Alas, my week of celebrating wedded bliss via my anniversary is coming to a close…but not before discussing a great meal find on the road to Sedona via Cottonwood, Arizona. Hidden in a little house on the outskirts of Main Street Cottonwood lies Abbie’s Kitchen. We were clued in to this treasure as I sipped some award-winning wine at the Pillsbury Wine Company tasting bar.

The road to Sedona is a well traveled one. I suggest taking a slight detour through Cottonwood to visit Abbie’s Kitchen.

Abbie is no joke. She has an extensive, and impressive, resume that includes working as a personal chef where Presidents were among her table guests. However, it is her down-home, approachable style and true love for food which comes through the most.

At the chef-owned Abbie’s Kitchen you will find…

Food made with love.

The tastes were exceptional — especially the mushroom crepe starter which I would have licked the plate to get the last drip of sauce but the neighboring table kept looking over.

Staff that is happy.

Since this is a small (maybe 10 table) spot, the atmosphere is intimate and the staff becomes like family (only better in that they are continually delivering delicious food and/or drinks to you). *Bonus for us, our waiter was originally from Denmark and remembered some Finnish words so Spaceman was very happy.

Chef looking to please.

Abbie wandered through the restaurant regularly to chat, check in, provide food suggestions and share our fun. I may sometimes have trouble deciding on my food choice so she graciously created a split plate for me with my top two choices — salmon and steak (pinch me, is this for real?).

As we left (faces flush from our great feast), she walked us to the door carrying a sauce pan so she could continue with her masterpiece of that moment. Chefs around the world would have been proud.

Details: Abbie’s Kitchen Fine Foods & Catering, 778 N. Main Street, Cottonwood, AZ; www.abbieskitchen.com