I guess I grew up in the kitchen. My maternal Grandma was an excellent "country cook". I learned how to make her special buttermilk biscuits when I was about 6 years old. My Mom was a bit of an adventurous cook in the 1970s. She loved to try new trends and ingredients. She was always willing to let me experiment in the kitchen, with her guidance of course. My father and my sister were always willing to suffer our mistakes and laud us for our successes. My parents loved to entertain so we always tried new and exotic h'ors d'ouvres and party food. My roomate is a master chef who graduated from a prestegious culinary institute so every day is an adventure in our kitchen! I love to prepare complex sauces that have to simmer for hours. I am especially adept at marinading and grilling. My first love would be party food. I love to prepare gorgeous little nibbles to share with friends. My Mom's honest-to-goodness from scratch homemade pizza! She makes it even better than Lombardi's in New York City! My oyster stuffing for Thanksgiving. Mom's slow-cooked Beef Roast for Sunday dinner. My Mom's Top Secret B-B-Q Sauce (I'm the ONLY one who knows her extra-special recipe...and I'm not telling!) Soup beans with cornbread, chow-chow, and an assortment of fresh garden veggies. My homemade Table-side Caeser Salad for special guests. I made a Lady Baltimore Cake for a Church dinner when I was 13 years old. It is still talked about. My father finally showed me a fool-proof way to make breakfast gravy. A recipe I concocted for seafood bisque. I made it for dinner party while visiting a friend in New York. Every last bite was eaten and, unbeknownst to me, one of the dinner guests was a food editor for Gourmet Magazine! Duck L'orange I made for a friend's Christmas party last year. It gave new meaning to the expression "Gone in 60 seconds"! An early attempt to add orange zest to sausage stuffing. Way too much - I'll say no more. Scorched cheese sauce I made for a Fraternity dinner in college. That's still being talked about, too! My first attempt at Salmon Mousse in high school. I had a lot to learn about gelatin!