The Getting to Know You Quiz

I saw this quiz on How to Eat a Cupcake, who notes that she copied it from  The Boastful Baker who copied it from Brownie Points.

Perhaps someday when I go in for a job interview, my interviewer will ask me questions like this.  Until then, however, I will have to be content with simply posting my responses here.  Practice, you could say.  

As The Boastful Baker notes (and you should check out her blog because it has some very nice photos and yummy looking recipes), she didn't even do the Facebook 25 things meme, which just goes to show that all it really took is food.  Neither did I!   For me, all it ever takes is food I think.   

And by the way, you might be happy to know that I actually have learned a thing or two in grad school.  Meme.  That's right. Other people know about pop culture because they are aware of their surroundings.  But me, I have to go to graduate school to find these sorts of things out.  Yikes.  At least it's coming in handy in my food life.  Thank God for graduate school.  

THE GETTING TO KNOW YOU QUIZ

I would love to hear comments from all of you about your own responses, or to pose additional questions.  Mine would be:  dishes as you go or after?  Also, feel free to copy it onto your blog so we can get to know YOU!

Metal or non-stick? I HATE non-stick.  In fact, I am working on cleaning out my supply of non-stick pans (aka throwing them all away) before I move.  They are mostly all scratched up anyway.  I like regular pans because a)I'm very harsh on pans and the non-stick coating always comes up, b) I don't want to die from ingesting those flakes of non-stick coating, c) haven't you ever heard of grease?

Cast iron or stainless? Totally depends.  If you want a crisp coat on a piece of meat, cast iron is the way to go.  Otherwise, I tend to use stainless.  

Cutting board: silicone or wood? Definitely wood, though I own both kinds.  My cutting boards are actually for different foods...garlic/onions/veggies board, a big yellow plastic cutting board that I LOVE for cutting fruit, especially pineapple, and myriad other boards.  

Knife: carbon steel or stainless? Carbon Steel. I'm a huge fan of good knives in general (see the cookie/Williams-Sonoma post below) and of the the Wusthof Classic in particular, especially the tomato knife. If you don't own one, please consider doing so.

Kitchenaid or hand mixer? My favorite kitchen tool is my KitchenAid.  It is the pale yellow of beaten egg yolks, and I adore it with all my heart.  My husband gave it to me before we were married or even engaged, claiming he had his personal interests in mind.  While I am sure this is true, I think he might have underestimated how completely happy I would feel every time I looked at it.  In any event, half of it now basically belongs to him anyway!

Cooktop: gas, electric, induction? Definitely gas, even though it truly frightens me. 

Side-by-side, freezer on top, fridge on top? I've always dreamed of having a side-by-side because they seem so novel and cool.  Steve and I recently visited friends in Madison and I spent all weekend holding a glass under the ice-making button even though it was slow and half broken just because I couldn't resist.  

Apron or whoops? I almost always wear an apron in the kitchen.  I'm just messy, and like to wipe my dirty hands all over it, which is why the one my grandmother made for me is more like a rag now.  When I am having people over I switch to a newer one that my mother-in-law made for me that I save for such occasions.  I sometimes catch people looking at me funny when I walk out of the house with aprons on, though, as if they have never seen someone wear an apron in this century.  Is it that weird?

Mashed potatoes: by hand, ricer, or mixer?  I love mashing by hand, but a ricer is on my kitchen dream list.  Maybe when I get that interview...

Sandwich or wrap?   A couple of Christmases ago I bought my dad a Leonardo da Vinci doll along with a panini press and my husband made Leonardo talk.  Leonardo said (in a thick Italian accent):  "Carlo, make me a panini."  I couldn't have said it better myself.  Panini have got it going on.  Leonardo wants one, so it must be true.  

PB & _________ ?   Peanut butter and homemade jam from Margie.

Pancakes: syrup or applesauce? Syrup, for sure, though I love sour milk pancakes with molasses, various jams, honeys, and corn syrups.  What a way to start the day, or a pancake-eating contest.

Cake: scratch or mix? Mix?  Okay, in all honesty, I do have a secret passion for Confetti cake mix with party chip frosting. My mother in law brought them to our house recently and I think I ate about 5 before I realized it would probably be a good idea to stop. Otherwise, I love making cakes the good old fashioned way.


Chili: beans or no? Beans, as you know if you read my Honest Legume Hummus post, are delicious and nutritious.  I'd take them any day.

Napkin: cloth or paper? I love cloth napkins, and all table and kitchen towel lines to be more exact.  Couleur Nature makes beautiful ones.  

BBQ: takes the whole weekend to make or take out?   I miss pulled pork sandwiches from Louisiana, but my husband makes yummy BBQ.  

Chicken: white or dark? A mix of both, though I love the dark meat best.

Ice cream: cone or dish? Cone for sure, except when I'm at home.  I never have cones at home, though I would love to try making them sometime.  Anyone have a recipe? I'm not fond of the "cake" cones, just sugar and waffle.