My influence has to be my Mom. We were talking on the phone last night and were talking about how we prepare certain foods. I use the same type breading for okra and squash(combined cornmeal and flour )
that she does and I think that certain foods have to be served along with certain entrees. She mentioned that she always served the ones together that I think have to be served together. When you are young, you are going to do everything different than Mom, but as you get older you realize how much like your Mother that you become.