Monica (mom) says:

I know….”Throwback Thursday” is a Facebook thing, but I had to post these pictures!

Since Daria and I met Emeril Lagasse’s daughters this past April at a conference in Florida, I have been looking for these two pictures. I knew they were in my photo cubby but I just had to put my hands on them….then I had to scan them.

And viola!

A step back into time!

These pictures show a young seventh grade girl who begged her mom (me) to let her skip a half day of school to go meet her cooking idol. Since I am a retired educator myself, this was a big decision for me and her father. At first I didn’t think it was such a good idea…..but then reconsidered when we took into account her being an excellent student, and come on….when would Emeril ever come this close to our town again?

So we surprised her by picking her up at school and drove the half-hour to the Barnes and Noble where the book signing was to take place.

Wow! It was so crowded for a fall afternoon and the bookstore had set up a waiting line similar to those you stand in (for hours) at amusement parks. The excitement was palpable! Everyone was smiling and yelling “Bam!” here and there!

The first hour passed quickly….not so much the next four and a half!!

Yes! A total of 5 ½ hours in line to see Emeril Lagasse!

But you know what?

I would do it again!

What a memory for Daria and me! Emeril was her absolute favorite celebrity and it was like she was going to see a rock star! She actually was….a rock star of the cooking world!

As we finally approached him to get her cookbook signed, she slipped a handwritten note to his assistant. She told me that she had expressed how much she liked watching him on television and that she hoped to become a cook/baker someday.

How adorable was she? (Adorable…just as she is now!)

Move forward from 1999 to the present…. she is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and is pursuing her pastry dreams….and while her dad and I are proud of her accomplishments in the baking world, it pales in comparison to the pride we have in her as a kind and loving person!

This one’s for you, Daria!

Enjoy!  xos

© 2014, Monica of glutenfreedoubletalk