I spent four months studying in Jerusalem in 2007 and when I returned I wanted to reproduce all the fantastic flavors I had enjoyed there but couldn't find in the United States. I haven't been able to stop cooking since! My husband and I are currently living in Pennsylvania while he attends medical school and acts as my willing taste-tester. I love trying out new recipes, especially healthy yet delicious foods. I also really enjoy making things from scratch. I love baking bread--we never buy any from the store anymore. I also love decorating cakes, and baking them goes hand-in-hand with that habit. Some of my favorite things to cook are Middle Eastern and Thai foods. Anything that makes my husband clap his hands and make grunting sounds goes on the "triumph" and "do again" lists. The other day I made the most disgusting dinner I have ever produced. I've been trying to make Pad Kee Mao, one of my favorite Thai recipes, for quite some time, and I finally found a promising recipe. Unfortunately I could not find one of the sauces called for, even at specialty Asian stores, but the recipe said that I could substitute lite soy sauce. I did, and it was nasty. I have made plenty of mediocre meals in my life, but this was the first one that I dumped straight into the trash.