I am Dutch by heritage (farming, rubber boots and rolled up sleeves are in my blood) and married an Italian; I have two college-age sons that are the joy of my life. We all enjoy DIY projects and are always up for adventure (we cycled from Amsterdam to Paris and lived in Italy for a year - all captured here on Talk of Tomatoes).

I am a learner and a teacher. Talk of Tomatoes has been a catalyst to my curiosities from cooking to photography to farming and home preservation. On top of Culinary School, I have a Master Certificate in Preservation which roughly means: I have an incessant need to know the nuances of preparing, drying, canning, curing, pickling and freezing seasonal foods. Once I learn it, I share it.

knives. What started as putting a cookbook online 10+ years ago morphed into much more. Talk of Tomatoes warranted my excuse to attend culinary school. My 'knife-wielding' is a nod to my training as a chef, my love of food and entertaining, discovering kitchen hacks and teaching at a cooking school.

pitchforks. You can read all about my adventures in urban farming as well as visiting farms. I have been gardening for years, own egg-laying hens, and love to figure out what to grow, how to heal dirt, encourage bees, save seeds and dry, can and freeze everything I grow. It has been one fantastic discovery after another. 

martinis. I am a fan of playing hard, seeking new experiences and adventures whether on my palate, in my garden or around the globe. 'Martinis' on my blog is all about travel, you can read about my few favorites (and more to come!): Italy via DaVinci Wine, Food & Wine Las Vegas, The Kentucky Derby, Iowa Cornfields, California Raisins and California Olive Ranch.