Know Your Foodies -- Pamplemousse

Mousse and I made a little Q&A piece to tell you a little about the food bloggers behind Mousse and Pamplemousse. Feel free to submit your own questions in the comments (or your own answers! We'd love to hear about our foodie readers!)

Food philosophy?
When away from home, I always travel with my stomach, on the lookout for the local, the authentic, and the new (to me). When in Rome, I say, eat as the Romans eat. Cheap, fresh and tasty street eats (that don't give you diarrhea) are what I am always on the prowl for as a traveler.
When I am at home, I keep my kitchen stocked with Chinese and Indian spices, and fresh and local produce from the market. And of course, my pots of fresh herbs. Currently only the oregano is thriving though. *sniff* I love spontaneous recipes and the creativity that comes with cooking in the moment. It's best to pick up at least one new or rare thing from the market to inspire a meal around.

If you were a food, what would you be?
Why, a pamplemousse of course!

I found this juice bottle when I was 13 in France and it has traveled with me from apartment to apartment since. I am zesty and good for you - all you have to do is be willing to trade in your regular orange for an alternative to your usual fare!

Favourite cuisine(s)?
Chinese cuisine will always have the most depth and breadth for me since I grew up on it. I also love Thai food for its winning and simple flavour combination (hot, sour, sweet, salty), and, of course, Japanese and Italian.

Last meal before the electric chair?
A big plate of freshly shucked oysters with grated horseradish and a squeeze of lemon. I would die happy (and a little delirious).

Signature drink?
Before my days as a grad student living in poverty, it would have been a gin martini with extra olives. Nowadays it is pots and pots of French-pressed fair trade organic dark roast coffee while I hammer away at my summer papers, and after I've called it quits for the day, the bartender at the local brewpub brings me a pint of their homemade IPA on sight.

Kitchen Gadget you can't live without?
Rice cooker. Every Chinese foodie's survival tool. My grandmother taught me that you can cook a whole meal in a rice cooker. Cook your rice, steam your veggies and crack an egg into a bowl to float on top. Hit the button and in 20 minutes you have a well-balanced meal. All you need to dodge the freshman 15 during that year of dorm living and awful cafeteria food.

Foodie Trends that Irk You?
Hippie cafes that throw a bunch of trendy ingredients together without knowing anything about food chemistry (don't get me wrong, I love hippies! But why can't we have organic and vegetarian food cooked cheaply by people who know food?).

Secret Guilty Pleasure?
As a form of procrastination, I return to the fridge several times a day for just another crunch of kim chi or pickles.
Also, admiring people's food tattoos, though I know it is über-trendy right now. I think I'd like a fennel bulb, or hot peppers in a food encyclopedia-style series with simple hand-drawn images. Or maybe a black line tattoo of my trusty cleaver, with my Chinese surname monogrammed on a corner of the blade. Too bad I have really sensitive, reactive skin so I can only ever fantasize about it.

Anything you don't eat?
Organ meat. Except for the occasional foie gras or duck liver pate.

Celebrity Chef crush?
Everybody knows my answer to this one... Jamie Oliver. I love his simple, fresh and gorgeous recipes. He has taught me so many shortcuts in the kitchen that I use on a daily basis. I love his Essex accent, his entire food philosophy, and the adorable alterna-measurements he gives in his cookbooks (e.g. two glugs of olive oil, a shake of salt, a handful of basil... etc). BLAH BLAH BLAH I could go on. Check out his newest project, Ministry of Food.

Your Idea of Foodie Heaven?
Stumbling upon a hole in the wall restaurant that no one has ever heard of with eccentric ethnic owners who talk with their hands and serve you the tastiest, freshest food you've never had before for a super cheap price. A holographic religious icon on the wall doesn't hurt either. The Foodie Holy Grail.

How About Foodie Hell?
Going to an overpriced restaurant with mediocre food and lacklustre service (so you can't really complain or ask for your money back), where a place is all show and no substance. ...And then the waiter asks you how much change you want back instead of just making the damn change for you. Why can't they just make the damn change for you?!? ARGH.

Favourite food blog (other than The Mousse and the Pamplemousse)?
Deep End Dining - Dining off the dark side.

How would you describe Mousse's Foodie Personality?
Well, if she were a foodie animal, she would definitely be a rabbit -- she is always munching on carrots, apples and fresh market veggies. I think she would camp out in the market if she could, she practically lives there. She loves fresh organic produce, high quality meats and of course, her Robin's Egg Blue All-Purpose KitchenAid mixer.

What would you do as your most diehard Foodie act?
Name my (imaginary) twins Anise (girl) and Clove (boy).