One last thing. I neglected to explain the reference to "chipped ham". Growing up in Pittsburgh, chipped ham was and still is a staple on everyone's table. With the exception of vegetarians, I don't have any Pittsburgh friends who don't crave it. I was home in Pittsburgh not too long ago and seriously considered slipping a small cooler into my luggage. Wish I had.

Okay, I didn't mean to publish that last post so soon, but I'm new to all of this, and I pushed the wrong button. That kind of thing happens with me all the time.

Austin, Texas has been my home for the last 24 years, and in many ways I am a Texan. I love barbeque, horses, boots, rodeo, country music, and on and on. I raised my children here. Graydon arrived in Austin at four months of age, and Raquel was born here. It is a big deal here in the Lone Star State to be a native Texan. Nonetheless, Austin has welcomed me and my family with open arms. I love Paris, but I love my family and friends and will miss them for that whole month.

I am so very excited for the opportunity that I've been given, and I'm nervous about what lies ahead in that kitchen at Escoffier. I won't be surprised if I'm the only woman in the program. Afterall, the chef biz is really guy heavy. I leave this Friday. I'm already packed in three big suitcases with handbags, shoes, and most important of all, my knives. Can't wait! Stay tuned.

I am spending the month of October in Paris, France. Yes, I know. Sometimes I have to pinch myself. The original idea was to complete the Masters Program at Escoffier, but little did I know that I would get to work as a chef at the Ritz Hotel, Paris. An extra week turned into an opportunity for French language school. Wow! This is like a dream for me, but what a challenge.

Finding a name for this blog was also a challenge. I polled quite a few friends, and some of the names were outrageous, others were kinda boring. One night while hanging out in a local bar with friends, tossing about some of the better choices, Carmelo said "Hey, what about Chipped Ham and Champagne?" After all, the Pittsburgh culture has had an indelible influence on my life, and at the same time, I'm a classically trained French chef. And by the way, I would eat a chipped ham sandwich and wash it down with a decent bottle of champagne any day. That attitude definitely translates to my point of view about cooking. I love to take a classical French recipe and make it my own, give it the "American girl" twist, if you will.