I would contribute to and buy a Mudcat Cookbook.

I grew up in the American South, where they don't let girls outdoors until they've learned to make a decent gravy. The first thing I learned to cook was fried chicken with gravy, then roast beef with gravy, ham with red-eye gravy, fried pork chops with gravy served over rice, and Swiss steak with gravy. And biscuits, of course.

Then I moved to New Mexico after my kids' dad and I divorced and I felt as though my tastebuds had just been born. Red chile, green chile, homemade tamales, chicken enchiladas ... I became friends with an old, old family there and hung out in the kitchen, learning to make authentic carne adovada and bizcochitos. Nummie.

Then I moved to Wyoming three years ago and my tastebuds have been lonesome ever since. I've found a couple of Mexican places here that actually serve a pretty tasty chile, but ... well, it's just not New Mexico.

Food and music are very tied together in my consciousness. Probably those early memories, learning to cook with my two sisters, my mom and me in the kitchen, singing every second.

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