Q&A | Amy

May's Q&A features Amy, one of my closest friends from university. We were attached to the hip all throughout my senior year of college (she was a wee sophomore then) as we had both realized our intense love for desserts (especially freshly baked ones), food in general, and paper goods. I owe my honed skills in the kitchen and cooking to her -- if it weren't for her patience and well-rounded knowledge with ingredients and technique, I wouldn't know an offset spatula from a trivet. She went to a specialized high school which allowed her to concentrate in the culinary arts and has always been a whiz in the kitchen. I lived off-campus my senior year, and luckily, that came with a gas-oven stove -- perfect for Amy to teach me the tricks of the trade, even if it was simply sautéeing vegetables or chopping garlic. We cooked through several issues of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine, until I had the basics down. Needless to say, I rarely ate out, especially with Amy over all the time, because we just cooked most of our meals.

Upon graduating, it's unfortunate that Amy and I don't see each other as often, but we do make it a point to see each other at least two or three times a year (for birthdays, holidays, and random trips), usually with a special dinner reservation planned so we can catch up. Thus far, we've been to The Modern: Bar Room, Butter, Convivio (now closed sadly), Craft, Aureole, Spice Market, and JoJo. I'm hoping I'll be able to visit her in the current city where she currently resides -- St. Louis! -- this year, so we can add more unforgettable memories together! I'm so glad we've become such great friends over the last four years (time really does fly). She is always there for me and one of the most thoughtful people I know. I'm very lucky to have her as a friend :)

Thanks again to Amy for participating in this month's Q&A sesh! Also, Amy's birthday was two days ago, so happy birthday once again to her! :)

Amy and me outside The Modern, July 2008.

NAME

Amy

CURRENT CITY


St. Louis, MO

FAVORITE ALL-TIME RESTAURANT 



Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Tarrytown, New York. While Stefie and I have not gone there together (yet), I think it is better than any of our New York City stops. In all fairness, this not just a restaurant; it is an experience. As my dad said the first time we went there, I was completely “agog”. And don’t think you can take a short cut and visit the NYC location -- for the real thing you have to take a drive to the suburbs. But I guarantee it will be worth it.

MOST REGULARLY FREQUENTED SPOT(S)
Whenever in New York City, a favorite repeat stop is Tao! It’s always good, always busy, but you can always get a table. And does Bloomingdale's count as a most regularly frequented spot? Because that is a must, too.

DRINK OF CHOICE



It is too hard to pick just one, and it absolutely depends on my mood. Favorites include a gin and tonic after a hard day at work, a mojito on a hot summer night, a good glass of red wine, or the always-delicious sangria.

SOMETHING YOU SECRETLY INDULGE
High-quality dark chocolate -- I simply can’t resist it, so I allow myself to indulge in one square every day after lunch. It’s okay- it has antioxidants!

DISH YOU MOST ENJOY PREPARING



I love to bake, and creating birthday cakes for my friends and family is my favorite thing to prepare. I would not necessarily consider it a dish, but it brings me the most joy to bake a cake for someone’s birthday or for a special occasion. It beats the store-bought stuff every time, and everyone deserves cake on his or her birthday.

THE HOMEMADE DISH YOU ALWAYS LONG FOR



Ever since I was a little girl, my mom would make me dinner on my birthday and ask what I wanted. The answer is always Dilbert Chicken. The real dish is a roasted chicken with dill and lemon stuffed in the cavity. We nicknamed it "dill-butt chicken," but Dilbert sounded more appetizing, and the name stuck. I still crave this dish every year on my birthday.

GASTRONOMIC GETAWAY/ADVENTURE OF CHOICE


I love traveling and trying new foods. Whenever I am at a new restaurant, I try to order something special. One day, I hope to go to Italy and really have a foodie adventure. 


CULINARY ICONS
Alex Guarnaschelli! I think she is a great Chef and so much fun to watch on TV, whether in her own cooking shows or as a judge on Chopped. For my 22nd birthday, Stefie took me to Alex’s restaurant, Butter, and it was one of the best meals we have had together. They even had a special menu with my name on it, which I got to keep. I think Alex produces more than good food; she provides a memorable culinary experience.

MEAL YOU WISH YOU CAN REPEAT BUT SOMEHOW CANNOT
When I was in high school at the Bergen County Academy of Culinary Arts and Hotel Administrations, we had a chocolate competition. During my senior year, I made a chocolate génoise cake with a hazelnut mousse surrounded by a hard chocolate band and topped with chocolate ribbons. I learned the chocolate ribbons technique from Alice Mendrich by watching a video online over and over again until I could replicate her perfect ribbons. On the day of the chocolate competition, my cake was perfect, but I know I will NEVER be able to do it again.

ABSOLUTE "CAN'T-STANDS"
Applesauce -- does that count? And rude waiters -- it isn’t that hard to smile.

FAVORITE DESSERT OF ALL TIME
Cake of any kind -- I had my first chocolate soufflé with Stefie, and it was absolute heaven.

FAVORITE COOKBOOK/COFFEE TABLE BOOK
Gale Gand’s Just a Bite was the first cookbook my mom ever gave me, and while I don’t make many of its recipes, it is still one of my favorites. When I moved to St. Louis, my friend Mel gave me a copy of 100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know, and it has been so much fun to read and cook from.

CULINARY WORDS THAT NEVER LOSE THEIR PANACHE
Ganache -- you can never go wrong with dark chocolate and heavy cream!

FOOD BLOG(S) YOU JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF


You are reading it! ;)