My cooking background includes a father who likes to experiment with colors, textures and flavors, and a mother who specializes in down home cooking. Chili, baked spaghetti, any dessert Whenever we have a family gathering, it is always my responsibility to bring a homemade dessert of some kind - which I gladly do...with a sense of adventure! At Thanksgiving and Christmas, the traditional fare is persimmon pudding with nutmeg sauce.