Like many people who had made a career for themselves in the sinking music business, I recently had the opportunity to consider exactly what it was that I wanted to be when I grew up. Where exactly did my skill set match my passions? While I waited for inspiration, I started to cook. And cook. Then I started to read about cooking. Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" changed my life nearly instantly. I dug up a portion of my back yard and started planting. I eschewed Kroger in favor of the local produce markets, the farmers market and food co-ops. Our grocery bill started creeping up and our waistlines started expanding, but I was happy. Really happy. And that was when Julia Child's advice really sank in: "Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it."

Here at AnnArbor.com I'll be doing just that. I'll immerse myself in the local food scene, building on the excellent foundation Julie Wiernik has established. I'll be talking to people who have dedicated their lives to food: farmers, advocates, chefs, educators, artisans, and others whose passions and expertise have made Ann Arbor one of the foodiest small towns in America. I'll need some help though. If you have opinions, information, perspectives or ideas about food in Ann Arbor, I want to hear them. We're also looking for a lead food blogger - if you're up for the challenge, send me some writing samples.

A little more about me:

While I would never presume to call myself a townie, I have lived and worked in Ann Arbor for 20 years. After six years of music-selling at the dearly departed Schoolkids' Records on East Liberty, I spent 12 years as a buyer for the Borders chain. And for the past 18 years, I've been hosting a weekly jazz show on WEMU.

Since leaving Borders in 2008, I put in a season in the Zingerman's Mail Order kitchen (as you would imagine, they feed their employees very well), volunteered full-time during the fall political campaign season, and have been doing freelance music writing.

I live in Burns Park with my opera-singing, computer-programming partner, a full-time cat named Harley, a part-time dog named Ellie, and the coolest 7-year-old on the planet. My son, while certainly not an adventurous eater, has taken to declaring that he will no longer eat food that isn't locally grown. We'll see if this lasts longer than the vegetarianism he embraced for a few weeks after watching "Chicken Run" - but I certainly applaud the sentiment.

In addition to my passion for food and jazz, I love biking, traveling, reading, and scootering.

So that's me. Now it's your turn. Call me, e-mail me, leave comments or stop and see me at AnnArbor.com. I'll be working with the Community Team; you'll find us in the first floor office at 301 East Liberty St..

Jessica Webster is on the Community team at AnnArbor.com. She recruits contributors for the site and leads the Food & Drink section. You can reach her at JessicaWebster@AnnArbor.com or 734-623-2574.