I am a die-hard Mainer transplanted to Pennsylvania solely because the man I love is here. Although I miss Maine and constantly long for lobster stew, fried clams, and the "right" kind of hot dog rolls that open on the top rather than the side, I am enthusiastically absorbing local Pennsylvania Dutch specialties such a Lebanon bologna, slippery pot pie, and the sweetest corn on the cob I have ever tasted. I absolutely love to cook soups. Casseroles, vegetable side dishes, and sauces are also big favorites. My mom was a good, old-fashioned, Maine country cook. I grew up in a family of six children, so our meals tended to be economical as well as tasty. My best friend was the child of California hippies and her mom was also a great cook, although in a very different style from what I was used to. I had an adventurous palate as a little girl, and I loved to eat at my friend's house, where I sampled "foreign" treats such as fresh soybeans, pesto, and eggplant. The combination of my mom's traditional. New England style dishes and the more exotic fare that my friend's mom prepared have definitely influenced the way I cook today. I feel very fortunate to be able to make my living doing what I love....cooking! oh man.....I have them all the time. I am constantly trying out things "just to see what will happen." My boyfriend is a very tolerant man!