
  Vegetable tarts with little salads, stews and soups

• Your most treasured kitchen possession:
  My Kitchenaid stand mixer ... I treat it almost like a human (it's a little sick to love a kitchen item this much).

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