It's been a while since I wrote on this blog and it's time to start up again. I am at the Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga working as a "culinary artist" a term I take with all seriousness. Time is flying and I have been cooking up so many yummy things.

Now I get to put those creative daily spurts of mine into books. I am working on two and they both connote the deep flavors of the earth.

Earthy is one word to describe my style with some salt and brine elements of the sea mixed in too. One book project is with the fabulously talented visual artist Kija Lucas who is doing all the photography for an art and nature-hungry seasonal cookbook. Many of the things are wild and foraged and all the recipes will be inspired by my intense cooking time and exploration at the artist residency at Montalvo.

The other book will be focused on food and drink of the cider house. Apples! And on that one, I get to work with another wildly talented person— my sister who is co- owner of the artisan Carr's Ciderhouse in Hadley, MA. Ever heard of switchel or cider syrup? Now you will. It's amazing stuff, old school ingredients brought to the contemporary era...artisan food at its finest and most ethical.