EricaL

If my husband and I are hosting a dinner party, he cooks [i don't cook] and there is some lovely hired help setting up, serving and cleaning up, so I can enjoy my guests and my guests can enjoy themselves. Erica

I have had soapstone countertops in my kitchen for 3 years, purchased them from a supplier in New Jersey: www.soapstones.com I have the Cobra variety. It is almost black when oiled with very little veining, which gets coated with mineral oil once a month or so to keep them dark and rich looking. To keep them from scratching, all you need do is use a cutting board. Deep scratches will not come out, but surface scratches come out with a little sandpaper. I do not have a problem with staining. Erica

Any Brooklyn or Queens [NY] diner I have ever been in serves food in 'super size' portions. With the bread and the relish trays and the multiple course dinners and sides ... I think most of the allure of the diner is that there is always something to take home for later or the next day. Erica

I'm a jadeite collector and recently happened upon a yard sale where the folks were [practically] giving away 2 rather rare Fire-King kitchen pieces: a marked philbe mug and a 5" swirl mixing bowl, both seemingly unused. This will probably never happen again! Erica

Queens: Kew Gardens ~ Dani's Pizza [on Lefferts Blvd] Brooklyn: Gravesend/Bensonhurst ~ Fiorentino's ~ 311 Ave 'U' [near McDonald Ave] Bensonhurst ~ L&B www.spumonigardens.com Erica

My holy trinity: pasta olive oil semolina bread Erica

I don't eat animal flesh, so the smell of cooking flesh in a home I was considering purchasing would turn me off. I'd stay with something safe, like bread. Is there a person on planet earth that does not like the smell of freshly baked bread? Erica

My large, old Jadeite [Fire-King, Jeanette and McKee] collection. I redid my kitchen in 2003 and designed a portion of the cabinetry with glass doors and subtle lighting to showcase it. Makes me smile every time I look at it. I inherited my Grandma's big wooden bowl. I use it to grate the potatoes and onions into for latkes at Chanukah. Yes, I hand-grate them. No food-processor! I also have her half-moon [mezzaluna] chopper, and her glezala te [tea glasses]. These items are utterly precious to me. Erica

Il Bagatto, in the East Village. Erica

Amy's Bread has yummy olive and rosemary bread twists. Chewy and very tasty. There are a couple of bakeries in Chelsea Market that are not on your tour: Fat Witch ~ good assortment of brownies and blondies Ruthy's ~ good rugelach Erica

My husband and I stumbled on a great little pizzeria in the Pelham Bay [East Tremont] section of the Bronx last week. Louie & Ernie's or Ernie & Louie's [can't remember the name order]. On Crosby Street, near Waterbury. Thin crust with a bit of char, nicely seasoned sauce, not fresh mutz and not a load of it, which I prefer. Nice service, too and ~ bonus ~ they serve bottled beer. Definitely worth another visit. Erica

The Lobster Place in Chelsea Market [9th Ave bet 15th & 16th Streets]: http://www.lobsterplace.com Erica

I am blessed with the knowledge that I am dangerous in the kitchen. I love food, but all thumbs when it comes to cooking it. My husband is the cook in our family. My kitchen responsibilites are limited to loading and unloading the dishwasher and cleaning. Erica

The worst meal I can remember was at my house many, many moons ago. One day, Mom decided to get creative and made something she called 'Reuben Bundles', which consisted of corn beef, sauerkraut and Russian dressing bundled in pastry dough and baked. It was a drippy, soggy mess. To this day, Mom has not lived down that culinary snafu. Erica

I have called my niece Caroline 'bean' ever since she was born! Erica