About the Authors

Astra:

The writer and (very amateur) photographer for Food for Laughter. If you asked my father, he would say I'm an ex-graduate student who now "plays in the kitchen." My version is a bit different. I’ve worked on a sheep farm, on countless horse farms, in a cell biology lab, in an Ethiopian refugee camp, in a bookstore, and in a shipping warehouse. I’ve worked as a caterer, as a waitress, as a prep cook, as an English tutor, as an editor, and as an instructor attempting to teach the wonders of Shakespeare to a room-full of reluctant college students. I still consider myself first and foremost a writer and a poet, although these endeavors have yet to ensure financial stability. My passion for nutrition and healthful living eventually lead me to the medical field, working as a medical-surgical nurse in a busy rural hospital. I now employ my slightly peripatetic collection of degrees as a clinical coordinator for a medical school. Amidst it all, I cook – joyously and with abandon – which leads to the inspiration for this blog – my daily goal of uniting a healthy lifestyle with total deliciousness.

Zach:

Food for Laughter's consultant-physician, currently working in Internal Medicine for the U.S. Air Force. In addition to contributing sound-bites from the latest medical research, Zach also creates his own fair share of the original recipes in the Food for Laughter kitchen. Zach is particularly known for his elaborate dinner party entrees, classic Cajun cooking, and beer snob knowledge.