Week 47

TasteFood won this week's contest for Your Best Pizza with Broccoli Rabe, Potato and Rosemary Pizza.

Dymnyno won this week's recipe for Your Best Artichoke Recipe with Heart of Gold.

(TasteFood's lovely Scallops with Gingered Pea Puree and Lemon-Cilantro Gremolata)

Describe an early food experience that has influenced the way you think about food and/or cooking.
Studying cooking in Paris gave me a whole new (embracing) perspective on butter.

What's your least favorite food?
Fast, processed food.

What is the best thing you've made so far this year?
Broccoli Rabe, Potato and Rosemary Pizza was popular.

Describe your most spectacular kitchen disaster.
Many years ago I lived in a high-rise apartment building. I was boiling eggs for a potato salad, and my brother called me on the telephone. I went in the bedroom to take the call and forgot about the eggs--that is, until the fire alarm went off in the building. The water in my pot had evaporated, and the smoke set off the fire alarm. All 10 floors of the building had to be evacuated.

What is your idea of comfort food?
Rustic, family-style food that's authentic to any regional or ethnic cuisine.

Apron or no apron?
No apron--usually.

What's your favorite food-related scene in a movie?
"Babette's Feast." The entire movie is a food scene. I love how she used food to communicate and show gratitude. The Danish connection is nice, too.

If you could make a show-stopping dinner for one person, living or dead, who would it be?
It would have to be Julia Child. I love her unflappable spirit, share her enthusiasm for French cuisine and admire her efforts and success at making French cooking accessible to so many Americans. Thank goodness my mother watched her show.

You prefer to cook: a: alone, b: with others, c: it depends on your mood.
A: Usually alone or with my children.
 
When it comes to tidying up, you usually: a. clean as you cook, b. do all the dishes once you've finished cooking, c. leave the kitchen a shambles for your spouse/roommate/kids to clean.
A: Clean as I cook.

(Dymnyno's beautiful California kitchen)

Describe an early food experience that has influenced the way you think about food and/or cooking.
One of my earliest cooking experiences was very positive.  When I was about five years old I had a nifty little kitchen set up under our humpy bridge on our little farm in Petaluma, CA. I had a little play stove with two ovens and little pots and pans. My specialty was mud cakes. I made my cake batter (dirt and water), put it in the cake pans (after making sure no bubbles) just like mom. I put them in the ovens. When I checked awhile later to see how they were doing.....they had risen! I was a successful baker. Later I learned that my big sister, Kay, had added a little more mud to each of my cake pans. (and then hid to watch my glee when I checked on them).

What's your least favorite food?
I have never liked the texture of raw celery.

What is the best thing you've made so far this year?
It is BBQ season and my Smoked, BBQ'd and Braised Shortribs are fantastic. They are perfect with red wine.

Describe your most spectacular kitchen disaster.
I've had a few! I have forgotten the bacon and had to repaint the kitchen a few times. The worst disasters usually involve knives. I've cut my fingers countless times (no pun intended), sometimes pretty badly.

What is your idea of comfort food?
To me the ultimate comfort food is a huge fresh crab salad (preferably enjoyed with an ocean view).

Apron or no apron?
No apron if I am cooking alone; I just take a shower. But, I wear an apron when cooking for guests.

What's your favorite food-related scene in a movie?
I loved "Ratatouille," cute animals get me every time, especially when they can cook.

If you could make a show-stopping dinner for one person, living or dead, who would it be?
MFK Fisher.  I wish that I could have met her. She lived nearby (St. Helena and Glen Ellen). I have all her books. And, she loved wine--a lot.

You prefer to cook: a: alone, b: with others, c: it depends on your mood.
I like to cook alone when I am doing what my husband calls "sport cooking". My kitchen is designed to be a key social spot. So, I end up surrounded by friends or guests watching me cook when we have lunch or dinner parties or food and wine pairings.
 
When it comes to tidying up, you usually: a. clean as you cook, b. do all the dishes once you've finished cooking, c. leave the kitchen a shambles for your spouse/roommate/kids to clean.
I clean as I cook.