Let’s face it we all need food to survive. That being said, why not enjoy your food?

Over the past 20-25 years eating habits have continued to evolve. Eating pre-packaged frozen meals, grabbing fast food or following the popular “fad” diet of the time has become our way of life.

Now, fast forward to the present day. We want to know what we are feeding our bodies. We also want foods that are not treated with pesticides, GMO’s (genetically modified organisms), or growth hormones. We want to support small local farmers more, to give us fresh, sustainable and affordable foods. The bottom line for most of us is that we want to know where our food is coming from.

Boy, have times changed! I remember when eating out at a restaurant was a luxury, typically prompted by a celebration of some kind. These days, restaurant culture has changed immensely. We eat at restaurants more often. Choice, taste and lifestyles often motivate our choices everyday.

I was born in Somerville, and grew up in this very city during the 70’s and 80’s, in a typical Italian/Irish family. Food was a way of life at our house. I started cooking 24 years ago and thanks to public television and the Food Network, I found my niche. Cooking is a hobby of mine. I was a bakery manager at an artisan bread company where I gained experience in small batch bread making and catering for 5 to 300 people. I currently work as a personal chef where I cater to the individual requests of my clients. I have experience with writing my own recipes as well as adapting recipes to make them more healthful. You could say I’m a “self proclaimed foodie.”

I would like to welcome you to Dorothy’s Corner! I look forward to writing this column and sharing some of my own recipes as well as others I have adapted over time. I will also include local restaurant reviews and, well, pretty much anything about food. I encourage readers to write in and comment and/or ask me any of their food related questions. Just Ask Dorothy!