Gnocchi Goddess

There are times when I have to pinch myself. In late October I got an e-mail from the editor of NW Palate Magazine asking if I'd be interested in interviewing Sabrina Tinsley, chef at Osteria La Spiga in Seattle. Oh, and I'd also be learning to make gnocchi with her.

After picking my jaw up off the floor, I responded in the affirmative. (Who am I kidding? I couldn't say yes fast enough!) The next week I went to their tiny warren of offices in a house just off NW 23rd and met their staff and the photographer. Then Sabrina and her husband Pietro arrived, no retinue of minions in tow, but hauling the boxes full of flour, squash, sage and implements for the gnocchi themselves.

Small but with a big, warm laugh, Sabrina was delightful and so easy to talk with as she stirred and assembled the gnocchi. She and Pietro have one of those marriages where you can tell they're still very much in love the way they tease each other. You can read about the whole experience in the article, which is unfortunately only available in print at the moment.

One note: They'd spent the trip eating their way through Portland, having had dinner at Nostrana the night before with friend Cathy Whims, then trying to figure out how they could have a late lunch at Pok Pok and still have room for dinner. Definitely folks I could hang with!

Details: The January/February issue of NW Palate Magazine is available online and at B. Dalton, Borders, Chapters, Fred Meyer, Kitchen Kaboodle, Larry’s Markets, Powell’s Books, Thriftway, WaldenBooks, Winco and Zupan’s.