I grew up in the deep South where the most sacred foods include biscuits, cornbread, black-eyed peas, ham, and grits. There's a huge Cajun influence down there, so rowdy crawfish boils with red potatoes and corn on the cob are common. A few summers that come to mind where my sisters and I had fingers stained purple from shelling peas and arms red with ant bites from the darned critters that dominated the okra. When I was 18 my family moved to South Texas. Thanks to the locals, I fell in love with “real” Mexican food and first tasted home-made tortillas, menudo, and tamales. I began culinary school a year later and learned about the French method of cooking and developed a passion for fresh yeast breads and plated desserts. While at school I was fortunate to co-op with the city's largest catering company and gained valuable experience and knowledge in catering for large numbers. Now I am happily marrried to a great chef who teaches me about the other side of the world. Specialty desserts and fresh breads My grandmother gave me the best cheesescake recipe ever.... Currently developing my own recipe book, Silver Medal in my first pastry competition, bronze in ACF sugar competition. When I was 12 I wanted to spice up my mom's chili soup so I rummaged her spice cabinet and grabbed some rum extract (I heard the stuff was good). I poured a generous bit in there and am hesitant to use the smelly stuff to this day...