I’m It!

I was just Tagged for this MEME by David Lebovitz, but first had to figure out what a MEME was!

Seems an extension of one’s profile,memories and thoughts..and passing them on….

I was just sent this by David…
(pronounced meem) is an alteration of “mimeme” and is defined by
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary as “an idea, behavior, style, or usage
that spreads from person to person.” Various memes are always bouncing
around the food blog community, usually offering a personal glimpse into
some aspect of the food blogger’s life. They also give you a chance to
discover new blogs.”
Now we can go on!

Here is the the site that began it all! Be sure to look at the Family Tree of bloggers!
Do so at your own risk… reading blogs can be habit forming!

What is your first memory of baking/cooking on your own:

I remember my first Easy Bake Oven, cooking outside on the patio in Marin County.
I also had my first shop selling mudpies to the neighbor’s kids, one of whom appreciated them so much, he ATE them! Turns out he had a vitamin deficiency and the doctor said that the our terroir was rich in vitamins and minerals and it was ok for him to eat them…. as long as I removed the stones!

Girl Scout cooking badge classes, Waldorf salad and DG, the Italian, in the class,tossing the salad… all over the kitchen!

Celebration dinners for my parents and trying to cook meat, knowing it took a long time, left a thin slice of beef in the oven baking and went to the neighbors to get help!
Covered the charcol burned beef with tons of sauce trying to hide it!

I think my table decorating skills, dressing my Trolls in suitable theme costumes, created a fabulous ambience at the table, Molto Martha!

One of the most requested recipes was a meatloaf pie, covered with a instant mashed potato crust, and then dusted with potato flakes before baking.

Who had the most influence on your cooking?

I fell into food as a job that allowed me to travel. One of my first pastry teachers was at Tante Marie’s in San Francisco, Diane Dexter, and she skied in the mornings in Austria, then hung out with the little village ladies cooking in the afternoon. These recipes provided her with new content for classes! What a concept!

My pastry master, Jim Dodge was fabulous, and the hotel I worked at, the Stanford Court in San Francisco, was run by a man with a vision, Jim Nassikas. They had classes in the 80’s with Roger Verge, Julia Child, Marcella Hazan in the fabulous restaurant with wood burning ovens.

I was lucky enough to be invited to study at Verge’s school at the Moulin di Mougin and see cooking schools as a vacation experience.

Do you have an old photo as “evidence” of an early exposure to the culinary world and would you like to share it?

I have been living out of the states for 21 years now and don’t have access to old foto’s, but will look and ask Mom but it is probably deeply hidden in some box stored away!

Mageiricophobia – do you suffer from any cooking phobia, a dish that makes your palms sweat?

Living in Italy has made me pretty much fearless. I was a vegetarian and now attack squid, whole fish and cow faces on a daily basis.
But still have nightmares about the first Charlotte I made in school, that when we un-molded it, collapsed all over the table!

I am taking on a project now… with my neighbors here in Chianti, and going to follow the Seasons of the Pig.. may get sweaty palms. Never attended the slaughtering of an animal before.

What would be your most valued or used kitchen gadgets and/or what was the biggest letdown?

I love my $12.00 plastic handled mezzaluna, my copper bowl for whisking and my wood handled whisk.
Nothing better than a good knife, love my FURI

Never use the professional rolling pin I bought when more in the French mentality of making my own croissants.

One of the things I dragged here from America along with a cast iron skillet and my wok!
I also HATE the smaller double-bladded mezzaluna I bought for $45.00, too small!

Name some funny or weird food combinations/dishes you really like – and probably no one else!

I am still a peanut butter fanatic.. with banana’s on toast.. with honey.

Childhood favorite, a piece of sliced white bread, with raw ground beef,mayo spread on top and then broiled!
The Italian version I adore now is raw sausage and stracchino cheese on Tuscan bread.wimps have it grilled!

What are the three eatables or dishes you simply don’t want to live without?

Sushi
Spaghetti aglio olio e peperoncino
Chocolate

Any question you missed in this meme, that you would have loved to answer? Well then, feel free to add one!

Three quickies

Your favorite ice-cream
Mokacacao at Pinquino in Florence

You will probably never eat…

Lambs heads, been there done that!
Was once in Greece, dating this guy who wanted to take me for a special meal. We drove what seemed forever to arrive at this taverna in the countryside, to be served a whole roasted lambs head, that was it, no salad, no potatoes, no fabulous table filled with shot glasses of ouzo and meze, no Greek Salad, no grilled octopus, only a head!

Your own signature dish

Filetto di maiale in crosta, a pork tenderloin baked in a baguette with Tuscan herbs.
Also make killer lasagna!
My Mostarda Meditteranean I created while working with Dario Cecchini in Panzano.

.from the ChefDoc at A Perfect Pear

Any signs that this passion is going slightly over the edge and may need intervention?

I do get withdrawl symptoms if I am away from it too long, and have cravings for unknown thrills… it is an expensive habit.. but so stimulating!
Although I teach cooking, when I go on vacation the first thing I do is book a cooking class myself!

...from Clement at A La Cuisine!
Any embarrassing eating habits?

When I am teaching in America, I tend not to eat..and end up stopping at some fast food place and getting a hamburger,fries and a coke!
My Florentine husband once asked my wasn’t I embarrassed to be seen there eating. I told him not to worry, no one I knew would be there!

…from Sarah, of The Delicious Life
Who would you want to come into your kitchen to cook dinner for you?
Moreno Cedroni of La Madonnina in Senigallia,president of the young chefs organization in Italy. Creative and fun!

…from Adam, of The Amateur Gourmet:
Who’s your favorite food writer
I have a rather eclectic collection of books.. but I love the older ones like Claudia Roden Elizabeth David and hope to be like them!
One day be a reference for Florentine food, translated for the World Kitchen.

….from David Lebovitz at David Lebovitz.com

What’s the best food city in the world?
San Francisco, Barcellona, Florence
BUT I have never been to so many places!
Never been to NY!!!

...from Judy of Divina Cucina
What do you want to be when you grow up?

I would love to be a published writer and go back to my origins as an artist!
Photography, soft sculpture, ceramics….

Three people to pass this on to

I spend more time reading forums like Egullet than blogs, so I pass the baton to
Alberto of il Forno who also writes on Egullet.