Hello.

I've been dabbling with the idea of starting a food blog for months. A long time lurker in the food blog world, I have read hundreds of posts, tried a few recipes, and itched to share my own creations. I was a creative writing major in college, and though my current career involves a lot of writing, little of it is creative. I miss the feeling of inspiration when an idea strikes and the joy of writing a sentence that begs to be re-read and relished.

This blog will be a place for me to allow myself to write (and eat) with gusto. And hopefully entertain a few of you along the way.

First, a little about me to give you an idea of what to expect when visiting my little corner of the internet. I love to cook and eat – particularly things with a healthy twist. Not to say, of course, that I don't indulge in something naughty on a regular basis (I'm a sucker for a good french fry and I have a sad obsession with finding the best carnitas in Los Angeles).

I am allergic to milk (I'm not lactose intolerant – I am actually allergic to milk protein, fat, and sugar) which means that you will see a severe lack of butter, cheese, milk, and cream in my cooking and eating. However, the food will still be delicious and, if you can't stomach soy substitutes, cow-products can be used instead. Coincidentally, I never really liked beef either – maybe because of its association with milk. Regardless of the reason, you won't see any cow at all in my cooking – be it solid or liquid.

You'll notice that on occasion I will blog about reading and cooking vegan. No, I am not vegan (though I greatly respect those who are). However, I love that all vegan food is dairy free – plus, I really enjoy vegetables, tofu, and being nice to the earth and the animals.

Foods you'll likely see a lot of in this blog (because I love them): seafood of every variety, pork, tofu, fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, mint, rosemary, and sage), any and all tomato products, chicken, carbs of every kind (bring on the polenta, potatoes, rice, and noodles), sauerkraut, pickles, corn and all corn products, spicy things, fruits, drinks with vodka, wine, vegetables, soy sauce, ginger, fish sauce, anchovies, capers, olives, dark chocolate, mushrooms, vinegar, hummus, garlic and more garlic, nuts, curry, sourdough bread, olive oil, sausage, and much, much more that I can't think of right now.

Foods you won't see (because I hate them): eggs ( I despise them in all forms. I hate the way they smell, the way they look, and, most importantly, the way they taste. Eggs are a slimy abomination. I have been repulsed by eggs since I was a baby – if someone at the table with me is dipping toast into an egg yolk I literally have to look away or risk gagging. However, I will use them in baking and I'll use just the whites –less eggy flavor—in things like french toast or homemade noodles), caraway seeds (though I love both sauerkraut and rye bread – they just have to be seedless), and black licorice (self explanatory – though this also includes licorice beverages like ouzo and particularly strongly flavored fennel).

There you have it -- a summary of why I'm doing this, who I am, and what I like. Please -- stop by often, share recipes, leave comments, say hello. I'm a whole bucket of fun, I promise. :)