I find cooking a creative outlet and one that I feel compelled to express daily. I crave cooking and I find myself daydreaming about potential recipes. I love to please those around me and most often I accomplish this with home cooked meals. It’s most gratifying to serve family and friends their favorite dishes and to see them smile. I also know my way around a kitchen, and I can easily cook for two or forty-eight people without blinking an eye!

I’m a transplanted southerner who has roots in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee. I’m very proud of my heritage as my family can tell you. I’m a true southern girl currently living in both the Cayman Islands and upstate New York. Not only do I love both places, but I have also relished learning about the different cultures, heritages, people, and food. I have adopted some of the cooking methods from the melting pot of these regions, but I must be honest and tell you that my cooking will always reflect my southern upbringing and that gives me comfort. You will see some of the southern dishes in this cookbook that have been a few of my favorites for a very long time.

Our summers are spent in a cottage that is almost 100 years old and is located on a lake in the very picturesque foothills of the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York. This cottage happens to proudly showcase my very favorite kitchen and to me it’s heaven on earth. Simply stated – I’m at peace in this kitchen. “My Cottage Kitchen” is so very special because of the wealth of wonderful family and friends that gather in this sacred room over food and drink made from loving recipes. I believe that people bond over food and lifetime memories are created each time we sit at the communal table together. Our summers are just a quick blur by the time September rolls around but we know how to squeeze absolutely the last minute of time left in the few short months of an ever-fleeing New York season. The time is passed by enjoying lake life with the abounding love of friends, family, and the truly scenic landscape of the countryside. Our summers are coveted since our winters are long and cold. We relish every precious moment between Memorial Day and Labor Day and as beautiful as our autumn is, it comes very quickly!