enbe

There are corners of the food world where it's a dirty word: "vegetarian". But we at Food52 respect and support those who opt not to eat Bambi. Or Thumper. Or any of their friends. On the lookout for cooks who support the cause, we came upon enbe, to whom we herald a vegetal salute for her simple and fresh style. Here's a cook to watch, especially if you prefer your meat on the side. One bowl of Vegetarian Chili, thank you.

A native Brooklynite (we love those), enbe has a self-proclaimed "decadent side" (let's see those sweets!), but with a simultaneous interest in evolutionary biology, which she studies as a grad student. And to us, she generously offers an array of plant possibilities: Prickly Pear Tacos, Lemony Peppery Asparagus Pasta (wait for spring, folks) and Grilled Peanut Tofu for the hardcore among us.

In that same spirit of giving she's led the charge this holiday season on the Food52 Holiday Gift Swap. We are charmed: "Let's face it," enbe says, "making, eating and talking about food is an essential part of many of my friendships." It shows.

Learn more about enbe here and check out her profile Q&A below:

What do you cook when home alone?
Simple pasta with butter and parmesan

Your most treasured kitchen possession:
My tiny spoon collection - I have espresso spoons (nice antique ones, and fun modern ones) that I've been collecting for as long as I can remember.

The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
Enough to introduce new people