He brought fun and color back into our
homes. Jonathan Adler shares his ups
and downs in the kitchen with us.
Do you have any secret tools in the kitchen, anything
that you could never live without? I couldn’t live without
my collection of vintage Dansk cookware in bright yellow and
tomato red. They aren’t the most ergonomic or technologically advanced pots and pans, but they make me happy.
If you could change anything about your kitchen, what
would it be? I would want it to be teeming with sous-chefs.
Other than that, I’m pretty happy with my kitchen.
What do you always have stocked in your kitchen? Any
specific products you always want to have on hand?
I am married to a Brit and our kitchen is overflowing with tea.
Tea, tea, tea! Our cabinets look like we’re crazy hoarders who
are stockpiling tea to prepare for a life spent underground
after nuclear armageddon. Tea! And our main topic of
conversation is who made the last round of tea, who didn’t
fill the kettle, etc. We’re like a working class family on
Coronation Street.
What’s your go-to dish to make at home? Roast chicken!
Easy, breezy, delicious! The availability of store-bought
roast chickens has made people forget about how delicious
a home-roasted chicken is, especially if you fill the pan with
yummy fixings–onions, parsnips (yum!), garlic. And I think
that rotisseries are the most overrated invention. I don’t want
my chicken spinning around all the time. I want it in a good,
proper roasting pan, stewing in its own juices.
What was your most nightmarish kitchen situation? Any
major catastrophes? I’m a potter and I’ve had some real
disasters with my kiln which is kind of like a giant oven. In my
youth I accidentally burnt down buildings and melted down a
kiln or two, so in my dotage I’ve become hyper vigilant about
avoiding any fire catastrophes.
If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your
life, what would it be? Besides the aforementioned roast
chicken, I’ve had a lifelong commitment to apple pie.
Are there any foods you can’t stand? I would be very
happy to live in a world without capers.
What does home
cooking mean to you?
HEALTH, COMFORT,
CONVERSATION,
LAUGHTER, &
HAPPINESS.
