Cooking is life. Well, at least my life. As a child growing up in Florida and Puerto Rico, I experienced huge differences in our kitchens. In Florida, not only did my mother not know HOW to cook, she just about didn’t cook. When I played at friends’ houses, I knew there was something different. They had things like butter. I was in fifth grade when I first tasted strawberry jam at my next door neighbor’s house. Never ours. Then off we’d jet to Puerto Rico where I would be surrounded by the smells and sounds of women who truly knew what to do with guavas, a freshly slaughtered goat or green plantains and a pot of smokin’ hot oil. I wanted to cook but I didn’t know how. So I watched. And listened. A lot.
I went to college and found me a Southern boy with a SOUTHERN MAMA. Boy, did I start watching. She put the “Angel” in Angel Biscuits, not even needing to measure. Baking and not measuring. Can you imagine? That’s quite a talent. I had figured out how to roast beef…dark and savory on the outside, rare and tender on the inside. She didn’t know how to work THAT magic. Meantime, I learned about buttermilk, collards and bream fried in cornmeal (love cornmeal!). I stayed in Georgia and worked for a major airline. I kept watching. And listening. At parties. In cafeterias. At rural BBQ’s. I had quite a bit to learn.
Anyway, fast forward to my late 20’s, back in Fort Lauderdale, I fall in love and marry a Greek man. The first time we went to Greece my head spun. I was welcomed to peruse restaurant kitchens and ask chefs “what’s that?” and “wait, wait! What was it you threw in that pot?”. So many different vegetables, cheeses, fish and breads. It was fabulous! And what Greeks can do with desserts is simply a Christmas miracle. Every time we go to Greece I learn on the level of Epiphanies.
So, that’s my story. Really condensed. And after all these years of family birthdays, cookouts, barbecues, Sunday dinners and holidays I want my family, my boy, my nieces and my friends to have these recipes. I want them to know THIS is what it’s all about. And it’s really easy. The essential ingredient? Time. That’s all. Just take your time.
The Irreverent Kitchen 
Oh my gosh…love what you have done..and you can feel the love you have put into all of it also!! Really enjoyed the humor too. Will try some of your recipes and let you know how they turn out for me. I too enjoy cooking family and friends favorite appetizers and meals as well as the parties…sometimes lots of work but very satisfying at the same time. Great to try out new recipes from a different culture than your own. Great way you did your webpage also..step by step and with the great stories..Keep on a keepin…Mary
Love all this and love you! Best wishes for a journey of joy with this & all you do!
Hugs!!
H~~
You are soo talented. I love your site. Thank you for sharing your favorite recipes and stories. Can’t wait to try some of the recipes out.
Dawn
I am so PROUD!!!! What a wonderful site this is and how fortunate the wold is to be able to experience Alicia’s recipes. To everyone who reads this comment, I have experienced Alicia’s cooking and there is no one better!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂
Dana
Why “Bless Your Heart”, Oh that Georgia boy was so cute but his
mama was mean. So glad you married your Greek man. Your blog & recipes are amazing. Cornmeal, Bacon drippins , White Lily Flour & Duke’s mayonaise & a tomato are the staples of the South. Never forget to cook with Coca Cola to tenderize meat & pack in the flavor or sweeten or make a fruit syrup with a few splashes of Mountain Dew. Roomie I’ll be watching for the next entry & recipe maybe a version of an Old Sea Grill favorite?
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, with all capital letters!!! I’ve always said the 3 best complements that I can receive-funny, good cook, and good mother (I would say this even before I had kids) You are all three my dear!!! Thanks for sharing!!! I need your e-mails address.
Jeepers! Thanks!! I’m so pleased and excited that you like it all! Sometimes I wonder if I’m not going a little too far!! I would love, love, love for you to pass this on!! Here’s my email yasquared@yahoo.com. Thanks, sister! You’re the best!
Love the blog. Pictures are GREAT!
Well, thank you! Right now I’m at that place “I don’t have any stories. I wish somethng had happened to me. It’s all so boring!!”. So, again, thank you!!!!!
What a special and loving treasure of recipes, family narratives, and rich historical information. An absolute pleasure to read! Beautifully written, great pictures, and fantastic recipes! Thank you for sharing, Alicia. You should add that you are learning Greek, and all your classmates are in awe of your reading ability. your Greek school friend, maria.
Thanks, Mary!! I so enjoy playing with this!
Great blog!!! Great stories, make me impatient to start cooking…..
Alicia
How amazing. Thanks for sharing. I just can’t get away from the computer. Everything is perfect and so well done. What to try first…..
Camille
And that’s coming from a teacher!! I’m thrilled! Thank you!
Would love to have you experience our culinary tours in Miami! If interested, I recommend that you take our Little Havana Food Tour! Contact Grace at grace @ food305.com – it will be a pleasure having you!
So nice meeting you this past weekend in Chapel Hill! Love your blog and looking forward to learning how to be a better cook! If the pictures you took of our group turned out, would you forward one to me if possible. We never got another good group shot and I would love to have one to keep for posterity! Thanks!
Morticia
OMG, you’d better believe it!! Met Disco the next morning!! Be more than happy to get the pic to you!!
I would love to have you come and experience my Wynwood Art District Food Tour! If you are interested, please email me at Grace @ food305.com. You can read about it at http://www.miamiculinarytours.com
Just reading here has me so excited, because cooking and baking is my passion. The recipe for the cake I must try. I know it’s delicious just by reading the ingredients. I love trying new recipes. Thank you and continue posting . I am a new fan of your cooking.😃👏👏👏
Thank you, Rosa! I appreciate your kind words. Yeah, cooking and baking when I’m relaxed or TO relax!
I am excited about your recipe for the key lime pound cake. Pound cake of ANY kind is my favorite. Can’t wait to try it. Will let you know how it turns out.
How can I follow you? I love cooking myself and my family, coworkers.
Best Regards,
Laura
Hey, Laura! Towards the upper left of your screen there is a follow button on the wordpress tool bar. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your support! Spread the word!
just happened upon your site via Facebook as someone posted your keylime pound cake recipe. I’m really looking forward to learning some new recipes from you. Thanks so much for sharing your passion! Blessings from A Texas born Florida girl in Houston 😀
Love it! Thank YOU!
Alicia girl I love, love, love this site!!!!It is hard to believe this has evolved since you taught me to cook Cornish hens with petit LeSours! I thought we were so fancy for college! That “Southern Boy” never had it so good! And look you are still showing me wonderful recipes after all these years. I just wish I could be in the kitchen with you!
I’m beyond thrilled that you like the blog! Spaghetti in the crotch-pot, roast beast and, yes, our little cornish hens! We had us a big time, didn’t we?? Hahaaaa! Caught a bit of “Animal House” the other night and it reminded me of the Vineville House! Mercy, but we were blessed with some goooood times! It would be spectacular if we could bang around the kitchen together. Wouldn’t it be fun to plan a girl’s weekend with you, me, BettyGeorge, Lane, Piper etc.? That would be so great! Shall I leave the planning in your capable hands?
Alicia,
Great website, love you, the story, the recipes! You go girl!
Thank YOU, girl!
Hope all is well with you and your family. You’ve been too quiet……..
One question, in using all perpose flour don’t you need to use some type of leavening agent such as baking soda, baking powder? Afraid to make key lime cream cheese cake.??????
Hey, Rosemary! I understand your concern. Many pound cake recipes have leavening and many don’t. This cake is dense and rich but, if overbeaten, easily becomes a brick. Add a bit if you like, maybe 1 1/2 tsp powder and 1/2 tsp soda. Hope that helps!
Thank you for sharing your recipes they look amazing and they are different. I can’t wait to make the key lime pound cake. My friend shared your recipe on FB so I checked out your website. Thank you again and all the best….
Thank YOU, Anita! I sure do hope you like what you see!
I can never tell which is best, the story or the recipe. I always look forward to your emails. Please keep sharing with us !!
Thank you so much, Victoria! Your kind words invigorate me to keep on keepin’ on!
I miss you, your stories and recipes. Hope all are well
Hey, Victoria! We are all well… in fact, better than well. We are so blessed! I feel the need to explain my disappearance. I have been struggling for some time with the blog. Girl, it is SO much work! It involved me developing the recipes, writing the actual post, setting up, taking the perfect photos and then breaking down the photo shoot. I simply burned out. And it’s not as though I made a salary. No, it was something I enjoyed doing at one time but, frankly, the thrill is gone. That said, I miss my regulars, like you, and I loved thinking that perhaps I brightened someone’s day or showed them how to prepare a dish. Obviously I haven’t taken down the blog. Maybe I’ll pick it up again. I don’t know. We’ll see. But meantime, thank you for thinking of me and stay well. I’ll keep you posted of any major decisions!
Alicia, I’m so happy to hear from you that all is well. Yes, your blog sounds like a lot of uncompensated work. I can tell it’s done out of love. You should do a cookbook !! Just know that you have always brightened my day. Don’t remove a single recipe please – my printer stopped working…..