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the most important element of cooking: fresh ingredients.

a product is as good as its parts.

Marion Cunningham, hands down.

The first real cookbook I ever owned was Fannie Farmer. I've collected and used many others since then, but she's a standard and I'll never let her go!

Hands down my mother. She's a great cook, but difficult for others to cook with her. Every time I am at home I try to learn something new from her in the kitchen, but her impatience often drives me right out.

This is very interesting to see on Serious Eats, especially since I grew up with family members telling me to avoid this or eat that whenever I was sick or not feeling well. Hot and cold foods were always being shoved in front of me or taken away. Recently my chinese doctor banned cold drinks from my diet (while I suffer through another Taipei summer).

However, I would be cautious to say that it is based in "Buddhism Daoism" beliefs. I think you need to either define that better (i.e. what part of buddhism or daoist thought/ideology/belief ?) or understand and explain the other elements of traditional chinese medicinal thought that also play a huge role in how Chinese view certain types of foods.

Quite frankly this explaination simplifies too much of traditional Chinese medicinal theory (as much as its for "Yuppies", something as complex as this subject is needs much more clarification). You've opened a bag of tricks with this subject, I think an updated post or additional posts are most certainly warranted.

Listen Up my fellow Cooks/Contestants. Serious Eats say they reserve the right to alter any rules of any contest at any time. This means when the rule states S.Eats will pick the winner at random; anyone can make any kind of off the kitchen wall comment.It won't matter; it's a random pick. S.Eats should have the sources involved in the promotion take a peek at some of the clever answers that come across their world wide website.So all of you bright,intelligent,shrewd,quick,talented,expert,gifted and smart wordsmiths understand how the contest is played. Contact S.Eats at ATseriouseats.com and let"s alter the random pick rule. Happy Holiday and dried basil is my ingredient.

Pancetta

extra virgin olive oil: classic, essential, delicious.

Mozzarella! Is there anything it can't improve?

Mozzarela cheese is it - pizza, lasagna, etc.