We’re so excited that our latest edition, Peaches, is finally in the hands of subscribers and on the shelves of our retailers. Each week we come home from the market (or, in the case of this weekend, the Peach Truck) with a sackful of perfectly ripe peaches, eager to try a new recipe from Beth Lipton’s collection. Since she’s the current muse of our kitchen, we caught up with Beth to talk about cookbooks, late night snacks and more.
SSE: What's your earliest food memory?
BL: Probably eating fried eggs. My mother used to cook them in butter, and make the edges of the whites a little crispy, and to this day I love that.
SSE: What dish would you travel farthest for?
BL: That's a tough one. If I'm traveling (which I love to do), I want to eat what's there, at the destination. Preferably as authentic as possible, definitely doesn't have to be fancy.
SSE: What's your favorite late-night snack?
BL: If I'm craving something savory/salty, then it's popcorn, or leftover bacon if I have some in the fridge. If it's sweet, then dark chocolate. If I'm really hungry, vegetable dumplings or pizza.
SSE: Which cookbooks can't you live without?
BL: Definitely the original Joy of Cooking. I learned so much from it when I was just starting out as a cook, and I still refer to it. It's my desert-island cookbook.
SSE: List the guests (can be living or deceased) of your dream dinner party?
BL: Julia Child, Barack Obama, Gene Kelly, Marvin Gaye, Philip Roth, Grete Waitz and Jon Stewart.
SSE: Who taught you to cook?
BL: A lot of people, and I still have so much to learn. My mom taught me to love cooking, the meditative joy of coming home at the end of a long day, turning on some music and cooking a meal as a way to unwind. I had great instructors at culinary school and have worked with many amazing chefs and cooks, all of whom shared tips or corrected me or just didn't mind if I watched them or asked a million questions. I've learned a ton from the talented recipe developers and food stylists I've worked with at magazines. That's the thing about cooking, there's always more--everyone has a story to tell, a unique angle on a recipe, a way of doing things I haven't tried before.
SSE: What's the most essential tool in your kitchen?
BL: Is it too cheeky to say "imagination"? If so, I'll go with sharp knives.
SSE: What's your favorite summer dish?
BL Peaches, of course! But also my husband Mark's magical gazpacho.
