Hello, I’m Jessica.
The Traditionalist & Keeper of History
I’m Jessica Johnson, Emily’s older sister and the stubborn guardian of our family’s culinary history. While Emily was always the one running around the kitchen throwing new ingredients into the pot to see what would happen, I was the one standing quietly next to our mother, notebook in hand, writing down every pinch and pause. I live just a few miles down the coast here in California, but my heart is still anchored in the slow, deliberate rhythms of the old country.
Why Tradition Matters
For me, cooking isn’t about reinventing the wheel; it’s about honoring the hands that built it. I believe that real flavor takes time, patience, and a respect for the process that you just can’t rush. In a world obsessed with shortcuts, I am the advocate for the slow simmer, the dough that needs to rest overnight, and the sauces that taste better the second day.
What You’ll Find From Me
I find my peace in the ritual of chopping vegetables exactly the way our grandmother did and ensuring that the classics—like a perfectly layered moussaka or a crystal-clear bone broth—never fade away. That doesn’t mean I’m stuck in the past, but I do believe you have to master the rules before you can break them. When you see a recipe from me on Recipes Zest, you know it’s been tested, refined, and stripped of shortcuts until only the purest version remains.
