About Us

Ann and Jack in New Hampshire; Ann's children; view from our apartment building roof top in Williamsburg, Brooklyn; a quilt made in 1998

About Ann:

Vital Statistics: I am old enough to have watched the Watergate hearings live. Though technically born long enough ago to be counted as part of the Baby Boomer generation I consider myself a first generation punk. I have three amazing children, one ex-husband, two cats and a lovely partner named Jack.

Other Stuff: I'm one of those people who have trouble figuring out what they want to be when they grow up. Therefore I have remade my life mulitple times, working many trades. I've been (in roughtly this order) a preschool teacher, an assistant editor for an educational publisher, a cake finisher at Rosie's Bakery in Boston, a wallpaper hanger, a program manager for a non-profit providing support to teenaged moms, an award winning quilt artist, an editor and freelance writer in New York and for the last ten years a consultant for a large software integration company, which means I am frequently the only woman in the room. An ongoing constant interest has been a love of writing, but I think I am happiest when I am working with my hands-- which would explain the quilting and the cooking.

Why Redacted Recipes? I write this blog because I need to write and because I cook almost every day-- which means I have something to write about almost every day. In addition to redacted Recipes, I am a co-founder of The Mini Pie Revolution, and a contributor to The Daily Tiffin.

Jack at Brighton Beach, Brooklyn; our living room and his beloved Gretsch guitar; a Camden pub in London; the local tube stop (Tooting Bec) in South London

About Jack:

Vital Statistics: I am old enough to remember 78 rpm records clearly, although not old enough to have bought them for myself. I am British by design, upbringing, temperament and sense of humour, but stateless in my opinions. I have no children, no car, no iPod,  and a lovely partner named Ann.

Other Stuff: I never knew what I wanted to do for a living when I was a kid and I still don't. Actually I do, but "travel endlessly, eat at fine restaurants and generally live the life of a complete sybarite" doesn't seem to feature too often in career ads. I was fascinated by science as a youth and this led to me studying physics and astrophysics at university. Three years of that did a good job of burning out the area of my brain capable of handling such head-spinning complexities so I concentrated on drinking instead, at which I excel. At the age of 21 I drifted into a "career" in IT, which I hated. I did this for the simple, pragmatic reason that a software house was the first company to offer me a job. I still work in IT and I still hate it, but the non-working area of my life more than compensates. The only time I have even come close to enjoying a job was during a brief period in the late nineties when I worked in a musical equipment warehouse as a hump-n-stack grunt. It seems I enjoy thinking, but deeply resent having to do it in order to earn a living. I love good beer and wine, music from punk to Puccini (and most points in between), skiing fast, and playing guitar: generally not all at the same time, although I wouldn't rule it out.

Why Redacted Recipes? Because I love food and I enjoy cooking, although Ann is more courageous and experimental in the kitchen than I am. I put this down to lack of confidence in my practical skills and the fact that I'm just not as good a cook as she is. I try to make up for this by rambling about stuff which may have only the most tenuous connection to food but which I actually know a bit about, or can at least bluff convincingly about.

Comments

[Bellini Valli]

I have a 20 year old, had an 8-track player when I was a kid, loved "The Guess Who" and "Genesis" but am too young to remember Woodstock? Does that get me into the club?

[28daysearlier]

Jack,

It was great to see you in Wimbledon. Always good to share a beer and talk crap about nothing (something at which we both excel). Loved the curry but can't say it felt the same about me the next morning (old skool all the way!).

Hope to see you in NYC or maybe here again soon............T

[Meg Wolff]

Ann & Jack,
Loved reading about you two and beautiful view from the top of your appartment building!

[RazorFamilyFarms.com]

What a lovely "About us" page!

Perhaps the best I have ever read -- witty, honest, open, friendly, and personal. Beautiful!

Blessings!
Lacy

[Foodista]

I love the things you have written here, hope you come back and update your blog soon! Id love to hear more from both of you. If you have time, visit us at foodista

[FlorencePS, Greenville, SC]

OMGoodness! Just happened upon your site when I put in a random Google search of "leftover turkey broth soup or stoup" expecting to find something from Rachel Ray. Instead I find this absolutely marvelous website with more than I had bargained for. I'm going to make the Turkey Chilaquiles--they sound yummy.

But I also want to comment on your charming bios. Like you, Ann, my hubby is from New York (the Bronx then Queens to be exact) when I met him in '84. I loved living up there with him and found the whole NY scene to be exciting and, of course, the falling in love part made it all the more magical. Anything felt possible. We are now in South Carolina as of last year, which I love for all the opposite reasons why I loved NY when I was younger, because it's more relaxed, less traffic, housing is affordable, but I still sometimes miss that buzz of the NYC life not to mention the ability to get food delivered 24 hours a day! Reading your bios just brought that all back to me. Thank you and Jack. I'll be back to read more and get more recipes, I'm sure (I've added you to my favorites). Take care.

[Sophie]

I was doing a web search for your bitter orange cake (big big hit last night at a dinner party with Ron and Eileen) and came upon your site. Wonderful site--I didn't realize it was yours--I thought you were simply a contributor.

When are we getting together?

Luv,
Sophie

[Keegan]

Hello Ann and Jack,

My name is Keegan Hurd with See's Candies. I happened upon your blog, and would like to discuss with you an opportunity that I see to work together. If this is something you think you'd enjoy doing, please feel free to contact me, I'm happy to answer any questions you may have, and I hope to hear from you soon.

Thank you in advance for your time.

-Keegan
KHurd@sees.com

p.s. I apologize for reaching out to you via your comment section, I couldn't find your contact info, but I count it worthwhile to have reached out to you. Please, feel free to delete this comment!