The shared meal elevates eating from a mechanical process of fueling the body to a ritual of family and community
Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food
My love for gardening began in the kitchen
Growing up in Vermont, our home was often full of family & friends; alive with laughter, stories, and the smell of a delicious dinner in the making. My dad, the grill master, would be laughing and sharing stories with his friends on the back deck while grilling a steak to perfection. Meanwhile my mom and her friends would be visiting in the kitchen and carrying out bountiful platters of lovingly prepared food to the dining room, making sure every detail was just right. I loved bouncing between rooms, listening in on the grown-ups conversations, running around with the other kids, and sneaking snacks from the hors d’oeuvres table—until we finally gathered around the beautifully set candle-lit table for a meal made with lots of flavor & love, and always followed by a decadent dessert. Those evenings were full of warmth, connection, and the simple joy of sharing food and time with the people we loved.
Since moving to Arizona, I’ve carried that tradition forward—creating a space for friends to pause from their day-to-day busyness, share a home-cooked meal, and savor the simple joy of being together.
Good food starts with good ingredients. Grown & raised closer to home, the better. Over my years of hosting, or even just cooking for myself, I have enjoyed taking my time in the kitchen to explore different ingredients, cooking styles, & flavors and have developed some of my own recipes that I would like to share. Here, you’ll find recipes and stories inspired by those moments around the table that highlight some of my favorite seasonal ingredients grown & raised on my farm.