ABOUT THIS COOK:

I am a passionate cook and mostly local eater of organic, seasonal foods. I am working towards an M.S. in Nutrition so I can counsel people on healthy eating options to prevent and heal from illness. I mostly cook without recipes unless I am baking and my favorite spices are cumin, chipotle pepper and turmeric. I do look for recipes, however, that are new to me to try out. I absolutely love Thai food and would like to learn how to prepare fresh foods Thai style. I am mostly a vegetarian eater (wild salmon is an exception), but will eat free range chicken and grass fed beef sometimes. I am mostly dairy and gluten free and I enjoy coming up with desserts and breakfast recipes that are delicious. I play around with buckwheat, almond meal, rice and chestnut flour. I believe that everyone can come up with delicious, healthy meals within their budgets if they are shown how and I would like to get that message out to everyone! My favorite food memory is making rugelach with my grandmother, great aunts and mother. It was a big production on a wintery day, with making, rolling and filling dough. It was an incredible party with just the sweetest surprise at the end!

• What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
  donkey sausage in France

• What do you cook when home alone?
  mostly stir fried veggies and tofu with pad thai sauce

• Your most treasured kitchen possession:
  My KitchenAid mixer and fustino filled with olive oil

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