Cookbook author and Globe and Mail food columnist Lucy Waverman knows how to serve up memorable meals with ease. In her book, Lucy's Kitchen: Signature Recipes and Culinary Secrets (Random House Canada, November 2006), she focuses on culinary basics. We talked to her about the book and her recipe for entertaining success: a mix of from-scratch dishes and store-bought staples.
S@H: Tell us about your book.
LW: I was getting a lot of e-mails from readers who wanted to know about cooking basics, like how to fold egg whites, and they also wanted ingredient information. There's a whole generation of people out there who don't know how to cook and find it intimidating to learn. I wanted to write a book to teach people that cooking can become second nature. So this one is packed with culinary tips and techniques, ingredient descriptions and substitutions -- a reference for beginners as well as the most food-savvy cook.
S@H: What's your food philosophy?
LW: I love to cook simply, using fresh, seasonal ingredients. Even if I don't have time for an elaborate meal, I try to add a twist to the dish. Things like topping a fresh Caesar salad with deep-fried calamari or making a chicken meat loaf by stuffing the pan with alternate layers of chicken and bread -- when you slice into it, the loaf looks like a big chicken sandwich. I want to encourage people to experiment and taste everyday food in a new way.
S@H: What's your secret to staying stress-free in the kitchen?
LW: I tell people not to feel they must cook everything from scratch. I'm a fan of cocktail parties that aren't elaborate and a big believer in creating food stations so everything is out and people can help themselves (I never pass anything around because then I'd need staff to serve). I also like dinner parties that are casual, and interactive eating, whereby guests can be involved in the preparation.
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