Ruth de Jauregui is the author of The Soul of California - Cooking for the Holidays. She spent five summers working in the Napa Valley as a catering assistant, mostly for weddings and special events at various wineries. While working in San Francisco for William (Bill) Yenne at American Graphic Systems, she assisted in the design and publication of several cookbooks. In addition to her interest in food, cooking and DIY projects, de Jauregui has written several books, including one about 50 fabulous tomato cultivars and how to grow this tasty fruit and historical overviews of North American ghost towns and medical milestones through history. She has also published her second novel -- crime meets urban fantasy in Sacramento, CA.