It might be cliche’ to say that food is the center of my life, but it is true. Cooking is my favorite creative outlet. I studied and practice art and photography, but the wonder of creating a meal to share with others creates an amazing sense of accomplishment.

Food is not just infused in pleasure, however, but also in politics. Food access should be equal. Good nutrition should be a natural outcome of the foods surrounding us. Eating for the pure pleasure should be a basic human right. I am grateful for every meal I am able to prepare and the bounty of earth’s delights that I have access to. Every meal prepared in my kitchen is prepared with gratitude to the growers, laborers, and cultures that made it possible.

Sharing food is my most favorite activity. Laying an abundant table with a meal I spent days creating and then populating that table with good friends, old and new, brings such happiness to my life. I want to share that abundance and happiness with you.

Finally, I love to travel and when I do, I plan each trip around learning the cuisine of the region. I study ahead of time to find restaurants and markets that bring me closer to the culture. My personal history is ages old in America and Anglo before that. I grew up in the flavorless white suburban middle class of the U.S. in the 1960’s. When I began to travel the world after college, including a time in the Peace Corps, the world opened to me at every table and in every market. I was transformed. I continue to learn the history, struggles, traditions, celebrations, and cuisine of other cultures to showcase them; respect them; and, where possible, advocate for them.

Because the food of cultures, many ancient, around the world have made my life and my table so much richer, you will find flavors from around the world in my recipes. I love to dive into a cuisine, learn how it meshes spices, herbs and other indigenous ingredients and then experimenting with those flavor combinations in everyday cooking. No two roast chickens ever taste the same in my kitchen!

I hope I inspire your culinary imagination to travel the world of flavor through cookbooks, recipes (mine and others), and visiting ethnic markets and restaurants in your area. Flavor teaches us about a culture; sharing flavors around a table can bring us closer to our neighbors.

I look forward to cooking with you,

Cary