Congratulations to this week's winners!
Chef James won the contest for Your Best Fried Chicken with Classic Southern Buttermilk Bathed Fried Chicken.
Nancy Jo won the contest for Your Best Eggplant Recipe with Eggplant Parmesan.
We asked them both to answer a few questions about cooking and eating.
Chef James
Describe a food memory that has influenced the way you cook or think about food.
While I've had many great food memories including my grandmother's amazing italian cooking, that one that influenced me the most was my first trip to the Alabama Farmer's Market with famed Southern chef Frank Stitt. I worked for Frank for 6 years in his restaurants in Birmingham and learned so much from him about simple preparations and respect for ingredients. His stamp is certainly on my cooking.
What's the wackiest dish you've ever made that actually tasted good?
I was once forced to incorporate avocado into a dessert To my surprise- with enough lime, heavy cream and a pinch of sugar- it turned out to be the perfect accompaniment to my citrus napolean.
What is your favorite food publication and why?
The Art of Eating- wonderfully written articles, only a few pictures and no ads!!! plus there's tons to be learned from every issue.
Describe your most spectacular kitchen disaster.
These too have been great and many, but I would say while frying chicken wings for the super bowl and trying to keep them warm in a low oven(without a catch pan!!!). Well, eventually enough oil collected on the bottom of the oven and it ignited. I lost nearly all the chicken wings to fire extinguisher....
What's your favorite thing about your kitchen? Least favorite?
Without a doubt cleaning up is my least favorite thing. But on the positive side, I love the creativity of trying out new things, creating new recipes and the fact that everyday in the kitchen is different. Even if you're making the same recipe over and over, each tomato is different, not one cooks the same as the last.
Apron or no apron?
Waist apron!
What's your favorite food-related scene in a movie?
Well, since I haven't seen Julie and Julia yet, I have to go with the prison dinner from Goodfellas- I try all the time to slice garlic as thin as Paulie does.
What, in your opinion, is the best culinary city in the world?
Who am I to decide if New York is better than Paris? Classic vs. Amazing variety.
What do you crave most often? a) sweet, b) salty, c) sour, d) bitter, e) umami
a. Sweet- I've got a crazy sweet tooth!
When it comes to tidying up, you prefer to: a) clean as you cook, b) do all the dishes once you've finished cooking, or c) leave the kitchen a shambles for your spouse/roommate/kids to clean.
For me it's typically a combination of a and c, though my wife doesn't really put up with it so I usually try to clean as I cook but inevitably leave the kitchen in shambles for myself.
Nancy Jo
Describe a food memory that has influenced the way you cook or think about food.
Making homemade Italian sausage with my Mother when I was a teenager. I loved the whole process especially eating it at the end with the sauce and meatballs!
What's the wackiest dish you've ever made that actually tasted good?
Stumped on this one....
What is your favorite food publication and why?
Gourmet magazine. I love the simplicity of the recipes and the photographs are gorgeous!
Describe your most spectacular kitchen disaster.
Steaming vegetables with no water in the steamer pan. The acrid odor that engulfed the kitchen was awful. Needless to say the vegetables had to be ditched.
What's your favorite thing about your kitchen? Least favorite?
I love that my kitchen opens into the living room and that I have a long counter bar so guests can hang out when I cook.
Apron or no apron?
Sometimes an apron, but not always.
What's your favorite food-related scene in a movie?
The meatball making scene in Goodfellas.
What, in your opinion, is the best culinary city in the world?
NYC!!
What do you crave most often? a) sweet, b) salty, c) sour, d) bitter, e) umami
Salty
When it comes to tidying up, you prefer to: a) clean as you cook, b) do all the dishes once you've finished cooking, or c) leave the kitchen a shambles for your spouse/roommate/kids to clean.
Clean as you cook.
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