When I was a little girl, I dreamed about princes and other valiant heroes coming to rescue me. (From what, I’m not quite sure, but that’s beside the point.) My swashbuckling knight-errant was shielded in armor, carried a gleaming sword and rode a massive, white stallion with a shiny coat and mane.

Fast forward a few decades, and my definition of a hero is very different. He actually drives a white SUV, carries a whisk and wears a toque.

He is my personal chef.

Now, it’s not what you’re thinking. I haven’t adopted a lifestyle of the rich and famous, nor have I thrown in the towel (pun intended) when it comes to cooking. I just needed help and qualified help, fast.

As most of you know, I travel a lot for business, and last week, things got out of hand. Not only was I in the air most days and at client meetings most nights, I decided to throw into the mix a last-minute party for a few friends. What would it take to coordinate an informal dinner, right?

Well, a delayed connection, bad weather and an empty refrigerator left me in a panic the day of my fete. I had a few hours to get my act together, and there was no way I was going to pull this off without serious help. And that’s when I thought to contact the U.S. Personal Chef Association.

No sooner did I log on to their site, I had found Prince Bob, certified personal chef, located in my area and willing to leap tall grocery shelves in a single bound. I was saved!

Bottom line, Chef Bob shopped, prepped dinner and left me with some finishing instructions that were easy to follow and ensured a successful event — all in a few hours and at an affordable rate.

So, the moral of this tale is 1) try not to be superwoman and 2) check out the local, personal chefs in your area. They’re probably better and less expensive than any caterer, and many give private lessons in your own home; an affordable gift, too, for cooking enthusiasts or those who’d just like to feel like a hero for one night.

Green is the new black. It’s hip, cool and makes a statement. But I’m not talking about fashion; I’m referring to products with an ethical positioning.

“Green” foods and beverages are appearing everywhere and, along with their earthy artwork and recycled packaging, appear to be responsible choices. Further, merchants capitalize on this positioning to sell you what might be just an ordinary food product in a green-washed disguise.

Earlier this week, I was in Arizona, and I put my theory to the test. Strolling through a gourmet food marketplace, I came across a meatcase filled with veal, beef, chicken and pork. When I queried the butcher about his beef, he led me to the “pure, honest, grass-fed beef.” The price was nearly double that of his grain-fed beef (always tastier and more tender, and not “cleaner”), and therein lied the rub. He was selling hype.

Ever since the environment became a hot topic and a strong marketing platform, manufacturers have been expanding their portfolios in this sector, but it’s really within consumers’ control to make educated choices about what’s “best.”

“Green,” “environmentally healthy,” “ethical” and “clean” are all marketing terms. “Sustainable,” “organic” and “fair trade,” on the other hand, have legal definitions. Understanding that the ecological value of a product is holistic, involving cultivation, procurement, processing and packaging, is essential to assess “green” claims. Many company websites will help you do just that, but if you want to leave your children a better environment or teach lessons of social responsibility, I encourage you to closely examine claims, ask questions, and THEN feel good about what you put on your table.

If you’re anything like me, when you host a dinner party and it doesn’t matter the size you obsess about the menu. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I followed closely Queen Elizabeth’s visit to the White House, not for the sake of seeing what she wore or reading about what she said, but to learn what White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford prepared for Her Royal Highness and 134 other guests at the State Dinner on Tuesday night.

The five-course menu was a reflection of both the UK and US and included spring pea soup with fernleaf lavender; Dover sole almondine; saddle of spring lamb, arugula, Savannah mustard and mint romaine; and a dessert of sugared roses. I need to go to ChefsLine.com to learn how to make them. I saw a photograph of the plated white roses, and they were exquisite.

Speaking of white, the dress code for the event was white tie the most formal dress code that exists. That’s right. Dinner clothes, tuxedos and other forms of black tie are considered semiformal. I know, I know. This is totally unrelated to food, but it is related to taste, so I thought I’d share!

Until the next time!

Exploring a Farmer’s Market in Santa Cruz, California, last week, I came upon a farm stand selling a variety of herbs, but those not as popular as the basil, parsley and oregano found in most households. I was in my glory! I love herbs. They do so much to impart flavor to recipes and make any dish seem special.

Lemon Verbena and Epazote are two of my favorites. I discovered Lemon Verbena years ago at a quaint, New York City restaurant located in the heart of Gramercy Park. It was called Verbena, and while the restaurant is no longer, the memory of the chef’s Lemon Verbena custard is as vivid as ever…

Epazote, in contrast, is wonderful for main dishes like fish, and my vegetarian friends love it when I add a few chopped leaves to black beans and rice. While you might not have heard of Epazote, you’ve certainly eaten it; it’s commonly used in Mexican chile sauces and authentic salsa. You can find it in a Mexican grocer, or order it online.

In terms of nutrition, most herbs are rich in minerals, don’t contain calories (and if that, just a few), and they’re often a source of vitamin C.

Certainly, you don’t need to be a foodie to appreciate herbs. You just need a little curiosity!

And last but unrelated to herbs, I wanted to share another find I made while in Santa Cruz. It’s the River Caf頦#038; Cheese Shop on River Street. Open Tuesday - Sunday serving breakfast and lunch, it’s a charming venue to stop in during a drive on Highway 1. They even have cooking classes, if you plan to be in the area for more than a day. I found their artisan cheeses wonderful, but their wide variety of seasonal and organic food will surely please just about anyone.

I have to apologize for my silence, last week. Since I launched this blog in January, I haven’t missed a posting, remaining true to my commitment to write a journal entry every Tuesday and Thursday. Alas, my travel schedule was so hectic, I barely had time to think, let alone write. However, being away does provide inspiration and fresh material, and that, I have!

Finding myself in San Francisco for a day, I had to stop at Farallon, the highly acclaimed restaurant in the Union Square area of the city. Having opened in 1997, Farallon has weathered the fickleness of consumers, passing trends and bleak economies to become a stalwart beacon in the restaurant industry. It’s always as fresh and exciting as the first day it opened, and the sophisticated, coastal cuisine created by Chef Mark Franz is always memorable.

Farallon is also home to my friend and colleague, pastry chef Emily Luchetti. Emily just won a coveted award from the International Association of Culinary Professionals for her book, A Passion for Ice Cream: 95 Recipes for Fabulous Desserts. Published by Chronical Books, it’s a must-have in your culinary library. In the book, Emily features mouth-watering recipes for all-time favorites like butter pecan and strawberry in addition to flavors not commonly found in stores such as pomegranate sorbet and orange cardamom. And one of my favorite recipes is for Rum-Raisin Ice Cream Sandwiches. Then there’s the chapter on sauces… Bottom line: homemade ice cream tastes so much better than store-bought, since you use fresh ingredients and incorporate less air. Ice cream is not hard to make, and for my friends with children, making ice cream is a great way to spend quality time with your family and teach kids the basics of food science. Who would have thought science could be so fun.

Certainly, the book isn’t for the calorie-conscious, but you know my mantra. Everything in moderation! Enjoy!