This week’s Guest Foodie is an experienced foodie. She’s coauthored cookbooks (The Kosher Gourmet and The American Heart Association Kids’ Cookbook), been the Executive Editor of Mr. Food’s EasyCooking and has contributed to Ladies’ Home Journal, Women’s Day, Good Housekeeping and other consumer magazines. Today, she’s Senior Editor of Restaurant Business, a trade publication for the restaurant industry.
She’s currently asking chefs and restaurateurs to name their favorite restaurant dishes (other than their own!) from the last year for Restaurant Business‘s annual Clean Plate Awards issue. Their fun responses from last October’s issue…range from Andrew Carmellini’s (Locanda Verde, The Dutch, Lafayette) marinated grilled octopus at Mandolin, Miami, to Jose Garces (JG Domestic, Asada, Chifa, Distrito, Mercat a la Planxa) tacos al pastor at Big Star in Chicago and Missy Robbins (former chef at A Voce) grasshopper ice cream sandwich at Milk & Cookies in NYC. You’ll be able to read this year’s responses online in October.
We met with Pat recently and asked her our Guest Foodie questions.
Which food product or gadget would you never give up? I adore cheese and eat some almost everyday. Grilled cheese, cheese and crackers, cheese on salad … and especially cheese with wine. I’m really happy that small American cheesemakers are getting recognition for their fine products, especially those in California, Wisconsin and Vermont. If I could take a leave of absence, I would apprentice with a 
cheesemaker! Some of my favorites include burrata, fresh ricotta, boucheron (goat cheese).
My favorite gadget/utensil is the rubber spatula. I can’t live without it.
What do you like to serve when you entertain? One-dish meals—they are nurturing and convivial and minimize the number of pots and serving dishes you need! My favorite is a Moroccan-style couscous with chicken, veggies, apricots, currants and of course, couscous. In winter, I like to do a veal stew with gremolata. And in summer, nothing is better than planked fish on the grill with grilled vegetables.
Describe your “last meal?” It would have cheese, of course. Plus lobster dipped in melted butter, fresh corn on the cob (only if it’s just picked in August) and some sort of lemon dessert that’s creamy and tart.
What food is your secret guilty pleasure? Ice cream…especially mint chocolate chip, really good vanilla or lemon. Lemon ice cream is hard to find, but it’s the best combination of creamy, sweet and tart.
What is your go-to neighborhood restaurant? Juniper in Hastings-on-Hudson near my home in Westchester. It’s very small — about 10 tables — and the chef cooks in an open kitchen in a corner off toward the back. He does wonderful things with fish, always having several seafood specials. Everything is made a la minute. His burger is awesome too, made with short ribs in the mix. Last time I had the best panna cotta for dessert. And you can bring your own wine. The chef’s father and mother work in the restaurant, too.
What is one food product most people don’t know about, but should? Northwoods Seasoning from Penzeys Spices. It’s a versatile blend of salt, paprika, black pepper, thyme, rosemary, garlic and chipotle. I use it as a rub for chicken and fish, toss it with par-boiled potatoes, fresh garlic and olive oil before roasting them in the oven, use it in pasta and rice salads, and even sprinkle it on goat cheese. It has great flavor and infinite uses!
Describe your worst kitchen disaster. I love to bake and lemon squares are one of my specialties. You have to make the buttery crust first, bake it briefly, then pour on the lemon filling, which is much like a lemon curd. I had a request for my lemon squares for a party, so late one night, I decided to bake the crust and fill it the next morning because I needed to get to sleep. I left the crust out on the kitchen counter to cool and when I came down in the morning, it was half eaten with crumbs everywhere. It seems that the mouse we were trying to trap behind the stove eluded the trap and ate my crust instead. Had to throw it out and make a new one, take it up to the party and finish baking the filling at the host’s house.
To follow Pat on Twitter click @RBPat and @monkeydish
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