Rose Murray, an internationally published food writer, cookbook author, broadcaster and teacher. For more than three decades, she has appeared widely in magazines and newspapers such as Canadian Living and The Globe & Mail.

Rose lives in Cambridge, Ontario and is resident cook on Kitchener CTV’s Noon News. Author of ten cookbooks, her most recent is A Taste of Canada: A Culinary Journey.

What’s your weakness? Dessert or mains?
Mains.

Who or what got you interested in food?
I guess the first person was my mother on the farm, then Monda Rosenberg got me interested in a food career.

What inspires you?
Travel and exploring various food cultures.

What was your favourite dinner when you were a kid? Do you like it now?
I loved an old-fashioned turkey dinner and still do.

What’s the first dish you remember making?
Corn Chowder.

Proudest food-related moment?
When I won both gold and bronze for Hungry for Comfort in the 2004 Cuisine Canada/University of Guelph National Book Awards.

Strangest food you’ve ever eaten?
Chicken feet in Hong Kong.

Favourite sound in the kitchen?
Bacon frying.

Favourite cooking smell?
Turkey roasting or baked beans in the oven.

Quintessential Canadian dish?
Old-fashioned Split Pea Soup.

Molecular gastronomy, best thing ever or the unwearable haute couture of food?
Unwearable haute couture (nice way of putting it).

Cilantro — can’t get enough or tastes like soap?
Love it.

What non-local foods can’t you live without?
Lemons, oranges and coffee.

What’s your greatest culinary extravagance?
Caviar.

Most over-rated kitchen gadget?
Bread machine or slow cooker.

What’s the most treasured possession in your kitchen? Why?
A good chef’s knife my deceased friend John Freeman made for me.

Fill in the blank. If I never cooked / ate / heard about ______ again, I’d be happy.
Cook cheese.

If you could cook for anyone, alive or dead, who would it be and why?
Edna Staebler because she loved and ate everything I made and appeared to really enjoy it.

What would you prepare for her?
I’d prepare a roast chicken dinner with lemon mousse for dessert.

What was the last thing you ate?
Yogurt.

If you had to work outside the culinary field, what would you do?
Teach English.

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Editor’s note: Rose Murray was recently honoured with a Gold Award from the OHI for her contribution to food writing.