Meet & Eat: Kerry Saretsky, Serious Eats Intern
Editor's Note: It's time to introduce another new and predictably awesome intern, Kerry. When she's not concocting orange and black Halloween recipes for us, she's making whimsical fondue and beignets over on her blog French Revolution. Kerry is taking a gap year between masters at Oxford to work on a cookbok of French recipes, a novel, and a children's book. Please say hello to Kerry!
Name: Kerry Saretsky
Location: New York City
Occupation: I am a writer and a student taking a gap year between masters (literature and business) at Oxford—and, most importantly, a Serious Eats intern!
URL: frenchrevolutionfood.com
Favorite comfort food? French fries, with a side of hot and bubbly, fresh mac’n’cheese.
Guilty pleasures? Macarons, in all the floral varieties. And Everest-sized mountains of French fries.
Describe your perfect meal. It’s completely unaffordable. I wish I could say I’m a cheap date—but I’m not. A huge artichoke vinaigrette with perfect baguette, followed by cold lobster with a side of truffled French fries, and violet and rose and orange flower macarons for dessert, with chamomile tea. And to gild the lily, lemon granita. Is champagne too decadent? Maybe champagne granita, then. Mmm.
What food won't you eat? I don’t do snails…or organs.
What would you like to try but haven't yet? Caviar. It’s the only food that stares me down and dares me every time I see it. It’s got me quite intimidated.
Favorite food person? Nigella Lawson: a writer and a cook (and fellow Oxonian), and so my inspiration. And Marie-Paule Burrus: the woman who invented Le Relais de l’Entrecote in Saint Germain in Paris. In my mind, she is a saint, and her sauce is a miracle.
When did you first realize you were a serious eater? When I was three years old, I insisted that my dad and I make steak for dinner. We used the broiler draw in this oven that I don’t think had ever been used before for this gorgeous piece of London broil—and the great fire of London happened all over again. Flames burst out from the drawer, but we managed to salvage the steak…and the apartment. I never looked back. By the time I was six, I was ordering lobster “daily doubles” and finishing off the creatures that were, at the time, far bigger than my head (or my stomach).
What do your family and friends think of your food obsessions? Since I use it to develop recipes that they eat, they are VERY supportive. Some can get a little testy when I grab food off their plate to taste it before I even try my own, but really, what are friends for?
Favorite food sites or blogs? Is it wrong to say my own? I just love writing it and developing the recipes. But I’m also always on Serious Eats (obviously), and I love the Amateur Gourmet. He doesn’t know it, but Adam was my neighbor in Boca Raton.
Everyone has a go-to person they call for restaurant recommendations. Who's yours? My Uncle Mark.
And what's the best recommendation he's ever given you? Accademia di Vino, on the Upper East Side.
What is your favorite meal of the day and where do you get it? I love the big New York dinner, but above all, the long, lingering lunch is my absolute favorite food moment. It’s a stolen, sacred sin in the middle of the day, when you know you should be doing something else, but you’re eating and dishing with a friend instead. So indulgent! I’d have to say Artisanal, because I write right around there; salade verte, moules frites, champagne.
Do you ever cook? What's the best dish you make? All the time! If I’m not writing, I’m cooking. My mother is French and my father is a New Yorker, so I’ve come to specialize in “convenience French comfort food.” I am in the process of putting together a book of recipes, and my blog chronicles it all.
I have worked and worked on a lot of dishes, but I think my Strawberry Rose Macaron Cupcakes are a real winner, along with my Parsley-Mint Pistou and Baguette Crusted Lamb Chops and Tuna Tartare with Ratatouille Vinaigrette (inspired by my favorite lunch spot, Artisanal). But above all, I make the best Brussels sprouts (Roasted Choux Bruxelles Lardons)—and that’s saying something!
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12 Comments:
So, could someone explain the Halloween food reference in the intro paragragh?
Thanks for answering the questions, Kerry ... nice to "meet" you! Really though, burgers and patties aren't all bad ... ;-)
LunaPierCook at 4:34PM on 10/03/08
@LunaPierCook: Kerry is whipping up original black and orange recipes for us all month, including this one for Poppy-Crusted Sea Scallops on Fennel and Orange Salad we shared earlier this week. She'll have one every week in October!
Erin Zimmer at 4:52PM on 10/03/08
FYI Kerry,
Thought that you would like to know that you have a long-lost twin sister right here at SE! Everyone I showed in the office was like:
"WHOA! Is that your sister Christel?"
hungrychristel at 5:09PM on 10/03/08
Nice to meet you all too! and Luna, burgers are fabulous...as long as there's lots of cheese and bacon on them. And a twin!? Who knew!?
Kerry Saretsky at 6:04PM on 10/03/08
Hello Kerry. Welcome! A pleasure to meet and eat you!
( What? Why is everybody looking at me? I didn't do anything. That's the title. )
FastFoodCritic at 6:08PM on 10/03/08
@Kerry, lots of cheese and bacon on burgers? Yup, you're perfect for this place! some of your writing implies you're a Brit. Excellent ... that office could use a bit of European elegance!
@FFC ... that's "Meet and Eat (with)" ... besides, she's probably less than half your age. ;-)
LunaPierCook at 6:38PM on 10/03/08
LOL... Dave, I'm not that old. Sheesh!
But time does go by fast enough, so stop trying to kill me off early.
Anyway, it's a pleasure to meet and eat with you, Kerry. :-)
No offense intended by my previous comment. Just a little Friday fun.
FastFoodCritic at 7:30PM on 10/03/08
You don't eat organs? So that's liver, kidneys and other offal off the menu. Wow, that's a huge slice of gastronomy for a "foodie" to ignore.
hextor25 at 8:25AM on 10/04/08
@Luna, I am only an honorary European! My mother is French, and I live mostly in England, but all in all, I'm a New Yorker. But I hope to still impart "European elegance"!
@FastFoodCritic, absolutely none taken...what is friday without fun?
@hextor, no, i don't. To me being a foodie is loving food, and there's no point faking love if it's just not there. That would leave a bad taste in anyone's mouth. Some people don't like Merlot, some don't like vegetables, and I don't like organs. I was vegetarian for 12 of my 25 years (that answers the age question), and so I say, we must always remember to be thankful for the little things (like burgers, and bacon). If you are what you eat, then you should make very sure that you only eat what you like--and be respectful and at times admiring of what you don't.
Kerry Saretsky at 11:45AM on 10/04/08
Kerry, that sounds very much like my son's idea of eating. He moved to NYC (Brooklyn) - maybe you know him (kidding, I know there a million people there) - seriously tho, check him on face book- Ryan Bailey -he's a fabulous photographer (and even though i'm his mom, I think he's very cute as well)!
Please don't tell him i'm matchmaking from here in Florida!!
floridayaya at 2:18PM on 10/04/08
Thank you Kerry. :)
I've been feeling like a pervert ever since I posted that.
:embarrassed:
FastFoodCritic at 12:35AM on 10/05/08
Right on "whimsical fondue and beignets"! Welcome Kerry!
hungrychristel at 4:08PM on 10/05/08