Jacquelyn D. Kirkland relishes a cooking challenge. She finds contentment in following a complex recipe, tackling the problem of preparing complicated dishes, and, of course, enjoying the finished product. Ever since she was a child, Jacquelyn D. Kirkland has found a deep pleasure in working with fresh ingredients in her kitchen.
Avid for French and Cajun cuisine, Jacquelyn Kirkland particularly enjoys the recipes of Paul Prudhomme, Julia Child, and Dorie Greenspan. She feels a driving need to make new recipes, and has taken on the challenges of these masters' versions of gumbo with red roux, jambalaya, crème brûlée, coq au vin, and quiche.
Her current teacher is primarily Dorie Greenspan. Ms. Kirkland has made several attempts at mixing the right combination of eggs and vegetables to make Ms. Greenspan's tart recipe. She battled through several failures before getting it right, and found the results to be well worth the effort.