Alice Waters

Terry Gross from Fresh Air interviewed Alice Waters of Chez Panisse today!
+the interview

Things I did know:
* Chez Panisse is a well-known restaurant in Berkeley.
* They choose to use fresh organic, local foods that are in season (I once ran into someone picking up the restaurant's oyster order from the farmers market in Embarcadero.)
* There is the expensive cafe section (which is too expensive for me) and the restaurant portion (which is far too expensive for me).
* Mary Canales, founder of Ici (my favorite ice cream store in Berkeley), was a dessert chef at Chez Panisse, thus making it one of my favorite restaurants even though I have never been to it.

+chez panisse restaurant website
+ici ice cream shop website

Things I did not know:
* Alice Waters attended UC Berkeley during the free speech movement and heard Mario Savio speak.
* She wanted nothing more than lemon meringue for her birthday.
* They are releasing a book 40 Years of Chez Panisse with contributions from chefs passing through the restaurant and famous figures like Michael Pollan (who was on Fresh Air earlier in the month).


+michael pollan interview
We are spending more time watching cooking shows,
yet spending less time cooking ourselves.

One thing I miss about going to school at UC Berkeley was the expansive cookbook section of the natural science library in the VLSB that no one seemed to know about. Anytime access to all books from Alice Waters. One day I will have to get her books on ebay.

I found this interview particularly fitting since I've made her apple tart three times in the last week.
With only four ingredients and a bit of water (no eggs!), it couldn't be simpler.
Also, it was my first time successfully rolling out dough.
(Thanks Grandma!)

+apple tart recipe