Today I’ve invited Elizabeth Ladina, heroine of California Wine, to tell us a little about herself.
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Oh, hello there. If you’d wait a second, I need to pop this lasagna into the oven. I’ve always liked cooking, but my late husband, Joe, only liked simple food. You know. Steak and potatoes. Hamburgers. Enchiladas.
He died when Sarah, my daughter, was a little girl. I think that’s when I really started to enjoy cooking. Sarah wasn’t a fussy eater, thank God. She enjoyed eating, but never learned to cook very well, I’m afraid. That’s why I’m worried about her opening an inn. You’ll read about that in California Homecoming.
Cooking is a great distraction for me. I love to experiment with new recipes. I don’t bake much. My friend Annie, from California Sunset,is the baker. She makes the best bread! Some of my favorites are vegetarian chile and pea soup, both from The New Basics Cookbook. I also like Cook’s Illustrated, don’t you? I learned this great tip from them to make lasagna and manicotti. You use no-boil lasagna noodles for both!
Since my trip to Italy, though, I love making Italian food, especially ravioli. Italian food is especially good with wine and we grow some of the best wine in the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains. If you’re in California, you should stop by!
Don’t forget to read my story in California Wine, on sale today only (June 17, 2013) on Amazon! Get your Kindle copy today!
Buon appetito!
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