I have always loved to cook since I was very young. My biggest influence has probably been my grandmother. She has taught me so much about cooking. Now I cook all the time and I have the biggest cookbook collection of anyone I know. My boyfriend and I really love to grill and we have grilled just about everything imaginable. I also like to bake and I think that is the area that I have really mastered. The one family ritual that stands out is my grandmothers cheesecake. We only got the opportunity twice a year to taste her wonderfully rich German cheesecake. The recipe was passed down from her mother and two years ago my grandmother passed it down to me. So for the last two years I have made the cheesecakes for the holidays. Everyone looks forward to it. The first time I made my grandmothers cheesecake and she tasted it and said that it was perfect!! Too many goofs along the way to remember them all. But like everyone else I'm human and I learn from mistakes.