A: I think my inspiration comes from a sense of mission about food as a potential bridge to deeper spiritual and self understanding. I think every meal has the potential, in a less formal way, to be a re-enactment of the Last Supper—that is, when properly approached and understood, the true nourishment and joy derived from food is because it connects us to something greater, its source, which is also our Source. Once I came to that realization and made that connection in my own life, it became the underlying theme of all my writings.

Q: You have done programs at some of our library branches for your book American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza. What was the response from the people who attended your programs?

A: They seemed to like the stories about some of the characters I met in the pizza world. Many of them also had stories of their own to share. That’s what’s so great about pizza—we can all relate to it in pretty much the same way—we take it seriously but it’s also totally fun.

Q: There are so many great chefs and cookbook authors out there, who do you admire?

A: There are so many, but John Ash is an old friend and a great chef who wrote an award winning book called “From the Earth to the Table.” My wife and I had one of our most memorable meals at his restaurant in Santa Rosa California. I am still a sucker for “The Joy of Cooking,” and I like what Cook’s Illustrated is doing with their “Test Kitchen” books, coming up with “best of” versions. There’s a terrific new bread book by Jeffery Hamelman simply called “Bread” that is worth having if you are a serious baker, and Maggie Glezer’s books on bread are also excellent. And I love the books by creative writers like Jeffrey Steingarten, Calvin Trillin, and MFK Fisher. They all take you into their passion for food and life. Finally, you cannot go wrong with any of Julia Child’s books.

Q: Do you have a favorite book or author? What kinds of books do you read for pleasure?

A: I read all kinds of books: biographies, essays, short stories, novels, food books, you name it. I go through phases, like everybody, where I crave one thing over another. I’ve read an enjoyed all the Harry Potter books (which I happen to think are very Christian despite what some people say) as well as anything by C.S. Lewis. It’s been years but I loved The Lord of the Ring Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. I’m trying to go back and catch up with some of the modern classics that I missed, like The Great Gatsby. I also love the books by Malcolm Gladwell (The Tipping Point, and Blink) as well as Freakonomics and other books that help us to understand the social changes of this tumultuous period in history.

Q: If you were to give a fledgling author some advice, what would it be?

A: Find out what you like to read and model yourself after those writers; then write what you love to write and re-read things you’ve written over time, and see what it reveals about you—what your core themes are, where your passion is, what images reappear. Have a reason to write—identify what your central life message is and then find the right form or genre in which to express it.

Q: If you could have lunch with anyone, past or present, who would it be, why and what would you eat?

A: This is presumptuous but I’d like to have lunch with Jesus, Mohammad, Gandhi, Buddha, and Socrates and get them into a really serious discussion about life and its purpose. I have a feeling they’d be pretty much in synch but it would be interesting to see if there was something they disagreed about and how they worked it out around the table. I’d serve good bread and hearty soup, nothing fancy just well-made, and a delicious salad right from the garden. Or, I might serve pizza if I got to make them.

Q: Do you have any ideas for future cookbooks?

A: I’m working on a book on whole grain breads at the moment—not due out till fall 2007.

Q: Could you ever see yourself writing any fiction novels?

A: Yes, I’d like to but that’s a few years away. I first want to do some serious non-fiction, essays and memoirs around the metaphor of leaven.

Interview Date: March 2006
Profile and questions compiled by Jessica B., Morrison Regional Library