Kristen Hartke
I’m a writer, artist, wife, mom, avid cook, and gardening enthusiast, but the order of importance changes throughout the day. I live in Washington, DC, but grew up in a variety of places, including Florida, Connecticut, New York City, and Maryland, with a smidge of the West Indies. We grew our own veggies on my great-grandparents’ farm, caught crabs in the creeks that feed into the Chesapeake Bay, and my mom read us mouthwatering stories about food written by MFK Fischer and Gerald Durrell. These experiences contributed to my love of many cultures and cuisines, and living in tiny apartments and even on the occasional boat taught me that having a big kitchen and a lot of utensils is not what makes food melt in your mouth.
Cooking on the Fly 