It was time spent wither her nonna's kitchen that started Emily Richards on the culinary career path that has turned her into a recognizable face both locally and across the country.
Whether it's appearances on television, local cooking events or on the back pages of her cookbooks, Richards is a familiar face to food lovers in Guelph and beyond.
"My grandmother was an awesome cook," says Richards, chatting in her south end kitchen as she prepares a tray of stuffed pork loins for an event later that evening.
"My mom would go to work and my grandmother would babysit me. I'd hang out with her in the kitchen as she was cooking and baking. It's great to have an Italian nonna," she says.
Richards is back on the shelves with a new book, the Best of Bridge Weekday Suppers, that she co-authored with Calgary-based Sylvia Kong. It is the eighth cookbook she has either authored or co-authored.
She calls it a "workhorse cookbook" that is meant to be used every day.
"Sylvia and I both work and we both have families, so we relate to the busy life everyone has," she says of her co-author. "We want to eat well without taking a lot of time."
The book has a sandwich chapter, some recipes for leftovers, desserts and a few multicultural offerings.
Chicken orzo soup, southwestern one pot beef casserole, gnocchi and beef stew, cauliflower beef fritters, pork and pepper risotto and snickerdoodle bars are just a few of the recipes.
The book is part of the iconic Best of Bridge series that has sold millions of books over the years.
Originally started by seven women friends who played bridge together, they began sharing recipes and eventually put out a cookbook that has now grown into a cottage industry.
It comes in a simple, clean font with a ring-binder style that allows for easy page flips.
Most of the recipes take between 15 and 60 minutes to complete.
"I love doing them," Richards says of cookbooks. "for me it's a great way to have a conversation with someone you might not have a conversation with," she says. Everyone eats."
Best of Bridge Weekday Suppers is available locally at The Bookshelf and online.
