Ferdinand’s kitchen, which he built himself, features over one hundred square feet of granite countertop.
On cooking How did you develop an interest in food and cooking? I was always amazed how a certain combination of simple ingredients can be turned into the most incredible tasting dish. Living in California is a wonderful place to expand the ever-growing list of available foods. Traveling has opened many new worlds of taste.
proper dinner components. Even the beer and wines are from the appropriate countries. “I have reached a comfort level with my cooking where I’m not afraid to cook for large crowds,” he said. “I like the planning and the prep, even though it is a huge chore. The planning takes about a month, the cooking takes about three days.” The dinners are usually held outdoors and the food is served buffet style; dishes and serving utensils are rented. And he enlists the help of his best friend as a sous chef. “My friends and family are always happy to partake in my culinary creations, often asking for recipes and take out boxes,” Ferdinand said. He enjoys sharing his food experiences with others, and people are pretty pleased with how the meals turn out. To him, the best compliment is a request for seconds.
You recently renovated your kitchen: describe the decor. What is your favorite feature in your new kitchen? Tile floor, simple cabinet faces (matching the original 1952 cabinets) and granite countertops. My favorite feature is the over one hundred square feet of countertop. How often do you cook? Normally, I cook five days a week. Cooking for Sunday dinner can be an all-day event. What is one spice you love to use in your recipes? Garlic would be the spice that is in most dishes I cook, just because it makes almost anything taste better. But the spice I love to use is one that I’ve brought back from a foreign land. I love the fact that a taste can evoke a memory. What are those other spices? While on vacation, I hunt for locally produced spices: paprika from
Hungary, cinnamon from Vietnam, saffron from Spain and chervil (a French parsley) — I love the sweet, subtle taste it adds to food. What is your favorite piece of cooking equipment? My KitchenAid stand mixer. It saves so much time and arm work. The grinder attachment is great for fresh salmon patties. The sausage stuffer and dough hook help shorten prep time. What is your first memory of cooking? When I was about 8, I baked a cake from scratch. It didn’t cook correctly because I had added mashed banana — adding my own touch from the start. What is your favorite meal to cook? One I haven’t cooked yet. I enjoy trying new things and try not to do too many repeats. We heard you make your own Limoncello liqueur. Tell us how you got into making that: The first time I had Limoncello, it was on a hot, summer night after a great Italian dinner in Siena, Italy. Ristorante Malborghetto made the liquor on the premise and the chef told me how they did it. I couldn’t help from trying to recreate that memorable lemon liquor, and found that mine tasted more like Siena than the bottled versions.
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