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Greetings fellow cooks and life enthusiasts!
This book is for those who already know how to cook but are looking for inspiration and new adventures
in life and the kitchen. Over thirty years marinating in my head and I am finally taking the time out from my interior design and art careers
to write it all down. I do hope you will enjoy what I have prepared!
I was born and raised in the south, Georgia to be more specific, so most of the recipes are informed
by that. However, included are some very special dishes deliciously perfected by family and friends from all over the states and abroad. Most are simple
and easy to prepare (I tend to be a lazy cook, especially after a martini or two!) and some are a little more complicated and ALL are open to creative
interpretation and adjustments to suit your pallet. The most important
thing is to fearlessly experiment and have fun!
What you will not find in
these pages is hard and fast, detailed instructions, but rather suggestions,
guidelines and ideas for great, satisfying meals.
As you will see, for the
most part, the recipes presented here are health conscious. But every now
and then you really NEED my Mom’s country fried steak with mashed potatoes
and milk gravy! Yummm, the ultimate comfort food! So gather family and
friends and maybe a little wine (you can even put some in the food!) and
start your stoves!
And finally, being and artist
and designer, artistic presentations and fabulous table settings are important
and are part of the joy of it all. Make them as simple or elaborate as
you want and remember that sometimes the simplest turns out to be the most
beautiful!
A comfortable, inviting and
functional kitchen is, of course, a plus, but some of the best meals I
have ever prepared were in a kitchen so small, I could stand in one place
and touch everything in it!!
I wish you all the joy that
I have had preparing all these meals for my family and friends over the
past thirty or so years. Happy cooking and always remember to “Live Life
with Joy, Wonder and Style!”
Clay Stephens
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