Q & A | Giada De Laurentiis, Los Angeles

<span class="bold">JOB DESCRIPTION</span>: <span class="italic">Host of &#x201C;Giada at Home&#x201D; on Food Network, host of several programs on Cooking Channel, regular contributor on NBC&#x2019;s &#x201C;Today&#x201D; show and cookbook author, <a href ="http://giadadelaurentiis.com/" target="_blank">giadadelaurentiis.com</a></span></p><p> <span class="intro_bold_italic">Q.</span> What do you like to have in your pantry at all times?</p><p> <span class="page_topic_leadin">A.</span> Dry pastas of different shapes, flavors and flours including whole grain, brown rice, corn and others. Jarred tomato sauces that list the first ingredient as tomatoes not sugar. I keep sundried tomatoes, vinegars, garlic and olive oil. Dried herbs; my favorite is herbes de Provence. Then you just have to supplement with fresh meat or fish and produce.</p><p> <span class="intro_bold_italic">Q.</span> What kitchen tools are vital for making quick meals at home?</p><p> <span class="page_topic_leadin">A.</span> A really great chef&#x2019;s knife. You don&#x2019;t need a set, just something that feels good in your hand. Also a paring knife and a bread-slicing serrated knife. Nonstick skillets, a pasta pot and a cast-iron Dutch oven.</p><p> <span class="intro_bold_italic">Q.</span> What&#x2019;s your personal design style?</p><p> <span class="page_topic_leadin">A.</span> Modern Italian. Very little gussied up.</p><p> <span class="intro_bold_italic">Q.</span> Tell us about your kitchen.</p><p> <span class="page_topic_leadin">A.</span> Very white. The floors, the countertops, everywhere. I like how light bounces off white. It&#x2019;s a Calvin Klein look, pretty clean. When it came to designing it, I wanted the coffee maker, the microwave, the refrigerator and the dishwasher to disappear behind doors. I have pops of color from my red cookware from Target.</p><p> <span class="intro_bold_italic">Q.</span> Besides your kitchen, what&#x2019;s your favorite room in your home?</p><p> <span class="page_topic_leadin">A. </span>My bathroom. I have an ocean view that is one of my favorites. It&#x2019;s a great room to relax in after a busy day. I have an infinity bathtub (it&#x2019;s designed for the bathwater to rise all the way to the top and overflow into the surrounding deep groove that has a drain built into it).</p><p> <span class="intro_bold_italic">Q.</span> How do you eat dinner on weeknights?</p><p> <span class="page_topic_leadin">A.</span> We have a center island with three stools in the kitchen. One of my favorite memories is sitting at the kitchen table with family. Sometimes we didn&#x2019;t have enough chairs, so my parents would stand up.</p><p> <span class="intro_bold_italic">Q.</span> What do you and your daughter like to cook at home?</p><p> <span class="page_topic_leadin">A.</span> Cupcakes. We just made chocolate gluten-free cupcakes using coconut flour at her preschool. (Jade turns 4 Thursday). They licked chocolate out of the bowl. It was the most fun I&#x2019;d had in a long time.</p><p> <span class="intro_bold_italic">Q. </span>Besides cooking, what do you and Jade like to do at home?</p><p> <span class="page_topic_leadin">A.</span> She has a play kitchen in her playroom with a little table and chairs. We&#x2019;ll play restaurant. Sometimes she offers a menu, sometimes she serves me whatever. She &#x201C;makes&#x201D; stews, sandwiches and soups.</p><p> <span class="intro_bold_italic">Q.</span> Do you collect anything?</p><p> <span class="page_topic_leadin">A.</span> Little silver and gold spoons. I got some from my grandmother. When I travel, I get them from all over the world at mom-and-pop boutiques. Some are espresso spoons. I collect miniature forks, too.</p><p> <span class="intro_bold_italic">Q. </span>If you&#x2019;re having company over during the week, what&#x2019;s a fun, quick meal to make?</p><p> <span class="page_topic_leadin">A. </span>It&#x2019;s interesting to have breakfast for dinner. I&#x2019;ll make almond pancakes and Crispy Breakfast Pita on the stove. I also like a Thai dinner with turkey lettuce cups and spicy mint beef and salad. The lettuce cups take 15 minutes. Very fast. Very easy.</p><p> <span class="tagline_credit">Stacy Downs, sdowns@kcstar.com</span>

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