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I love watching a single pork chop seasoned with garlic and shallots cook and see the fat bubble around it.
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To me, 'Chopped' is a great platform for championing great causes.
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I think I will never stop having mentors.
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If it's not messy and it doesn't drip over the sides, it's not a holiday hot chocolate -it's just an average hot chocolate.
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I didn't harbor a huge desire to become a chef until I graduated from college.
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Freeze herbs by stem and all - don't just freeze the leaves. It's better to keep them sturdier. Put the stems and the leaves together into a plastic bag, and just wrap it up and freeze it like that.
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I exercise at a great gym and do dance classes mixed with some calisthenics. I really enjoy that because it reminds me of '80s aerobics. It's fun! I also bike ride, or sometimes I swim. Because I stand a lot, I don't really like to walk long distances. Running or jogging is out of the question.
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I watched 'Iron Chef ' for years, and I thought, 'That's playing for the New York Yankees.' I made that my version of being Derek Jeter, and I worked really, really hard to win that.
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Repeatedly opening the oven - or worse, taking out the turkey to baste it - slows down the momentum of cooking.
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My mom, ever the Italian, made braised chicken with tomato.
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I like to take a day off and enjoy fast food for what it is. I have to say that in New York, I'm really partial about taco trucks. I mean, I really can't handle it. There is something about catching all those ingredients piled on top of each other: it puts me in a tizzy. I love it. I'm kind of a taco truck junkie.
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I've always been a great collector and lover of cookbooks.
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I like food to be really simple but have a lot of technique all the same.
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To make fluffy scrambled eggs, the best trick is to whisk in a splash of water and nothing else. Cream, milk, and other liquids drag the eggs down!
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The longer I look at something, the more my imagination churns and I can find somewhere to put it.
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Stuffed cherry tomatoes are satisfying without being filling and make a great alternative to bread-based starters. You can assemble these appetizers ahead of time and refrigerate them until you're ready to serve.
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I like all of McClure's pickles, but my personal favorites are the spicy ones.
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I used to run track in high school and was unexceptional in every way.
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I've roasted a somewhat frozen turkey, and it's come out just fine.
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Buying food from farmers and people that I know adds that human element that I love.
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If I am making a spice rub or a spice mix for a braise or even just to crust a piece of fish, I'll use mustard seeds. If you soak them in a little bit of vinegar and let them get plumped and soft and then you puree them, they're delicious.
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Mashed potatoes with stuff in it? That's '90s.
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I know that some people use lavender, incense, and cake as sedatives, but for me, a 'nose bath' in an old book just does something.
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It's essential to make sure you have proper kitchen tools for food storage - like cling wrap, bags, and containers - because they help keep food fresher longer.