I'm a retired social worker and grandma. I majored in nutrition in college, so I'm a bit on the "Alton Brown" scientific side. Wish I had his sense of humor. I love to bake. My hubby works out and begs for more goodies while staying trim. Me...not so energetic. I love all kinds of foods, love experimenting. My mother was a great cook with a German and English emphasis. She ran a catering business after raising 8 children. I still prefer the old European traditional cooking. Being a California transplant, I also love the casual west coast, but I miss the elegance and tradition of back East. People usually love my desserts and scratch cakes. We do a progressive dinner each Christmas season, and my friends kidded that I should do all the courses. Many, but one stands out in my memory. Shortly after I was married and I was still in school,we barely had money to eat. Dinners were often spagetti or rice with no sauce. I made a polenta dish that was layers of polenta and cottage cheese for dinner. It was horrible. My husband still remembers it.