So, just what is California Comfort Cooking? I coined the phrase to capture my love of fresh herbs and vegetables with traditional Southern cuisine. Much like the incredible diversity of Southern California, my creations celebrate the flavors found in traditional American, Italian, Mexican, and Asian cuisines. It enfolds interesting herbs and seasonings into my foundational recipes. It includes main dishes, sides, beverages, and sweets that reflect how I serve my family while remaining open to enhancing dishes with other recommended flavors and combinations.
I began cooking at the age of nine. My grandmother, Zelma, was the first to inspire a love of cooking. I enjoyed watching her cook and host! A mother of nine children and a minister’s wife, she would host Sunday dinners that were a generous display of warmth and hospitality. My grandfather would often invite people to their home after church service, welcoming all to their homes. My grandmother, mother dear as she was affectionately known, would also hold huge holiday gatherings for her children and grandchildren. I remember those occasions as happy times, and as a little girl, my fondest memory is the sideboard of desserts my grandmother would prepare during these times. She cooked with purpose, with speed, but most of all, she cooked with love.
Later, my mother, a young divorced single mom with four children to support, found that she needed to work full-time. As the oldest, it was often my responsibility to watch my siblings. My mother made sure I understood how to be safe with our stove. On weekends, she would leave for work and tell me what I could cook while she was away, and I began with soups, grilled cheese sandwiches, and other simple and easy things to prepare. As time passed, I was able to prepare breakfast items comfortably and learned to cook spaghetti. However, one day, my mother had a roast defrosting that changed my cooking journey. She told me what I needed to do over the phone, and that I was capable of doing it. The roast was delicious and tender; I knew a “home chef” had been born!
This website is dedicated to many of my favorite recipes. I will share my stories, inspiration for cooking, and legacy that inspired the concept of California Comfort Cooking and, of course, California Southern Belle.