gingerroot

We were thrilled when gingerroot joined the food52 community early last summer, and quickly noticed her creative use of global ingredients and natural flair for combining unexpected flavors (black plum and black pepper: brilliant). A native of Hawaii, gingerroot focuses her recipes on local produce, often from her CSA or backyard garden, like the red limas in her Garden to Table Dip for Chips and the dandelion greens in her Ricotta Risotto.

It is often gingerroot's recipes that we turn to when looking for something unusual and tasty. There's seemingly no limit to her talents: sweet, savory, drinks (Dirty Chai Toddy, anyone? First round's on us.) -- you name it, she's got something to cover each category and course many times over. She often gains inspiration from her grandmother but adds her own dynamic, as in her prize-winning Roasted Radish and Potato Salad with Black Mustard and Cumin Seed (a clever riff on her grandmother's potato salad, pictured above). We count ourselves lucky that gingerroot shares her food memories with us, in the form of lovely, richly flavored, inspiring recipes.

See gingerroot's profile Q&A and fan her here and follow her on Twitter here.

Read her profile Q&A below:

• What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
  Okinawan cold pig's ear salad
• What do you cook when home alone?
  Eggs with greens; bread and cheese with fruit
• Your most treasured kitchen possession:
  Set of nesting glass mixing bowls because I use them multiple times a day...and my paternal Grandmother's apron. Using it keeps her spirit alive in my kitchen - she was an amazing cook.
• Your ideal meal:
  Lots of little plates, with family, close friends and a good wine or two and ending in dark chocolate
• Something you'd like a chance to eat or cook:
  Dinner with my husband at The French Laundry
• The number of bottles of wine you own:
  Two dozen
• The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
  6 
• Kitchen pet peeve:
  All the dishes and not enough counter space.
• Your favorite cookbook:
  It's difficult to name just one...some Chef/Authors I love include Nina Simonds, Jeffrey Alford & Naomi Duguid, Nigella Lawson, Alice Waters, Elizabeth Rozin, Jamie Oliver, Deborah Madison