Emily Paster is the author of the widely admired blog, West of the Loop, primarily about food but with forays into parenting and family life.

She is the co-founder of the Chicago Food Swap and is a national leader in the growing food swap movement (community get-togethers where handmade foods are bartered and exchanged).

Emily is the author of Food Swap, The Joys of Jewish Preserving, and Epic Air Fryer Cookbook.