I grew up on a farm between Stacyville and St. Ansgar, Iowa. Our family was large with nine children, all daughters! My husband and I currently live on that same home place. We have two grown sons and farm approximately 500 acres of corn and soybeans. After marriage and staying home with our sons until they were school-aged, I was excited to start working several days a week at the Cottage Sampler Tearoom in St. Ansgar, Iowa. This was a great job for me because I got to do what I love most, cooking. I prepared lunches for fifteen years at the Cottage Sampler which later became the Open Market. Although I have since moved on I continue to enjoy cooking and baking for my family and friends. Of all my recipes, cheesecake has been their most frequent request and over the years they’ve often encouraged me to sell them. Marketing my cheesecakes has been a fun and exciting venture. I am making old favorites and adding many new varieties.