A Brand New Award ~ Food Stories Award for Excellence in Storytelling Nominee!

I am truly honored to be one of the first food bloggers to be nominated for the brand new Food Stories Award for Excellence in Storytelling by C.J. at Food Stories! 

So much emphasis is placed on the artistry and nutritional value of food, but cooking is also a way to preserve our familial and cultural histories.  I often wonder who first thought of eating certain things - like artichokes that are delicious, but not very friendly.  And, what about crazy looking things like California King Crabs?

John and me in Monterey, CA

I've had an interesting life.  My dad was a U. S. Navy helicopter pilot.  He and my mom were both born and raised in Southern California.  By the time I was 5 years-old, I had lived in Chula Vista and Sunnyvale, CA and southern Georgia.  When I was 5, we moved to Atsugi, Japan, where we lived for 2 years before returning to Southern CA for another 2 years.  When I was 9 years-old, we moved to Naples, Italy where we lived for 3 1/2 years before moving to Rome for 3 years.  I returned to the U.S. just in time to start my junior year of high school in New Jersey where we lived just long enough to finish out the school year. Then we moved to Texas where I graduated from high school and went on to attend the University of Dallas.  I was fortunate enough to spend the spring semester of my sophomore year in Rome. 

Street Market in St. Paul-de-Vence, Provence, France

After I graduated from college, I returned to San Diego where I lived for 3 years before moving to Ventura County where I have lived ever since.

My husband is a southern gentleman who grew up in New Orleans and spent his youth traveling the South to vacation and visit family.  He moved to London during high school and went on to live in Scotland and Denmark.  After graduating from high school in Aberdeen, Scotland, he returned to the U.S. to attend Louisianna State University.  After graduation, he took a job in Texas, then ultimately, ended up living in Southern California. 

We both work for the government and have traveled all over the U.S. for work.  We love to travel and have been to Europe and visited many states together.  So, our cooking style is informed by all the places we've lived.  We always enjoy learning new cooking techniques and trying fresh food wherever we go.  We love to visit California Wine Country and often bring spices back different places we go.

Grapes for sale in Amalfi, Italy

I guess that's a very long way of saying we cook all kinds of food from all the places we've been!  We love living in Southern California where we have fresh produce, fish, and grass-fed beef year-round.

Here are a few of our family recipes: 
John's Mom's Curried Chicken Salad
Aunt Kak's Cream Cheese Brownies
Grandma Irene's Coconut and Walnut Cookies

Now comes the fun part!  I get to share this award with 5 fellow bloggers!

Food Stories is pleased to present the Food Stories Award for Excellence in Storytelling, a fabulous nomination that anyone can bestow on their fellow bloggers.

Here’s how it works:

1. The nominee should visit the award site (http://foodstoriesblog.com/food-stories-award/) and leave a comment indicating that they have been nominated and by whom. (This step is so important because it’s the only way our judges will know who is being considered for the monthly presentation).

2. The Nominee should thank the person that nominated them by posting & including a link to their blog.

3. Share one random thing about yourself in your blog post.

4. Select at least five other bloggers that you enjoy reading their stories and nominate them for the award.

5. Notify your  nominees by leaving a comment on their blog, including a link to the award site (http://foodstoriesblog.com/food-stories-award/) .

Food Stories will put together a team of judges to review all nominees and to select a Food Stories Award Winner for each month. More information to come on what fabulous opportunities await for those lucky winners!

My write-up:

1.  Done!

2.  Thank you so much C.J.!  I am truly honored!

3.  Purple is my favorite color - my last car was a purple Camaro!

4.  I am nominating the following wonderful food bloggers who are great storytellers, too:

Cher at The not so exciting adventures of a dabbler...

Trevor at Sis.Boom.[Blog]

Kathy at Bakeaway With Me

Kris at Miss Kris Kitchen

Chris at The Cafe Sucre Farine

Thank you all for your support of our culinary journey!