quixotequest

Real Name:

Bryan

Location:

Utah

Best meal I ever ate:

Too many to choose. Living in Japan and travelling to Italy inform my favorite meals. Always some new favorite dish or food category, taking inspiration from both experience and study, then perfecting at home, is my obsession until another new food muse infects my passion.

My current drink of choice:

gin and tonic. I'm also liking Shock Top beer.

I really wish I could:

live in Seattle area. Best damn city in America.

My "Go-to" dinner party dish:

Always something different. But people depend on me for seasonal choices, well chosen ingredients and thoughtful preparation.

My favorite comfort food:

Something with butter, fresh bread or liquor. Hopefully all 3.

My top 5 favorite restaurants:

Best memories are in Seattle or Italy. No way I could choose only 5. I do however, love Palisade waterfront restaurant in Seattle. Great memories at the Georgian there too. To the numerous, small, lovingly operated trattorias, osterias, pizzerias and gelaterias throughout Italy I say, "You own my heart."

My most tattered cookbooks:

Definitely #1 are several bread and "dolce" books by Rose Levy Beranbaum and Peter Reinhart. Love Eileen Yin-Fei Lo. Julia Child is hallowed though I use her books only for pleasurable reading instead of recipes to try out. Admire the dogged determination and foody fastidiousness of Chris Kimball and the team over at Cook's Illustrated, even if I don't always agree with their conclusions. (And I consider Rachael Ray THE devil's spawn, albeit a perky one :-) )