My love for cooking and baking originates in the early days of my childhood. Food was then - and still is today - something that brought my family together. Literally around the table, but also as a passion that we all share.
I remember as if it was yesterday coming home from school and eagerly opening the door to take in the wonderful aromas wafting from the kitchen. My grandma cooked lunch every day. She wasn’t one to innovate in the kitchen, but that meant that familiar smells of her favorite dishes made my mouth water in anticipation of a comforting lunch that never disappointed.
Summer weekends were spent in the garden surrounded by lusciously green shrubs and trees, mosquitos and the sound of steak and sausages sizzling on the BBQ - dad’s speciality. Mom made sure that we had the ‘appropriate’ amount of vegetables and greens on our plates, which she proudly harvested from our very own veggie garden.
Cooking back then, before the rise of UberEats, was still considered a life skill one had to master before leaving home. Going to restaurants was reserved for special occasions, not the every-day luxury it has become today. And so I spent many Sunday mornings in the kitchen, cutting vegetables, washing salad and learning about how dough has to “feel right” (the most infuriating part about my grandma’s baking: no quantities in the recipe!).
Unsurprisingly - or surprisingly? - that’s still how I prefer to spend my weekends. In the kitchen, among fresh ingredients and steaming pots, cooking up a storm - clearly influenced by my Italian husband’s heritage. Although I have promoted myself from kitchen hand to executive chef, chef de cuisine and pastry chef.
On this blog I share with you my favorite recipes.
