I may have been a child of the seventies—Go Greased Lighting and all that—but my palate was definitely ahead of its time, impatiently waiting for a new era to come along. Fine, I admit, I still like Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. But not for me were the canned tamales my sister ate with such relish, and definitely not processed meat on Wonder bread. I am famous in my family for feeding bologna sandwiches to my horse or flushing them down the toilet .. anything to get out of eating them. My dad says that from the start, I’ve always had high-end taste when it comes to food. Give me a menu, and I could tell you in a matter of seconds if it had lobster on it. Not bad for a ten-year-old! These days, I still like a five-star meal, but I’m more interested in quality, freshness and flavor. I’ve always cooked, but when I got married and nested into the hills of Los Angeles in a home known as Lark—complete with a husband whose garden would make Michael Pollan proud—I found that it became more than just a pastime. It’s my passion. I love to cook. I also love to take photos and have photographed two food books, as well as two travel books. With this blog, I get to combine food and photography with the elements that make my life complete: my family and friends who often gather together on Sundays to enjoy a meal here at Lark.

Recipient of my bologna sandwiches

How I view the world

Mastering the art of a perfect turkey is a must. In my old kitchen in Brixton.