Who's Cooking?

Meet Torie Christensen who is credited with the creation of your deluxe European breakfast selections at The Writer’s Sanctuary B&B.

Welcome to The Writer's Sanctuary B&B

Who's Cooking?

Torie Christensen, is the mastermind behind the creative breakfasts you will experience at The Writer’s Sanctuary B&B. Recently, she returned from the International Gastronomicom Culinary School in Cap d’Adge in France and received certification in the French Pastry Chocolate Program. After living four months in Ireland and traveling to nearby countries earlier this year, Torie experienced the fun flair of international cuisine.

As a teen this cook-in-training, created new recipes, tested them on her family and friends, and entered culinary contests. In 2008, she won a contest for her exceptional Orange Sherbet Cheesecake awarded by Better Homes and Gardens. This accomplishment merited the endorsement of the BH&G test kitchen for dependability and great taste and was awarded by Gayle Goodson Butler, editor-in-chief, and Nancy Wall Hopkins, senior food editor.

Summers during high school, Torie worked at The Sheraton Hotel baking exquisite desserts and breakfast treats for banquets and the property’s restaurants. As assistant pastry chef, she also baked items for the neighboring Starbucks and weddings held on property.

For Torie, being in the kitchen brings back many fond memories of family time. She has spent countless hours with her older sister, mother, grandmother—three generations of cooking, baking, and of course, great homemade food and secret recipes. This initial exposure of growing up in the kitchen and around good food, enjoying the time together to make meals and desserts made Torie recognize at a young age that cooking doesn’t have to be a job.

While Torie does enjoy watching the Food Network for enjoyment, she says her ideas for new recipes come to her by taking a basic recipe and putting a new twist on it. For example, for Christmas, she took her Grandmother’s cinnamon roll recipe and changed it into a gingerbread recipe complete with a special spiced icing. She continues to challenge herself by entering recipe contests with perimeters such as the requirement of using certain ingredients or contests with categories like: Summer Desserts, Entertaining Appetizers, Sweet Treats.

This summer, in addition to making sure guests at The Writer’s Sanctuary B&B don’t go hungry; Torie is creating cooking classes for kids in Steamboat to share her love of food and cooking with the little ones. Baking is now her favorite specialty and The Writer’s Sanctuary B&B is very fortunate to have such culinary talent.

Bon appetit! Guten appetit! Buon appetito! Itadakimas! Skanaus! Noosh-e jan! Buen provecho! Velbekomme! Or in English: Enjoy your meal!

To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. -Robert Heinlein (1907-1988)