I refuse to recognize the difference between spices and herbs; they are all spices to me. I believe the key to beauty is contrast, and I apply this idea liberally to my cooking. I have a hard time following recipes as written. Approximately fifty percent of the time I make pastries I end up in tears, but this in no way diminishes my pleasure in the process. I have mixed feelings about the word "foodie." While I appreciate the fact that it rhymes with "nudie" (making the phrase "foodie magazines" that much more fun to say), I prefer the term "sensualist" because I am zealous about beauty in all its forms. I read cookbooks for pleasure.
