Charlotte Alvina, in case you’re wondering, are my first and middle names (Alvina is pronounced like it has the word “vine” in it), and they are the first names of my grandmothers. Alvina, who always went by “Babe” as the youngest in her family, is no longer with us, but I remember her as being so gifted at crafts and sewing, and always generous with her talent. Grandma Charlotte is still doing quite well at 99, and lived in her own home maintaining a productive garden into her 90s. I feel very lucky to be named for these caring, creative and capable women.

Me? I love to cook. For a lot of reasons: instant gratification is a big one. In my professional life, there can be a lot of “wait for it” and “we’ll try that next time.” So I enjoy the process of making something beautiful and delicious, and then eating it right away. And I love the endless opportunities to learn or even invent something new. Planning, preparing and sharing a meal is fundamentally rewarding, and I believe we could all benefit from more intentional and joyful cooking!

I hope you find useful and inspiring things here – please let me know if you do, or if you have something you’d like to share back with me!