Living in a food-obsessed city has definitely transformed my cooking from a chore into a passion. I love using local, fresh ingredients in whatever I am preparing. While I rarely eat meat, I'll pretty much try anything. Thai stir-frys and curries, pasta pasta and more pasta always with different vegetables and varied sauces, mexican (make a huevo-ranchero dish to die for!), brunch items, potato dishes, and always looking for a new appetizer recipe. I cook in the same style my mom does....never quite following a recipe and rarely seen measuring. I guess it helps that I actually don't bake much where measuring is a necessity. Even though my mom's side has a long history of pie-making. (Yum, those Washington apples make such a wonderful crumble!) From my dad, I was taught the beautiful art of perfecting mashed potatoes. Anytime I make a meat dish is a triumph to me for I wasn't raised where meat was the center stage; if at all. Because of my lack of patience, baking has always given me a hard time. Trying to please the boyfriend with his love of cheesecake has definetly given me a challenge. I've made spongy, yet dense, unedible cheesecakes on numerous occassions.