I grew up in a family of restaurateurs and professional cooks, and when I graduated from Allegheny College to support myself, I apprenticed at a Viennese and French pastry shop in Cambridge, Mass. From there I fell into the world of recipe development and food styling in NYC, and then wound up supervising major food accounts for brands like Tabasco Pepper Sauce. One day I found myself sitting in front of a TV camera, talking about how to choose a ripe melon for the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association and realized that what I loved most about my job was advising consumers on how to shop, cook, and eat healthy, delicious, economic meals. When I write a recipe, I try to envision the cook and provide instructions that explain a particularly difficult step or technique or how to find an unusual ingredient. Above all, I believe that cooking and eating well is a lifetime activity that everyone should find time to learn and practice. Happy Cooking!