Jacquelyn D. Kirkland is a multitalented cook whose interest in the art began as a child. She often prepared for her family’s traditional Sunday dinner by taking a trip to the local farmer’s market on Saturday. She would select fresh vegetables, eggs, and other foods produced by local farmers in order to guarantee quality ingredients. These early trips helped Jacquelyn D. Kirkland understand which vegetables, fruits, and other foods were in season at various times of the year. She also learned how to alter recipes that lacked seasonal ingredients with herbs and spices.
A particularly important dish she learned to prepare as a child was the family chocolate orange chocolate cake torte, a unique twist on a familiar dish that included flourishes such as sugared orange peel curls and a time-consuming chocolate ganache. As a child, Jacquelyn D. Kirkland learned to appreciate how hours of diligent preparation can result in something as delicious as the perfect chocolate cake.