Vital Ingredient Author Profile: Valerie

Hi, my name is Valerie. For a large portion of my life, I have been a West Philly resident. I love all types of foods: Middle Eastern, Mexican, Thai, Indian and Italian. My favorite food is sushi. I'd love to travel to Japan to experience the best sushi they have to offer.

I typically snack on cheese and crackers or hummus and crackers. Every night you will find me relaxing with a nice tall mug of tea. I love all types of teas and have an extensive teapot collection to suit my fancy.

I'm interested in learning about proper knife skills, ideas for creating a soup base as a starter to other soups and also creative ways to make salad dressings.

I eat soups year round and experiment with a variety of recipes. I'm not that big a fan of the chilled soups, but will explore them as an option during the warmer months.

I have a large garden, grow all types of vegetables, and love all types of flowers. Call me the Flower Lady.