I've been cooking since I was tall enough to reach the stove. Since I have always been tall for my age, I probably started when I was about 6! When my mother went to work for Boeing, I was in charge of dinner preparation from a very early age. I've taught my husband and both sons to cook. My son was complimented for being like Emeril when he put dinner together for a bunch of his friends. They asked him, "Where did you learn to cook like this? He answered, "My mother taught me." That makes me very proud. Baking cake, cookies, brownies, etc. I really enjoy adding my own twists to recipes that surprise people. I like to make things myself, partly because I enjoy the sensation and partly because people are so surprised in this day and age that someone still makes things from scratch. Canning jams, jellies, veggies, etc. We love making large pots of soups and stews and I always make fresh breads. I took over the dessert making for the holidays after my grandmother was no longer able. I'm the designated baker for each and every holiday and special occasion. The first time I tried a cherry pie for my new husband, I tore the crust and didn't know how to seal it. The filling burned to the pan. My husband ate the top crust and the filling. We threw the pan away, it was burned on so badly.