Welcome to my kitchen.

It’s important you know this: I am 0% Italian (unless you count the fact that my Norwegian grandfather once owned an Italian restaurant?). Yet Italy continues to be the land I am drawn to — the shared tables, the generous souls, the simple ingredients, the appreciation of harvests, the generational dishes, the stories, the olive oil. When I first found myself in Italy (back in 2007), I bellied up to a table and was fed a plate of homemade gnocchi in tomato passata — from that meal, I was never the same. It is a country that has continued to welcome me generously. Even if my family comes from another part of the world…

I began writing a food blog in 2010, which eventually developed into four published recipe and lifestyle books: From Scratch, Family Table, Welcome to the Farm, and Seasons at the Farm. My cooking has been now been featured with the Food Network, Bona Furtuna Italian Goods, and Jovial Foods.

Inspired by a trip to Tuscany in 2018, I created The Cooking Community — an online gathering of home cooks from around the world. I have been curating, developing, and cooking for the community ever since.

My family and I live in the United States and on our small piece of land, we grow our own food, cook our meals from scratch, and celebrate the seasons at our table.

I travel back to Italy twice per year, now returning with guests for our Che Vita Getaways, to share this beautiful country with others during week-long culinary retreats in Umbria.

In addition, I share long-form glimpses into my daily kitchen life on my YouTube channel and thoughtful reflections in my newsletter, Confessions From My Kitchen.

My prayer is that the work of my hands would find a way to bless and nourish your own table.

It is my delight to share these pieces of my Italian kitchen with you!

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