Lisa Hartman

I am a pastry chef in training, but I adore all facets of the culinary world and try to dabble in as many as I possibly can. I believe wholeheartedly in the slow foods movement and am really looking forward to seeing more establishments and more importantly more homes moving away from chemical laden convenience products and getting the chance to taste and experience what food is really supposed to be like. I want to travel. I would adore getting to go out to wine country in California and tour all of the fabulous wineries and restaurants in the area. I have not had a chance to really travel overseas yet, but I hope to have the chance to travel to Italy, France and Spain some day and an opportunity to study there as well. I plan to be a life long student throughout my career and maybe some day teacher in the culinary world. I am also very excited about the craft beer movement. Its wonderful to see what special flavors and intense palate pleasure are produced when beer is made locally, isn't pasteurized and doesn't sit on shelves for months on end before it ever reaches your lips. It also gives the flavor of the local wild yeast to find its way into the flavor profile of the brew. Not unlike the wonderful flavors and aromas of artisan bread. Its unfortunate most people only know of the processed, dough conditioned, gummy crusted breads they find in the masses in the grocery store. They've never had the true pleasure of cracking into a baguette with its thick, crunchy crust and creamy, airy open crumbed center. Its incredible how it takes 4 ingredients (bread flour, salt, yeast and water) to make such a flavorful, delightful bread.