When Vancouver’s Becky Spence reflects on her cooking philosophy, three sources of inspiration stand out: her mother, Julia Child and a live cooking demonstration she witnessed three decades ago in Portland.
That demonstration, by Simone Beck, Child’s coauthor on the seminal 1961 cookbook, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” was revelatory.
“That was my cooking epiphany,” Spence said.
Many years later, Spence is still enthralled by cooking. She favors French cuisine and cooking methods, along with fresh ingredients.
That approach seems to be working well for Spence. Her Crispy Orange Chicken with Fennel, Avocado and Orange Salad will soon be up against five other West Coast recipes in the Second Annual Foster Farms Fresh Chicken Cooking Contest.