As far back as I can remember, I've always wanted to be involved with food  in some capacity; but, it would take me a good 10 years to understand how exactly I could do so. I was a subscriber to Food & Wine, Gourmet, and Bon Appetit by the time I was 11 and I was experimenting with couscous and key limes by the time I was 13. When asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?", the answer was always a chef or restaurateur.

Food is one of the only subjects in life that is universally liked, one of the only subjects that can bring people who have nothing in common together. Everyone has an opinion about food, from their favorite chef on the Food Network to their favorite restaurant in the city, to their favorite ingredients and top picks for farmers' market in the city. I enjoy that power that food has.

Food was always a central force in our family, but different than the typical story. My mom did not teach me how to cook. To this day, my mom does not enjoy cooking; it is more a labor of love as a role of being a good mother and providing for her family. I think my interest in food stems from her lack of interest in the topic - one of those interests that stemmed from my own rebellion as a teenager. Nevertheless, food has always been a central part of our lives. We took pleasure in eating out and used any mundane excuse to us food as a celebration. Even when times were tough, food excursions were not cut back. And to this day, Sunday is restaurant day. We go out to eat to catch up and be together. Food heals, food brings people together, and even at it's worst, food is always dependable. If you just had the worst day of your life, you know you can go home and eat some great comfort food and if you don't want to do it alone; there's always someone that will want to join you in eating.

In terms of food writing, I learned quickly that I was not going to do well on a kitchen line or as a restaurant manager, or an owner for that matter. But, I was good at writing and my style was different, refreshing. It all was a natural trajectory and it was one of those things where I was at the right place at the right time. The "aha" moment came in 2009 while studying at UNISG (the University of Gastronomic Sciences). In 2009, I was still ahead of the food blogging curve in Miami.

The idea of writing a book about the history of Miami's food originated in 2008 and it quickly became a life goal that needed to be accomplished. A food history of Miami had never been done, and with the interest in food at an all time high in 2010/2011 - and Miami finally being a worthy food prowess - the time couldn't have been more perfect. But, how was I to do it? Especially since, at the time, I didn't have the luxury to work as a full-time freelance writer.

Sometimes life goals have to be placed on hold for other things. So I went on my way, doing odd jobs and ultimately settling into the hospitality field in the wonderful world of the office job in late 2011, while continuing my food presence on Twitter (@mandybaca formerly @ahungryartist) and sporadically contributing to blogs. In August of 2012, I was approached by Chad Rhoad, a commissioning editor for The History Press, inquiring about local authors that would be interested in writing a book about the history of Miami's food. I referred him to some big names and, in a ballsy move that paid off big in the end, I also pitched myself, never expecting anything from it. He then pitched it to his higher-ups and after a few weeks, I received the email that would forever change my life. I signed the contract in September.

I studied at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in 2009, completing a Master in Food Culture. Previous to that, I studied Hospitality Management at Johnson & Wales University. I've done freelance food writing and had some odd jobs in the food sector, mainly hostessing. I've always been surrounded by food industry folk, so I know the ins and outs of that world, how it works, and how to reach/speak to that specific audience. I've also had odd jobs in industries that have nothing to do with food. When you've done the same thing for so long, it's easy to have tunnel vision and it helps when you're exposed to other topics and new experiences. It provides certain scenarios with a breath of fresh air.

I almost didn't sign the contract. When one of your life's dream is staring at you in the face, it's extremely scary. All of the following went through my head on repeat for weeks on end: I'm 25, what the hell do I know about food history? How the hell am I the most qualified for this project? And what if I completely mess it all up destroying any sort of credibility I have amassed? I was so unbelievably scared and a lot of people told me that I was crazy for even considering to do the project, all while having a full time job. They said it couldn't be done. The greatest obstacle I had to overcome was my own mind and fear. And I'm telling you, the easiest way to lose weight and regain sanity is to write a book. It really was therapeutic. And the end product is still surreal, much better than anything that I could have ever imagined and worth all the sleepless nights and doubt circling my mind. Ultimately, I knew that if I didn't sign the contract, it would be one of the biggest mistakes of my life.

Teaching and good food writing. I think it's important for all that are involved with food to teach the next generation their habits, skills, knowledge, etc for preservation and continuity. Good food should not be something that is forgotten.

Airline tickets to continue my travels and studies of all the great food places in the world.