About Me
Its Me, Adriana Lee
Adriana is a dedicated administrative professional by day at Yale University. She has held administrative roles in corporate companies, government organizations, and small businesses over the past 8+ years.
She is born and raised in Connecticut and loves the four seasons of the state, especially Spring. She describes herself as charismatic, kind, and generous.
In her spare time, she enjoys traveling to sandy beaches, boxing, and cooking of course! As an entrepreneur, she once ran her own home restaurant and still loves to cook Puerto Rican fusion food for family and friends. She hopes to plan a mission trip to another country one day.
In the beginning, I began experimenting with ingredients and flavor profiles as a child while my parents were hard at work. It came naturally for me to enjoy combining unlikely flavors. I often was the one that brought dinner together for my siblings when my mother was traveling for work. While the other kids were playing video games, I was in the kitchen.
As I grew older and felt far from my cultures: Puerto Rican and Italian, I began to inquire into what it meant to be that. While loving both, my Puerto Rican culture dominated and I dove head first into asking what it meant to cook like a Puerto Rican. I fell in love with Puerto Rican staples, dishes, and grew to adore the nature of Puerto Ricans too. I realized charisma and joy is in the blood--and the food!
While living in Europe, I tested my amateur culinary skills with a home-based takeout restaurant where I was lent amazing critique from Boricuas and local Italians that were new to the Island flavor. Both cultures of people were essential to my growth and showed me the importance of sharing and fusing cultures through cooking. Food brings people together. I never would have been able to cook my weekly menu for my customers without the Dominican and Indian communities in Sicily that provided my ingredients. We are all undeniably connected.
I came to Christ at the age of 22 and at the time I felt far from creativity and food after going through tough life battles and moving back to the U.S(reverse culture shock), but He tugged me closer and closer back to my first love—cooking. He brought me back to the girl who cooked for joy, the girl who cooked to learn who she was, the girl who cooked to express love to anyone who was willing to try her dishes. It was all meant to bring me here to Recipes and Things.
So here I am! I am back to humble beginnings. I am not an expert. I do not have professional training. I am still on my training wheels. But, it is without a doubt that this is something I enjoy, and something I love to share--food. Here on Recipes and Things you will find: recipes that I have come up with as I play in the kitchen, Connecticut food scene, travel spots (food & etc.), and positive food reviews. Recipes and Things is just that. Recipes and Things—many things. Culture sharing, self-discovery, fun, love and life giving…cooking.
Welcome to my family!
Educate, Enjoy & Explore...