About US

Those of us born without sisters know that our girlfriends can become the sisters we never had.  Sharing a passion with friends forms deep connections in our souls.  For US, that passion is food.

Julie Anderson:

I love food.  I love to cook and I love to eat.  Anyone who knows me even a little bit knows this about me.  :)

Growing up, I was constantly experimenting in the kitchen (and of course, leaving a giant mess behind).  Whether I was making bread with my Swedish great grandma, baking a cake from the Betty Crocker cookbook with one of my friends or having a "hot-a-thon"*** with my brothers, the kitchen was always the place I gravitated to.

***("hot-a-thon" = having a contest of who can tolerate eating a concoction of the spiciest foods that you have in the refrigerator.  Apparently, old habits die hard; on any given day, I'll find my own sons doing this with their friends.)

I love to travel and I've had the good fortune to visit many wonderful countries around the globe.  Let's be honest, the main reason I love to travel is so I can try the local fare of the place I'm visiting.  I've had pig intestines in Shanghai, squid ink pasta in Tuscany and kolaches in Prague.  My desire to cook NEVER goes on vacation, and consequently, I've taken cooking classes in China and Italy.

Although I DO try to eat in a healthy manner, I often fail...I use loads of butter and gallons of cream in my cooking.  Knowing that I need to pick my food battles, I've made some choices about how and what I choose to eat.  To offset my vices, I avoid most processed and fast food.  I do my best to follow the old adage: "eat a little of everything and a lot of nothing" and I also try to exercise frequently.  I also enjoy the challenge of making healthy foods that actually taste good. 

My husband Troy and my 3 sons, Brady, Ike and Tommy, are wonderful guinea pigs.  They're willing to try almost anything and are generous with their opinions (sometimes a little too generous, if you know what I mean).  Cooking for my guys is a necessity....cooking with my friends is a pure joy.  Either way, my kitchen is a gathering place always filled with laughter, fun and passion!  I hope our dishes can inspire you to find your own joy in cooking.  Bon Appetit!

Melissa Mondo:  

An Italian quote: Uno non può pensare bene, amare bene, dormire bene, se non ha mangiato bene. 

    One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one hasn't eaten well. - Virginia Wolf

Growing up in an Italian family has certainly left its mark deep in my soul.  Food has always been the center of this family and through it comes an enormous expression of love, joy, warmth, and comfort.  A common phrase among the Italian half of my family has always been "you can't fool that gene pool" and it again holds true when it comes to the passion for food that has been passed down from generation to generation, from Italy to the United States.  My grandpa owned an Italian restaurant and now my cousin has the only one left in the family.  I guess you can say that my passion for food is genetic and inescapable!  

 I've always loved food but from about the time I graduated from college to the present that love has turned into an obsession.  For me, cooking has become an expression of love to anyone who receives what I make.  Food is more than just substance to fill the stomach, it's a relationship, it's a conversation, it's a common bond.  The thing I love most about food is how it brings people together, cooking takes time and in that time is the opportunity to nurture a relationship with a friend, mom, dad, brother, sister, daughter, son, grandparent... you name it.  

My interest in food and my general passion for it also comes from a strong passion I have for health.  Not only have I grown up in an Italian family, I've also grown up with a chiropractor for a father.  I was introduced to natural and organic food when I was young and that has stayed with me through all these years.  Cooking healthy but delicious food is a challenge that I love to take on!  I'm an athlete, a personal trainer, and a hockey coach and being able to teach people how and what to eat and showing them that healthy can be easy AND good is something that gives me great pleasure!

I hope the food that we create and pass on can give you as much pleasure and satisfaction as it does us.  I hope you can build your relationships with your friends and family as you create and enjoy these recipes.  In the end, if you haven't eaten well.... you can't think well, LOVE well, or sleep well.  Enjoy!

"We should look for someone to eat and drink with before looking for something to eat and drink" ~Epicurus

About US:
We have FUN cooking together!  Although we have a list of recipes we want to create, we've discovered that there will never be enough time to make them all.  We're doing what we can to make a dent in that list...Enjoy!