-Cafe at the Corner -

A little bit of history:

Cafe at the Corner was a dream I had to have my own restaurant for many years.  I learned how to cook from my Grandma Lila who was a great French cook but had one foot in Pa Baxter's traditional English/Welsh culinary history.  I started to make sauces when I was about 5.  My Pappy was French and spoke French and my Nanny was an incredible baker.  My church  had stained glass fleur des lis on their doors and I remember where I used to sit on Sundays.  We always had an incredible feast on Sundays with tablecloths, cloth napkins, silver and pretty china.

When I was 7, I used to think about what kind of bread I would bake when I got home from school, Anadama was my fave. I started making soups when I was 8.  My Mom was a great cook and made dessert every night, my favorite was her apple crumble.  She made jams and puddings and the best cookies ever.  I grew up boating at the seashore and loved fishing & flashlight crabbing with my brothers and made clams casino when I was 12 in the galley of our boat.

As a teenager,  Julia Child was my idol and  I did the Julia & Eileen study, but there was no blog then, just a table with family & friends.  My dad was my biggest fan and many a night I would cook for him.  He  introduced me to everyone and then would whisper, " she's a gourmet."

I worked at The Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York for many years in PR & party planning and later in life studied and worked at The Hotel Ritz in Paris, but my neighbor taught me how to cook barbeque.   I've had the chance to eat at many wonderful restaurants which is a study in itself.   After 19 years I still wake up everyday and think about what I can cook that will make someone's day extra special.  I adore my customers and think each one is a prince or a princess in disguise .  Thank you all for loving me and my cooking.

Visit my Gourmet Bed & Breakfast Maison LaVigne