This week on CBC’s Recipe to Riches, Elisa Hendricks killed the competition with her incredibly innovative Ham and Cheese Lollipop appetizers and won this week’s challenge! Find out more about the most recent winner Recipe to Riches winner in our Tastemaker Q&A…
Give us a snippet about you. What should people know?
I’m a mom of two fabulous kids, Jack and Emmie, and a passionate home cook. I’m all about food and family and am happiest when I’m feeding the people I love. We live in a beautiful seaside community (remember CBC’s The Beachcombers? That’s where!) and it truly is a community where people look out for each other and celebrate together. Entertaining our great friends is a huge part of our lives; we love a good party where all the families come together and everyone has a great time!
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What was your experience on Recipe to Riches like?
Recipe to Riches has been an amazing adventure. It has been fun, challenging in ways I never imagined, and an incredible opportunity to test myself, push past my limits, and put my authentic self out there. It has been part of a huge personal journey for me. I’ve always joked that my motto is “hide the crazy,” but somehow I’ve managed to get my crazy all over CBC television!
What was the first thing that came to your mind when your name was announced as the winner?
Utter shock. I remember the world sort of stopping at that moment as I realized what Arlene had just said. The fact that these three judges – who I admire so much – had chosen me absolutely blew me away. I am still in awe at just having met them and to think they chose my food – and me! – to go forward is just incredible. Getting to hug them and thank them in person was such a highlight for me!
How did you come up with your Recipe to Riches winning recipe?
This is a twist on an old family recipe that my cousin in Italy wrote out for us years ago and that we’ve often made for parties. I changed the proportions and worked on the crust recipe so that it would stand up better to freezing and stay crispy when it’s reheated – adding cornmeal is one of the elements that gives it that resilience. And of course, I also put it on a lollipop stick to transform it into fun party food!
What were the biggest challenges and best rewards about being a part of the show?
The biggest challenge and the biggest reward has really been the same thing for me: it’s been having to get past my insecurities, my self-consciousness, my embarrassment and fear of looking like a dope. It’s been putting myself out there and just being me and being okay with that. For me, that was such a challenge and in the end incredibly liberating. Yes, I might look like a crazy person and let’s just say I may or may not have cried over a pile of grated cheese, but this is me – and I’m good with that!
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What are you most excited about for the future?
More crazy food adventures! Bring it on!
Can you give any tips to home chefs who aspire to be as successful as yourself?
As a home cook my passion comes from connecting to family stories and history through food. Food is so evocative of the people and places that came before us and is such an incredible way to reach back into our pasts. I love hearing about the food my grandmothers cooked; the food my parents grew up eating; I love talking to friends about their favourite dishes growing up. A great place to start is wherever your family calls “back home.”
Outside of your winning dish, what is your favourite food?
My mom’s polpetti – these beautiful little meatballs in a rich tomato sauce. They are love on a spoon. My mom isn’t Italian although she may have forgotten that. She always says things like, “Me and the other Italian ladies are getting together to make cannelloni,” and my brother and I would say, “Cindy, you’re from Saskatchewan!” But the truth is when she married my dad 50 years ago (literally… happy anniversary!), she learned to cook in Italy alongside my Nonna and Zias. Saskatchewan or not, she is the best Italian cook I know.
Finish this sentence. I love Toronto because…
…it is the scene of the most amazing culinary adventure of my life… and the place I met the most amazing people on this journey!
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What are three things you can’t live without?
Family, friends and a good bottle of wine. Oh, and my fennel green Le Cruset pot that my husband bought me as an anniversary gift. He knows me so well and knew I would much rather have that than jewellery.
What are some of your favourite restaurants and why?
I know this sounds like sucking up but, seriously, Vij’s in Vancouver has been one of my favourite restaurants for years. My husband Kelly and I lived in the neighbourhood before we moved to Gibsons and we’ve had many incredible meals there, spent a lot of birthdays and anniversaries in that fabulous restaurant, and spotted quite a few celebrities in the mix!
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Let’s get social for a mo’. How can people stay up-to-date with all your globe-trotting?
Yes! I am on Facebook, Twitter and you can check out my blog.
Congrats Elisa!
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Can’t wait for the next episode? We feel you! Don’t forget to tune in every Wednesday night at 9pm to catch Recipe to Riches!
What did you think of last night’s episode? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @ViewTheVibe.