The actual summer is over, gone, dunzo. This we know. And so, we felt the need to shine a little light on our very own Summer of Eggplant, whose bountiful trail on Food52 spans all seasons. A lighting designer located in Atlanta, GA, here's a cook with particularly identifiable style: like Bouchon, restaurant home to her favorite cookbook, her food is pristinely casual. Her repertoire is chic but accessible (see her recipe for Lettuce Wraps or Maryland Style Boiled Peanuts, pictured above), much like we imagine the cook herself to be.
And her blog of the same name, Summer of Eggplant, confirms our hunch. "A food map of memories," as she charmingly describes it, the blog contains a lovely roll of photographs and entries which narrate her life as noted through food. It makes sense: each of her recipes has a story. Take Tuna Croquetta with Smoked Paprika Aioli, which she invented on the fly for a friend's wedding shower one summer. And her affection for 'overly pampered cheeses' (great turn-of-phrase, no?) further reiterates her signature sensibility. So, to you, Summer of Eggplant, here's to many, many wheels of luxurious fromage.
Read our profile Q&A with Summer of Eggplant below and check out her blog here.
- What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
Gator? Turtle? Ranch flavored crickets? - What do you cook when home alone?
Tagliatelle, European butter, maldon, pepper, maybe some parm, maybe some parsley. - Your most treasured kitchen possession:
Boring but true, the food processor. - Your ideal meal:
Outdoors with good company, good wine, wonderful weather, great food. - Something you'd like a chance to eat or cook:
Right now all I want is cheese, crazy cheese. A friend gave me a few really awesome cheeses for my birthday and now I just want to eat $20 hunks of overly pampered cheeses. That or I'd love to learn how to cook Indian food authentically. - The number of bottles of wine you own:
Vacillates between 2-20. It just goes. - The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
8 - Kitchen pet peeve:
Dirty or messy, dishes in the sink. - Your favorite cookbook:
A scrapbook I have put together of favorites. But if it must be actually published then Bouchon.
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Summer of Eggplant
Some past articles from this author you'll love:
Foodpickler of the Week
21 Comments on Summer of Eggplant:
So nice to read about you, and such a well deserved spotlight!
Congratulations Summer of Eggplant. I love your blog.
Congratulations, Summer of Eggplant! A well-deserved spotlight - I enjoyed reading more about you (and I'm with you on the cheeses!).
Again, thanks for all the sweet sentiments. I love this website and the users of it. Thanks also to the editors at Food52 for such a nice write up.
@ChefJune, I suspect summer of eggplant and summer of zucchini are quite closely related.
Congrats! I love the questions everyone answers because it really levels the playing field for everyone. The food52ers are much more alike than different!
I would love to know the story behind that "Summer of Eggplant." Personally makes me think of my long ago "Summer of Zucchini."
and isn't cheese just about the most perfect food? Or am I the only one who must have been a rat in a previous life?
Great spotlight! I, like so many others, love the overly pampered cheeses phrase as well as the cheeses themselves. Big congrats!
Your blog is wonderful!
love your blog... Cdn't help but giggle at the thought of 'overly pampered cheeses'!!
Well deserved spotlight!
Congratulations..
Congratulations. Thank your for your turn of phrase that will be recycled and accredited to you.
I love overly pampered cheeses too :-). Congrats for the being in the spotlight!!
Congratulations, really good to see you in the spotlight and l loved reading more about you.
Hi Summer of Eggplant, great to see you shining in the spotlight this week...congrats!!
Cheers to cheese, and congratulations!
Food. Writers. Photographers. How amazing are our foodies. Pampered cheese, dolled up eggplant....and summer, what's not to love. Great to meet you Summer of...
Thanks everyone! Wow! I just found out via a text message from a friend, I'm so honored. Really honored. Seems like a good reason to get a bottle of champagne and a new cheese!
So nice to see you featured, Summer of Eggplant. I've a weakness for overly pampered cheeses myself!
Nice to see you in the spotlight, Summer of Eggplant! Keep the great recipes coming our way!
Congrats, Summer of Eggplant! I Love your blog!
Great to see you in the spotlight! Coincidentally - eggplant from the fall garden on tonight's menu - our own Summer Of Eggplant continues. Now to seek out some pampered cheese ...
Cheers, Summer of Eggplant! Great to see you in the spotlight!
Congrats Summer of Eggplant! I too love your description of ' overly pampered cheeses'. It was wonderful reading about you!
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