Jackie Danicki

I’ve stolen the Guardian’s “Table Talk” questions for this intended meme. (Dear Guardian: Please put a simple page containing links to all “Table Talk” entries - and another listing all “My Life in Shopping” entries - on your website. It can’t be that difficult to do.)

What’s your favourite table?

So hard to narrow it down. In London, I love the open, bustling atmosphere of The Wolseley, but equally appreciate the ability to hunker down in the dark, muted underground of Hakkasan. If the weather is nice, it’s hard to beat the River Café in Hammersmith, on the Thames. In Paris, I don’t think you can beat the panoramic view at La Maison Blanche, except for maybe the view from Café de l’Homme or overlooking Paris from the roof of Les Galeries Lafayette. In LA, I’m a big fan of the perspective offered by Yamashiro’s placement in the hills. But, ultimately, my favorite table is one populated by great food, interesting company, and no shortage of carbonated beverages. Comfortable seating and warm, flattering (NOT overhead!) lighting count for a lot, too.

What would you have for your last supper?

I couldn’t possibly get specific, but it would involve sugar, dairy, salt, fat, and the best seasonal produce. We’re talking about a tapas or mezze format for every course. No alcohol, though.

What’s your poison?

These days, diet soda. I’m supposed to have only Diet Rite, if any at all, as that is sodium-free. (The raspberry and tangerine flavors are rather good, too.) But I’m trying, not very hard, to kick all carbonated drinks.

Name your three desert island ingredients.

Chocolate, cream, and butter. If I’m on a desert island, I’ll presumably get enough exercise sourcing the other ingredients to work off my must-haves.

What would you put in Room 101?

Anything and everything anise flavored. There’s just no reason for that.

Which book gets you cooking?

Anything by Nigella Lawson or Nigel Slater - the two best, most straightforward, engaging, sensual cookery writers out there.

What’s your dream dinner party line-up?

This changes daily, but today I’d say MFK Fisher, Nigella Lawson, Nigel Slater, Gordon Ramsay and Ayn Rand. Well, you need at least one provocateur, and two wouldn’t hurt - not in my fantasies, anyway.

What was your childhood teatime treat?

When you have access to loads of sugary, fatty foods on a daily basis, what counts as a “treat” is a bit complicated. Pop consumption was strictly and uncharacteristically controlled. I suppose the best was what our paternal grandmother would prepare for us as a “snack” whenever we came round: red Jell-O with fruit cocktail, served with Cool Whip and a tall bottle of Tang. Healthful!

What was your most memorable meal?

How on earth could one narrow it down? I think a lot about my first Périgordian meal, in the Dordogne, back in 2002 - all that wonderful foie gras, roast duck, potatoes Sarladaise, amazing cheeses, crème brûlée, chocolates…The stuff of legend. But meals taken with my paternal grandparents are probably the ultimate - my grandmother’s Polish food, with lashings of sour cream and cabbage elevated to the sublime.

What was your biggest food disaster?

Trying to source the ingredients for Nancy’s pasta - pancetta, fresh basil, feta, cherry tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, garlic, pasta - in the blazing August heat in London, with Nancy herself. I had to drag her and her daughter from pillar to post, and I felt so ashamed of what London’s urban supermarkets had to offer, and at what price. It was all right on the night, but my stress levels were through the roof during the shopping.

What’s the worst meal you’ve ever had?

Nothing springs immediately to mind. I think this has more to do with the company, the comfort of the surroundings, and the quality of the service more than anything. It’s probably some meal I had as a teenager with my family, though. I haven’t had a target on my forehead at mealtimes in quite the same way since. (Nor have they, I’m sure. We’re a sarcastic, loud bunch.)

Who’s your food hero/food villain?

My food hero is Nigella Lawson. She gave me permission to try and to fail, and I found that when I tried I rarely failed. She also taught me to be indulgent and spare in the same meal, and that it is perfectly okay to do so. For example, you don’t have to give people a starter if you’re providing a main course and dessert, and it’s fine if dessert is something amazing but shop-bought. Also, that it’s better to offer obscene quantities of one or two great cheeses rather than piddly amounts of a wide variety. That sort of thing really makes life both easier and more pleasurable.

My food villain is Jamie Oliver, for pushing his agenda for government control of and responsibility for individuals’ consumption. The man isn’t evil, but his ill-informed, dangerous campaigns most certainly are.

Nigella or Delia?

How could this be considered a contest? I’m told that Delia’s recipes “just work,” and that’s all well and good, but it’s not enough to best Nigella.

Vegetarians: genius or madness?

I know a vegetarian or two (okay, maybe just the one) who I’d say are geniuses, but the practice itself just strikes me as terribly deprived. (I’m sure many would say the same of my being teetotal.) It’s none of my business what anyone chooses to put in his or her own body, though.

Fast food or fresh food?

Why not both? It’s easy enough to do. I must confess a weakness for fast food, though. I grew up being fed the stuff at least once a week, so I think I’m doing well to indulge only once a quarter now.

Who would you most like to cook for?

Nobody famous, certainly. Cooking for people is an expression of love, and I stick to close friends for that. (Apart from my older brother, my family members all admit to having rather pedestrian tastes, so my cooking is too much for them.)

What would you cook to impress a date?

Unoriginal but effective: A superb steak, only just introduced to the heat, with sautéed mushrooms and a killer béarnaise, smashed potatoes with caramelized onions, grilled corn on the cob with masses of butter, and a killer dark chocolate cake.

Make a wish.

Sugar goes calorie-negative, and moral busybodies stop trying to regulate what individuals consume. That’s two wishes, but I’m greedy.

Tagged: Nancy Rommelmann, Alice Bachini-Smith, Hillary Johnson, Pat Phelan, Jeff Nolan, Julie WineMeDineMe

Filed under: Life