swissmiss

Three for The Apprentice. And Jinmyo, St. Jacques said the same thing you did last night: There is nothing better than good bread and fresh butter. What led to that comment is the mention of a meal he had just had, which consisted of an omelette made with fresh eggs from a neighboring farm and herbs from their garden, homemade bread, and butter made by Gloria, his wife.

Gruyere Tomme Parmigiano Reggiano for its different uses

You have written extensively. Is there one book or article that you prefer over others? Do you decide on the topics of your books or do editors ask you to write for them? Are you currently working on a new book? Thank you for participating in this Q&A!

If you are going in the summer, or even early summer if I remember well, make sure to eat filets de perche in Geneva. Since you'll be driving, you'll easily be able to go to one of the small villages along the coast of the lake. Hermance is really pretty and has good restaurants for filets de perche. They are definitely a specialty of the region. As far as fondue, a good one won't be hard to find either in Lucerne or in Geneva. Go to an old-looking place, nothing that looks like it's been around only a couple of years! (My favorite fondue place is Le cercle des agriculteurs in Chatel-St-Denis, which is right at the border between Vaud and Fribourg. The name, loosely translated, means the farmers' club, and is nothing fancy but has the best fondue.) In Geneva, I think that Les Armures in the Vieille Ville (Old Town) has good fondue. Malakoffs (fried breaded cheese) are another good specialty found around Geneva and in Vaud. Enjoy your trip!

Tacos al pastor are the best! When I was backpacking through Mexico a few years ago my friend and I spent our last pesos on them in Mexico City. We were not able to eat anything until we got back to the US, but it was so well worth it! I can still taste them.

A friend of mine wrote an article on Cajun restaurants in NY for Time Out a few months ago, and deemed Bayou (308 Lenox Avenue) the best one, followed by Delta Grill. He's from Louisiana so acknowledges that they aren't as good as the ones back home, but do the job for here. I haven't been to Bayou but ate at Delta Grill a few times. It was decent.

Halvah is also one of my favorite sweets, but I only buy it about every six months because I just sit with the container and eat it by the spoonful. I like the kind in the clear container with green writing, which also serves as a Tupperware-substitute once empty. I used to buy that brand in Switzerland too.

Thank you for the links Steve. I use my local library mainly to borrow less recent cookbooks or history books. I do extensive research for all the pieces I write so it is useful because they have cookbooks from the '70s and '80s that may include interesting tidbits. As for the most recent books, they are very, very mainstream but still useful if I don't want to buy the book but just look at a specific recipe or background information. I also looked at the magazine section briefly once, but can't remember if they have any of the food mags. If they do it's most likely the ones I already subscribe too.

Steve, my local library gives out library cards. It is rather small, and the lack of space keeps them from buying a lot of new books. Newspapers and magazines may also charge for online content because of the rights they have to pay (some) freelancers for the use of their pieces on their sites. Many media don't pay additional rights, and there was a big case about it last year that involved the NY Times if I recall (don't have time to look for a link to the story right now). I doubt that it plays a big role, but maybe.

The current issue of Saveur has an article about feijoada. It is not available online unfortunately. The author says that there are regional differences in the ways the dish is prepared in Brazil, and that availability of ingredients and personal tastes also affect it. "The important thing is to use a variety of meats, salted, smoked, and fresh." But the basics are dried beef, smoked pork sausage like linguica or kielbasa, pig's tails, feet and ears, black (could be brown in northern Brazil) beans, pork loins and ribs. It is served with oranges, collard greens, and toasted manioc flour.

In its melted form, with poached pears. Canned pears too actually, which makes for an even quicker dessert. With a fruit filling, it has to be raspberry. I like chocolate with mint too. And just plain ol' chocolate by itself.

John T. Edge also writes for magazines, and he seems to always be quoted in any article about Southern cooking. He's also appeared in many Food Network shows. He seems so friendly, and is incredibly knowledgeable. And Marcelle Bienvenu not only knows everything there is to know about Cajun food, she is one of the nicest people in the world I think. What I particularly enjoy about them is the respect they have for Southern food and culture, and how willing they are to share what they know.

Do you know which one it was (cajungrocer has a few to choose from)? Is it something worth ordering or would it only be fun eating if you make it yourself?

I know nothing about wine so I don't know what would go with nachos--only that I would enjoy a good glass of white wine with that dish. If you have a reliable wine store you can ask for help there! And don't worry, since I brought up the idea I'll be shot before you do. If you want to make a soup, you should probably go for something rather light, like a fusion broth or a gaspacho.

When my husband makes nachos it's usually a meal in itself. If yours are like his, maybe prepare a refreshing dessert such as (homemade) ice cream or a fruit salad. If he is that capital and/or you want the evening to be really special, get a nice white wine instead of beer.

Steven, will you be preparing it yourself? I may have a few questions for you for an article I'm writing, so I hope that you give us some feedback here.

Ann Godoff just acquired, for her new imprint at Penguin, a biography of Alice Waters. The author (sorry, can't remember his name) has "unique" access to her family and friends. Hopefully it will be interesting. And I don't mean hopefully as in the subject matter, but rather the book itself. I'm too often disappointed by great subjects that are made into poor books (or movies for that matter).

Maggie that was great. Thank you!

Thank you so much for your answers! Anyone else? West Coast?

I am writing a piece on Cajun food for a non-food related magazine, which should include the names of a few Cajun restaurants around the country as recommendations to readers. I have a few already, but figured it wouldn't hurt to ask here if anyone wants to rave about a favorite place. Again, anywhere in the country is good, as the magazine wants to be less NY-centric. If you have a phone number or a website please include it. Thank you!

I clipped the article intending to go there one of these coming weekends. The prices listed in the piece didn't really seem competitive though. I look forward to reading what you say after your visit.

I have about 50 at home, many more at the office, and you should see my Amazon wish list... Plus hundreds of recipes printed from various websites, xeroxed from magazines, ...

Sorry, I don't have any advice! You have a fantastic job and should keep it as long as it challenges you. But since many writers see the NYT as the ultimate publication in which to place an article, I was wondering what becomes the next goal once you are on staff there, especially at a young age. NYT aside, are you working on another book or similar long-term projects? Would you like to focus on one cuisine or style of cookbooks (I mean this in a Paula Wolfert or Diana Kennedy way, not in a limiting sense)?

Hi Amanda, What plans do you have for the future? Do you want to stay at the NYT for the next 20-30 years? Be the editor of a food magazine? Write other books? What influence, if any, do you wish to have on the food world? Sorry for these multiple questions, but they can all be answered globally I think. Thank you for your participation in this Q&A.

I had dinner at Otto last night, and left as enthusiastic as I had arrived. We had the meat grande (the prosciutto was not dry, and I liked the head cheese, of which I am usually not a fan), the fritto del giorno (pizza dough sprinkled with grated pecorino and chili flakes), and 4 antipasti: eggplant capponata, sweet and sour onions, artichokes and beans. All flavors were balanced yet simple. We shared three pizzas: the ricotta/potato/anchovy that has already been discussed below. It was everyone's favorite--very creamy, with a perfect harmony of tastes between the sweetness of the ricotta and the saltiness of the anchovies. It became instant comfort food. The second favorite was the garlic/oil/red peppers, which was not dried out even though it didn't have cheese or sauce. The third choice, prosciutto and arugula, was good but a couple of levels below the other two. The flavors were not as contrasted. I would have prefered such toppings on a pizza without sauce actually, but simply drizzled with olive oil. For dessert we had the hazelnut, chocolate, vanilla, and olive oil gelati. My dining companions were sceptical when I ordered the olive oil one, but all ended up repeatedly dipping their spoons in my cup! All in all, an experience that I hope to repeat often. The service was excellent and friendly, and the food every bit what I wanted. I am used to the thin-crust pizzas of Switzerland, where all the pizzerias are Italian-owned (only Pizza Hut serves dip-dish there) and with Otto I finally found that taste again.