Hello Mother Ship ! Shortly after arriving in The Napa Valley, I found myself unpacking my bags and driving directly to The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone campus to aimlessly wander and absorb the culture. Greystone certainly has a different feel from my beloved Hyde Park Campus, however; it was nice to have a [...]
Yesterday I shared some of my thoughts about finding balance between pursuing my passion for all things food, making a difference and finding my way and ultimate career path. Over the past year I have learned a lot about life in the kitchen and it has shaped my thoughts more than I could have EVER [...]
As I prepare to return back to life at culinary school, I find myself constantly questioning: “Where will I go next? What is my calling? What is my path?” The food, hospitality and beverage industry is beautifully diverse. There are opportunities in the kitchen, in government, grocery stores, magazines and more. When you find your [...]
There are some things in life that you should NEVER do. NEVER cross the street when there is oncoming traffic. NEVER play with fire. NEVER try to fix a kitchen appliance while it is still plugged in. I am writing this post with 9 fingers. What started off as an amazing day off from work [...]
Another rainy day off from work found me computer-tied and craving comfort food. I spent nearly the entire day researching scholarship options to fund the second half of my culinary program and trying to catch up on my externship manual. I’m heading back to school in a short 2-months! I love Napa and all of [...]
This is a first attempt at these nettle agnolotti. I’m thinking I might tweek the dough recipe and had other ideas on how to serve them. One of my friends from work gave me green garlic odds and ends that I made a sauce of. It was a little powerful, and I already had [...]
My mom sent me a picture of an Easter Basket today. I was able to talk to the whole family for a while this morning and I am missing home more than ever! I imagine they ate large slices of my mom’s favorite Starbucks recipe: Blueberry Coffee Cake with large mugs of my dad’s perfect, [...]
I did something a little bit naughty this weekend. My first non-rainy day off in a long, LONG time presented itself. I woke up at 5am, like a young child anticipating presents on Christmas morning and sprung out of my bed. I showered in 15 minutes. Ate breakfast and got ready…I was out of my [...]
My neighbor’s chickens are out-and-about and the weather is finally starting to feel like Spring!! …well for me at least. As a New Yorker, 50 and sunny is “Spring”….heck, NO SNOW is Spring for us! The sun makes the Napa River look glorious! Between the rolling mountains and vineyards, this area is the most serene [...]
My spice obsession started a little over a month ago. On a quite day off from work I found myself bored and wandering around. My natural instinct when I’m bored is to research and find new adventures in food. I stumbled upon Whole Spice Market in Napa. I spoke to the merchant, smelled and tasted. [...]
