Love IS A Real Ingredient

Welcome to my blog, Love Is A Real Ingredient.  My name is Cammy Ricketts and while my full-time job keeps me incredibly busy as a Product Manager for Steelite International America  the leading table-top provider in the hospitality industry world-wide, my passion for cooking and baking for family and friends keeps me busy on weekends!  And, after posting countless images of sugary sweets and savory delights on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest over the years, a few dear friends and colleagues convinced me to start my own blog. So, here it is, Love Is a Real Ingredient…

Where did the name come you may be asking (or not)?  Last fall, the news reported that  the FDA ruled a bakery in Massachusetts could not list the word love as one of the ingredients in their granola, citing that a human emotion could not be an ingredient in baked goods. Further stating, in a warning letter to the company, “… ingredients required to be declared on the label or labeling food must be listed by their common or usual name. Love is not a common or usual name of an ingredient, and is considered to be intervening material because it’s not part of the common or usual name of the ingredient…”  Say what?!? I don’t know about you, but I think that’s about the silliest thing I ever did hear!  I’ve always said that love is the most important ingredient in all of my dishes and desserts, and so the name for my blog, Love is a Real Ingredient was conceived – thank you for the inspiration, FDA! 

What do I hope to accomplish with this blog?  Well, I just needed a place to compile my recipes, hints and tips to share with those who have been asking and patiently waiting, as well as new friends and followers who agree that indeed,  Love is a Real Ingredient.  It’s really that simple…I’ve been cooking/baking since I was 3 years old, and I’m nudging towards that half-century mark with a lot to contribute…not only recipes with images, but also great family stories, work and travel adventures, and some life lessons worth passing on. 

As I mentioned in the beginning, my full-time work keeps me quite busy, so I ask for patience and grace as I begin this new venture – I’ll be learning along the way! 

I hope you enjoy the blog and the recipes, and I look forward to your comments, questions and requests.  

Cammy