JULIE LORIA is the author of Diamond Dishes: From the Kitchens of Baseball's Biggest Stars (Lyons Press, 2011), an official Major League Baseball publication in which she showcased stories and recipes from twenty top players, including Derek Jeter, Albert Pujols, and Alex Rodriguez. Born and raised a baseball fan with a passion for food and cooking, her former career as a marketing and advertising executive in Boston gave way to watching baseball games and immersing herself in cooking courses in her spare time. While living in Europe she honed her culinary interests at the French cooking school La Cuisine de Marie-Blanche.