Embracing Life - You never know what is around the corner.

Today’s guest is a very special someone and my personal Travel Connection. She is the queen of embracing life even when it is really hard. I met her not too long ago, in September 2023, while I was a host with Tuscan Women Cook in Tuscany. You may remember from a prior episode my interview with Coleen Kirnan, the owner of Tuscan Women Cook.

JeriLynne Clifford and her husband Scot were part of a group participating in a week-long immersive experience in Tuscany. We learned cooking techniques from the local Italian nonnas or grandmas, sampled delicious local ingredients, and visited other neighboring towns.

Meeting this special couple was a treat, but what you don't know is that we learned prior to their arrival that JeriLynne and Scot's house burned down while they were traveling in Italy. Lightning struck the house, and they lost absolutely everything.

Embracing life with gratitude even through the tears

Understandably, our first encounter was during probably one of the more difficult times of her life. Impossible to imagine, right? However, she was gracious and inspiring and I couldn't believe how engaging they both were. The entire week was a tremendous success and the two of them fit in with the group seamlessly. JeriLynne talks about how Italy was instrumental in the start of the healing process for them.

JeriLynne is known as The Hill County Bon Vivant and has been a tastemaker for as long as she can remember. She was 16 when she catered her first wedding and continued to cater full and part-time throughout her life. She first realized her love for adventure in food, entertaining, and traveling when she started planning family vacations and events.

In this episode, she shares her personal (and inspiring) saga and then gives us the delicious details of her new weekly subscription, Mastering the Ease of Home Cooking. Every week, she shares a new menu, recipes, and a grocery and prep list to help you be successful in the kitchen.

Highlights in this episode

• How to move forward when tragedy happens
• Living with gratitude
• What is a bon vivant?
• How Italy helped start the healing process
• What the arches in her new home will mean to her
• What is the secret to success in the kitchen
• The importance of learning to pivot
• What is Mastering the Ease of Home Cooking?

For all of the details of JeriLynne's new business Mastering the Ease of Home Cooking - Click HERE!

Important Links:

The Hill Country Bon Vivant

Mastering the East of Home Cooking

Other episodes featuring Italy:

Travel to Tuscany Stories From the Heart - Angela Correll

The Italian Cooking School of Your Dreams - Coleen Kirnan

Travel to Italy Today - Alice Salvagnin