FOOD & WINE

My mother “Kay” was not only a good cook but an adventurous one, so in addition to Irish fare our family meals included her version of international dishes such as chicken cacciatore, shrimp Creole, and Indian curries. I learned to cook at an early age by watching her. Since then I’ve taken numerous cooking classes, dated a couple of chefs who helped me develop some culinary skills, acquired shelves laden with cookbooks, and, like other foodies, spend way too much time watching Top Chef and similar TV shows. By now I know a thing or two about the food world, but I don’t pretend to be a wine connoisseur; rather, I am someone who appreciates good wine, knows what she likes, and is always curious to taste something new and different. That is, except when sailing down the Li River in China when I declined a glass of snake wine from a carafe containing a large, coiled snake. Maybe next time.