Back in October of 2009 I wrote a blog post titled “Sexy Food”.
It was the first time that I had written about the question posed to me by my food-loving sister: Can food be sexy?

Of course it can, was my answer waaaay back then, before I really knew just how much sexy food would become a part of my future.

This conversation started when, while eating a pomegranate, my sister declared to her boyfriend that pomegranates are a sexy food. He didn't understand & said, "How can a pomegranate be sexy"?

And so our conversation began.

I entered the arena by considering foods that I deemed definitely UNsexy; pickled pigs feet, liver…  and reasoned, thankfully, that there was an even greater list of foods that made the “sexy” list.  We went back and forth from raspberries floating in champagne, to carnivorous platters of bbq ribs, the obvious oysters and dark chocolates, to oozing melty cheese.

And so began my quest and my conversations surrounding the sexiness of food and drink.

A few years later I started cooking professionally and sexy food became my culinary point of view, as they say.

I practiced creating beautiful food that you eat with your eyes first. I began to dabble in unorthodox combinations of sweet, spicy, herbaceous and savory.

Black Sesame Ice cream as an appetizer, lavender roast chicken, brie and apple pizza with a green pea puree sauce, candied beets over strawberry-guava sorbet with balsamic reduction for dessert, and on and on.

And let’s not forget about the sexy beverages!

My first cocktail recipe, such as it was, that I posted on the blog was a Lemon Rosemary Cocktail, which was soon followed by a Lychee and then a Ginger Martini, a Boozy Shave Ice, my deep dive into Australian wines, and even a non-alcoholic Chai.

Eventually I began to write about local distilleries, breweries and watering holes, and finally began to travel the world with a thirst for a Brunello de Montalcino in Tuscany, a flaming cocktail in Barcelona, and Mezcal south of Oaxaca.

And now, I get to dive into more juicy conversations and explorations of sexy food and drinks here on the

Swigs & Grinds PODCAST!

For this first episode, I thought it would only be right to begin by introducing you to the person that not only put sexy food into my head all those years ago, but is one of my biggest inspirations, and all around favorite people,

My big sister,

Sandra Bailey!!!

Pull up a chair!

Cheers!!