Back in college, my dad introduced me to one of his co-workers because we shared a common interest in the work of Emily Dickinson. I don’t think we corresponded too much, but I still have postcards that she sent to me from her visit to Emily’s home. About a year ago, my mom introduced me (via e-mail) to one of her co-workers - a young woman who is involved in martial arts and shares other common interests with me. Thinking back on these connections shows me how many interesting people are out there - and how fortunate I am when I can connect with them. (And, no, I don’t need Facebook to be able to do this!)

The person I’m introducing today is a friendship that was forged out of a connection like the ones I mentioned above. Our friendship is sort of an unusual one because we’ve actually never met in person. We “met” via e-mail through my dad almost three years ago when my dad recruited her to try out my first attempt at homemade jam. (You can read her review here.) She and my dad used to work together, but both have since retired, although their lives continue to be full of activities. After Val’s initial review of my blackberry jam, she sent me a whole packet of great information about the art of preserving, although I have yet to try my hand at making jam again. This summer, I vow to try it again!

Since then, we have exchanged e-mails that ventured beyond the topic of simply making my own jam. She’s shared with me her adventures of entering (and winning!) contests, family stories, and other happenings in her life. She always seems to be doing something interesting, and has been an encouragement for me to continue pursuing things I’m interested in.

You can tell more about someone when you’ve hung out with them a lot, but even just through e-mails, I can tell that Val is warm, caring, deeply values and loves her family and friends, is talented, is passionate about life, and truly lives out what it means to “live deep and suck out the marrow of life.”

Here, in her own words, is Val…

1. One goal you’re striving for…to live each day to the fullest and without regrets.

2. If you could go back to school and study something different, what would you choose to study and why? I would pursue an advanced degree in food science and technology. I feel that it is essential that we do everything possible to ensure that we have a continuous food supply that is safe for fresh, processed, and preserved consumption.

3. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? I would choose a place where the temperature is always in the 70s; has many cultural venues, such as theatre, museums, and historical sites; there is a diverse demographic population; has a wonderful variety of restaurants; and there is shopping for every purpose. I’m not sure where that place is or if it exists! So to pick someplace that I’ve been to that I enjoy very much, I’d choose San Francisco or New York, but not in the summer months.

4. You’re stranded on an island and you have two books, two albums and two movies with you. Which ones would they be? Books: The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama and The Power: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle. Albums: It’s Time by Michael Buble and Sex and The City soundtrack. Movies: You’ve Got Mail and While You Were Sleeping.

5. How did you get interested in food preservation as a hobby? I think my very first memory of preserved foods was when I was about four years old and seeing for the first time award-winning preserved foods with ribbons on them. I remember seeing a display case filled “jewels in a jar.” I remember telling my dad that I wanted one of those ribbons. He replied that I would have to wait until I was much older and then make some jam and enter it for competition. My mom did some home canning when someone gave us a box of peaches or pears. In 1975, I begin competing in state fair baked and preserved food competitions. I’ve missed two competitions in all those years and might possibly be the longest competitor at Cal Expo. In 1989, I completed the Master Food Preserver program through UC Cooperative Extension and am the senior most active member of this volunteer organization for Sacramento County. We teach safe food preservation to the public through home and garden shows, church groups, 4-H, food festivals, and farmers’ markets.      

6. What is a lesson that you’ve learned from your many years of being a Master Food Preserver? I think the most important lesson about safe food preservation is that it is a very exacting science. Although preserving food is a relatively easy thing to do, it has the potential to be very dangerous or deadly when basic principles and guidelines are not followed. When good practices are in place, the options are endless for creating new and exciting flavor combinations. 

7. Name a book or movie character that you most identify with and why? I would say Kathleen Kelly, played by Meg Ryan, in the movie You’ve Got Mail. Kathleen owns a small independent bookstore. I love bookstores! I like Kathleen because she represents someone who lives an honest, simple, caring life. She loves her work and is not caught up in making big money. Her life seems complete…rich, for all the right reasons.       

8. If you could go back in time and visit yourself in a previous time, when would that be, and what would you tell yourself? I would go back to high school, apply for admission to a college back east, hopefully graduate, and then apply to grad school rather than get my degree in Sacramento.    

9. What is one important lesson that you’d like to pass onto your children/grandchildren? To be honest to yourself and others, to give of yourself freely through your actions and words, and to live each day as though it were the last.  

10. What is one thing that has surprised you about retirement? First, I should say that I’m extremely grateful…thankful to have arrived at this place in my life. This sense of gratitude is immeasurable…where saying that I’m grateful or thankful really is not enough. Before retiring my focus was to ensure that I would have enough money to live comfortably, nothing lavishly or over the top, just comfortably. Once I had the dollars and cents worked out and knew that I would be fine, I was surprised by my sense of uneasiness over knowing that I would now be responsible in a new way for creating a day for myself. No longer would I have a job to go to each day. I would be the boss of my new life. It took me about a year to come to terms with the reality of this change. Well before long, I got my head and inner voice totally ready for the big change. I am completely surprised by how fast the days and weeks pass by. One moment it’s Monday and suddenly it’s Thursday night! How did that happen? I highly recommend retirement to everyone! Life is good.

11. One word you’d use to describe yourself: dependable

12. One word that others would use to describe you: creative

13. If you could channel the strength and spirit of any historical figure, who would it be and why? I would say Julia Child. To me, she is an icon. She is credited for being one of the first to bring French cuisine to this country using practical techniques that would appeal to Americans. For many years she worked for the Office of Strategic Services handling highly classified communications. She is an example of hard work, dedication, and commitment. She raised the bar for women to reach beyond their perceived limitations at a time in history when women were generally not expected to be bread winners (no pun intended) or to have such fulfilling lives outside of the home.

14. The thought that usually pops in your head when you first wake up is, “What day of the week is this?” followed by, “I feel like I’m late for something!”

(Martin Yan and Val at the Martin Yan Culinary Arts Center in Shenzhen, China)

Update (Sept. 2): At a recent preserved food competition for the Californai State Fair, Val submitted 12 items, received 10 firsts and two seconds. Of the firsts, she had three perfect scores, four Best of Class, two Best of Division, and Best of Show for the Pickle, Relish, Sauce, and Salsa Show. Val also won a C&H Sugar award, which was 20 pounds of sugar! This was her 34th year competing at the State Fair. Congrats, Val!!