Beyond Mere Sustenance

Author - Beyond Mere Sustenance

My name is Tamara Andersen, and I’m an accomplished home cook. I have had no formal training, but I’ve been honing my culinary skills for 40 years… since I was a girl of 14. In high school, one of my proudest moments as a budding chef was to prepare and serve escargot for my French class. I gathered my own “critters” from our southern California backyard! While some of my classmates were hesitant to try them, the consensus was overwhelmingly positive. Dinner before my senior prom was Coq au Vin prepared in our family’s kitchen and included my sister, our dates, and me. While many of our classmates faced the crowds at the local chain restaurant, the four of us enjoyed a lovely candlelight meal at home for a fraction of the cost. Thus began an adventure that has taken me around-the-world (figuratively speaking.)