I have been cooking ever since I could pull a stool up to the counter. Now that my kids are grown, I bake and cook with more ingredients and flavors. I volunteer at a cooking school, so I learn a lot from all the chefs I work with. I love to bake any kind of dessert and I love to make main dishes. I am less 'into' all the side dishes. My family didn't have many cooking traditions outside of your typical American holidays. I do remember how fun it was when my dad decided to fix something in the kitchen, though. It was such a treat! A three tiered wedding cake for my grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary. I caught my oven on fire when I tried to make popovers. I have since figured out how to make them....safely!