Hello, I am Monica. I have Armenian/Lebanese origins and I was born and raised in Italy. Many love the combination… I do too and I consider myself an Italian to my core.
Where did it all start
I have spent countless hours in the kitchen as a child and teenager and I remember how the women around me used to cook with so much passion and how much they loved to feed family and friends. Whether peeling garlic cloves or washing vegetables, being a child surrounded by traditional cooks at home taught me one important lesson: cooking is nourishing not only to the body but also to the soul. I am a hard believer that the very real psychological benefits of cooking surpass its physiological ones.
I don’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t in love with food. Whether preparing it, sharing it or eating it. Writing this now and looking back as far as 30 years, one thing was always constant in my life: my passion for cooking.
Measuring vs not measuring ingredients
The hardest and most challenging part for me in writing recipes is the measuring of ingredients. Now I admit when baking or making jam I follow the recipes exactly as they are; as for everything else I never measure. For me cooking is learning each time how to develop/adjust the flavors of a dish gradually as I put it together while tasting each step of the process. This allowed me to reach amazing and heart warming results in my kitchen.
Slowing down the world
Even though our lives are very fast paced nowadays, a meal that has been slowly simmering over the stove or a roast gently cooking in the oven is always the best. When home is filled with aromas my heart sings and my soul dances to the feeling. Isn’t it beautiful?
This is for my mom.
Monica
1 Comment