Although Julie from Pickley Pear claims she is not a chef or personal trainer she is definitely knowledgeable in both areas.  Eating healthy and sticking with fitness allows Julie to share her life’s passions of both on her food blog called, Pickley Pear.  Please wlecome her this week on ThatsSoYummy.

* Sweet or Savory?

Savory

* Which ingredient(s) do you use the most?

Onion, garlic, lemon juice, tomatoes

* What’s your favorite cooking smell?

Turkey roasting

* What is your most favorite cooking sound?

Buzzer that it’s ready

* In the kitchen, what’s your most treasured possession?

Chopping knives

* What do you look for inside a dish?

Good blend of flavors

* What is a “faux pas” in your kitchen?

Microwave

* Is there a food you will not eat?

Blue cheese and beets

* What food is your guilty pleasure?

Pizza

* Have you ever changed how you feel towards a food?

Tomatoes, dried plums (prunes)

* If you could prepare a dinner for anyone, who would it be?

Right now, the people in Haiti.  Anytime – my family

* If you could choose a living or historical cook to prepare a meal for you, who would it be?

Giada DeLaurentis

* Which food website/ or blog would you die without?

Food Network

* What is your favorite food related word?

YUM

* What is your favorite food shopping experience?

Anytime I go to a specialty market, outdoor market or grocery store

* If you could move, which country would you move to for the food?

Italy

* What’s the dress code in the kitchen when you cook?

Something I don’t care if it gets messy

* What would you request on the menu if it was your last supper?

Pizza

* What food would you prepare to seduce someone?

Steak and pasta – it’s been known to work J

* What food are you craving right now?

Pizza – what else?

* What is your comfort food?

All my answers are pizza!

(Image by Wordle)

Did you know that Blondies are so simple and easy to make.  It literally only takes one bowl and ad a few ingredients and the end result is a delicious brown sugar concoction full of sweet gooeyness.  These blondies not only are chewy, rich and flavorful but they also contain chocolate chips in every bite.

So if you are in a bind and in need of a fabulous brownie recipe but are not looking for chocolate overkill then this is just for you.  Just add a tall glass of milk with them.

Enjoy!

Mix melted butter with brown sugar.  Then beat until smooth and combined. Beat in egg and then vanilla.

Add salt, and then stir in flour.

Make sure to mix it well.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour into prepared greased 8×8 pan. Bake at 350°F 20-25 minutes, or until set in the middle.

Cool on rack before cutting them.

Enjoy!

Blondies

(adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Pinch salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Butter an 8×8 pan

Mix melted butter with brown sugar – beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then vanilla.

Add salt, stir in flour. Mix in any additions (below).

Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 350°F 20-25 minutes, or until set in the middle.  Cool on rack before cutting them.

Further additions, use one or a combination of:

• 1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts, toasting them first for even better flavor
• 1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon mint extract in addition to or in place of the vanilla
• 1/2 cup mashed bananas
• 1/4 cup bourbon, scotch or other whiskey; increase the flour by one tablespoon
• 2 tablespoons of espresso powder with the vanilla
• Stir 1/2 cup dried fruit, especially dried cherries, into the prepared batter
• Top with a vanilla butter cream or chocolate peanut butter cream frosting

Elana from Elana’s Pantry is the not only beautiful creator of Elana’s Pantry, a food blog dedicated to gluten-free recipes, but is also the author of The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook.  Please welcome her to ThatsSoYummy’s Questionnaire this week.

* Sweet or Savory?
Both, especially in the same dish.

* Which ingredient(s) do you use the most?
Almond flour.

* What’s your favorite cooking smell?
The scent of fresh baked cookies.

* What is your most favorite cooking sound?
Well, I would have to say the sound of my family enjoying the food I make –even though that’s not exactly a “cooking” sound.

* In the kitchen, what’s your most treasured possession?
My cast iron pans. Beautiful and functional, what could be better?

* What do you look for inside a dish?
Simplicity and deliciousness.

* What is a “faux pas” in your kitchen?
No such thing in my kitchen.

* Is there a food you will not eat?
Not really.

* What food is your guilty pleasure?
Chocolate. In particular my Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies.

* Have you ever changed how you feel towards a food?
All the time!

* If you could prepare a dinner for anyone, who would it be?
Obama.

* If you could choose a living or historical cook to prepare a meal for you, who would it be?
My Bubby.

* Which food website/ or blog would you die without?
Believe it or not I’m not into many food blogs right now; my current favorite blog is remodelista.com, I’m addicted.

* What is your favorite food related word?
Schmaltz.

* What is your favorite food shopping experience?
Free samples at Whole Foods.

* If you could move, which country would you move to for the food?
Thailand.

* What’s the dress code in the kitchen when you cook?
No shoes. Slippers or clogs. Plus an apron.

* What would you request on the menu if it was your last supper?
Pancakes.

* What food would you prepare to seduce someone?
Icebox Cake, from my book.

* What food are you craving right now?
None. Just finished dinner of roast chicken, big salad, with pancakes and tea for dessert.

* What is your comfort food?
Chia Pudding or Matzo Ball Soup.

(Image by Wordle)

Have you ever felt like your life was a working haze and you had no control over it????

Well that’s how I have felt in the last two weeks.  Although my life has been going at 190 miles an hour it has been an amazing beginning for my catering company Crêpe Royale, which has made it’s way inside the Orlando Magic’s Amway Arena.  It has been a HUGE deal and I am so proud of how far we have come.  Though it is still brand new, it has been a whole lotta work, but what good things aren’t!

I would like to just take a moment to apologize for neglecting all my incredible loyal readers.  I am so sorry that I have not been as current in my posts with all my yummy recipes.  I ask that you just bear with me as I try to juggle and come up with a schedule that can work with both.  In the meantime I hope you accept my apology and enjoy this fabulous S’mores Sundae….

It’s the perfect kid-friendly dessert that will bring smiles to all boys and girls around town.

Enjoy!

First you have to make sure you have on hand some yummy homemade hot fudge sauce sitting around.  Don’t worry if you don’t have any… you can always buy the store brought kind.

Spread marshmallow cream in the bottom of 4 (6-ounce) dessert bowls.

Top with your choice of ice cream…. I used Vanilla… well actually the kids chose vanilla.

Then pour on the hot fudge sauce…. YUMMMMMMM!

Make sure to serve with graham crackers on the side.

Add sprinkles if you’d like

Enjoy!

S’mores Sundaes

Heather is not only one of the sweetest food bloggers out there I have had a chance to encounter but she is also a avid cook, cocktail technician, wine taster, aficionado of food porn, and the creative technician behind Heather in SF.  Not only is Heather a lover of food but she is also a novice knitter.  Heather has been called “The COO of food sluts everywhere” and one of THE “A Dog and Two Chicks on Route 66.″

* Sweet or Savory?

Savory. My best dishes are all savories and most of the time I don’t eat sweets.  Although I adore high percentage cacao, caramel and lemony desserts, I would rather have something savory than sweet.  After dinner I am perfectly happy with a square of 100% cacao and a small  liqueur or a cheese plate over a slab of cheesecake.  I do have a dab hand at making pastries and desserts though and like to bring a fabulous dessert to potlucks. .

* Which ingredient(s) do you use the most?

Onions, Chicken, Bacon, Goat Cheese, Olive Oil, Butter, Sea Salt, Cumin, and Green Chile.

* What’s your favorite cooking smell?

I love the smell of roast chicken.  When you come into the house and smell that rich chickeny smell, with herbs and lemon, my knees quiver and my mouth starts to water and I feel very, very happy. It’s the smell of home to me.

* What is your most favorite cooking sound?

It’s the sound of sauteing onions, the sizzle of the butter and the dancing sound the onions make as they soften and turn golden and unctuous that is my favorite; such a happy sound!

Molly Katzen said in one of her early cooking shows that “If you don’t know what to cook for dinner just start sauteing an onion, and it will all flow from there.” This is a tenent I hold dear to my heart and employ it frequently.

* In the kitchen, what’s your most treasured possession?

I am about to post an article about feeling so sentimental over kitchen appliances/gadgets, for there are quite a few in my family. My most treasured possessions are between my Mom’s first Kitchen Aid mixer, a Mark 4 she purchased to make my first birthday cake. It’s mine now and I still get verklempt every time I use it. The other is my Granny’s recipe book, handwritten in an old ledger book. It belongs to my sister, mom and me, and I am currently transcribing it so that we can all cook from it. Such treasures. There are so many more. It will be a fun post to share.

* What do you look for inside a dish?

Any food can be delicious if prepared simply using quality, fresh ingredients and seasoned well. It would be fun to dine at a molecular gastronomy themed restaurant but on the whole I prefer simply prepared dishes. Look at sushi or a roast chicken; it doesn’t get any better than that. If I can find organic, local and sustainably grown foods I am even happier because it’s good for the community, the land and ecosystems and, most of all, it tastes better.

* What is a “faux pas” in your kitchen?

Poor kitchen hygiene. My parents are scientists, and in particular my mom is a bacteriologist.  Her guidance in food safety techniques over the years has built into me a strong ethic of cleanliness and safety.  I’m not all clinical and draconian in there but I have a few rules and have not made myself or anyone ill from my cooking (knock on wood). Of course there are factors you cannot control, such as contaminated ingredients, as the headlines over Cargill and ammoniated beef scraps in the news of late have taught us. There is a lot you can do in your own kitchen though to be safe and clean. Some hygiene practices of other cooks and restaurants appall me and sometimes I just try not to think about that too much.

* Is there a food you will not eat?

I was not raised to eat offal and I think that it is no coincidence that it rhymes with awful! Foie is a major exception, I can’t get enough of it. However I never say never on most fronts, except perhaps insects and most definitely arachnids. If I was lost in the wilderness I would not hesitate to forage or hunt for whatever protein I could find to survive.  However, safely ensconced in San Francisco, the City affords me the luxury of not having to indulge in “exotics”.  I do not, however, eat fast food and refuse most ground beef unless I know the chef or rancher.  I prefer to grind my own.

* What food is your guilty pleasure?

Parmesan Goldfish crackers.  I tuck myself onto the couch with a book or the tv, peel open the bag and pop a Goldfish in my mouth, lick off the salty side and crack it longitudinally with my teeth.  Goldfish were one of the few junk food treats we were allowed as a child, but only for road trips.  Mom would parcel out four or five to our grasping little paws and refill us occasionally. When I lived on my own it was like being hit with a lightening bolt when I realized I could buy a whole bag, all to myself. The Parmesan flavor is the best to me, I think they use too much paprika in the original cheddar flavor.  The other flavors are just an abomination, in my opinion.   I am ashamed at how often I indulge myself with Goldfish.  Sorry, Mom.

* Have you ever changed how you feel towards a food?

For some strange reason as a kid I despised chiles. It must have been that hormonal insanity from puberty or something because I love chiles now. A family friend had me help her in the kitchen once to make a spread of cheese and chile. I loudly proclaimed how much I despised chile and then proceeded to eat most of the spread, much to everyone’s; amusement and to my embarrasement. I am especially obsessed with green chile from New Mexico.  My dear friend who lives in Santa Fe has me hooked on them and I always bring back a boatload when I visit or buy it online and shipped frozen to me.

* If you could prepare a dinner for anyone, who would it be?

My Granny, Grandpa L and Grandpa B. They died when I was young and never got to eat my cooking.  Grandpa B did come to my first Thanksgiving dinner in my first apartment but truthfully my sister did most of the cooking that time.  I like to think that we would have the best time at dinner together, talking about food and life and getting to know each other as adults.

* If you could choose a living or historical cook to prepare a meal for you, who would it be?

Given the times I realize it sounds trite to say Julia Child but she would be my first choice.  Then Auguste Escoffier and Ron Zimmerman….

* Which food website/ or blog would you die without?

The Recipe Swap Forum of which I have been a member for more than 15 years. I started lurking there when I was living on my own and needed recipes and inspiration. The group was so informative, adventurous and so danged funny that I had to stifle myself to avoid getting busted at work. This was back in the early days of the web and most people didn’t have access at home, and if they did it was *dial up* with an *actual modem*.  (Gasp!) anyway, the swap has changed names, moved hosts and flopped around a little bit but it has remained unchanged in spirit and most members. We are like family in a way and it’s more than just food. The folks there are my extended family. I visit there frequently and rely on its search function especially.

* What is your favorite food related word?

Bechamel. It’s fun to say. Say it now: Bechamel….. It’s magic in a saucepan and so versatile.  Whenever I make it I have to sing my song, “Bechamel Mucho”.

* What is your favorite food shopping experience?

Going to a farmers market, or any market.  I love poking around, looking at all the veggies and fruits and the rows and tanks of gleaming fish, they remind me of jewels in a giant display case. Every where I go, especially when out of town or on vacation, I love to visit the markets to see what is grown there, what packaged products and pantry items they have, what is different and what is the same.  I always bring an extra duffle for food goodies to enjoy when I get home, plus they make great gifts for my friends in lieu of souvenirs.

* If you could move, which country would you move to for the food?

I used to think Greece because I love olive oil, cheese, fish, eggplant, lemons, oregano, figs, greens – all those sunny Mediterranean foods. But living in California really has me spoiled because we are the nation’s produce basket, plus access to seafood and wines and all the melting pot influences from Asia, Mexico and parts south. I can’t imagine life without all the variety I have right here.  Except we need more green chile. We don’t have hot enough sun like they do in New Mexico.

* What’s the dress code in the kitchen when you cook?

A clean shirt and apron, covered-toe shoes, and hair up in a twist. I came within a hair of impaling my bare foot one year with a 12″ butchers knife, and then there was the tragic 2nd degree burn incident.  Never cook hashbrowns in a bikini.  That is all I’ll say about that!

* What would you request on the menu if it was your last supper?

Foie gras terrine with thin, crisp toast points, a savory tomato aspic salad, a sand dab in a lemon buerre blanc, roast chicken with potatoes cooked in duck fat, my green beans with tarragon dressing, cranberry sauce, a glass of apple cider with scoops of Humphrey Slocombe’s pink lady apple sorbet, a bite of rare filet mignon with a dab of Bernnaise.  Dessert? Too hard to choose, for my last meal I would want a dessert but I have no idea. Chocolate cake?

* What food would you prepare to seduce someone?

I suppose it depends upon the stage of the seduction. The homily of “hook ‘em and cook ‘em” is particularly apt when it comes to love.  In the beginning of the seduction I like to cook “man” food. Steaks, chops, and hearty dishes that most men appreciate and are surprised that a gal can cook. It depends on the guy.  In one case my osso bucco was the magic dish, for another it was my sticky grilled ribs.
Cooking a seductive meal farther along in the relationship gets more tricky.  The meal has to be hearty enough and yet light enough not to interfere with the evenings activities. Certain foods have to be avoided and others encouraged! Textures are important too. At this, ahem, delicate juncture I prefer oysters, orange and avocado salad, good sourdough bread, a zero residual sugar rosé, and something smooth and creamy for dessert, chocolate, caramel or butterscotch are good choices. A Port or dessert wine to sip.  And a chilled Pinot Blanc for *later* (giggle). Too much information?

* What food are you craving right now?

Root beer.  A cold, creamy, artisan-crafted root beer with a straw.  I rarely drink soda because I hate high fructose corn syrup. But I have found great artisanal producers of ginger ale and root beer that don’t use HFCS and they have the best flavor.

* What is your comfort food?

Comfort food in my mind involves a starch. Some people have an affinity to bread or rice or potatoes, I am a potato gal all the way.  When I feel bad or life gets too hard or the day of the week ends with ‘y’ I yearn for a nice little bowl of mashed potatoes. Maybe not a little bowl…

I think so many people do not realize how easy it really is to make some delicous Dark Hot Fudge Sauce.  It’s like 1…2…3….. and then your done!

I decide that I wanted to make a special dessert for my kids the other night and part of the recipe called for hot fudge sauce.  Well I defintely didnt want to buy the store bought kinds so I said… “What the heck… I’ll just make my own!”

Let’s just say that you won’t be disappointed at all.  Especially when you find all the wonderful things you can dip in this sauce.

Mmmmmmm I’m drooling just thinking about it!

Enjoy!

Stir together cocoa powder, brown sugar, corn syrup, cream, salt and half of the chopped chocolate in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until chocolate is melted.  Cook mixture at a low boil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Remove pan from heat, add remaining chocolate, butter and vanilla and stir until smooth.  Cool slightly before serving.

Mmmmmmmmm Mmmmmmmmmm Good!

Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 ounces good bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped

2 Tablespoon unsalted butter, cup into 1/2 Tablespoons

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir together cocoa powder, brown sugar, corn syrup, cream, salt and half of the chopped chocolate in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until chocolate is melted.  Cook mixture at a low boil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Remove pan from heat, add remaining chocolate, butter and vanilla and stir until smooth.  Cool slightly before serving.

Cooled sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.  Reheat over low heat, stirring.

If the picture doesn’t say it all then here let me tell you… Crêpe Royale has Signed, Sealed, and Delivered and are so delighted to announce to be one of the very few vendors that will be gracing Orlando’s Amway Arena.

I know it’s pretty big and a huge deal and we are so excited to be able to share some of our delicious savory and sweet crêpes with all of you. So if you happen to be wanting to root for yours truly Orlando Magic’s and attending any NBA games then you definitely need to come and check us out!

Starting February 17th, we will be at the Arena we will be at the West Concourse section 118!

Come and see for yourself what all the buzzzzzzz is about!

Can’t wait to see you all there

I am so happy to have one of my favorite foodie friends grace us with one of her delicious recipes this week, especially with Valentine’s Day just around the corner… Paula from Bell’Alimento and all of her delicious Italian recipes are a sure way to celebrate and cook something romantic for that special someone.  I hope you all fall in love with her as much as I have.

I HEART Paula!!!!!

Tasha

I am so honored that Natasha asked me to stop by That’s So Yummy again! In case you missed my Yummy Questionnaire I’m Paula and I blog at bell’alimento (Italian for beautiful food) is my foodblog filled with some of my most favorite authentic Italian dishes & few other yummy things peppered inbetween.  Natasha asked me to share a recipe with you and I immediately knew I wanted to share my hands down most favorite pasta dish in the world!

Yep hands down, no hesitating…It’s Spaghetti alla Carbonara and I could seriously eat it everyday and never tire of it. There’s just something about it, you’ll know it once you taste it!

Thanks again for letting me stop by! I feel like part of the family ; )

Baci e’ Buon Appetito!
Paula

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

1 package spaghetti
4 large cloves of fresh garlic -minced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 package of pancetta OR bacon (cut into small pieces) – I use bacon because I find pancetta to be quite salty
2 large eggs -room temperature

kosher salt
1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
freshly cracked black pepper
fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

In a large pasta pot add enough water to cook your pasta. Salt your water generously. Once water comes to a boil, add spaghetti & stir so that the pasta separates & cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente. WHILE the spaghetti is cooking, in a large pan over medium heat add olive oil and cook bacon until fairly crisp (about 3-4 minutes), add in garlic and cook for another minute (you don’t want your garlic to burn) While these are cooking. Crack your eggs into a small bowl & add 1 cup of your cheese. Stir together & set aside. Take a ladel of the spaghetti water and set aside. Drain your pasta well and add to bacon mixture. Is is IMPORTANT that your pasta is HOT when adding it to the mixture. Toss well (I find tongs work really well for this). Take off of heat. Add in your cheese & egg mixture & toss well. If you find the mixture is too thick, you can thin it out with a little of the pasta water (remember you can always add more so add sparingly) Season well with pepper. Garnish with the remainder of your cheese & fresh parsley if you like. This dish is best eaten immediately.

Buon Appetito!

What is it about Nutella that just puts everybody in a craze???

Last week, for all you Nutella fans, we celebrated Nutella Day where the entire blogosphere (or at least that’s what it felt like) joined together and enjoyed cans and cans of Nutella! So many recipes poured in from Nutella Lava Cakes to Nutella Bread.  Yours truly decided to make Nutella Brownies.  But these brownies were extra special because it was made in honor of ThatsSoYummy’s 1yr Blogiversary.

I had promised you all some step-by-step photos of my Nutella Surprise… well here they are and trust me this one is one you DO NOT wanna miss out on!

Oh yea make sure you have a TALL glass of cold milk next to you!

Gather all of your ingredients together: Butter, Sugar, Vanilla Extract, Eggs, Flour, Cocoa Powder, Salt, Baking Powder, Nutella, and Chocolate Chips.

Preheat oven to 350°F.  In a medium bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.  Then set the bowl aside.

On low heat, melt the butter sticks in a small pot.

Then add the vanilla and sugar while stirring the mixture until well combined.  Remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool.  I poured the butter/sugar mixture into a medium bowl to cool.

Once the butter/sugar mixture is completely cooled add the eggs one at a time, making sure to mix each time.

Add the cocoa/flour mixture to the egg mixture gradually, until completely mixed together.

Heat a nutella container in the microwave for a bout 40 seconds.  You want the nutella to have a runny consistency which will allow the nutella to pour easily.  Add the nutella to the batter and mix well.

Lastly add the chocolate chips and fold into the batter.

Pour your batter into a buttered square pan… I like to add parchment paper to my pan before pouring my brownie batter inside.  This makes it easier to take the brownies out after they bake and cool.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Now at this time you can give your little ones the bowl and let them have a field day… trust me they will love you!

Remove from oven and cool completely.  I placed my brownies in the fridge after they cooled to make sure that they came together and was not runny.  Due to its chocolate amounts the brownie may be sticky and fudgey inside, which to me is the best way to eat them but to make sure they were not falling apart.  I left mine in there for a few hours, but you could always leave them in there overnight and decorate the following day.

Enjoy!

Nutella Brownie Surprise

Brownie Batter

1 cup butter, unsalted

2 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

4 large eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup of cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 baking powder

1 cup Nutella

1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Topping

Nutella

White chcolate chips

Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  In a medium bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.  Then set the bowl aside.

On low heat, melt the butter sticks in a small pot.  Then add the vanilla and sugar while stirring the mixture until well combined. Remove the pot from the heat and allow to cool.  I poured the butter/sugar mixture into a medium bowl to cool.

Once the butter/sugar mixture is completely cooled add the eggs one at a time, making sure to mix each time.

Add the cocoa/flour mixture to the egg mixture gradually, until completely mixed together.

Heat a nutella container in the microwave for a bout 40 seconds.  You want the nutella to have a runny consistency which will allow the nutella to pour easily.  Add the nutella to the batter and mix well.  Lastly add the chocolate chips and fold into the batter.

Pour your batter into a buttered square pan… I like to parchment paper to my pan before pouring my brownie batter inside.  This makes it easier to take your brownies out after they bake and cool.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool completely.  I placed my brownies in the fridge after they cooled to make sure that they came together and was not runny.  Due to its chocolate amounts the brownie may be sticky and fudgey inside, which to me is the best way to eat them but to make sure they were not falling apart.  I left mine in there for a few hours, but you could always leave them in there overnight and decorate the following day.

Take the completely cooled brownies out of the fridge and cut in squares.  Then pour a tablespoon of nutella on each brownie square.  Then sprinkle the mini chocolate chips and white chocolate chips on top.  I did not have white chocolate chips but had a white chocolate bar that I just chopped up in small pieces.  Either way it works.

Enjoy!

Brooke Burton is an LA-based freelanced food and traveler writer, photographer and restaurant professional.  Brooke does not only lend her insider perspectives in her own food blog, Food Woolf but is also the co-author of The Food Blog Code of Ethics.

* Sweet or Savory?

If I’m cooking, it’s savory. The sweet stuff I tend not to cook as much.

* Which ingredient(s) do you use the most?

Olive Oil and salt

* What’s your favorite cooking smell?

Whatever is coming out of my kitchen. I especially love the smells of dishes I’ve cooked before—roasted chicken, braised short ribs, Finnish Pullah bread–because I have sense memories associated with them.

* What is your most favorite cooking sound?

The sizzling in my cast iron skillet is pretty great. But I must admit, the gurgling of my coffee maker gets me pretty excited in the morning.

* In the kitchen, what’s your most treasured possession?

It’s a tie between my sharpest chef’s knife and my cast iron skillet.

* What is a “faux pas” in your kitchen?

Hmmm. You’ll have to ask my husband that question.

* Is there a food you will not eat?

Food that’s been cooked badly is something I tend to avoid.

* What food is your guilty pleasure?

In-N-Out Burgers, Poky, and Trader Joe’s frozen pizza.

* Have you ever changed how you feel towards a food?

I was a vegetarian for 17 years. Now I love to eat meat. The one thing that hasn’t changed though, is my commitment to eating ethically.

* If you could prepare a dinner for anyone, who would it be?

My dream dinner keeps changing, but I currently would love to cook for Michael Ruhlman, Ruth Reichl, Nancy Silverton, David Leibovitz, and Oprah. Now that’s a dinner party.

* If you could choose a living or historical cook to prepare a meal for you, who would it be?

It’s a theoretical tie: either MFK Fisher or Julia Child. I’d love to have 30 minutes in the kitchen with both of those women.

* Which food website/ or blog would you die without?

Matt Bites

* What is your favorite food related word?

Moist

* What is your favorite food shopping experience?

One involving a gift certificate.

* If you could move, which country would you move to for the food?

Italy. Because the food is fantastic and France isn’t all that far away.

* What’s the dress code in the kitchen when you cook?

Casual. I always wear a bib apron. Usually one I got from my employer (I work in restaurants).

* What would you request on the menu if it was your last supper?

Oysters, Bistecca Fiorentino, and Nancy Silverton’s Butterscotch Budino.

* What food would you prepare to seduce someone?

See previous answer.

* What food are you craving right now?

See previous answer.

* What is your comfort food?

Anything coming out of my kitchen.

(Image by Wordle)