Q&A | Renee

November's Q&A is coming a wee bit late (my sincerest apologies!) -- with Hurricane Sandy interrupting my daily life and the holiday season keeping me quite occupied, I was finally able to interview this very special person in my life. My cousin Renee is the first "foodie"/"food enthusiast" (or whatever else they call food lovers these days without sounding like a huge snob, a d-bag, or worse, a hipster) I came to know early on in my life as an evolving eater. She was sixteen when I was born, and   being an only child, I have been very lucky to have such a lovely person like her in my life whom I essentially consider my older sister (she is also the only girl in our generation of cousins!). If there's one thing my entire extended family is always doing, it would include all sorts of eating -- varieties including (but not limited to) nomming/munching/snacking/nibbling/etc.I remember whenever our family was deciding where dine out, she would be our resource, her head abundant with the best places-- e.g., which had the crispiest fried calamari, which place cooked up the chunkiest soups (The Kitchen Witch in Monmouth Beach, New Jersey), which place had the most scrumptious filet mignon BLT (The Tea Room at Raven and the Peach in Rumson), which place had the creamiest cheesecakes (Caputo's Pastry Shoppe in Long Branch). Her recommendations were always top-notch and spot-on -- it is clear she has always loved to eat and has honed herself quite the reliable palate.

Just as all little sisters want to be like their big sisters, I think I unwittingly followed in her footsteps when I first discovered how much I enjoy these same things -- morsel marauding across cities and towns in search of the next best thing. Back when she was living in Brooklyn, she was the expert on all the city's hidden gems and new places. Now that she's living in the New Jersey suburbs with her husband and kids, she is now the family's designated culinary navigator for dining out close to home, and I've taken up the role when it comes to New York City. Now we're the dining duo together, and I couldn't ask for a better sister with whom to compare notes. She has always been there for me and offers up the most comforting advice when life get bumpy.

Thanks again to Renee for participating in November's Q&A!

Renee and me at her engagement party, circa 1993.


NAME

Renee

CURRENT CITY

Central Jersey

FAVORITE ALL-TIME RESTAURANT

Le Grill, the restaurant located on a terrace of the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo in Monaco. My husband, kids, and I were dining there while on vacation in the summer, which is when Le Grill's roof slides back, offering direct contact with the sky and one of the most beautiful views on the French Riviera. Our meal also happened to coincide with the international fireworks competition, so that made the experience that much more spectacular and unforgettable. For dessert, it was my family's first time ever having a soufflé -- a chocolate one and a raspberry, actually, and it was simply heavenly.

MOST REGULARLY FREQUENTED SPOT(S)

Central Jersey: Sirena Ristorante, The Tea Room at Raven and the Peach, David Burke Fromagerie, Copper Canyon

DRINK OF CHOICE

cold brew coffee with a splash of milk and a dash of Splenda from Rook Coffee Roasters

SOMETHING YOU SECRETLY INDULGE

Taco Bell, though I guess it's no secret now!

DISH YOU MOST ENJOY PREPARING

My husband is Jewish, so I really enjoy making potato latkes with my kids for Channukah.

THE HOMEMADE DISH YOU ALWAYS LONG FOR

braised oxtail stew (where the meat falls effortlessly off the bone and the sauce is nice and thick) over white rice

GASTRONOMIC GETAWAY/ADVENTURE OF CHOICE

Spain and Paris -- just so many great food adventures to explore there.

CULINARY ICONS

Curtis Stone, Emeril Legassi (before he became overly commercialized!)

MEAL YOU WISH YOU CAN REPEAT BUT SOMEHOW CANNOT

Le Grill (see FAVORITE ALL-TIME RESTAURANT) and a meal in France that I had years ago with my family where we shared a big wheel of raclette cheese.

ABSOLUTE "CAN'T-STANDS"

For most of my life, it was cilantro, but for some inexplicable reason, now I love it!

FAVORITE DESSERT OF ALL TIME

A perfectly crisp and thin sugar and butter crêpe. I spent many years in search of the perfect technique, and I am happy to say I have mastered it!

FAVORITE COOKBOOK/COFFEE TABLE BOOK

The Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten) series

CULINARY WORDS THAT NEVER LOSE THEIR PANACHE

beurre blanc

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

Four Tines, of course!