I grew up, decades ago in the Midwestern United States, in the midst of horrendous food doldrums. And then at a nice young age, I was sent to the Philippines where my life of flavor began. Fresh fruits, greens, sauces, seafood with shells, roasts over toasty coconut husks – I was in heaven. Since then, day by day, from country to country, now in South America, beautiful Ecuador to be precise, I LOVE eating, creating new flavor combinations and thinking food, food, food.
To justify this passion, I studied nutrition. Imagine, I´m a foodie and a nutritionist. I love food and sharing it in a way that is both delicious and healthy. I have fun organizing my life in a way to care for the environment and the world through what I eat. Eating mindfully, that´s my path. Luckily, I no longer need to do it alone. With the support of a great group of visionaries, farmers who don´t use artificial pesticides or imported fertilizers, students, ecologists, marketing experts, chefs, and indigenous communities, anybody and everybody can do this. We all eat and we can all care about the quality of what we put in our mouths and how it affects the world we live in.
In my little tiny town, down the hill from Quito the capital of Ecuador, high in the Andes, we are learning to ask: Where was this grown? How was it grown? When was it picked or killed, and How do you use it? Friends and colleagues arrive at my home and their taste buds are awakened by what I create. It may be merely a water “aguita” made with fresh herbs from the garden, my favorite crispy juicy root, yacón (called “jicama” in Ecuador), or fish breaded with crunchy amaranth.
Through my new website and blog, I want to share with you tips and tricks to eat and live a life of flavor, in ways that are healthy for you and for our world.
I have no special diet fad or superfood to promote. I studied with Joan Gussow, Michael Pollan´s mentor, and for me eating real food, and lots of it, straight from the ground near where I live guides me. I like to eat with huge diversity of products and preparations.
Please let me know what you are most interested in exploring from this incredible land, where we have fresh, fresh produce all year round. Let´s cook together, and think together, melding our lives of flavor.