April 30, 2021
I can’t believe I am sitting here with this cookbook in my lap. It’s been years in the making and a project that I sometimes doubted would ever come to fruition. The book is dedicated to my family; AJ, Ava, and Lily for standing by with an incredible amount of support and encouragement. I had been nervous that writing a book would take me away from my primary job of being a mom and wife. They said nope, just do it (maybe it was their way of getting rid of me!?) and it meant so much, particularly as every page is filled with recipes from our everyday celebrations and with what I have learned throughout my culinary and gardening journey (on which my family has been along for the ride). The next part of the dedication is to my parents who taught me to dream big and try new things every day. This is how they lived their lives and taught me to believe that the world was my oyster and I could accomplish anything I put my mind to—never has that been proven more true than through the publication of Lush Life.
This collection of recipes are the ones I make on repeat, whether it be for a school-night family dinner or a dinner party for twelve. The dishes reflect not only what is in season, but the seasonal events of our life in Santa Barbara. It was important to me that those looking to plant a garden know not only when to plant, but what to plant. My favorite part is that while everything tastes and looks fantastic, nothing is fussy or meltdown-inducing. I say it all the time, seasonal fresh food just needs to be simply prepared—let the ingredients do most of the work for you. When it came time to organize this know-how in a way that could be shared the most “natural” designation seemed obvious, by season. I hope that you will be inspired to grow your own food, cook it fresh, and pour a luscious beverage. Cheers, to more of the Lush Life!
You can order your copy here.
