The first cookbook I ever used (but not the first I ever owned) was written by Patricia Wells. I still own this sauce-stained copy of Trattoria and remember our first collaboration: penne all’Arrabiata, cooked for a boy during my senior year of college. Because it turned out well (the pasta, not the affair), Patricia Wells became my hero.

That affection was compounded when I later moved to Paris and began abusing a borrowed copy (thanks, Jennifer) of The Food Lover’s Guide to Paris. I relied on Wells’ website for dining recommendations and flipped furtively under restaurant tables through her French/English food glossary.

More recently, when I learned that Patricia Wells had started blogging, I went out on a (very long) limb and invited her to be part of Paris by Mouth. I didn’t actually expect her to respond to me, a girl who was devoted to SpaghettiOs during the same period that Wells was serving as the first (and only) American food critic to a major French publication.

But she said yes.

Patricia Wells is now the 12th (and final) Contributing Editor to Paris by Mouth. I think I’m going to celebrate tonight by making something delicious from Trattoria and by drinking something strong (I’m still in shock).

You can read more about Wells on her PbM profile and her own website.