'Online Cookbook' a Must-Read the World Over

Andrea Meyers says working overseas allowed her to enjoy the foods in the Pacific, South America, the Middle East and Asia. (By Charity Corkey -- Loudounextra.com)

What professional chef do you admire most?

It's difficult to choose just one. I admire Rick Bayless (Frontera Grill, Chicago) and his approach to authentic Mexican foods and Todd Gray (Equinox, Washington) for his focus on seasonal and local foods. I also have a great deal of admiration for Tony Geraci, the chef who runs the meals program in Baltimore schools. He has worked hard to raise the bar on the quality of the food served to children.

In your blog, you refer to your three sons with nicknames -- Bob the Builder, Top Gun and Monkey Boy. Why is that?

We wanted some way to protect our children's privacy, especially as they grow older. So we chose to use nicknames and not post photos of them. Some photos show their hands as they roll dough or help in other ways, but that's all we show.

Of the dishes that you make, what are your sons' favorites?

Our boys enjoy homemade artisan breads and chicken noodle soup, and they always get excited when I break out the ice cream freezer. They also like to help make pizza and have had lots of practice rolling dough.

And your husband's?

He says it's a tie between my chicken tortilla soup and the inside-out German chocolate cake I made for his birthday last year.

Tell us about the best foods you have sampled in other countries. Have you attempted to recreate these recipes at home?

Working overseas for eight years gave me many opportunities to enjoy the foods in the Pacific, South America, the Middle East and Asia. Saipan offered a wonderful introduction to really fresh seafood, something I was not accustomed to growing up in the Midwest. I fell in love with the beef in Colombia and flat breads and shawarmas in Saudi Arabia.

My favorite dish from my years overseas is Ajiaco Bogotáno, a chicken and potato soup from Colombia. I spent quite a bit of time trying to re-create the recipe, which calls for a potato not grown in the U.S., as well as a weed not commonly used in cooking here. And I think the outcome was pretty successful. Making my favorite international foods is usually easy because of the many international markets and availability of ingredients here in the D.C. metro area.

What is your favorite restaurant in Loudoun?

With three young boys, we rarely eat out, but I enjoy Grand Thai & Sushi in South Riding.

Tell us something about yourself that would surprise your friends and neighbors.

I haven't always had a green thumb. I've inadvertently killed hundreds of plants in my quest to grow our own herbs, vegetables and fruits.

UP CLOSE is a feature in which Loudoun County residents talk about their jobs, interests and experiences in the community. Have a suggestion on whom we should interview? Send it to loudounextra@wpni.com.