I AM Ashley Rodriguez, 37, of Seattle (I grew
up in nearby Bellingham, Washington).
MY DAY JOB Writer and photographer of all
things food. I’m also co-creator and host of an
outdoor-cooking video series called Kitchen
Unnecessary, where we fish, forage, and
hunt for our ingredients, then cook a feast,
highlighting our finds, over the fire.
WHO I COOK FOR Anyone who will come sit
at my table.
IF I COULD HAVE A SUPERPOWER I would
be Gratitude Girl. She’s not invisible and can’t
fly, but she always sees the glass as half-full
and is so damn grateful for it.
OBSESSIONS Cheeseburger potato chips
(I’ve been able to find them only in Europe,
but a friend just sent me a fresh stash), fly-
fishing, and Sour Patch Kids.
IN MY FRIDGE RIGHT NOW Leftovers from
a workshop I hosted, so they’re really good.
Fire-cooked lamb with roasted lemon and
mint, pistachio pesto, and smoked vegetables
in a Muscat vinaigrette. There’s also a year-old
sourdough starter waiting to be used.FOOD DISCOVERY THAT CHANGED MY
LIFE Black Italian truffles.FAVORITE THINGS TO COOK Pasta. And
anything cooked over the fire.
ON MY BUCKET LIST Meeting Oprah and
Richard Rohr, and cooking a meal over the fire
that was completely foraged, hunted, or fished.
MY RARE TALENT THAT NO ONE WILL PAY
ME FOR Collecting hats. It may not be much
of a talent, and so far I’ve not received any
money for it, but I’m really good at adding to
my hat collection. (I’ve spent quite a bit!)BEST ADVICE I EVER GOT Wherever you go,
there you are. Also, follow your curiosity.
WHAT FEW PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT ME
My great-grandfather co-founded what is now
known as Crescendo, a bicycle marching band
based in the Netherlands.KITCHEN TOOL I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT
A very sharp knife. Oh, and a microplane.
MY KITCHEN IS in need of an upgrade, yet it’s
my favorite space because it’s where I’m my
most creative. And I use it to love my family.
BEST COOK I KNOW Mataio Gillis from Ciao
Thyme in Bellingham. He’s the most humble
and yet passionate cook I’ve ever met. We
both fell in love with food in Italy, so his food
speaks to my soul.MY SIGNATURE RECIPES My No-Bake Greek
Yogurt Cheesecake (next page) and Salted
Chocolate Chip Cookies.
MY SECRET RECIPES I don’t believe in
secret recipes. Food is meant to be shared.Adventuring with
our three kids is
my favorite. Below,
we’d rented an RV
for a road trip from
San Francisco to
Sonoma. In the
photo below that,
I’m in my happy
place: my kitchen
studio in Seattle.
This is where I
can create recipes
and photos, and
host dinners at
our table for 14.turn
the page
to unmask the story
behind Ashley’s
No-Bake
Cheesecake.Fredrich and Lillian,
our two rescue pups, are
part of the family. They’re
both some sort of
terrier-dachshund mix.
I’m always
looking out for
wild ingredients
to add to our next
meal. Here, Ivy
and I found some
bright, crisp
miner’s lettuce.My husband, Gabe, and I recently celebrated 15 years of
marriage in L.A., where we lived when we were newly married.ALLRECIPES.COM 61 OCT/NOV 2019
Cook to Follow