Intro: Sacha

I've braised, deglazed, roasted, sauteed, steamed, poached and broiled my way through life. I've cooked huge hunks of meat, carefully placed goat cheese on figs and frantically put the finishing touches on that final Thanksgiving dinner dish. I've poured through worn and stained cookbooks, coveted cast iron pots, spent years searching for that perfect icing spatula.

Today I can say that a core part of my being is my ability to feed people, and feed them well.

What are my values as a cook? Seasonal. Fresh. Local. Organic.

There's not a happier place for me than the produce section at our local natural foods market or an afternoon spent walking through one of our neighborhood farmers' markets. I am grateful every day that I live in an area that allows me access to fresh, local foods grown without pesticides.

What is my secret passion? I long to bake, to be the alchemist who mixes egg and flour and watches her creation rise to new heights. I love the smell of yeast, the tiny bubbles in cake batter, the whip of the meringue and the way it holds a peak. I glory in having a pound of butter in my 'fridge and a day off to play with it.

Inspirations? My mother. She's a fabulous cook. Mark Bittman, who taught me about fresh and simple. Deborah Madison, who inspired me to start cooking vegetarian and decreased my fear of recipes that require a lot of chopping.

What do I bring to Culinarian? The politics of food. Love shown in a delicious dinner, a tasty muffin. A respect for all things whole grain.