About

This blog chronicles a culinary journey that begins and ends at the kitchen table, spanning two continents, five countries, and a whole lot of meals. Twenty (+) years ago, I put an interior design career on hold, packed two bags, and moved from Boston to Paris to study cooking at Le Cordon Bleu. Call it a hiatus, a leap, or crazy (you can read about that here) but I yearned to live in Europe and let cooking school be my entrée to the continent. It worked! I remained in Europe for 17 years, where I met my Danish husband, had two children, and grew my business as a food writer, cookbook author, caterer, and cooking instructor. In that period of time, we traveled widely and moved several times, living in Geneva for 9 years, London for 2 years, and Copenhagen for 6 years, before we relocated to the San Francisco Bay area, which is our current home.

With each country move and cultural immersion, the first and lasting connection to our new home was through food. Every country has its unique traditions, and there is no better way to discover and embrace a new culture than to have a seat at its kitchen table. In my family’s well-traveled life, our kitchen table has had countless visitors. It’s been the gathering point for new and old friends, while reinforcing the importance and pleasure of the family dinner. I am often asked where I feel is my home, and I answer it’s wherever my kitchen table is. So I welcome you to our table here at TasteFood, where I share my stories, memories, and recipes. Please pull up a chair and get comfortable. I promise there will be something good to eat.

Bon appétit!
Lynda Balslev

Bio:
Lynda Balslev is an award-winning food and wine writer, cookbook author, and recipe developer based in the San Francisco Bay area. She writes about food, wine/spirits, and travel, and contributes to Marin Magazine, NPR, EatingWell, Relish Magazine, and authors the blog TasteFood, a compilation of more than 600 original recipes, photos and stories. She develops and tests recipes for corporate brands, chefs, and wineries and was the exclusive recipe tester for the Stone Edge Farm Cookbook (IACP Best Cookbook 2014). Lynda has authored five cookbooks, co-authored the cookbook “Almonds: Recipes, History, Culture” (2015 Silver Medal Winner Independent Publisher Awards). She is the recipient of the Chronicle Books Award (Recipe Writing) from the Society for Professional Food Writers and was selected as a fellow for the Symposium of Professional Wine Writers at Meadowood Napa Valley.

A New England native, Lynda attended Le Cordon Bleu Ecole de Cuisine in Paris and remained in Europe, living for more than 15 years in Switzerland, England, and Denmark. When she wasn’t moving country, setting up house, raising her children and learning the language of her new home, Lynda worked as a food editor and writer, caterer, and culinary instructor. A corporate move brought Lynda and her family to Northern California, and when she recovered from reverse culture shock, she launched TasteFood as a chronicle of her cooking and travels.

Lynda’s writing and photography have been recognized by many publications including Gourmet Live, The New York Times Diners Journal, The Los Angeles Times, Harper’s Bazaar, The Huffington Post, Smithsonian.com, People, CIA ProChef Smart Brief, and Food News Journal.