An Interview With The Ardent Epicure, My Favorite Foodies Series

Today I am going to introduce you to a special new series (yep another one) here on Spicie Foodie, My Favorite Foodies. I've been really looking forward to sharing with you my favorite foodies from around the globe. This series will be archived up there on the menubar under "Faves" and instead of just giving you a name and a link to my favorite foodies, I will be interviewing them. This way you can see why these people are my favorites.

To kick this new series off, it is my pleasure to introduce to you my friend Alisha~Magic of Spice, from The Ardent Epicure. Does this fabulous blog really need and introduction? I mean many of you already know The Ardent Epicure, and will agree that it is one of the best food blogs around. Over the past few months I've gotten to know Alisha better and I can tell you that she is talented, sweet, kind and intelligent. She has nothing but support and encouragement for everyone she comes in contact with. Her blog,The Ardent Epicure, is a small team that I'll let Alisha tell you about. They are all very talented cooks and bakers, and every visit has me learning something new, be it a new technique or about a new ingredient. This inspires me to keep learning and to keep pushing myself in the kitchen, which I think is a great thing for all of us. Now I'm going to let Alisha (aka Magic of Spice) tell you about herself and their wonderful blog.

1. Can you tell us a little bit about your blog and the team behind The Ardent Epicure?
Our blog is now 10 months old, so we are almost a toddler☺ The team is composed of myself, my oldest son Adam and my son in-law Grely. Adam is a computer tech currently in the process of finishing up a Masters Degree. He is responsible for our lovely blog layout/design and has a serious passion for food, most specifically individual ingredients and an in depth knowledge of varied specific foods and spices. Grely is an avid baker and in my opinion a master of sweets. He takes great pleasure in creating something delicious and in making everyone happy has a result. He works full time outside of the blog so whenever he makes a delight we make sure to post it. I work both inside and outside of the food industry and have a great passion for all things culinary, including gadgets.

2. Is there a special significance to your blog's title? Can you tell us how or why you choose this name?
Yes the name denotes one having a Strong passion and a refined or discriminating taste for food and or wine. So Adam and I knowing already having a shared passion for food, played off words back and forth to describe this passion. Of course the blog itself being an entity, we chose The Ardent Epicure.

Grely, Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

3. Why do love to cook/bake or spend time in your kitchen? And have you always liked being in the kitchen?
Yes I have always loved to cook even as a very young child. I grew up in a home were food and it’s preparation required deep passion and a creative spirit. I in turn nourished my own children with this concept.

4. Do you or any of The Ardent Epicure team have professional training in the culinary world?
Yes, I was an Executive Chef for many years then later a co-owner of a small café. Although I have training in all aspects of food preparation, my specialties are Gourmet vegetarian and Mediterranean cuisines. I still teach privately so technically I am still a professional chef, lol

5. What is your most memorable or most special kitchen moment, be it a happy or a disastrous memory?
That is such a tough one so I will go with a childhood memory. Although I am not in the kitchen and was around 10 years old. There was a dinner at my dad’s restaurant with a large portion of family present. I do not specifically remember the occasion, but suddenly everyone stood up.
Well everyone but me…long story short, my aunt leaned over and told me to stand up. I asked why of course, she stated that the Chef was approaching the table. I peeked over and saw my dad coming to the table and sat back down, exclaiming “that’s dad, he always comes to the dinner table”.

Alisha, Azuki Bean Soup with Sage, Chamomile, and King Oyster Mushrooms

6. Some people may know that you are a vegetarian, which obviously means meat is something you are not fond of but is there any other food or ingredient that repulses you, and why?
Wow, I will have to go with insects…or do they count as meat?

7. On those occasions when you want to treat your family, friends and yourself to a special dish/dinner or dessert, what fabulous food do you prepare?
Another tough one…Aside from my cocoa mousse probably a specialty sauce like a gastrique with seafood, or pasta from scratch and my 32 hour marinara. I am known to play with my food, so I am usually inventing something shortly beforehand.

8.What is the most difficult thing you have ever cooked or baked? Have you or would you do it again?
Only one? I am not much of a baker at least of sweets, but one thing I found very frustrating to master would be a soufflé. I make an effort to avoid them. But yes I have prepared them on occasion, but really a thing you must do on more than occasionally to perfect.

9. What is your favorite spice and why?
I am going to have to say ginger. Primarily if I could only choose one I would need something with a peppery feel to it, but versatile enough to handle both savory or sweet.

Adam, Fresh Lobster with Lemon & Clarified Butter

10. What is your favorite ingredient, the one you couldn't live without, the one you use most often? And is this ingredient the one that inspires you the most or is there another?
A high quality olive or avocado oil and I use them constantly. I would not say they inspire my dishes though, that would probably be fresh organic produce.

11. What food is your food vice? You know, one you sneak in a little extra of when no one is looking.
Does wine count? Assuming not, I will say cheese…oh how I love thee! Actually at times it replaces the answer to # 10, especially a new find. I buy small amounts to try out then consider all of the wonderful possibilities.

12. When you go out to eat what do you go for?
Japanese cuisine, always (well if I get to pick).

13. Do you like to listen to music while you cook? What do you listen to? Do you sing and dance along?
Yes, usually 70’s, jazz or blues. Like I’m going to answer that, lol. Ok, yes I sing but never dance along.

Adam, Apple Fries with Vanilla Whipped Cream

14. Who is your favorite foodie (be it a professional Chef, enthusiast, novice, friend or family)? Have they, do they or how do they inspired you and your cooking?
Wow, there is not really just one, and a few in each category. My dad of course is first on the list because I had an experience with food in such a passionate way very early on. My cooking style, flavors and dishes are completely different from his, yet the passion is the lesson. My home cooking experience was Creole based cuisine, explains the love of spice☺

15. How do your family and friends feel about you being a food blogger?
Well my dad absolutely loves it and of course my kids do as well. My friends aside from other bloggers don’t pay too much attention, other than complaints of “why have you never made me this” sort of thing.

16. How do you organize your recipes before publishing them on your blog? Do they get written down on paper or do you type them up as you share with us?
The exact same way I did for the restaurants…sticky notes☺ Most of my earlier recipes came from those that I designed menus around. Now it is more of a jot it down before I forget sort of thing…I need to get a journal because the sticky note thing can be confusing once I am trying to write a post.

Grely, Creamy Oreo Cheescake

17. What do you like the most and dislike the most about being a food blogger?
What I like most about it is the people. Regardless of how different our styles may be or our cultures for that matter, we all have an amazing and shared passion. Where else could you ever find something so amazing. What I dislike, that would be time…meaning finding it without letting everything else slip through the cracks so to speak.

18. What about hobbies or what do you like to do to relax and enjoy your free time?
Free time? OK, I will be serious now…well I love music and art, I am actually an artist (matter of opinion I am sure) so I love to paint and draw. I am also crazy about bubble baths and have an entire bath time ritual with candles, nature music and wine…that is my idea of relaxing.

19. What is your goal or what do you hope to accomplish with your blog?
Parts of this are still be formed, but I guess ultimately I (not being able to answer for other team members) would like to do a few things. 1. Promoting the idea of real food, meaning little processing and fresh. 2. Teaching or sharing how I view food and how to develop an intrigue from a single ingredient into a dish. My view of preparing food is the same as taking a canvas and starting a painting. You start with an inquisitive thought about an ingredient, a passion or a desire and you create from there. As well as to teach techniques of preparation in an accessible way for those that may not be familiar, but would like to know.

Alisha, Stuffed Zucchini Bowls with Cherry-Chocolate Gastrique

20. Anything else you would like to say or share with us, tips or advice?
My advice to any new food bloggers or anyone struggling a bit as a food blogger…Most important-be yourself and stick with what works for you. This is not to say that you should not expand or continuously grow, but stick with what makes you unique. People read us, how many people depends on time as well as a voice that people want to read. This Voice comes in many different forms, as many as there are bloggers. That is what I believe is most important, whether it be writing style, sense of humor, artistic displays, photography or basic content…”You” is who people will be reading or viewing and following.

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