Congratulations to eva katz, whose Pistachio Dukkah won the contest for Your Best Edible Gift!
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Describe an early food experience that has influenced the way you think about food and/or cooking.
I lived in Israel for a couple of years when I was around 10, and returned again at 16. My food psyche was forever altered there. I loved exploring the souks (food markets), with their colorful mounds of spices, pillars of halvah, and piles of fresh pitas and produce. Everything smelled and tasted so fresh and exotic!
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The Israeli falafel from the street vendors was a revelation; I’ve yet to find its match anywhere in the U.S. Freshly fried balls of spiced ground chickpeas, perfectly crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside, were stuffed into a warm pita and loaded with one’s choice of bright vegetables, pickles, and condiments -- a handheld salad. Falafel was probably my first favorite food. I often return to the flavors of the souks, and regularly incorporate them into my non-Middle Eastern recipes as well.
What's your least favorite kitchen task?
Cleaning the hood over my range is a serious drag because it involves finding the big stepstool, climbing up on the counter, and the elbow grease required to get rid of the mess -- and no one appreciates the result.
More: Learn how to pair wine with Middle Eastern food.
Your favorite kitchen tool?
I have lots, but my pressure cooker has to be on the top of my list. It produces the most amazing brown rice and black beans, both of which I make weekly for my family. I also love using my bench scraper to scoop up chopped ingredients from the cutting board.
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What is your idea of comfort food?
Matzoth brei with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of Maldon sea salt.
What is your greatest kitchen disaster?
It has to be when I worked as a cook on a sailing yacht and was roasting whole eggplants for a dip. I didn’t know that you had to poke a few holes in the eggplant or it could burst. Kaboom! The sound of the exploding vegetables was so loud that we thought the boat had blown up. And oh, what a mess to clean up!
Dukkah photo by Mark Weinberg; headshot by Eva Katz; Matzo Brei photo by fiveandspice; falafal photo by Sarah Shatz; all others by James Ransom
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