I’m Anna. Nice to meet you.
I’ve lived in the Northeastern, US, my whole life between New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and now, Central/Western New York. I am a marketing professional and I’m passionate about cooking, baking, canning and preserving, fermenting, brewing—any and all food-related things.
In August 2020, in spite of the turmoil caused by COVID-19, Dave and I celebrated a very happy moment when we got engaged. Dave and I met during our sophomore year of college at Rider University and have known one another for over a decade. We started dating in 2017 and since our engagement in 2020, we celebrated our wedding ceremony in October 2021 and reception in March 2022, two wonderful celebrations with family and friends.
Dave and I lived in a renovated farmhouse, originally built circa 1917, before purchasing our new home in 2022, where we currently live.
The origins of From Anna’s Kitchen
Over the past several years, I’ve enjoyed sharing my recipes, tips, and experiences of the same with my friends, family, and you! After managing a personal blog, fuchsia-revolver.org, since 2002 and maintaining websites for various companies I’ve worked for in my different roles in marketing over the years, I created From Anna’s Kitchen in June 2016 as a resource for food lovers everywhere.
When it comes to food, there’s really not a lot that I can say I don’t like. Really strong, fishy tastes are probably one exception: I don’t think I’ll ever enjoy anchovies on a pizza but I’ve come to accept the flavor that they can provide to a nice, caesar salad (one of my favorite salads.)
In fact, for several years in a row, I challenged myself to set foodie resolutions, a variety of “bucket list” things to try related to cooking and the process of making food or drinks, to complete each year. Some years were definitely better than others, and given how busy our lives can be, I’ve since stopped setting them formally, instead challenging myself informally when I can each year to perfect certain recipes and techniques, or try different things. Pasta making is still one that I am really proud to have accomplished.
When I’m not in the kitchen or doing food-related things…
I have been very fortunate, personally as well as professionally, to have seen a lot of the United States and I’m working my way to also seeing more of the world. I love to travel and one of my personal goals is to visit all 50 U.S. states by 2029. I’m halfway there! Dave and I are also looking forward to where our honeymoon will be taking us in 2023: a cruise of the Mediterranean with stops in Spain, France, and Italy.
Growing up, I was a musician and singer in concert bands and choirs during grade school. I have always appreciated the power of music and listen to just about everything, from jazz to metal, although my favorites are more specifically of the 70s/80s classic punk, 80s Nu-Wave/alternative, industrial/goth rock, classic heavy metal, some black and death metal, and classic rock variety. I have been to a lot of concerts and events over the years. Fun fact: my first concert, ever, was Paul McCartney in 1993.
I love animals and sharing pictures of our pets. Chip (boy) and Charli (girl) are twin orange cats who joined the family in 2018 and came to live with Dave and me after the passing of my mom in 2021. Reggie, a sassy black and white tuxedo boy that we found on the farm at Thanksgiving in 2019, is also in our fluffy crew. In 2022, we sadly lost our cat, a fluffy and very affectionate tabby cat named Squeaker, following a short illness.
Finally, I love art and crafts, although I don’t do crafts as much as I would like to these days. Art was another favorite subject of mine in grade school and later graphic arts, which I picked up in 2001 as a hobby, having since taken it with me into my career as a marketer. Visiting art galleries is one of my favorite parts of traveling, and I’ve been fortunate to visit several in the U.S. and abroad. I also enjoy knitting and crocheting, and if you are a knitter or crocheter, too, friend me on Ravelry!
You can also reach out with questions, comments, or requests at any time.
