Winner of Your Best Pub Food

Congratulations to tideandthyme, whose IPA-Battered Fish and Chips won this week's contest for Your Best Pub Food!

1. Describe an early food experience that has influenced the way you think about food and/or cooking.
I remember watching Yan Can Cook with my mom at a very young age. The wok, the flames, Martin's knife skills - they all were mesmerizing!

2. What's your least favorite food?
Veal. Can't do much with baby cows.

3. What is the best thing you've made so far this year?
A pork tenderloin with Madeira fig gravy, made with figs from the back yard. A complete "bomb drop" that I wasn't anticipating!

4. Describe your most spectacular kitchen disaster.
There was an episode in my early days making meatballs. I think I added too much milk - they held their shape in the sauce, but completely turned to mush in your mouth!

5. What is your idea of comfort food?
Chicken and dumplings. Flat or "slick" dumplings too, mind you.

6. Apron or no apron?
No apron. I really should though, countless cute tops have suffered...

7. What's your favorite food-related scene in a movie?
Goodfellas, with all the guys in jail. Paulie and his method for slicing the garlic, Vinny adding too many onions to the sauce, Johnny Dio frying steaks. It just puts you right there with them - and I love it.

8. If you could make a show-stopping dinner for one person, living or dead, who would it be?
Julia Child. She is such an icon and an inspiration, and has always put everyone at ease in the kitchen.

9. You prefer to cook: a) alone; b) with others; c) it depends on your mood.
It depends on my mood - some nights you just want to get dinner on the table, but there's nothing better than getting together with friends for a make your own pizza party or taco bar!

10. When it comes to tidying up, you usually: a) clean as you cook; b) do all the dishes once you've finished cooking; c) leave the kitchen a shambles for your spouse/roommate/kids to clean.
C. That was always a part of the deal from the get-go. With a great husband, and 2 little boys - I have to admit I have a handy team of kitchen helpers!