About Me

I am a culinary school graduate, freelance writer, food magazine and cookbook editor, test kitchen chef, and sometime cheese monger. I recently helped develop and launch Williams Sonoma´s "Mastering" cookbook series and I´m a weekly food columnist for KQED´s "Bay Area Bites." I design, own, and write for my food/humor Web site The Grub Report, which won a 2003 Diarist award for Best Experimental Journal. When I´m not eating or writing, I´m being paid by Television Without Pity (www.televisionwithoutpity.com) to sit in front of the TV and point and laugh evilly. I was recently puglished in "Digital Dish" (Press for Change) and "The Best Food Writing 2005" (Avalon) and I´ve just finished authoring "CocktailSmarts" for SmartsCo.

Member Since

May 26, 2006

Sites

• The Grub Report

What is the next…

Purchase you’ll make?

Groaning bags of produce at the San Francisco Farmers Market at the Ferry Buiding and fresh chevre. I´m participating in the Bay Area eat local.

Trend in design?

Everything automated. Like Star Trek.

Car you’d like to own?

We just bought a 2006 Prius. I think the next car we´d buy would be another Prius. One for each of us.

Big step you’d like to make?

My own cookbook. Or novel. Or memoir. Whatever comes first.

Fad that will fade?

Molecular gastronomy: the foams, gelees, and deep fried mayonnaise cubes of overwrought "haute cuisine" are annoying and not real food.

Vacation you’ll take?

To Minneapolis, MN to see my family and eat at Town Talk Diner on E. Hennepin. I´m already planning on ordering the Grains and Greens salad.

Thing you’re going to fight for?

Animal rights, legal marriage for everyone, and bringing Ioan Gruffudd back to television.

Secret that’s going to leak?

Cheese cures cancer.

Hollywood blockbuster going to be about?

Teenie bopper Wonder Woman

Life you’ll lead?

The life of an apprentice baker. I´m hopeless at baking, but I intend to apply myself, read lots of books, and completely cover my kitchen in flour in my pursuit of the perfect cake, pie crust, scone, and loaf of bread. Plus my readers love to hear my "kitchen disaster" stories. It makes them feel good that I went to culinary school and still screw up in the kitchen.

Fountain of youth?

Izze Sparkling Clementine

Book you’ll read?

The Pursuit of Love and Love in A Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford

Thing that will change the world?

The next presidential election and chocolate-cherry-covered Diet Coke

Guilty-pleasure food in which you’ll indulge?

Cheap grocery store "brie" microwaved to gooey runniness, spread on crackers and topped with chutney

Person to whom you’ll say, “I love you”?

My husband or my cats, depending on who purrs first.