About Me - Loretta

Cooking for family and friends is my passion. I do it for fun and for the love of good food. My Grandmother is my constant inspiration. I fondly remember the times when she prepared meals for all of “la familia”, or anyone else who would present themselves at lunch or dinner. While not a gourmet, she cooked with love and the sheer enjoyment of cooking, and her passion exploded through the delicious flavors of her meals. Grandma was from Mexico, so I acquired a special taste for Mexican cuisine early on. As I began to travel, these experiences informed my pallet of the wide world of delicious food and their diversity. My husband is Spanish by birth, and when we met and married, our cultures, heritage and love for food became one.

My personal journey in cooking was spiced along the way by my working in cafes in my home town of Los Angeles, CA. It was an amazing place to live and experience the food revolution happening in the 1980’s in the eclectic environment of the City of Angels!  I ran a pasta shop, owned and operated my own espresso bar, roasting our beans and serving scrumptious small plates, juggling catering projects while also serving on the board of AIWF, American Institute of Wine and Food with culinary giants like Julia Child and Robert Mondavi. More recently I have been a contributing food editor to Mexico in my pocket, sharing recipes exclusively from my Abuela’s kitchen.

I relocated for a few years to the “Old Town” of Alexandria, VA, a delightful small city along the banks of the Potomac River in the shadows of Washington DC, which enabled an entirely new experience for cooking and enjoying food. I have since retired and moved back to the Los Angeles area. When I am not cooking and creating recipes, my husband Miguel and I are out walking in sunny California, or exploring our second home, España.

I like to think of myself as a #everydaycook. While I do not have any formal training as a chef, I devour every resource through reading and classes wherever and whenever I can. Spending time in the kitchen is where I find enjoyment, comfort and love. I am free to experiment and try out new recipes and ingredients, one can never stop learning, and most importantly enjoying! I truly believe that bringing family and friends around the table forges great relationships and fond memories.

My husband and daughters are an intimate part of this experience. It is truly a family affair, we all participate, whether it be in gathering, preparing, eating or just enjoying.  One of my legacies for my two girls will be the lifetime of family recipes that I carefully recorded and the art of entertaining, bringing family and friends together over their own dining tables.

I look forward to all of you joining my journey in food experience; when I post, it is coming to you with love - from my heart to your table!