My Grandmother: My original inspiration. I grew up in her home until I was a teenager. She loved to cook, and although her cuisine was mostly Mexican, she would get creative in subtle ways. As a child I followed the good kitchen smells to the source, and became so intrigued and wondered how I could do the same thing. She took me under her wing, and taught me many of the fundamentals I still use today. She even brought some of her cooking friends over and they all taught me how to make tamales from start to finish (which is hard work by the way!). Unfortunately her increasing age decreased her mobility, so she rarely cooked towards the end of her life. Before she passed, I was still able to serve her everything she taught me. I still keep a copy of an older than dirt cookbook she gave me, and some of my most treasured recipes come from it.
Julia Child: I do love my late grandmother to no end, but Julia Child also

Jacques Pe

Duff Goldman: The Ace of Cakes guy. I really admire Duff, because I feel


Alton Brown: The original food nerd. I admire him in similar fashion as Duff. I can relate to his personality being a fellow nerd myself, haha! He takes cooking to another level by telling us the why’s and how’s about cooking techniques, hardware, and the variations of food themselves. In school I always had know why or how something occurs. Don’t expect me to really learn anything of you simply tell me, “Well, that’s just how it is,” because I’m not buying it. Alton answers so many of my culinary questions that no else can. He really is my culinary encyclopedia.
Paula Deen: As a fellow woman of the South, I’ve gotta tip my hat to the

Last, but certainly not least, my taste tester (guinea pig) friends and my better half. My boyfriend of over 6 years (his name is Mike), whom I guess could be considered my unofficial husband at this point, is perhaps one of my biggest inspirations. I always enjoy the challenge of catering to his finicky tastes, and my success rate is very high. I even get him to open his eyes to new foods, which always gives me a sense of fulfillment. He’s also been a cheerleader of sorts, always encouraging me to embrace and expand my talents. My friends are always ready and willing to sample my latest creations, and I appreciate and enjoy their insights, suggestions, and recommendations.
All of these people are what make me stay in the kitchen and stay creative. If it wasn’t for them, I really don’t know where my life would be…I honestly can’t imagine another way of living!
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