Bob is not only a good friend, he is part of my family and like a brother to me. We co-wrote Pizza on the Grill and it has done so well that we are writing a 2nd edition. One of my favorite things about visiting Bob in his house just under the Hollywood sign in LA is getting fresh eggs from his chickens (read story). You can see me holding one of Mimi’s eggs.  She is the most prolific of the three chicks. The chickens are fed extremely well and their eggs reflect the tender loving care that they get in Bob’s Back yard. The Gift that Keeps on Giving: I am forever grateful that my girlfriend Kate would rather…

Lee is a good friend and the most powerful man in food right now. He has taken his creativity, penchant for knowing everyone and created the best food festivals in the country including SOBE and NYCWFF. His favorite food is fried chicken and here are his favorite places to get it. As you can see Hill Country Chicken is his top pick in NYC and it’s not just because he knew that it was going to be listed on my site—he tells everyone so! Check out the fried chicken here: NYC: Hill Country Chicken ( Elizabeth Karmel) Miami: Michy’s (Michelle Bernstein) Chicago: Table Fifty-Two (Art Smith) Las Vegas: Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill (Bromberg Brothers.) San Francisco: Wayfare Tavern…

Mike Mills is not only a legend.  He is the Legend! His ribs have won thousands of trophies but the best test is the taste taste of anyone lucky enough to eat at his restaurants or get a couple of bones at the annual Big Apple Barbecue Block Party which is my favorite place to eat his ribs as you will soon read.  Check out his new website, 17thstreetbarbecue.com and his book, Peace, Love and Barbecue co-authored and masterminded by his daughter and my sister in smoke, Amy Mills. Thoughts of my native North Carolina ‘Que were clouding my mind the first time I smelled the smoke and stepped foot on to Tom Lee Park, the setting for the annual…

Pam Anderson is a cookbook author of the first order. She has written many books and has written for all the best food magazines but perhaps her biggest contribution is the blog (and USAToday) food pieces that she co-authors with her two daughters, Maggy and Sharon. They are collectively known as Three Many Cooks. With her daughters she has become a leader in the food blogging community and ultimately bridged both the generation gap and the gap between the traditional food professionals and the growing group of talented food bloggers. The Fountain of Youth Revisited When I was young, vacation meant road trip. No one (at least no one I knew) ever flew anywhere. You drove. There was no destination.…