Hi there! I’m Melissa Crane, welcome to my blog, Dash of East!

I started this blog to chronicle the food journeys of one Taiwanese American chick (me!) that grew up in Appalachia, who married to an Irish-Ukrainian boy from upstate New York. The two of us now live in the great Southern city of Atlanta, Georgia: home of chicken biscuits, peach cobbler and sweet tea.

photos by Esther JuLee Photography

I was immersed into the world of food as soon as I was born. I grew up as a restaurant baby.  My parents owned a neighborhood Chinese restaurant, in the mountains of Southwest Virginia, in a town of about 16,000. When I left home for college almost a decade ago (Yikes! Has it really been that long?), I did practically anything I could to “escape” the food service industry, but as it turns out – I just couldn’t.

The love for food is in my blood. It draws me back every single time I try to get away. So now, I’ve decided to finally embrace it and I love every moment of it.

My strange mosaic of a background, combined with my husband’s mixed heritage and our love of travel has allowed us to experience some strangely wonderful foods and tastes.

photo on right by Esther JuLee Photography

Have any questions, blog post ideas, suggestions, requests?  Do you have a topic that you want to learn more about?  Is there a restaurant or event that we should know about?  Email me!  I would love to hear from you: melissa@dashofeast.com

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