My love affair with food started at a very young age. My Mom was an accomplished home chef
and introduced me to the joy of cooking.
As her assistant in the kitchen, I quickly learned it’s fine nuances and
the joy one feels by preparing food for loved ones. In 6th grade I prepared a biographical speech
regarding Escoffier (great French chef), dressed in full out whites, chef hat and
cotton ball mustache. It was then
I decided to attend Cornell’s prestigious Hotel School and realized my dream
seven years later as a freshman on the campus.
I’ve spent the last eighteen years taking care of my two
beautiful children and living in various cities due to my husband’s career as a
Hotel General Manager. Our adventure
started post-college in Seattle, Washington. We spent a year in this fine city starting our hospitality
careers and enjoying the birth of the grunge movement. Our next destination was Toronto,
Ontario (my husband is Canadian). Five
years in Canada landed me experience in corporate catering, a crazy Jack
Russell Terrier named Daisy and a beautiful bouncing baby boy named Jake.
The thrilling city of San Francisco became our next
dwelling. It was good to be back on the West Coast amidst sunshine, palm trees
and first-class restaurants.
However, most of my time was used changing diapers, joining playgroups
and locating the best neighborhoods for elementary schools. With the addition of my daughter Eva to
our family, cooking was literally put on the back burner.
After a few years in Oregon our family now lives in San
Diego. My kids are 15 and 18, so I
am quickly gaining back my independence.
I found time to attend food writing courses and began developing Virtually Homemade. All the recipes are developed in my
kitchen and photographed in my backyard or a bright spot in my home. Once in a while I
share a favorite recipe from a cookbook, blog or my childhood. Otherwise, I spend most of my days
mixing ingredients in my head to create the perfect dish for you. After a year of being gluten free for health reason, you will find over 100 GF recipes on this site.
Liz Hughes
Virtually Homemade
