The namesake/operator of www.CraftyChica.com, artist, author and Senior New Product Developer and National Spokesperson for iLoveToCreate recently added "novelist" to the list with the release of her new book, Waking Up in the Land of Glitter (Grand Central Publishing).
What'd you eat for dinner last night? Where's the Beef on pita from the Phoenix Duck and Decanter.
Favorite food: It is a tie between Jamaican jerk chicken, chicken mole or carne asada.
Least favorite food: Anything with fried onions or liver.
Favorite dessert: Ultra-moist orange or lemon cake drizzled with chocolate sauce. Actually...anything drizzled with chocolate sauce. I wish restaurants could have two types of chocolate sauce on the table (thick and thin) at all times, like they do with barbecue sauce!
Favorite local restaurant and meal to order there: This changes a lot, I've lived here my whole life and have seen many places come and go. My all-time favorite used to be back in the mid-1980s--The Caribbean Exchange's curry chicken in roti bread. As of this moment, it is a quick lunch at Phoenix BBQ and Deli (pulled pork sandwich with cole slaw).
Favorite local bar and cocktail to order there: Any fruity drink from the SideBar!
Favorite thing to cook at home: Red chile sauce from scratch. I'm talking soaking and peeling the chiles, scooping out the seeds, stuffing the pods in the blender, etc...nothing beats homemade red chili! I also love to make Mexican mochas using Abuelita chocolate and brewed espresso.
Favorite memory involving food: I'm chubby, I have too many to count! Okay, pivotal moments: tasting my first chimichanga at age 21, going to London when I was 17 and tasting coffee for the first time. It set the bar high for me, I've been a junkie ever since. The time I got invited to join a secret chocolate club at a former job, and I accidentally ate all the club's stash. They kicked me out after that.
Recipe or food tip to share: Do-it-yourself mocha cake. Instead of just adding plain old water, replace it with brewed espresso.
