The recipes in this book wouldn’t work as well as they do if it
weren’t for the many recipe testers who tried them out in their
own kitchens. Many thanks to Anthony Jackson, Sarah Landrum,
Katya Schapiro, Catherine Hull, Yelena Malcolm, Paula Lee, Chris
Killoran, Lisa Lacy, Graye Pelletier, Gabrielle Amette, Susan
Stromberg, Becky Goldstein-Glaze, Jason Greenberg, Melissa
Holsinger, and Alejandra Guanipa. Also thanks to Diana Fithian,
Patty Jang, Lauren Gutterman, Morgan Tingley, and Leland
Scruby, all of whom lent a hand in the kitchen during my recipe-
testing process.
This paragraph is devoted to the endless list of people who
offered suggestions, tips, advice, and connections that helped form
this book’s roster of chefs and home cooks. There are too many
people to name here (from food writers to bloggers to folks on
Twitter, Facebook, and my blog) but, obviously, I couldn’t have
written this book without their help. I will enthusiastically thank
them all in person.
Thank you to Jonathan Rubinstein and the good people at Joe
(New York’s best coffee shop, located on Waverly Place just off
of Sixth Avenue) for letting me commandeer a table as often as I
did over the course of writing this book. Joe was my office and my
refuge when writing became too tedious at home.
A big thank-you to my family for their constant support and
enthusiasm. My mother and grandmother may not cook, but they
treat meals with as much passion and dedication as any of the
chefs in this book. In doing so, they make everyone feel loved and