Food gives us life. But food has also given me a far richer life, filled with friendships, community, and ultimately, joy. As I play in the kitchen and as I find my way to like-minded food lovers, my own life’s picture comes into focus. Cooking is the single act that has connected the dots in my world, and Heather Cox of Eat Real Food is one of those dots.
I met Heather, who lives just up the road from me in Amagansett, through Jodi Moreno of What’s Cooking Good Looking (another “dot”, who is now a dear friend). I met Jodi through the massive connector that is Instagram. Heather, an Australian native, invited me to her home one afternoon, and unbeknownst to either of us, we were steps away from one another. Upon entering her house, I instantly swooned over every teeny detail – the design, the décor, the palette, and the stunning canapés she had laid out before me. Heather did not know me, I did not know her, but suddenly we were together chatting, vibing, eating, swooning and friending in the most intimate space in the home – the kitchen. I vowed in that moment to get to know this inspiring woman, a woman whose belief in clean eating and health runs deep. She educated herself about eating locally and seasonally through working on local farm Balsam Farms for two years, and prior to that, Stone Barns Center for three years.
Cooking at its best is a communal act, and I was reminded of this feeling as I gathered with Heather just a few short weeks ago, as summer was coming to a close. We created a fabulous niçoise salad with a duo of dressings, which is that go-to meal Heather can make with her eyes closed. Get the recipe and learn all about her right here. And tune back in on Friday to take a tour of her incredible abode!