Emiko

She cooks, she photographs, she writes: ladies and gentlemen, meet the fabulous Emiko, the FOOD52er who has us grinning, drooling, and gripping our seats, aching for a trip to Tuscany. An Australian-Japanese gone Italian expat, Emiko transports us to the sunny cobblestones of Florence, to the wide, open spaces of the Tuscan countryside, to the wooden tables where our fantasy Italian grandmothers roll up Necci and knock our hands away from the growing pile. And when we return back to cold, hard reality, we thank her; we thank her for the inspiration she has given us. Even if our Necci don’t end up as perfect as hers.

In true Italian fashion, Emiko’s recipes follow the curves and contours of each season, celebrating the beauty of the freshest ingredients. This winter, we’re loving her Carrot Gnocchi with Butter and Sage Sauce (pictured above) -- and that Tiramilova is on our to-do list. Raw Fava Bean Crostini have us dying for springtime, and in the summer, we’ll be downing some Raspberry Acetosa Mojitos. Fall, of course, brings those Necci along with it – and some Celli Ripieni (Grape Jam Dumplings) for good measure. No matter what the time of year, no matter what’s at the market, Emiko has us eating well; even if we can’t make it to Tuscany, we can get a taste of it. 

Read our profile Q&A with Emiko below, and check out her beautiful blog here.

• What's the strangest food you've ever eaten?
  Snake served with its own blood, in Beijing China
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• What do you cook when home alone?
  Frittata
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• Your most treasured kitchen possession:
  My mother's Japanese knife
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• The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
  6