My name is Letha and I'm a "from scratch" cook...always have

been.​ My parents were raised during America's Great Depression, when store-bought food was often a luxury. They were both raised on food from the garden, woods, and pasture (Mom told stories of often having to eat wild rabbit and squirrel). Then, "poor people" raised their own food; those not so needy could buy pre-made foods. Consequently, she held a life-long connection between being poor and having to cook from scratch.

 

When prosperity returned, Mom was able to shop at grocery stores which were full of boxes, cans, and jars of commercially processed food. She (like so many others of her generation) believed the food marketing campaigns of the 1960s and 70s which touted processed foods as "nutritional", "better", and "convenient". Like many who grew up during this time, I was fed a steady diet of pre-packaged food. Rarely were we offered meals made from fresh or homemade ingredients. Please don't misunderstand me: my mother loved her family dearly and firmly believed she was feeding us the best possible food.

 

Being an artistic person, I was never inspired by simply opening a jar or box for dinner. My kitchen-creative needs are fed by simple and fresh ingredients, which can be transformed into spectacular dishes. And it didn't take long for me to realize that the flavor and quality of these dishes far outweighed that of processed food. I like to think that a "from scratch" meal from my kitchen equals a hug for your palette, taste buds, and tummy. Little else in life matches the bliss of setting a plate of homemade goodness on the table in front of someone I care about.

 

If you feel the same way, I invite you to join me on the journey of "from scratch" cooking and baking. Together we'll explore the adventures of fresh ingredients, tried-and-true recipes, ingenuity, and the culinary delights which spring from saying "what if" and bringing all of these together.