Summer's new book, Join Us At The Embassy, is a gastronomic tour of ten embassies in Washington, DC as well as a culinary and cultural guide to each of the countries featured.  She has always loved entertaining and the art of the table and believes that food can be a shorthand to understanding other cultures, which is why she wrote the book. Summer grew up in France and Germany, but it was her years in a tiny village of 129 souls in France that changed her life forever.  Her culinary muse was a dear friend of the family, Alice Ancelin, whose skill in the kitchen was only exceeded by her warm heart and kindness.  She took Summer under her wing and taught her how to live well, cook with integrity, and encouraged her to see the world through different eyes. It was Alice who gently and quietly explained the nuance of how to properly set a table, design a menu, make guests feel welcome, and make even a simple meal an expression of love and tenderness. Alice also opened her home and family to Summer.  The Ancelin family are now her adopted family and they gave her permission to be herself, to express her passions as only the French can do, and to experience what it means to live la vie en rose.  Once smitten by all things French, Summer's destiny was sealed.  Her love of France inspired her to study languages, culture, food, and wine and made her want to see more of the world.  You can see, hear, feel, and sense this love of people in her work.  Summer's affinity for people, openness, and enthusiasm for her subjects is infectious--that's why she is called the food and wine diva.