BALTIMORE — It was 2020, and Debrianna Mansini and Lisa Lucas were in lockdown along with many other Americans.
They were both seasoned actors and writers - Lisa was a producer for ABC's "The Bachelorette" at one point - but their industry ground to a halt during COVID.
So the two women got together and started cooking - and livestreaming.
It was called "Corona Kitchen" (now "Golden Goose Kitchen"), and it ultimately turned into a cookbook published last year, called, "That Time We Ate Our Feelings. " Besides recipes, it includes personal stories and heartwarming anecdotes about family and memories.
Now Mansini and Lucas are stopping by Bird in Hand Cafe and Bookshop, in Baltimore's Charles Village, at 6 p.m. April 16 as part of a national book tour.
Lucas said "Corona Kitchen" became a community of sorts, and she hopes their story isn't just about the food but about giving inspiration to other women.
After all, they were stuck without work during the height of the pandemic, living off of their savings as the TV industry tanked.
Lucas has worked on more than 30 TV series, including producing ABC's "The Bachelorette," while Mansini is known for being in "Breaking Bad" and "Better Caul Saul."
"For women in the third act of life, we're hear to tell you it's not over," Lucas said, explaining they're trying to inspire women to really do what they want.
Mansini and Lucas are even selling gourmet sugars now, in flavors like ginger & cinnamon, and vanilla & cardamom.
The cookbook offers "150 recipes for comfort food from the heart" - and Mansini notes "comfort food" can mean a lot of things.
She's Italian and Lucas is Croatian, which means they do share a common food heritage. They also prioritize fresh ingredients and food made with love.
Mansini said even a cup of tea can be comfort food.
Anytime there was a lot of drama going on, my mom would sit down and have a cup of tea. so that is comforting to me... Anything like that would define comfort food.
The recipes in the cookbook have titles like "I Wanna Be Curled Up on My Couch with the Cats Stuffed Meatloaf," and "Take on Dinah Shore's 'S Wonderful' Dutch Bebe" - two dishes that became especially popular in "Corona Kitchen."
For more information, check out GoldenGooseKitchen.com .
