20 Questions with Tatiana

Tatiana is the daughter of Ignacio, a gregarious Spanish man who lived with my family in coastal Florida during his teen years in the ‘60’s. I met her when we were both little girls, barefoot in our bikinis, racing ahead of the adults from my house down to the beach. When Ignacio first said goodbye, I was an infant on my mother’s hip. He assured my mother he would be back some day and as promised, he brought his wife and his two oldest children for an unforgettable reunion a dozen years later. Then again 20 years after that for my mom’s 70th birthday they extended the invitation “you must come see us in Spain!” And so my husband and I packed up our three girls and ventured to southern Spain to see our extended family.

In the age of international long distance phone calls and air mail, communication was not a constant. Now Tatiana and I keep in touch through Facebook and had a delightful visit on Video Messenger to catch up on life. As I attempted to decipher our relationship, she summed it up beautifully, “we are family!” We reminisced about our in-person visits and a highlight for me was learning to make the classic Spanish omelet from her mom who made enough of the famed tapas dish to serve at my mom’s birthday when they were in town for the festivities. Tatiana said one of her favorite memories was my mom’s angel food cake and said, “I have a lot of memories from the first time we met.”

We aren’t quite sisters or cousins. I cherish our special family friendship and I am grateful technology can keep us connected.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? Something very quick we do here is the Spanish omelet, potatoes and onions softened in olive oil and cooked with beaten eggs. It makes a traditional Spanish tortilla. You can chop the potatoes into small squares or slice them, depending on what you prefer. If I’m in a hurry, I slice them.

What’s your favorite city? Prague. We went last summer. It’s a beautiful beautiful city, just wonderful!

What’s your Favorite restaurant in your current city? La Taverna Alabardero. They have very nice cuisine, modern Spanish cuisine also inspired by French cuisine.

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? Pasta de pimiento Choricero, a traditional pepper paste from northern Spain made with Choricero peppers.

Who taught you to cook? My mom mostly, and my grandmom. Also a lot of books!

What’s your go-to dish for company? In summer, we do barbecues. I also like to make quiches depending on the ingredients I have. A favorite is Quiche Lorraine.

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? Coffee mostly, cafe con leche.

Most stained cookbook? El Menu de Cada Dia by Karlos Arguinano.

Surf? or Turf? Surf definitely.

What’s your go-to olive oil? A virgin olive oil, has to be from Spain! 99% of the olive oil in the supermarkets here are from Spain.

Indispensable kitchen tool? The spatula for cakes, wooden spoon for regular cooking, oh and a good knife.

Staple childhood comfort food? It’s not very common for kids, but I love white rice made with black sauce from squid.

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? My dad. We would go out rather than cook at home so we would have more time to focus and talk.

How do you like your toast? Lightly toasted with tomato and olive oil, pan con tomate.

Ideal grilled cheese? Once in England I had a toast spread with lemon curd and a little Emmenthal melted on top. It must have a lot of calories but it was delicious!

Favorite pizza topping? Cherry tomatoes with goat cheese and basil. It’s very nice.

Where would you want to take a cooking class? I would like to go in Provence in France or Tuscany. One of these would be fun!

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? Always get a good base for any dish. Our traditional base for many dishes is sofrito, made with sauteed tomatoes, onions, garlic and peppers in olive oil. It’s the base for a lot of seafood and meat dishes.

Favorite Chef? Angel Leon, a chef from Cadiz. His restaurant is Aponiente “cuisine of the unknown seas.” He uses a lot of sea plants and experiments a lot.

Master a traditional Spanish tortilla by starting small. Here I used 1 small potato and 2 eggs in my 5-inch seasoned cast iron skillet. Happy Cooking indeed!

Spanish Potato Omelet (Tortilla)

When you combine potatoes, olive oil and eggs (plus onion if you like, and a bit of salt), you get sunshine in a skillet! Spanish Tortilla = Little Cake and it is love at first bite, virtually transporting you to Spain where the dish is served as an appetizer or main dish almost everywhere you go. Exactly 21 years ago, I had a front row seat to an unforgettable Spanish cooking class when Tatiana’s mom Mireya was preparing skillets full of potato omelet for my mom’s 70th birthday. (Mom turns 91 tomorrow!) 

A few tips: 

• keep your heat low enough that your potatoes get tender without browning.

• start with a small skillet which is much easier to flip and cooks more quickly

• use good olive oil and farm fresh eggs if available 

• slice the potatoes for quicker cooking. A mandoline or similar slicing device helps with speed and uniformity 

• Practice makes perfect, the more you make the quicker you’ll master this classic!

• Approximate ratios: 6-inch skillet- 2 small potatoes, 4 eggs. 8-inch skillet-2 medium potatoes, 6 eggs

• ¼ cup olive oil 

• 2 small potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

• ¼ cup chopped onion

• 4 eggs

• Salt

HEAT the olive oil in a 6-inch skillet, preferably well-seasoned carbon steel or cast iron or nonstick over medium-low heat. Add the potatoes and season with about ¼ teaspoon salt. Keep an eye on potatoes, stirring to keep from browning. Lower the heat if necessary. 

ADD the onion after the potatoes have been cooking for 5 minutes and continue to stir occasionally until potatoes are tender. 

WHISK the eggs in a medium bowl while you wait.

REMOVE the potatoes and onion to a shallow bowl from the skillet using a slotted spoon, keeping the excess oil in the skillet. Let the potatoes cool a minute or two in the shallow bowl, then stir them into the whisked eggs along with another ¼ teaspoon salt.

POUR the mixture back into the skillet and increase the heat to medium.

COOK, undisturbed, until the sides and bottom are set and the top is losing its gloss. Using a spatula, lift/slide the tortilla onto a plate just slightly larger than the skillet. 

PLACE the skillet over the top of the uncooked tortilla and using cooking mitts, FLIP the whole thing over back into the skillet. SMILE!

CONTINUE cooking a few minutes until the center is just cooked through. 

SLIDE the tortilla onto a large plate or cutting board and let cool before cutting into triangles or small squares for tapas.

20 Questions with Cary

It’s fun to reflect about that first encounter. Cary Charbonniez is certainly my kitchen cousin and our friendship began like an arranged marriage. Multiple mutual friends encouraged us to meet and our first hello was a phone call so long ago that the baby I was bathing when Cary called is turning 20 next month. We met in person a few years later when she was opening Lola’s, her instantly popular pizza restaurant in Charleston. 

Celebrating my 40th birthday on a shutdown Sunday evening at Lola’s is forever etched in my memory. We had homebrew and live music. For Cary’s 40th, it was a fancy impromptu potluck on my patio, a fete I wrote about for my very first newspaper column. Fast forward, Lola’s changed hands (over to Cary’s brother) and I moved to Louisiana. After some years away from the restaurant world, Cary is making a comeback with her upcoming Coco’s on Hale Street. She was scheduled to open last month, just as the stay at home order was shuttering many businesses. The delayed opening gives her some new perspective and optimism that everything will work out. “I’ll open with a limited menu with things that will travel well for takeout. Although we can’t hug each other right now, I want to create this feeling that our customers are being hugged. I’m excited to open, the space looks awesome!”

As we talked this week about pizza, raising kids and our shared love of cooking, we brainstormed for some collaborative Zoom cooking classes. It will be a blast to catch y’all in the kitchen! Virtual hugs and Happy Cooking!

What’s your 20 minute recipe? Frittata. You can vary the fillings with what you have on hand, I’ll tell you some of my favorite combinations. I make this easily once a week and serve alongside a nice simple green salad.

What’s your favorite city? I would go with maybe St. John in the Virgin Islands. That’s where I dream about living. If I wanted to sound sophisticated I would say Saint-Raphaël, France, it’s a sophisticated version of St. John.

What’s your favorite restaurant in your current city? Chow Thai. I get the same thing each time, Pad Horapa, stir fried vegetables with a delicious brown sauce served with jasmine rice.

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? Homemade chili oil. You can throw it into a stir fry or anything for a little heat.

Who taught you to cook? My mom definitely experimented with recipes. She was a very adventurous cook. My grandmother, too. We sat down to a set table every night, napkin rings and all. We traveled to my grandmother’s on Friday nights for a big meal, she would get her electric carving knife out. We would finish late and have tea. They both taught me the act of communing together over food.

Surf? or Turf? Surf for sure. I’m not a huge meat eater.

What’s on your cooking playlist? I’ve been listening to west coast hip hop.

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? Coffee for sure. If I could walk around with an IV of it I would. My cup of coffee is like an extension of my arm.

Date night—at home? or out? Home. I’m kind of a homebody. I prefer to hang out on our front porch or in the backyard.

Most stained cookbook? I love Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything. You can find almost anything in there. The recipes are really simple.

Indispensable kitchen tool? My chef’s knife. I love my Global knives, I’m a huge Global fan. Or my Microplane.

Staple childhood comfort food? As a kid I was totally obsessed with the frozen Stouffer’s French bread pizzas.

Go-to butter? I always go to Cabot unsalted butter. Coming from my baking days, we learned that unsalted butter is usually fresher and to add the salt ourselves in cooking and baking.

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? My mom. I have so many questions I’d like to ask her. Having lost my mom as a teen, I would just love to talk with her as an adult. Girlfriend to girlfriend. Talk about parenting and food.

Ideal grilled cheese? Definitely fresh mozzarella with basil pesto and a freshly sliced tomato. I love it on Charleston Bread’s ciabatta.

How do you like your toast? Very dark and crispy.

Favorite pizza topping? I’m a purist believe it or not. I’m a Margherita pizza all the way.

Where would you want to take a cooking class? I love California cuisine. Nothing too pretentious. I’d love to go to California and learn in a small independently owned restaurant. I’d volunteer my services for a week.

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? Don’t be afraid to use a recipe and don’t get stressed out if you are missing an ingredient. You can usually substitute.

Three things next to your stove? Olive oil, salt and pepper.

Best thing you’ve ever eaten in an airport? I gravitate to a sushi stand. It seems counterintuitive, but I’ve had some good sushi in airports.

Cary leans on frittatas for a quick weeknight meal. This one is Italian sausage, broccoli and parmesan, finished with a shower of fresh basil (from the garden!) For spring, I’m thinking asparagus, leeks and goat cheese.

Cary’s Anytime Frittata

Here’s a little outline for frittata fun: skillet, eggs, spoonful of dairy, cheese, veg’s of your choosing and sausage crumbles if you wish. Finish with herbs and Voila! Lovely for breakfast with a side of fresh fruit, or follow Cary’s lead and serve anytime with a simple green salad.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 3 to 5 cups filling—here I used 4 cups of sautéed broccoli florets and 1 cup cooked crumbled Italian sausage

• 8-10 eggs

• 3 tablespoons full-fat dairy (cream, sour cream, crème fraîche)

• 1 cup grated or crumbled cheese (1/2 cup if using parmesan)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• chopped or torn fresh herbs for tasty garnish

HEAT the oven to 350 and place the rack in the middle position.

HEAT the olive oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat (if you have a beautifully seasoned cast iron, use this. If you are less confident about your skillet, go with an ovenproof nonstick). Add the raw broccoli florets and toss in the oil. Cover with lid ajar and let sauté/steam for a few minutes while you prepare the egg mixture.

CRACK the eggs into a large bowl and whisk to blend. Add the cream of choice and the cheese. Check on your broccoli—give it a stir. When the broccoli is just tender, stir in the crumbled sausage, if using, and add the salt to the egg mixture, whisk again to blend and pour the egg mixture over the broccoli and sausage in an even layer. Shake the skillet gently to distribute.

PLACE the skillet in the oven and bake the frittata until the center is set but not dry and the edges are light golden brown, about 12-15 minutes.

REMOVE from the oven and let cool briefly before sprinkling with herbs and cutting into wedges for serving. (My C.I. tip: Place a pot holder over the handle so you don’t accidentally grab the oven-hot handle).

Cary’s other suggested combos:

• broccoli rabe, crumbled Italian sausage, parmesan

• spinach, shallots, cherry tomatoes, cheddar, parmesan

• zucchini and cheddar

20 Questions with Cameron

Whenever I need a therapeutic dose of laughter, I call Cameron Washburn. He could field calls on a paid line just to lift someone’s spirits. When he picked up the phone for this interview, he mused, “How did you get my number? This is supposed to be a closed line!” He went ‘off the record’ a few times when answering my simple questions. My husband met Cameron freshman year at University of Florida. where they were in the same fraternity pledge class. Then became roommates and brothers forever. He was in our wedding and hit the dance floor with another groomsman doing the Love Shack. I cry laughing at the memory.

Cameron and his wife Lisa live in Atlanta with their teenage daughters Abby and Sarah. We keep visits on a high frequency and most recently they hosted us spontaneously in their home when we invited ourselves for a weekend stay for the Peach Bowl. ‘Come ahead!!’ they said, not fully disclosing they were hosting Lisa’s family and her dad’s 90th birthday party. Friends + Family = Framily. They coined this term and it’s perfect.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? We are a family full of pasta-tarians so we often make pasta. I love a pan-seared chicken breast with some kind of cooking sauce. Also I like to get Lisa to think I can get the Weber going quicker than it actually happens. I’ll create some distraction and open a beer for her, then light the chimney starter for the grill. Or we order Thai. To be more honest about it, I grill a lot of stuff on Sunday to stock the fridge for the week.

What’s your favorite city? Right now I like where I am. I’ve come to enjoy Atlanta. My wistful city is Florence even though I’ve only been there once. Really it’s wherever you guys are.

What’s your favorite restaurant in your current city? EATS on Ponce. They have the BEST jerk chicken. It’s fall off the bone good! I go for the plate with black beans, collards and corn bread. There are some killer places on Buford Highway. Let people know it’s there, they should stop by.

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? Hot sauce. When I’m pretty sure I’m out of hot sauce and find some, it makes me happy. I was in that situation recently.

Who taught you to cook? My grandmother. If she was making something I didn’t like for dinner, she’d have me scramble some eggs for myself. More than teaching me how to cook, she taught me how to feed myself.

What’s your go-to dish for company? Depends who’s coming over. Typically a steak dinner. Lisa does a really good batch of chicken parm.

What’s on your cooking playlist? If it’s the whole family, we’ve been going with The Beatles. We just saw the movie Yesterday. Often it’s (Tom) Petty. I’d rather not get demographic’d but sometimes it’s ‘Alexa play alt country’ or ‘Alexa play the Wilco station’

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? I’m a coffee guy. I drink A LOT of coffee. First thing in the morning. In my house before I get out of my PJs

Date night—at home? or out? Are the kids home? We have two teenage daughters and if they’re home, we go out. Really it’s a mix.

Most stained cookbook? Your Keepers*. We made your enchiladas just last week. The oven fries are a staple. We make the vegetarian chili and add ground turkey. (*Note: I handwrote a cookbook Keepers a collection of favorites for Christmas gifts in 1992. Fun to see it’s still in use!)

Indispensable kitchen tool? I love my cast iron skillet, and the spatter screen in conjunction with it. Though sometimes it seems the spatter screen doesn’t work so maybe it is dispensable.

Staple childhood comfort food? Moon over Miami, you know the egg in the nest. It tastes just like it used to. You use plenty of butter on both sides of the bread. The circle of toast is the best part! Grill the bread on both sides before cracking the egg into the middle. Flip it over once it’s set and flip it again. It saves any kind of bread you have. When you use really good bread you’re just nailing it!

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? Jesus, as a historical figure. I have some questions. I’d say ‘hey what’s the deal?’

Go-to olive oil? First cold pressed extra virgin? I don’t really have one. I don’t want to pretend. I’m not that culinary.

Best thing you’ve ever eaten in an airport? That’s EASY! Popeye’s. There are two terminals in Atlanta. I don’t know why people go looking. I will get it way too close to boarding time. I’ll get on the plane with it. The beauty of it is you don’t even need to be in an airport to enjoy.

Ideal grilled cheese? I like it the same as the cheese on my burger. American. It’s ideal. I love the melt on it. Two slices of Kraft American singles. Butter on the bread AND in the pan. Use the best sliced bread you can get your hands on.

Favorite pizza topping? Crushed red pepper to sprinkle on top.

Where would you want to take a cooking class? At your house. You’re my favorite cook in the world.

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? Make sure you have your kitchen faucet converted to regular stream to prevent matrimonial unbliss. If it’s on shower spray and you have a stack of plates in the sink it’s just a mess.

Three things next to your stove? A spoon rest which changes depending on the season. We just put the Christmas one away. We have a spice drawer right there and the carb corner which is a basket of miscellaneous breads.

What’s your favorite sports team? Florida Gators

When I announced I was finished with the questions, Cameron interrupted, '“Hey Ape, you didn’t ask me how much I bench.”

Exactly 5 ingredients, significantly less than 20 minutes. Add seasonal fruit and you have a quick meal fit for a king or queen!

Moon over Miami

Some call it Eggy Toast, Toad in a Hole, I’m sure there are more names. My mom calls it Cowboy Toast. This one is Cam’s comfort food which doubles as a 20 minute recipe.

For each serving you will need: a slice of bread with about a 3-inch moon circle cut out of the middle, some soft butter, an egg, salt and pepper.

HEAT a medium skillet over medium heat and add a small pat of butter. Spread both sides of the bread and the bread moon with butter and place them in the skillet. When the bread just begins to brown, flip both pieces over and crack the egg into the hole. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. When the egg just begins to set, carefully flip and cook on the second side until the white and yolk are at your preferred degree of doneness. In all, just about a minute and a half per side for ‘over easy.’

SERVE with the moon rising or setting with a side of fresh fruit.