Michael Hoffman

A grad student living in Pittsburgh, Michael Hoffman is also an intrepid cook and food blogger. In his headnote for Braised Berkshire Bacon with Pickled Onions, he recounts how he and a friend cured an entire pork belly and then smoked most of it to make their own bacon. His recipe for Ofra's Spicy Fried Eggplant was inspired by a childhood memory of a dish made by an Israeli neighbor, and he makes a homemade ginger liqueur for his Thai Ginger Lime Cooler. In short, we like the way this guy operates. See his profile and fan him here.

Here is Michael's profile Q&A:

• What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
  grasshoppers
• Your most treasured kitchen possession:
  antique wooden salt well
• Your ideal meal:
  salade nicoise or slow-roasted pork shoulder
• The number of bottles of wine you own:
  very few, unfortunately, but constantly rotating
• The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
  6
• Kitchen pet peeve:
  cleaning up, of course
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