Three Years and a Lifetime Later!

Maybe, as you start reading this, you can hear me sigh.
After all, it's been a very long time since I've blogged here. In fact, it's been exactly three years and three days!

So, let's see. Since then, I've opened and closed a restaurant (ah...Mambo 64 in Tuckahoe, New York...which we closed exactly 1 year ago today), written Latin Twist, a blog for LoHud, gone back to teaching ESL (English as a Second Language), been an event planner and caterer, taught many cooking classes,   made dozens of drinks,  served many meals, had the pleasure of meeting lots of lovely people, watched my son move to Ecuador,  my daughter to Brooklyn, and most recently, started spending way more time with my husband, parents, and friends.

Those of you who know me know that all of these things are so important in my life. I can't imagine life without my big three Fs: family, friends, and food. The connection between people and food/culture is full of beauty and delight; it's one that that never ceases to impress and amaze. My mission continues to be that of bringing together diverse people and their stories over our common ground: food.

I'm kicking off this first blog—after being inspired by a Saturday visit to the New Rochelle Farmer's Market—with a recipe for one of my favorite soups, gazpacho, which was published two years ago in my LoHud Small Bites column,  Latin Twist .

And also, speaking of the New Rochelle Farmer's Market, I will be doing a demo there on
Saturday, October 8th, at 11 am. I'm still figuring out what I'm making; the market has so much to choose from.

So I close today, with the promise of bringing you more tales and treats in the not-too-distant future.
Thank you for your support always, and I look forward to seeing all of you in the kitchen!
All the best,
Arlen

PS My new portrait, featured here on my blog, was taken at Alvin & Friends, by the fabulous New Rochelle-based photographer, Rodney Bedsole.