There are some things in life that can transcend cultural boundaries. Food is one. It is an unspoken universal language with an abundance of dialects. How a dish is prepared is as varied as the people who enjoy it. In my young life, I have been fortunate enough to experience cultures through dining - from mouthfuls of tomato pie in South Carolina to handfuls of vegetable tajine in Morocco - but my recipe box is still not full. There is so much out there to explore and I’m up for the challenge. Wherever I travel, I want to eat like the locals. It might be exotic, or familiar, or downright stomach churning, but I want to try it. Then I will choose five local ingredients (salt and pepper don’t count) and create my own simple dish. It is my hope that the local flavor and my intercultural experiences influence the recipes, and that I become a more cultured cook.