I've been following Nancy Silverton since she opened Campanile and La Brea Bakery back in the early 90s in my old neighborhood in L.A. I had already moved to San Diego but still hadn't emotionally transitioned from my original hometown. And what she was doing was big! When she published her La Brea Bakery bread book, I enthusiastically made her grape starter and from that baked loaves upon loaves of sourdough bread in my tiny apartment.

So, when my editor at the San Diego Union-Tribune asked me if I'd be interested in interviewing Silverton, author of the new "Mozza at Home," for a last-minute article ahead of a book signing she was scheduled to do at Chino Farms, I was on it. And the conversation was terrific. It turns out we grew up in the same neighborhood and even had some of the same junior high teachers. Then we talked about her philosophy about home entertaining. That's what in this article. Silverton's not so keen on formal dinner parties or potlucks. She loves buffets--and spells out why and how she makes them work. All this is what you'll find in this story, along with recipes from the new cookbook.