Barbara Wilson knows her way around the pastry kitchen. She's been baking for over 40 years (though devoutly for almost 15), and after attending the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, making pastries at a country club, and spendings some time as the pastry chef at none other than Binkley's in Cave Creek, Wilson started her own business called Barb's Sweets and Treats in August 2011. She's making everything from cookies and brownies to fudge and caramel - caramel with cocoa nibs, espresso, vanilla, sea salt, or even Guinness beer.
Q: What's your favorite show on the Food Network?
A: Well, I've got it on all the time. But my favorite is Good Eats.
Q: A cabin in the woods or beach-front property?
A: I've tried living on the beach, and there's way too many people. I'd rather run to the woods with my friends where we could build a big log cabin.
Q: Build your own burger? Go!
A: I'll put caramelized onions, a port wine reduction, gorgonzola, lettuce, and tomato on it.
Q: If you could go on a dinner date with a celebrity, dead or alive, who would it be?
A: For dead it would be Julia Child, if they're alive it would be Hugh Jackman.
Q: What would you do with $1 million dollars?
A: Open up my own bakery in the Pacific Northwest. Probably Seattle.
Find Barbara Wilson and 17 other chefs at Caramelpalooza, Friday, March 2, from 7 til the caramel runs out, Smeeks candy store, northwest corner of Central and Camelback.
