Anne Boulley/ Artisan Cuisine

Anne Boulley learned to make food from scratch at an early age, but it was France that solidified her love of cooking and led to a life in the culinary arts.

“It’s something that I grew up with,” Boulley said, “but I was inspired because of my love of French cooking.”

The culinary instructor based in Brookings teaches cooking classes, does some catering and is now sharing her tips on homemade foods in a column for the Triplicate.

“It’s a different type of art,” Boulley said about making food from scratch. “It’s fun for people, too.”

As she grew up in Michigan, Boulley’s family gardened, canned and made foods from scratch.

“Parents were always doing that stuff, for fun,” she said.

Her parents once sent her on a mission to gather empty ketchup bottles from restaurants for homemade ketchup.

After a trip to France when Boulley was 15, she returned as an au pair at age 19 to live with a family as a domestic assistant.

She took care of the family’s children, did the shopping and cooking. That’s how she learned how to cook French cuisine.

“I got involved with cooking over there,” Boulley said. “When I came back as a young wife, I tried to re-create French food.”

Boulley began writing about French cuisine for online publications, which took her on trips to meet with top chefs.

“I started getting involved in food events,” she said. “When I moved out here, I decided to teach cooking classes.”

There are typically six to 10 classes scheduled for each season that take place in her home, Boulley said.

Classes on making “fresh cuisine” range from complete dinners to making just one type of food like cheese or artisan bread, she said.

She also does catering for special events and personal chef services. For more information about Boulley’s classes and services, call her at (541) 412-6491 or visit thegourmetguide.com.

Boulley describes herself as a self-taught cook and learns by trial and error “after much research,” she said.

Some people might be wary about taking the time to make butter or bacon that can easily be bought at a store, but homemade foods aren’t necessary complicated, she said.

“People need more than just learning new recipes,” Boulley said. Through the teaching of cooking techniques and traditions, they can learn how to make food the old-fashioned way.

Preparing foods at home is a way to make something healthier and tastier than what’s available in grocery stores, she said.

“It’s a great thing to know,” Boulley said. “It will help you understand what you’re eating better.”

Anne Boulley’s new column, Artisan Cuisine, will appear every four weeks on the Healthy Living page. It debuts today.