I first became passionate about food when I was in high school in Toronto. I worked part-time as a Cuisinart demonstrator. I actually sliced my finger open and required 7 stitches on my very first day. Shockingly, the company didn’t fire me. In fact they sent me flowers and paid me for my lost shifts until my finger healed. I still have the scar. In high school, I never considered a culinary career.

I earned an MBA degree and worked in marketing for about 4 years after graduating from University. However, it just didn’t fulfill my creative needs. After getting married I went back to Culinary School in Toronto and worked for several years in the industry, cooking at restaurants, gourmet take-out food shops and catering. In 1989 we started a family and shortly after that moved to Ottawa. After I had my three children, I decided to stay at home and raise them. Working in the food industry is not conducive to family life.

Now that the kids are almost grown up (20, 19 and 17) I have been slowly easing my way back into the food world. I am writing a food column here in Ottawa. I love the creative process involved in writing. I decided to start this food blog after joining the Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge. I used it as a way to chronicle this baking journey. Once the challenge was over, i was hooked on blogging. I love both the writing and the photography.

I called my blog Salt and Serenity because I crave both on a regular basis. I have always loved the combination of sweet and salty. I guess it began when I was little. I’d eat my Halloween candy in a very particular way. First a bite of a mini chocolate bar, then a potato chip. Later on, I graduated to mixing a box of Milk Duds into my popcorn bag at the movies. A little salt from the popcorn, followed by the occasional hit of sweetfrom the Milk Duds. Currently I get my salty-sweet hit from Lindt Fleur de Sel Chocolate. There are 12 bars in my fridge at any given time. My daughter and I allow ourselves about 3 little squares each day. I take tiny bites and let the chocolate melt on my tongue until I get the crunch from the salt crystal.

The craving for serenity began many years ago. Just before I had my first child I read a quote that really resonated with me. “A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life. Do all you can to create a tranquil harmonious home. ” I promised myself that I’d try to do just that. Wow, was I ever naive. Anyone with three teenagers (the youngest with special needs) will tell you that a serene home is just not possible. But a regular Iyengar Yoga practice, judicious amounts of salt and baking help me to stay serene.