为 圣地亚哥 native Samin Nosrat, the journey to culinary greatness started in the back of her parents’ car. The child of Iranian immigrants, most weekends growing up were spent trekking to the best Persian bakeries and restaurants in Southern California. “Sometimes we would make this 88-mile drive to this grocery store called 健康的选择 that's still there in 欧文 and buy the fresh breads,” she shared during her appearance on the California Now Podcast. Her path led her to the San Francisco Bay Area for school, where an eye-opening experience at 潘尼斯之家 in 加州大学伯克利分校 forever changed her trajectory. 晚些时候, she’d hone her skills in the very kitchen that had inspired her, learning from esteemed chefs like Alice Waters, 大卫·坦尼斯, 克里斯·李.
Today, it’s hard to find a culinary accolade this proud Californian has not received. 她是一个 纽约时报 bestselling author, a James Beard Award winner, and the star of a hit Netflix series based on her celebrated cookbook, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. Now a full-time East Bay resident, Nosrat dedicates her time to cooking, 写作, and teaching through her food.
你住在哪里?? 我住在 奥克兰.
为什么? Because there's such wonderful diversity and access to so many good ingredients. 还有海滩.
Who or what is your greatest California love? The beach is my greatest California love.
What is the biggest misperception about Californians? That we're snobby, I think. The “coastal elite” thing.
What is the stereotype that most holds true? The open-mindedness.
What is your favorite Golden State splurge? 哈利的浆果 in 奥克斯纳德. They're so expensive, but they're truly some of the best strawberries you'll ever have.
Time for a road trip—where are you going? I definitely am going to go visit my friend Laurel, who lives in 文图拉, but I'll take the coastal route and stop in 圣路易斯奥比斯波 where there's a great sandwich shop called 高街熟食店 (and my dog Fava's in the back of the car). We take all the side roads. I love staying off I-5. Then we'll go to some citrus orchards, and usually I visit some of the fruit tree purveyors down there. I always buy fruit trees and bring them back and plant them in my garden.
If you could decree an official state culinary experience, what would it be? I think going to the farmers’ market, getting really good crusty bread—the tradition of bread here is so special—getting really good California cheeses, 从 领头羊 or 马林法国 or 女牛仔牛奶, and getting wonderful produce. Probably in the summertime, I would say you have to get dry-farmed tomatoes from 脏女孩产品 in 圣克鲁斯 去野餐.
What's your favorite way to play in California? Going to the beach!
Best California song? 我只是看着 The Last Black Man in San Francisco 再一次。, and there's a version of "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" in that movie that is so beautiful.
How would your California dream day unfold? 我会去 Sqirl in 洛杉矶 for breakfast and have my favorite turmeric orange juice and one of her crazy brilliant things—she makes like this fluffy 法国 toast or these super fluffy pancakes. Then we would put together a picnic, 去海滩, spend the day at the beach, and then come home and shower and go out to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants in L.A.比如，也许 天命 or something like that, and just hang out with my friends. That would be a really fun day.
