The shellfish thing is very scary. You have to know the people you buy from and exactly where their wholesalers are getting the fish from.

I never feel lonely in the kitchen. Food is very friendly.

Fat gives things flavor.

Everything can have drama if it's done right. Even a pancake.

Dining with one's friends and beloved family is certainly one of life's primal and most innocent delights, one that is both soul-satisfying and eternal.

Personally, I don't think pure vegetarianism is a healthy lifestyle. I've often wondered to myself: Does a vegetarian look forward to dinner, ever?

As we say in the American Institute of Wine and Food, small helpings, no seconds. A little bit of everything. No snacking. And have a good time.