The powers that be here at Cooking Light have decided to launch an in-house blog. They asked if I’d care to contribute. Absolutely, I said. I get a huge kick from words on paper, especially putting them there.

But here’s the catch: a new blog seems to require an introduction.

It’s hard to find a smooth, un-corny way to introduce yourself in print. I could tell you a little bit about my background, my interests, or even my dog (a golden retriever-border collie mix who’s smarter than I am and will probably have her own blog someday). But it’d have that blind date feel, all forced and jittery and full of awkward silences between paragraphs.

Still, you should know a little bit about the format. We'll muse about food. Share our favorite recipes. Respond at will. If all goes well, we’ll get to know each other along the way. So let’s take this slowly. And go Dutch.