Whats in my Handbag? Listen: At The Table with Clark Wolf and Marcy Smothers

In my handbag today? Preserved lemons, Indian mied pickle, dark chocolate, Tuscan truffle salt…. oh and 30 month old Parmigiano cheese!

When I was growing up I knew, deep deep down, that I’d one day be famous. I wasn’t quite sure for what, but figured time would let me know. As years passed and I wrote cookbook after cookbook, every so often I paused for a moment: thinking: am I famous yet? As I wrote my column, did a radio show in London on LBC, guested on the BBC, i wondered: Am I famous yet? Sadly, no. Not famous yet. Not EXACTLY.

However, I AM famous for one thing: my handbag. Wherever I go in the world, people want to know what I have it in: chances are its going to be something unexpected and delicious. With my big fat handbag I pull out the goodies I’ll need wherever I go, whatever food I find that might need perking up or whoever I meet that might need just the goodies I have to share.

Today, for instance, i opened my handbag and let the ingredients spill out a bit: then I took a picture. Here is what came tumbling out of my bag: a big fat Englsih cucumber, a half jar of black truffle salt from Tuscany (what happens if on my travels of a day i meet a hard cooked egg without it?). There is a half jar of preserved lemons and a full jar of Indian mixed pickle, a big bar of dark chocolate….oh and a wedge of 30 month old Parmigiano. I have been known to use my handbag as an affinage cave, that is, aging it until the perfect state. With 30 month old Parmigiano, it doesn’t need more aging, nor does it need refrigeration, its perfect to have in my handbag just in case I need to grate it over pasta or a Caesar salad, i need a nibble on an airplane, or in case I run into YOU and you’d like a taste. We can always find some lovely pears to go with it!

When my buddies, Clark and Marcy– food broadcasters Clark Wolf and Marcy Smothers–heard I was going to be at the San Francisco Winter Fancy Food Show they invited me to come onto their program. And bring my handbag: they knew that after shlepping aroundFancy Food Show I would no doubt have a great stash to share or nosh or give away. My big bag of delicious “just in case”.

Listen Here

 

And I have to say that my handbag is a two-way street: not only is it a great stash of condiments and ingredients but its also a perfect bag to have when you need to put something away “for later”. In a restaurant where there is fabulous bread? I got my bag! Walking down a street and spy lemons growing abundantly? reach up and grab a lemon, stash it in my bag and I’m outta there!

And if you want to see me make something with the stuff in my handbag; here is a little video. i had preserved lemons and harissa, and on the way down the path to my friend Betsy’s kitchen, I found a chicken laying eggs! really! this recipe if for brik a l’oeuf and its BRILLIANT.  Messy but not too difficult; after a few tries you’ll be a pro. Go make it!