Nysa Poland: a family photo

I'm overjoyed to share the good news that my Cappuccino kitchen I'm building is almost: aaaalmost ready!
Nine months ago, in July of 2015, I conceived my idea of creating a Magical Cookbook that would transform peoples lives with my art and my joy of cooking because I felt strongly, that when you are fed with love, many blessings follow. 
I wanted to have cooking parties, to be video'd with my friends, and with guest chefs, in a beautiful kitchen, overlooking my herb garden and roses. I wanted to take videos of how I relax before a party, including taking herbal baths with rose petals by candle light. I wanted to take videos of me picking herbs and choosing organic, free-range ingredients at select grocery stores. And, I wanted everyone to have fun at my cooking parties!
As a background history I include in this blog entry one of  my family photographs of Nysa, Poland, wherein I show my roots. Because, although I grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland, my Daddy was from Poland.
 We had a Polish chef in Scotland and we would speak Polish together while he would make special Polish treats for me that were so delicious! I will be including some of these evocative Eastern European recipes in my Magical Cookbook to be, illustrating with my paintings, drawings, and photographs. I have already illustrated one of my grandpa's favorite recipes of blue-berry soup with my sketch of one of my favorite Gnomes, found on my website:
http://www.cheriebender.com/port.asp?filter=key&keywords=cookbook
So you can see, my childhood memories of a kitchen are about the comfort and warmth to be found with just a cuppa and maybe a scone drenched in jam. For, as a child, I loved the snow and ice as long as I was inside in front of a nice, cozy fire where I felt safe, snug and warm, eating a special treat and not worried about a single thing. This is part of my Magical Cookbook's essence.

I will be including in this, my Magical Cookbook, tried and true personal recipes from my stash, from my friends and neighbors, from family members and recipes from people who inspire me such as  Julia Childs, a fabulous American chef and food pioneer who also lived in France and had so much fun cooking on TV, and Nora Ephron, the director who wrote Heartburn, including her favorite recipes in a personal life story, plus the cookbook author Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa, to name a few.
My aim for my Magical Cookbook is to please both the eye and the palette, humbly capturing the warmth and comfort of delicious good food, with healthy recipes focusing on Beauty, Good Health, and Long Life, illustrated with my paintings drawings and photos.

I now Fast forward to the present moment: adding to this magic would be a lovely meal served with grace, on beautiful china with linen napkins  and exquisite silverware: In my Cappuccino Kitchen! But, I must add, a simple free-range Shepherds pie loaded with organic vegetables in a ram-kin would more than suffice: Freshly Baked from the oven and Piping Hot. Satisfyingly delicious.

 I am working on my Magical Cookbook now, as my Cappuccino kitchen is being born. I am researching recipes from my stash of great cook-books written by my mentors and planning on recipes that include essential oil cocktails, flower power drinks, awesome healthy meals, and All are made with a lot of fun and with excellent good health in mind. I also plan on having cooking parties and doing videos, as I had mentioned, in my Cappuccino Kitchen.
So look for news about my ideas for cooking parties, as they will be included here.
I had thought of writing my Magical Cookbook a few years ago, very inspired by Julia Child and her amazing cooking journey.
So now, my dream is finally happening! I am awesomely grateful for the opportunity to share my love of art and my love of cooking.
 I hope that Cherie's Magical Cookbook will inspire, nurture, enthrall and capture you as I have been while creating this for you.
What is life without good food? Friendship? Ambiance? and Color?
Love of cooking and love of art: for me they go together: Cherie Bender's Glitter Book Of Magical Cooking: an unusual cookbook.
Many Blessings!
Cherie