Most of Sheryl Kirby's life has revolved around food. As a child, she learned to cook on her grandmother's big black stove. The local foods of Nova Scotia - from wild blueberries to fresh mackerel - gave her an appreciation for seasonal ingredients, and a move to Toronto when she was eighteen allowed her to experience whole other worlds of food and flavours. Kitchen Party - Food Stories From Nova Scotia and Beyond is a collection of stories and essays that trace Kirby's food adventures and education, from a kid in suburban Halifax, to a cooking school student, caterer and food writer in Toronto. Donairs, dosa, Mexican mole, lobster rolls, cupcakes and foie gras all become a means to explore life, love and social interaction in this book of food-oriented familiar essays.