Do you live in the San Diego or southern Orange County? Are you tired of cooking the same old things? Do you have trouble getting dinner on the table? Don’t even tell me you’re eating take out night after night! Let me help you out.
If you’ve stopped by here more than a few times, you know that food is my passion. Over the years I’ve been a cook for a family, ran a dinner delivery business, was a caterer and owned a cafe. I’ve been shopping at my local farmers’ market for the past twenty years, before it was the “in” thing to do. I cook with the seasons and sometimes that drives J. crazy since I won’t buy tomatoes in the winter!
I am offering two different services for those of you who live near me. Get into the kitchen with me for private cooking classes. My specialty is Italian cuisine and the food of the Mediterranean. From starters to homemade pasta to desserts, you tell me what you’d like to know more about.
Don’t really have the time or the interest in cooking yourself but want delectable, well balanced meals? I am available to prepare food to go which I will deliver to your home. Wouldn’t it be great to come home and not have to worry about what’s for dinner?
You may live somewhere else in the country but if you know someone in my neck of the woods, fill them in on my blog and my services. Want to know even more about the food of Italy? Come along with me on my next trip to Tuscany next spring and we’ll explore, shop and cook together for a fun filled week in the gorgeous walled town of Lucca. Check back next week for the specifics on the tour.
Get in touch at paninigirl4@gmail.com
September 1, 2011 at 3:27 pm
Do I ever wish I lived near you! But I am interested in your tour to Tuscany next spring. And I have lots of air travel miles stored up…
September 1, 2011 at 3:36 pm
Karleen-I will send you an e mail later today and fill you in! I would love to have you along and what a great way to use your miles!
September 1, 2011 at 3:39 pm
Great!
September 1, 2011 at 8:39 pm
I also don’t buy “fresh” cottony tomatoes during winter, thankfully the canned variety suffice… Also, when the traditional basil season is over I don’t use the herb until the arrival of spring when it announces the end of winter and the resurrection of good ol’ Persephone and wonderful warm weather!!. … I disdain anything out of season.
September 2, 2011 at 1:49 pm
Gian-I can’t get enough of tomatoes and basil during the summer. I think we eat them every single day!
September 3, 2011 at 1:27 am
Being that summer is biding goodbye today I went to the greengrocer and bought tons of fresh tomatoes, basil, parsley, fresh hot peppers, different color bell peppers, cucumbers, French bread, etc., etc., all this for another mammoth bowl of pansanella salad,I want summer to end with a big–summery–bang. Your wonderful photo of the tomatoes, etc.is what got my hunger calling for the pansanella, grazie e grazie e grazie!!!!!
September 1, 2011 at 9:25 pm
If I lived nearby I would come for lessons.
September 2, 2011 at 1:49 pm
Debra-next time we’re in Italy at the same time we can cook together.
September 2, 2011 at 3:43 am
GREAT IDEA JANIE-THIS IS PERFECT FOR YOU….EVERYONE WHO READS THIS BLOG SHOULD TASTE YOUR FOOD, OR LEARN FROM YOU.
September 2, 2011 at 1:46 pm
Linda-you are too sweet!
September 13, 2011 at 12:30 am
I can attest from personal experience- a cooking lesson from you is a true gift!!
September 15, 2011 at 3:52 pm
Lauren-thank you for the kudos! You were a wonderful student!
October 5, 2011 at 9:48 am
I live in New York…if ever in the Soho area, let me know.
October 6, 2011 at 12:45 am
Platanos, Mangoes and Me-I’m originally from the NY suburbs and would l love to meet up in the city next time I’m back visiting my family!
October 6, 2011 at 1:18 am
I again looked at the photo of the tomatoes AND parsley, and AGAIN I’m inspired, so I made a tomato and parsley salad taught to me by an ancient Tuscan woman of whom I’ve collected all her family recipes over the years, it being a good thing I did in that recently her nephew was helping her clean out her house and threw out all her recipes in the process… The recipe is simple and elegant: Sliced tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil (the nice green grassy stuff), salt, a copious amount of minced parsley, and a couple slices of toasted Italian/French bread to accompany. Sometimes minced garlic was added. Thanks!!!!