Joshua Lurie-Terrell

For this interview, I addressed several questions about the current state of the culinary world and cooking in general to a number of well-respected chefs from all around the world, including my acquaintances John Paul Khoury and Patrick Mulvaney, here in Northern California.

Note: this is actually three questions for eight chefs and an added question about street food, which grows from my own interest in the subject, that a few chose to answer.

#1

Three Questions: What new ingredient or technique have you recently discovered, and how have you used it?

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Patrick Mulvaney, Mulvaney's B&L (one of the finest restaurants in Northern California) and The Crocker Museum's Crocker Café (Sacramento CA): New for us: whole sturgeon from Passmore Ranch in Elk Grove, stuffed with aromatics and slowly smoked on the grill. Used dried Hatch chile in pasta dough - bright orange. Mixed with Squid ink fettucine, served with mussels and andouille - we served Fear The Beard fettucine on Saturday night.

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Andrew Hunter, Culinary Craft: I’ve recently been doing a lot of sous-vide work that I do for high-profile chefs and culinary personalities. Sous-vide is a great technique for translating what they serve in their restaurants to large-scale production for retail sales. Ultimately this allows a broader base of consumers to enjoy delicious, all natural foods at home with manageable prices.

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José Cortes, chef consultant and chef de cuisine at Saudade, an excellent steakhouse in Albufeira, Portugal: For the past few months that I have been experimenting simplicity rather than complex and elaborate preparations (my school of cooking is Michelin starred cuisine, so you know it can be quite elaborate). I found that it would be so much tastier to try to eat food that is made with no more than 3 or 4 ingredients and if possible, only 3. For example, when preparing a farse, do not mix more than the base and another two more ingredients, keep it simple, it will taste better. Now, the trick is to mix the maximum of 3 perfect ingredients in everything you do. I did not succeed yet on everything, but I will sure keep trying.

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John Paul Khoury, corporate chef at Preferred Meats Inc. (Oakland, CA): Just started using a pressure cooker after all these years and just love it! Now we can decide to have blanquette de veau or daube of beef at the last minute! (sort of) ;-)

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Riz Redzuawan, executive chef & media personality, MXM International; executive chef, On The Table (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia): I recently just started using sous-vide cooking technique in my cuisine. And it works like magic. It's actually cooking food at a very low temp, 50-70° C in a thermal water bath, by placing it first in a vacuum bag. As for ingredients, (I've been using) Roselle, a kind of flower that's super rich with vitamin C, and has a lovely violet color. At my restaurant, I use it in a gastrique, jam and compote.

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Sandra Mallut, pastry chef & baker and chief sales consultant, Amoretti Ingredients (Los Angeles CA): I have been exposed to so many ingredients from working with Amoretti Ingredients, but I would say I have found black garlic to be absolutely amazing, and I use it for culinary and dessert options!

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Paul Fehribach, executive chef and co-owner, Big Jones (Chicago IL): I've become infatuated with transglutinamase and the endless possibilities. I've made ballotines that I otherwise would not have tried without it. You can make a farce, firm it with TG, and layer it with other proteins all bound together with TG. The results can be spectacular. I also have become a big fan of the gellan gums. I make a lot of gels out of them when I want a clean, true flavor as a component. Agar has a taste that can be cloying in some preparations, and I find that gellan works best when you want to set clear fluids into a gel so the flavor releases over time on your palate, rather than instantly as when you have a pure fluid. Agar still works best with many dairy applications, since gellan can have serious hydration problems in the presence of calcium ions.

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Kum Ng, founder of iiGREEN, iiCHEF, the Frameworkcooking methodology, and a Certified World Master Chef working at the University of Washington Department of Health (Madison WI): Frameworkcooking is a world cuisine innovation methodology/technique that was developed by myself after 10 years of research. I have used this culinary theory to create interesting and world cultural foods for the past decade in both Chinese and American kitchens.

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Connor Butler, chef & owner, Connor Butler (Vancouver BC; now unfortunately closed - this small place was one of the nicest, most personable and welcoming restaurants I've ever visited, and I hope chef Butler opens a new place soon!): Actually it's not a new technique, but this year I've made it a priority to kill and grow everything my family consumes. Hunter-gatherer/off the grid style, so if any technique has been employed more than others recently, it's been preserving and canning. My wife and I made enough pizza sauce, pasta sauce, ketchup etc for the year from our own organic heirlooms grown in the Similkameen. Harvested about 30 lbs a week for a month. Imagine never eating a processed item again … or, a zero-mile diet, if you will. That's where my head's been at.

#2

Three Questions: What's your take on the chef-as-celebrity phenomenon - do you think it is helpful for the profession overall, or is it just fetishization of consumption - and if the latter, is that necessarily a bad thing?

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Patrick Mulvaney: I don't know about the celebrity thing but think it is great that people appreciate our work, the boys and girls love the appreciation. And I think that attention helps cooks take their work seriously and makes the food better. The flip side we keep in mind is that is "just food" - keeping the tension of those opposing views helps too, it lets the playful side come out more.

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Andrew Hunter: Celebrity chefs are very good for cooking, restaurants and the culinary profession. Wolfgang Puck, who I have had the pleasure of working for, is the original celebrity chef. He’s beloved by the public and is a great role model for novice and experienced chefs alike. I think the key to his success is he’s a celebrity chef that can and does cook everyday. He has helped to make all chefs celebrities of sorts. If I’m out and about in my chef whites, people will stop me for cooking tips, recipes and with general questions about what it’s like to be a chef. Imagine what happens when Wolfgang walks down the street.

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José Cortes: When all eyes are turning to what you are doing, this is great, because you always make the best you can. Here in Portugal, the chefs aren't so mediatized as in Spain for example, so all the chef-as-a-celebrety phenomenon would be quite welcome so that our profession could be more respected by the public in general. The restaurant name is always connected with the manager, not the chef, as if the manager is cooking for the people... The more we can be under the lights, the better for our profession, yes, thank you.

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John Paul Khoury: I think it is OK as far as educating and if it is the real deal, but remember it is still a craft. There are people that are famous like Robert Duvall, and Paris Hilton. Both receive the spotlight. One has substance and one just has the spotlight. I have no problem with Jacques Pepin receiving but then you get some of these food personalities that are that and not necessarily chefs. I think the right message needs to be sent that if you desire to be a chef it is a 'blue collar' job - you'd better be ready to work!

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Riz Redz: I think its great as it puts the profession in the limelight and creates a whole new prespective in this industry. More talents can be cultivated as the career as a chef is getting much popular this days and looks cool.

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Sandra Mallut: (It) can be good and it can be bad. I don't like the egos that get in the way of pleasing people and that is what baking and cooking are to me. I feel we are doing this as our passion not a passion for getting a bigger head, getting on TV, getting a book deal, getting on Oprah. It is about feeding the hungry, feeding the masses and getting frosting on your face!

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Paul Fehribach: I hope that ultimately it will mean Americans are more concerned with the food they eat, and that would be a good thing. It all depends on the chefs the media chooses to popularize, but so far I think it's at least somewhat for the better.

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Kum Ng: As a world cuisine innovator of Frameworkcooking, I have an obligation to perform my responsibilities ethically and ecologically. I reserve my judgmental comments on other chefs. However, I believe in creating cuisines that bring health and love to the table, besides taste.

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Connor Butler: Celebrities are a sad bunch and I can't imagine any self respecting chef wanting to be one. Unfortunately, the catch-22 is that people aren't dining out or spending as much anymore. You pretty much need media support to grow your business but sell your soul to do it. damned if you do, screwed if you don't. 

#3

Three Questions: how does your cooking & food prep at home differ from what you do professionally? Are there things you make at work that you would never prepare for yourself or your family, or vice-versa? Why?

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Patrick Mulvaney: at home I use a french press and a bottle opener, at work the espresso machine and the metro rack. I don't usually saber Champagne at home.

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Andrew Hunter: I would never concasse a tomato at home! My culinary work is very focused on new product development, specifically sous-vide meats, sauces, marinades. I often test my work on friends and family because everything I do is designed to make home cooking easier and more delicious. My wife and I write a blog called The Family Table where we talk about home cooking that involves the whole family in cooking and eating. It’s gotten a pretty good following because the stories are fun and the cooking is very, very simple … roast chicken in a cast iron pan with potatoes, carrots, onions, whole garlic cloves and fresh herbs is my family’s favorite.

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José Cortes: At home, I do not take time to prepare the basics, so everything is a-la-minute and direct from the pantry and refrigerator. Only if we have a special occasion I do my pre-preparations for the event. Yet all is prepared with all the love and care. Everything is very relaxed, that's why...At work, all must be very well "mise-en-placed", the team must have all ready on time, everything must be in top shape and there is no space for failure, it is a quiet war, yet all is prepared with all the love and care as much as when we are at home. Everything is very focused on efficiency.

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John Paul Khoury: Well, now that my professional job has me preparing one dish at a time for evaluation purposes then it is not too much different, but I'd say when I was on the line that your misen place is different and there are much more garnishes, but I think there was always a cross over especially if the menu was mine.

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Riz Redz: cooking at home is more casual and relaxing for me. It'd be more instinctive approach. Cooking without a recipe. I let the ingredients inspire me, creating the flow. Dishes are simple, fresh and quick as opose to restaurant dishes that are are 'crafted' we build layer after layer of flavors, textures, aroma and gastronomic experience. So this take a lot of resources, manpower, skill and time to execute, something that we don't really have at home.

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Sandra Mallut: I do not do as much at home as the bakery is packed with all the latest equipment and I have all of my baking equipment there as well. At home I do make dinner and will do cupcakes, mini tarts and goodies for friends and any dinner parties that I have. I really enjoy working at my cake studio best.

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Paul Fehribach: I wouldn't say there's nothing I wouldn't prepare at home that I do at the restaurant, but at home I stick to simple, easy-to-prepare foods that have a high satisfaction factor, such as roast chicken or noodle soups. I think If most folks stopped thinking food has to be elaborate and cooking is complicated they would cook more at home. To me, home is for the simple foods and dining out is for adventure. Therefore, at the restaurant the cooking involves many more components and preparations, while at home, it's a simple main with a couple of simple sides.

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Kum Ng: Commercial environment emphasizes speed, consistency, and efficiency. Home environment has the liberty of time, variety, and artistic expression. Frameworkcooking brings balance and harmony applicable to both environments. 

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Connor Butler: I cook the same at home now. Basic french classics. Simple stuff, but execution is always important. 

#4

Three Questions: What is your view of the burgeoning street food scene in the United States? What would you say to local governments considering banning or severely restricting food trucks and carts?

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Andrew Hunter: I think anything that continues to raise awareness about local food prepared by local people at fair prices is a good thing. There’s also legitimate concern about food safety regulations and trucks encroaching on traditional restaurants. These are issues that the operators and regulators will eventually work out. My favorite vendor, hands down, is Roy Choi of Kogi BBQ fame. He’s a great friend, chef and ambassador for our profession. Please see my blog, Keep on Truckin’, about Roy and eating families eating together.

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Sandra Mallut: I think the street food scene is really cool. I live in Los Angeles and follow the grilled cheese and sweet trucks myself - they are awesome. It is a really great idea and I love the way it is developing. I do hope we have more. I would be very opposed to city governments causing issues for these businesses and would vote to keep them! I love the variety that they offer and OMG! the taco truck is yummy!

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Paul Fehribach: It can certainly help bring quality food to underserved areas, and that would be a good thing. On the other hand, it could potentially become a haven for careless cooks and a public health threat. My biggest question is how public health officials would be able to conduct pop inspections. Should they have to follow a food truck on Twitter to track it down? Maybe, but that has a price. I definitely think there is potential there for public benefit and hope that public health officials and regulators work with wishful operators to make it happen in a way that is good for both chefs and the public. It can be done. 

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Kum Ng: Cultural foods should be encouraged. They should be popularized in every corners of a community. I love all cultural foods especially their “soul” foods!

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Connor Butler: Street food is wonderful, I wish they'd let it bloom here in Vancouver. Portland is a fantastic example of what the west coast has to offer from those yummy smelling little kiosks scattered about. I don't hear anybody (worthy) complaining ;)

I've been a huge fan of the much-loved Second Avenue Deli since I first ate at the old location years ago, and I miss it very much as I live far away in a town without a single real deli (sacrilege, I know! the entire town should be razed for that ... or maybe someone could just open a deli). I look forward very much to visiting the new location when I return to Manhattan, but until then I will have to be satisfied with these words from Jeremy Lebewohl, one of founder Abe Lebewohl's sons and the current owner/operator of the deli. Many thanks to Jeremy's brother Joshua for helping with this interview.

New York readers should also note that the city has recently named the small triangular park in front of St. Mark's-in-the-Bowery (at East 10th and 2nd) "Abe Lebewohl Park."

Qu3stions: Have most of the recipes you use evolved from family recipes over time, or have you held onto original unaltered recipes for much of the life of the Deli? If they've changed over time, has this been more in response to the availability or cost of ingredients, or chefs' or customers' changing tastes? Were many of them originally Abe's? That cholent is absolutely terrific - I've never had another so perfect - I guess I'll have to buy the cookbook to learn how to make it myself, since I live so far away!

Jeremy Lebewohl: Abe devised the recipes based on his mother’s home cooking. We have remained true to the recipes, except rather than cooking for a family of 4, we now cook in a much greater quantity. (Editor's note: below the interview is Abe's original cholent recipe, which I can attest is excellent.)

3Q: Will the Yiddish Walk of Fame ever be moved, recreated, or expanded at the new location?

JL: For legal reasons, we are unable to remove the Yiddish Walk of Fame. We currently do not have sufficient room to re-create the Walk of Fame.

3Q: What do you see as the major differences between the West Coast and New York deli traditions?

JL: Every true diehard deli afficionado will tell you that nothing compares to 2nd Ave Deli.

3Q: a bonus question - can you tell us a little bit about Molly Picon and her special connection with the Deli? Was she friends with Abe, or a regular? I've always liked the playbills and photos on the wall - it was something to read and gave the room interesting character.

JL: Molly Picon was a Yiddish theater legend, and a long-time friend and customer. She graciously gave us a great deal of her personal memorabilia, which we are proud to display in her honor and memory.

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Abe Lebewohl’s cholent (serves 8)

Cholent was probably conceived in Europe many centuries ago, though some Jewish historians claim it’s even more ancient, dating back to the days of the Second Temple. A complete meal in a pot, it is traditionally made in advance and enjoyed on the Sabbath when cooking is forbidden. In the Europe of our great grandparents, every Friday afternoon, in cities as cosmopolitan as Cracow and Pinsk to lowly shtetls like Debreczin and Pinchif, Jewish housewives would prepare their choIent “tup” (pot) with all its wonderful ingredients, and then, off to the baker’s oven it would go. There, the kettles would remain warming until the next day when they were retrieved for a hearty lunch after morning synagogue services (the word "cholent" may be derived from the easily translatable German words, shule ende). In modern times, observant Jews leave their Sabbath cholent to simmer all night on the stove or in the oven.

 Though cholent is a traditional Sabbath meal, there’s no reason not to enjoy this scrumptious stew at any time. The Deli version is what Sharon’s grandmother used to call “am g’naiden!”—a taste of heaven.

Note: If you are preparing cholent as a Sabbath dish, and plan to keep it warming on the stove, or in 225º oven, overnight, you don’t need to cook the potatoes in advance as this recipe does.

• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 pounds stew beef (after fat is trimmed) cut into 3/4" pieces
• 2 tablespoons corn oil
• 1 cup yankee beans
• 11 cups cold water
• 1 cup red beans
• 2 tablespoons corn oil
• 3 cups chopped onions
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped or crushed fresh garlic
• 4 pounds potatoes, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch pieces, cooked, and drained (don’t use Idahos / russets, which fall apart during the long cooking process)
• 2 tablespoons corn oil
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 cup derma stuffing (optional), chopped into 1/2" pieces
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, tablespoon of salt, and teaspoon of pepper. Toss beef cubes in mixture, coating thoroughly. Cover bowl, and refrigerate for 4 hours or longer. 
2. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons corn oil, and brown beef cubes (it’s best to do it in batches, so all pieces brown evenly). Set aside.
3. Place yankee beans and 11 cups water in a large stockpot, and bring to a boil. Add red beans and stew beef, and simmer uncovered for 75 minutes.
4. Preset oven to 300º.  While beans and beef are cooking, heat 2 tablespoons corn oil in a large frying pan, and sauté onions until brown. At the last minute, add garlic and brown quickly. Set aside in a bowl.
5. Toss potatoes with 2 tablespoons corn oil and paprika, coating them thoroughly. Bake for 20 minutes. Set aside.
6. Add onions and garlic to the pot. Continue simmering for another 40 minutes.
7. Add derma, salt, pepper, and potatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes more, or until everything is fully cooked and almost all the liquid is evaporated. Add a little water, only if necessary to keep from burning. Cholent is a very thick stew.

Note: You can prepare cholent several days in advance and keep it in the refrigerator.

We start a short series of multi-subject interviews with three questions for a group of talented typographers, where we ask them a bit about their past, the current state of craft printing, and what they'd like educators to keep in mind while training future practitioners of the discipline.

#1

Qu3stions: What was the first typeface you owned or worked with? Was it metal or digital, and if you owned it, do you still - and if you still own it, do you still use it?

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Hugh Barclay, Thee Hellbox Press, Toronto ON: I started with 14pt Caslon roman and italic foundry type and still use them. 

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Victoria Pohlmann, Senior Designer at Russell Design, NY: Helvetica was surely the first font I used extensively: I was trained as a designer in the ’70s, after all. I use it rarely anymore, completely burned out on it, which is a shame in some ways. Now more likely to use Franklin Gothic as a go-to sans-serif workhorse.

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Dan Clark, printer and typesetter, The Glasgow Press: Sixty years ago, at the age of sixteen, I started my apprenticeship as a Compositor with a firm of Colour Printers, Gilmour & Dean Ltd., in Bridgeton, Glasgow, Scotland.

Most of my early years as an apprentice were spent hand-setting foundry type from typecases – I would reckon that there would be some twenty-two cabinets in G. & D. Ltd’s caseroom (each cabinet having four sections) and each section holding twenty typecases, working out at around 1760 typecases in that caseroom.

I can’t recall how many different typefaces there would have been. There was a lot, allowing for the fact that, e.g., Gill Sans series would have from 6 - 48 pt with all the sizes in between, and, of course, separate cases for bold, italic, bold italic, etc.

I recall some of the more popular typefaces in usage were Baskerville, Garamond, Times Roman, etc.

G & D Ltd. had a Monotype, but most of the typecases were filled with foundry type which was much more hard and longer-lasting than the lead and antimony that was used in making Linotype slugs or monotype. Founders-type had distinctive nicks on the facing-side as you set it up in your ‘setting-stick.

The specific question that you ask is “what was the first typeface I owned or worked with” – well, I did not own it, but the typeface I remember best, and liked most, was called Spartan. It was sans-serif and to me,  seemed very regal. It did not have a lowercase, but did have small-caps and was mostly used in event programmes or special invitations.

At Glasgow Press we have cabinets of typefaces with Spartan type among them.

One of the memories I have of those hand-setting days was the need to go searching through galleysof past jobs to find an “e” or some other letter which had been used-up from the typecase. What a difference   from the past when racks of galleys, with lead weighing tons were kept for repeat orders to today, when hundreds of jobs – invites, invoices, letterheadings, etc. – are stored on computer.

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Yvon Lantaigne, Studio Madillo and Fox & Found Press (also on Facebook), Vancouver BC: I lucked out in finding & buying 18 wood type fonts before even owning a press. My first project was a large wanted poster-style birthday card where I mainly used a selection of antique Tuscans. I have yet to get seriously busy with my printing, but I am fond of old Clarendons & Antiques.

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Paulette Myers-Rich, Traffic Street Press (also, boardmember at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts), Minneapolis MN: The first face I owned was ATF Caslon foundry type. I print letterpress, and still set by hand. I also have some Emerson metal monotype in cases from the Harold Berliner foundry that’s not available in digital format. It was designed by Joseph Blumenthal of the Spiral Press. These are both traditional book faces that I'll use from time to time. My house face is Perpetua, as I print a lot of poetry.

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Heather Wiese-Alexander, Bell’Invito Press, Dallas TX: For the life of me I don't remember exactly what it was. The first type I worked with in the non-digital world was on “the oldest Linotype machine this side of the Mississippi...” which is still owned by Alexander Printing in Delight, Arkansas. The san-serif metal type would drop in place with a ping after shooting across the rails of the tall, bulky,¬†iron machine. I still think it's such a beautiful piece of history. No making mistakes on that baby ‚Äì one mistype and you had to start over.

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Joe Borges, Pomegranate Press, Oakdale Ontario: Working in an ad agency the fonts I used were owned by them, but one of the very first digital fonts I ever purchased was Magneto from the Font Bureau. I was using it in a logo design for a coffee shop. Still have it, haven’t used it in many years. Seems so dated now. Now my first metal typeface was Clarendon 10 pt. What a classic font, love it, still own it and still use it. It will never go out of style.

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Jason Taylor, Thousand Pound Press, Richmond VA: The beginnings of my metal type collection came in the form of an entire cabinet of random cases. I was definitely drawn to the cases of Baskerville contained within more than any of the rest. I do still own it, and although I don’t do as much work with hand-set type as I used to, I still use the Baskerville from time to time. These days I'm usually printing client jobs, which means I print from digital files using either magnesium or photopolymer printing plates. Whenever I get a free minute in the shop to print something for myself I bust out the handset type and play.

#2

Qu3stions: What are your feelings about “craft” printing in this era of electronic prepress and document distribution? Is there room for real documents to be printed with the tools and techniques of the craftsperson, or is this kind of niche solely a fetish or collector's market? 

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Hugh Barclay: There are 20,000 titles printed in Canada each year, of those only 20 are printed letterpress and only 10 of the 20 are printed on acid free stock, only one or two books a year are printed on handmade paper. Now you decide which to collect, a Kindle books, throwaway books from Amazon etc. or letterpress books that are art forms that will last for 500 years or you get your money back. To add to this, by my count, there are only 6-10 letterpress studios in Canada printing books, there are many more presses, however, they choose to print broadsides, cards etc. not that there is anything wrong with that. I think that the more educated the readers become they will begin to appreciate the “outside the box” skills and dedication of letterpress printers.

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Victoria Pohlmann: There is definitely a place for the craft of bookmaking and letterpress, but it will by definition be a niche, but a valuable and enduring one - not going away anytime soon, I think. Wonderful to be able to buy hand-printed posters and other items from artisans all over the world, from their websites - love that irony of taking a very local hands-on craft global.

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Dan Clark: I feel, personally, that there is real beauty and true art in the work that can be produced by letterpress printing, which litho or digital printing could not compete with.

As a young printer starting out on my own with two old Heidelberg platens and a fair selection of typefaces, I then welcomed the introduction of an AB Dick litho machine and a platemaker – this got the job done, quicker and cheaper, and kept the customer happy. 

Now, thanks to a greater selection of paper and board, colour and quality - allied to what can be achieved with modern techniques in platemaking and traditional type, and of course not forgetting the skill of a good machine-minder, you have not only served the purpose, but you truly have a work of art.

In fact as has been said, “a work of art and joy forever, its loveliness increases and it will never pass into nothingness.” Not a fetish!

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Yvon Lantaigne: Notwithstanding the current popularity of letterpressed invitations and greeting cards, I believe and hope we will have fine printing for generations to come. Just as new printmaking presses keep being manufactured, perhaps we'll see the day where someone will undertake building a modern relief printing press for letterpress aficionados & the folks that buy their fine printed work.

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Paulette Myers-Rich: I’ve been a letterpress printer, book artist and teacher for 20 years and there are always wait lists for letterpress classes at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts. I practice fine printing as a part of printmaking, but I have friends who have small commercial job shops and they are always busy. There is nothing like letterpress when it comes to special occasions or identity pieces. It’s not a fetish market in Minnesota. People here know it and love it and use it all the time because we have some amazing designer/printers here, including a serious fine press book community. The combination of digital design and letterpress printing is in common use thanks to polymer plates, so commercial letterpress has actually expanded.

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Heather Wiese-Alexander: I wouldn’t say its solely for a collector’s market, but artisanal printing is definitely reserved to a discerning clientele, specifically because of the cost incurred by producing it. Bell’Invito was born out of appreciation for the craft and the desire to educate people about a dying genre of truly exquisite papers and the techniques employed to produce such hand-made products.

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Joe Borges: I think like everything else, craft printing has its place and I truly believe will survive. Sure the number of presses may swell and then deflate, but even through all the changing times, being in fashion and then out again, we’ll still be here.

In the end, with all the “electronica” we have, people still like to print off their digital files, we may even be printing more now than ever  because it’s so easy to rip a laser off. And because it’s so much easier to print now, there are more books being produced, but are they all great books? Just because you can now make an eBook and sell it for less does it create better quality or just degrade what’s out there? If you’re going to typeset and print a book (using letterpress) and spend the time, effort and money, it better be a great book. And a book like The Sentimentalists which just won the Giller Prize here in Canada shows that it can still live in this current world. It was a fully letterpress-printed book and it’s sold out. Not sure they’ll be able to meet the demand now that the prize has been announced. Even though the Giller is given for the writing not the printing, it’s  still it’s nice to see letterpress at the forefront. I just hope the fact that it’s a time consuming process and there weren’t enough copies isn’t what gets remembered.

In the end, that’s what letterpress is about: smaller runs, quality craftsmanship and more of a first-run or collectors item. Letterpress can’t meet the demand of a “million copies sold” book. But then again maybe that’s OK, it makes the books that are produced this way that much more special. Just like a hardcover to a paperback, you’ll buy a special copy of a book but you may also buy the cheaper paperback for the cottage, or a digital version for commuting. Either way there is still a place for letterpress printers. Besides, if the world ever goes off-line through some awful crash of the electronic world, how are we going to communicate ;) ? So yes, absolutely there’s room. Now more than ever, people are starting to realize technology is wonderful, but with a catch. I have a new Mac, the iPhone 4, AppleTV – I love gadgets. But I also value the ways we used to live. My wife and I love to garden, it keeps us grounded and connected to nature. And that’s what letterpress can do too – keeps us grounded. We don’t use any motorized presses, all ours are hand-powered. It’s OK to slow down a bit and enjoy the craft.

I want to see where the future of letterpress goes: contemporary design, sustainable practices and a little bit of current technology together with letterpress – that’s the sandbox in which I want to explore. 

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Jason Taylor: Honestly, I struggle to put a name to what type of printer I am – craft, art, industry. I print a fair volume of business items, and think that things like business cards, letterhead, envelopes, and so on are not outside the reach of letterpress. The “niche” is growing, and people are realizing that perfect, flat, computer prints are not what they really want. Imperfections add warmth. The bite from the press leaves texture and brings a volume to the page that you wouldn't otherwise have. People have been so bombarded with unnatural, unrealistic perfection through print, web, and other media that they are readily embracing letterpress.

Long story short, the machinery that I use makes me feel like I am an industry printer. The techniques that I employ make me feel like a craftsman. The design and thought behind what I do make it feel like an art. Maybe I am all three.

#3

Qu3stions: Do you have any suggestions for educators in the world of design / typography / printing / bookmaking - that is, can you think of anything that you’d like emphasized or introduced that you don’t currently see as part of these subjects’ curricula?

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Hugh Barclay: Philosophy to be taught: a) don't take yourself too seriously, b) look for the good and build on that rather than looking for faults and weaknesses. c) Allow your visual mind to create the design during that period between the first and second sleep. d) Tradition is valuable but progress is more important.

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Yvon Lantaigne: More and more art schools are adding actual letterpress programs within their design curriculum, I would like to see this expand to other non-art-specific institutions, high schools, colleges, as a subject of interest. The younger generations would benefit tremendously from being exposed to older methods of doing things, and develop a better appreciation for the electronic tools they work with today.

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Paulette Myers-Rich: If you teach graphic design, try to introduce your students to metal type and hand setting. Find a shop or class in your area where they can try it themselves or at least observe it being done. Among other things, it illustrates the origins of terms like leading, em space, upper and lower case, etc. Also, in letterpress, a font is not the same as a face. A font is a package of metal type, containing upper and lower case letters and figures (punctuation and other elements) and they are distributed in a California job case where the type can be kept for hand setting. Check out the MCBA website for more info or resources at mnbookarts.org.

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Heather Wiese-Alexander: As with most things, experience is the typically the best part of education. As an art major, I learned nothing about business. That was the biggest hurdle I had to jump as I transitioned from an employee to a business owner. All of us “artistic types” (as my dad puts it) would love nothing more than to produce and never have to worry about selling, but let's face it, the materials cost money‚ then there’s your time. So, excluding those willing to work for free, some practical knowledge of efficiencies of production and weigh in in cost, time, and market competitiveness would turn any great artisan into a stellar, promotable employee, or even successful shop owner.

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Joe Borges: Don’t forget to teach how things used to be done. Some of the technologies my be dated, but the theory and thinking behind it can add some needed tools that may be missed by just hitting the computer. Ideas should always come first, which may mean putting the mouse down and not just hitting Google for inspiration. Take a real pad of paper, a pencil and then create. If you’re a designer or an art director and can’t draw... learn to. It will give you an edge when you can figure stuff out a head of time. Remember the computer and Adobe CS are just tools. I see that as a missing piece in some schools and it’s sad. It’s as bad as someone who can’t tell time unless it’s digital.

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Jason Taylor: I would like to see more crossover between each of these fields. I teach letterpress and love it. My students keep me on my toes, force me to think critically about the numerous things that can go wrong in a print shop, and provide hours of entertainment. For future classes I have been trying to devise a curriculum that would incorporate the work of type design students, woodworking students, writing students and my printing students to form a giant collaborative. The woodworking students can use their skills to produce wood type of the designs created by the typography students. The printing students can produce works written by the English majors using the type created for the class. While each student will have his or her specific role in the project, they will also learn more about the entire process of publishing through working with the outside departments.

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And my own response to my question: I took a number of design classes in the undergraduate program at CSU Sacramento, and spent my entire sophomore year slowly and painfully taking apart, cleaning, and putting back together the previously-nonworking press in the design lab. I came back to school the following semester to find that the department had sold it to the great printer Judith Berliner (daughter of typefounder Harold Berliner in Nevada City, CA) of Full Circle Press. I certainly don't begrudge her taking the department up on the offer, but it was a sad day for the program, one they've never really recovered from in terms of their attention to typography, and I fear that more and more programs are cutting back drastically on the letterpress and typography foundations – or rather, what should be the foundations – of any serious undergrad design program.

A similar thing happened at my high school: after the old school building was torn down in favor of a new, ostensibly earthquake-proof structure, all the (beautifully maintained!) Linotypes, C&Ps, proof presses, type and ornaments were sold off. The Navy-trained printing instructor, who had spent years teaching two or three generations of designers and typesetters how to do run anything from a composer to a platen press, retired ... and that was the end of it. I'm worried that more and more the discipline is being moved from its necessary place as the foundation of typography and design training to a precious, cutesy side project, something to be oohed and aahed over in a museum setting.

I personally believe that the lack of design training at the high school level and the emphasis on technology/tools over craftsmanship in college programs means that most school-trained graphic designers from here on out are going to be missing the most important skillset they could possibly have. 

Karin Fong helped found - and is a director and designer at - Imaginary Forces, one of the most cutting-edge and typographically sophisticated design and production companies in the industry, known for their fantastic title and effects sequences for film, television and even video games. Fast Company magazine recently named her one of their “100 most creative people in business.”

Three Questions: The titles for Rubicon are unusually sophisticated – both in that they are technically very well-constructed, and also that they are especially visually interesting and very closely tied in with the program itself (the series, about government security analysts who specialize in pattern recognition, began its first season focused on a code embedded in newspaper crossword puzzles, a visual theme that runs through these titles). Did you start out trying to “explain” the entire premise of the show symbolically, or did that evolve during the creative process?

Karin Fong: I can’t say that we started out trying to “explain” anything—rather we were going after the feel of the show, a more visceral response. “Nothing is what it seems,” was given as an over-araching theme. The challenge was to engage the audience into looking closer and sensing something is not quite right.

The design process involved a lot of looking at secret codes, thinking of ways to suggest conspiracy and connections. Certainly the pilot episode was a good jumping-off point, for both ideas used in the scripts, and for the aesthetic. I’d  describe it very “manila envelope” - it has a little bit of a low-tech, government office look - but one that is definitely designed.

Stylistically, I wanted to keep a somewhat analog feel that brings to mind microfiche, overhead projectors - the show takes place in the present but the characters at the agency are constantly moving around scraps of paper in their quest for patterns, so we didn’t want a purely electronic feel. Other crime shows have a more forensic and techno approach, and Rubicon isn’t really about that. We were going for the  frantic scrawl of a mind making connections. This is much more about taking a double-take, like, “am I mad or is there a message in that want ad?”

3Q: How much freedom did you, as AD, have in picking the visual elements and themes used in the collage that frames the titles (and can you talk about who contributed the hand-drawn elements that move the narrative/direction of this title sequence forward)? Did the producers and director give you a lot of latitude, or were they pretty structured in their initial brief to you - and how does this measure up to the level of control you usually have in similar projects?

KF: Henry Bromell, the shows EP and showrunner, pushed for a really graphic approach. Right from the beginning he wanted the Rubicon’s title to have a distinct visual language. He and I agreed we wanted a cinematic solution that would speak to the show’s roots in classic psycho thrillers. We talked a lot about the main titles and sequences for films like the Parallax View - fantastic references! One of the first things I did after our initial conversation was watch the brainwashing sequence in that film. There’s something interesting about leading the audience perceive links that may or may not be there - messages could be found in what looked like mundane information, like the want ads. The idea of pattern recognition also drove a lot of our image selection.

The show’s producers and network allowed us the freedom to use abstraction to get the desired effect of paranoia. That is, we were free to take a strong conceptual approach with the visuals and thankfully not be tied to showing footage of actors and scenes from the show. That television convention has its place I suppose, but as usual, I find it more fun to play with metaphors to try and make something that speaks to the overall feeling of the show, rather than duplicate or re-edit material that the audience is about to see anyway!  Luckily we didn’t have explain anything literally either - and in the end, the sense of anxiety benefits from this. No photos of assassinations, bombs, or crashes - the threat is merely implied. A title is a tease! After all, what  you don’t show is as important as what you do.

I worked with frequent collaborators Theo Daley and Jeremy Cox on the final storyboards. Before that, the  initial boards had the slide show device to motivate the edit but the result was a bit cold—the information was there,  but it didn’t convey emotion. It was all a bit too cerebral. Add that to the fact that I wanted a black and white palette! This was on the way to being the opening of a Mensa convention. Networks want to see some drama. The yellow line was added  bring the human element in—now there was some nervous energy and a story to follow. And a pop of color as a bonus!  The personality of the line came through the its hand-drawn nature and its animated scrawl … a combination of handiwork by myself, Theo and our animators, J.J. Johnston and Andy Chung. We had another board based solely on the idea of shifting redactions, which Jeremy ultimately modified to be a major element in the final piece. Nothing says top state secrets like black bars.

3Q: How do you feel about so much effects work - including title sequences - being sent to offshore contractors? How will American firms be able to compete?

KF: It’s exciting to see inspiring work, no matter what country it comes from. It’s good to see other film industries grow - I have to believe that it will open up more doors, for all of us. I’ve been on calls with VFX companies halfway around the world when called to collaborate with them, and it really is amazing to have a pipeline that allows us to work together.

I hadn’t thought of the situation as a threat, perhaps because I see a need for more and more modelers and animators in both my own work and overall , as visual communication just keeps getting more sophisticated. I think the US can remain competitive by investing in the arts and arts education, and valuing both innovation and craftsmanship. We have to continue to build on the business of culture-making, an asset that other countries see in our economy.

3Q: A bonus question, contributed by a colleague of yours: What do you feel the role of a title sequence is in relation to a movie?

KF: Extra credit points! Well, it’s nearing dinner time, so that’s going to influence my answer. A title sequence is like a good hors d’oeuvre - it whets your appetite for what is to follow. Perhaps it is a taste of the story to come. Or maybe the strong flavor plays off the next course. After you’ve finished, you may think back and say “ah, that was the perfect opening note!” or “that flavor complemented the meal perfectly.” Like a great meal a good film opens with a sense of anticipation. Like a great  meal, viewing a film is an event. Why not treat it as such with a great title sequence? It can be very satisfying for all involved.

Darrell Steinberg is the President pro Tempore of the California Senate and represents California's sixth Senate district, which includes the state's capitol, Sacramento. In his twelve years in the state legislature and the six years he spent on the Sacramento city council prior to his initial election to the Assembly, he has been a tireless supporter of education and many of the region's most successful progressive social programs. Many thanks to Alicia Trost, Senator Steinberg's communications secretary, for facilitating this interview.

Three Questions: When you sat on the Sacramento City Council, you were instrumental in the launch of Sacramento's START program, which data has shown to be one of the most successful after-school programs in the country. How do you suggest - given the current state budget situation - that local entities start and
maintain similar programs? Do you see after-school programs like this being used as a "filler" when school programs are cut, or always as supplemental to well-funded public schools?

Darrell Steinberg: We launched START with a variety of funding sources and it has taken off to be a great success. To those trying to start new programs during these tough economic times my biggest advice is to be creative. You need to explore both public (local, state, federal) and private funding. When you begin a program with a variety of funding sources and it does well you are basically building a track record putting yourself in a strong position to make the case for more public investment when the economy turns around.

I see these programs as supplemental as opposed to a "filler."

3Q: As the most influential (and arguably busiest) legislator in the most influential state in the country, your schedule has to be crazy. How do you make time for your kids, to go to shul, work out (do you still play tennis or basketball?) or have hobbies and a non-political social life?

DS: I see representing Sacramento as an advantage because I don't need to spend several hours a week traveling home to be with my family.  I work endless hours Monday-Friday and then focus my attention on my family on the weekend.

I do squeeze in a morning run or a trip to the gym every day and I look forward to driving my two kids to school as often as possible. We attend Shabbat services as a family on most Friday nights at B'nai Israel where my wife Julie is the Cantorial Soloist. I love going to my son's soccer games on the weekend and checking out Second Saturday. I'm a baseball addict and love to watch the Giants or even better ... go to a game with my son. You can always find me shopping at the Nugget on Sundays. 

3Q: Your wife, Julie, says your first date was at a Russian restaurant in Berkeley. I grew up in Berkeley - I assume that must have been Volga on Oxford or Petrouchka up on College, both of which are now gone. What are your favorite restaurants here in Sacramento, both for a night out with the family, as well as going out with friends?

DS: Our first date was at Petrouchka Restaurant in Berkeley. We decided to meet at the restaurant and Julie got in a minor fender bender on her way there. She later told me I won her over because I called her that night after the date to make sure she got home safely.

Here in Sacramento:

Our family enjoys going to Ernesto's Mexican Food for fajitas.

Date night with Julie is at Celestin's - I always get the gumbo.

Riverside Clubhouse and Tower Café are usually my choice for hanging out with friends.

3Q: bonus question: do you keep a kosher kitchen?

DS: No, but I feel guilty about it.

Hoss Zaré is the equally talented and outgoing chef and owner of Zaré at Fly Trap, one of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco. Not only are the cocktails and food terrific - Persian and Mediterrannean recipes with a bit of French inflection, melded together to emphasize the boldest and most intense flavors you can imagine - but it's also one of the prettiest rooms of any restaurant in the city, both comfortable and antic at the same time. With unique dishes like his reknown pistachio meatballs, goat cheese cheesecake, bone marrow with bergamot jelly, kufteh tabrizi, and lamb shank abgusht - to name just a few of the dishes that reviewers have waxed poetic about - Zaré is fast becoming one of themost fashionable, popular and interesting restaurants in the Bay Area.

This week, Chef Zaré is recovering from a mild heart attack, and as a result had a small amount of time to respond to our questions. We hope his recovery is speedy and that he’s back on his feet soon!

Three Questions: Some might say you have a cult-like following. Do you get recognized on the street? How do you deal with hero worship? What do you think of chefs reaching sort of celebrity or local celebrity status?

Hoss Zare: I do sometimes get recognized on the street, but I feel that is not so much as a ‘celebrity chef’, but more as a familiar face. I really strive to create a welcoming and friendly environment so that when people come to my restaurant, they feel as if they are at home. I am honored to have regular return customers who appreciate what I do as a chef. In fact, I am happy to see that many long time patrons are now introducing their children to my cuisine!

As far as ‘hero worship’ and the new craze of celebrity chefs, for me, it’s less about my status and more about the experience I try to give to my guests. Everyone has an ego, but I believe that humility is extremely important. If you let success go to your head, it can ultimately be your downfall.

3Q: Of all the ingredients you use - sumac, pomegranate, grape molasses - do you find yourself needing things you can’t find here? Are there things you’d like to integrate, but you think they might not work with American clientele?

HZ: We are fortunate in California, to have access to just about everything - wonderful produce and a variety of herbs and spices. Some more rare ingredients are harder to find than others - angelica, sour grapes, etc. but eventually I find what I need to create interesting and unique dishes.

The American clientele, especially in a food minded city like San Francisco, has been open and willing to try cuisines from various cultures, Persian included. Increased knowledge and awareness through the internet have broadened people’s perspectives throughout the years. I believe food is an integral part of culture. Iran has over 2500 years of culture, but unfortunately it has often been overshadowed by political strife and regime changes. Through my cooking, I am happy to share some of that culture with the people of San Francisco. I feel fortunate that it has been so well received.

3Q: Do you see the richness and subtlety of Persian food finally gaining a foothold throughout the U.S. – either in pure form or in a modern fusion? Like Southeast Asian cuisines over the past 20 years?

HZ: I would definitely describe Persian food as rich, but I’m not sure I’ve ever referred to Persian cuisine as subtle. Our food is nutritious, well balanced, and seasonal, but above all else, bold and full flavored! It’s one of the things I love most about my cooking. That being said, I do see Persian food and it’s influences gaining popularity in the U.S. For example, Jean-Georges (New York) has integrated traditional Persian herbs and spices such as fenugreek, rose petal, angelica, and sumac into his recipes.

As I mentioned before, people are becoming more sophisticated and open minded to cuisines outside of their own. Everyday in my restaurant, I see Persian food gaining popularity not just with Persians and Persian-Americans, but with people of all cultures. I feel this is just the beginning and I predict that we will see even more Persian influence in American culinary culture in the next 5 years.

Chris Antista was the namesake (saying "Chris" with a mouthful of hotdog came out as "Crif") and one of two founders of what is arguably the finest hot dog joint in all of New York City - the East Village's Crif Dog. For more than a decade, Crif has been the measure of a good dog in a city that knows good dogs, and has singlehandedly revived the snappier, meatier, tastier Thumann's Jersey-style dog in a city that has been notoriously provincial toward non-New York dogs.

I've been a huge fan of Crif Dog myself ever since they opened, and until they started turning the machine off at night, I regularly held the high score on their Pac Man game. I live on the West Coast now, but my annual trip to NYC is never complete without stopping for a meal at one or two of my favorites - Katz's, the 2nd Avenue Deli, DiFara and Crif Dog.

Three Questions: Have you spent any time in Sonora, or have you worked with people who knew Sonoran hot dogs well - or did this just evolve parallel without that outside influence? Long-time Crif Dog fan Christian Schwartz, the New York typeface designer who introduced me to CD, is asking this after noticing that many of the Crif Dog toppings and flavor combinations are very similar to that style; as he writes to me "After all, the idea of combining bacon with anything at all is obviously going to result in something delicious!"

Chris Antista: I had never had the Sonoran style dogs, but my partner and wife both waxed rhapsodic about bacon dogs from their experiences out west on tour with various bands and my wife's college days in Tucson. It was a rarity on the east coast (remarkable, really!) to see bacon dogs prior to Crif Dogs championing them. Once we added bacon to the mix, many happy things happened, like my midnight invention of the Spicy Redneck for a drunken weed dealer who asked me to make him, "the best fucking hot dog you can." I did.

3Q: The dogs Crif Dog uses are far better, crunchier, more flavorful than what is often popular in NYC. Where do you get the dogs from, and how did you arrive at that particular choice? The Jersey-style fried dog tastes like a Thumann's, but the regular grilled is more flavorful and better-textured than anything else I've had elsewhere. What was your research process like while designing the menu and picking the dogs - have you tried Swanky Franks or Super Duper Weenie in Connecticut or Hot Doug's in Chicago?

CA: I grew up in North Jersey so the Texas Wieners tradition was in my blood from childhood experiences at Clixe's, Goffle Grill, Johnny & Hainges, Riverview Diner, Hot Grill (my fave) and countless other Greek-rooted chile dog masters dotting the landscape. I of course, wanted the same dogs, so I just went and looked in the garbage at Rutt's Hutt - sure enough, Thumann's, just like your sharp-palate detected. The all beef dogs are also Thumann's, just a different style. Our research was just eating and experimenting. I've always been a good cook: that and a copious amount of imagination and hunger-inducing weed smoking produced a number of awesome dogs. I worked on the sauce for months - batch after batch getting it just right. It's a very delicate balance of spices. I've never been to any of the places you mentioned - but I have done Demon Dogs for Chicago's sake!

3Q: This may be after your time at Crif, but can you talk a bit about the restaurant's relationship with Jim Power, the mosaic man (I love his pieces in the restroom at PDT)? I know he's gone through a crisis lately, and at one point threatened to remove some or all of his mosaics; some people in the neighborhood blame the businesses (and bars in particular) for the changing character of the East Village. What do you think is and isn't being done to maintain the feel of the area, and what can and can't be preserved?

CA: Jim was just the local provocateur and mosaic guy who was an acquaintance in the nabe. I had lived in the E. Village since my NYU days - Junior year on in the EV proper and watched from the front row as things changed. I can't comment on Jim and his cantankerous relationship with 'change' in general or his feelings of being used and then squeezed, but money will fuck anyone's head up and the quest to make that money will often include a few tears in your wake. It's cool to be poor until you realize how much cooler it is to have a Ducati and a wad in your pocket.

The East Village's metamorphosis has more to do with the city's fortunes than anything village-specific and, frankly, money is going to preserve the village - its boutiques, restaurants and bars give it tons of flavor - anyone who misses the squatters in the park or junkies robbing everyone is a moronic misanthrope who missed out on improving their fortunes with the neighborhood. I say fuck them. Move to fucking Detroit if you miss blight and grit. Fuck it, move to a million other places.

People always feel ownership for things they don't own: that's cool, but ultimately, if you don't become the steward of progress, then you'll be steering a ship of fools whose province has been pulled out from under them. That's the East Village. Of course, I hate to see a Citibank and Starbucks on every corner, but people should vote with their wallets and not patronize these places. Unfortunately, the down side to "progress" is the amount of soulless never-to-be-New Yorkers who move in and ultimately deprive a place of character (like Georgetown in DC! Or Boston!). What do I really think? I think I wished I bought a fucking tenement or two in 1991 when I moved to the East Village!

Mike Topp has been variously described as a "disablingly funny writer and a miniaturist of nervous precision," "richly irrational" and by Gary Lutz as "a writer’s writer’s writer." I just think he's very, very funny, and makes some tremendously subtle and deep observations about being human while at the same time being childish, crude and silly, in the spirit of the best Taoist poets. This is a rare and successful combination and I hope it brings many more people to his work.

Jens Risom is one of the greats of the Mid-Century Modern design movement. In the early 1950s, he helped bring Scandinavian furniture to the United States, and was one of the founders of Knoll; his chair designs were extremely popular in that era, especially after Lyndon Johnson chose one for the Oval Office in 1961, and are coming back into vogue again today.

My very good friend and colleague Stephen Coles had the opportunity to speak to Mr. Risom for an article he's just posted at his own blog, The Mid-Century Modernist, and we are lucky to be able to include their conversation - just a few more than our usual three questions - below.

Stephen Coles: First I was interested in why you originally decided to leave Denmark and come to America.

Jens Risom: It started when I was visiting my fiancé outside of Copenhagen and as I walked to the train station I saw a large black automobile and it turned out to be the American ambassador and he asked if I wanted a ride into town. I thought this interesting and yes I would like a lift. And he said he was interested to know what my plans were for the future. I told him I was going to study furniture design and hoped that there would be an opening for me. He asked if I had ever thought of coming to the United States. And that’s how it started. When I got back to school I thought more about it and decided it was something worth following up on. That is the reason I began to look for opportunities in the states. The one thing I did not do was to find out how difficult it would be to get going in the United States because as you well know there was no furniture design in the United States. There was no acceptance of contemporary design of architecture. I used to talk with architects who were unhappy that no one wanted their work. They had to Europe to buy furniture and it was a miserable thing for them. I was absolutely the first one to come from Europe and settle here as a designer in the United States – this was in 1938. Then I got going and got papers and got on freighter and got to New York just before the World’s Fair opened in 1939.

I came here without really knowing how impossible it was for a furniture designer to get going in the United States. I got a job, an interview with one of the directors of MOMA. He said her had no idea what I could do or why anybody would want me. There was nothing going on except he knew someone (Dan Cooper - ed.), one of the interior decorators, who was starting a textile business. If I should ever run into a guy who knew something about printed fabrics send him over. So that was my beginning as a furniture designer in the United States. I said I could get something together for him in a few days. I didn’t tell him I had never done any textile design, but I didn’t see any reason I should not have done it because it’s so close ... A few days letter I came up to him with a stack of sketches and drawing of simple printed designs. He looked at me and he said this is wonderful! This is exactly what I am looking for and I would like to buy these five of six designs. I said there is only one problem; I don’t have a table big enough to repeat this design. I see you have a table big enough. Could I work in your showroom? After the third day working in his shop I said Mr. Cooper you don’t have any furniture. Furniture is really my field, can’t we do something. I asked if he would let me show him some sketches and we talked about it and he picked out a table he thought would do. I talked to the craftsmen who were in the neighborhood and asked if they could make my models and they were happy to do it and they did a very nice job. When Mr. Cooper saw it he said well all right we could try it and see if anyone is interested. But my big support were these modern, young architects from New York who kept coming around Cooper’s office for a drink and crying in their beer because there were no customers and nobody bought contemporary things. It was really true, there was nothing going on at that time. You could have looked for a furniture designer and you wouldn’t have found one. I was very, very early and it was fortunate. So we made a few of these models up and a few architects came around and interestingly enough it was architects, never interior decorators. Interior decorators were only interested in more traditional design and old things and making things look old. Anything new or contemporary especially from Europe, especially from Scandinavia, and of course England too - they didn’t want it. That was really the story of how I got going here.

SC: So what make you interested in doing this reissue project at this time?

JR: There was always much more acceptance of modern design in England than here in this country. It was interesting that I should be in on the birth of contemporary furniture in the United States, but I was I guess. But, I have to admit that England has always been very close to my heart. I have been there many, many times. We had a company there, I worked there with people, what was his name, doesn’t matter- Gordon Russell and I got attached to them at one point. And we did a lot of work with my designs in London. And we love being there. There is something very closely connected between me and Great Britain. So it’s very wonderful and I am delighted it’s doing so nicely.

These things were designed and made many, many years ago. And it started with Jonathan buying up more than a hundred pieces on eBay before I knew about it. Then he came over and said I have all this and I intend to show it in my gallery and I would like to work with you. And that’s how we got to know each other.  I was impressed with his courage and what he’s been doing. So this is a very warm affair between me and your country because they are wonderful equality minded and design minded and when you find the right people hopefully it will be interesting. As you know he has had my things in his shop for a few years now in London with exhibits in various stores and I am very happy with that.

SC: and what - you've probably had other companies come to you asking to do reissues, and i'm wondering why this one seems to be the most successful?

JR: This is the one that came to me. It wasn’t anything I picked but I accepted the invitation to show there and was very pleased with the understanding they had of design. It was not important whether it was new design, but good design. And he is very knowledgeable at showing, and Scandinavian things and furniture especially. Now he will have more of an opportunity to sell and work architects and stores. So I am very optimistic about it and we look forward to it. I am very sorry that I’m not coming myself because I have so many friends in London and there is so much going on there, but that will have to be some other time or maybe some other life but I look forward to hearing about the opening.

SC: My website  is dedicated to furniture and design in the '50s and '60s - and one thing many of our readers wonder is how furniture is different today than it was then - besides just aesthetically - what do you think are the main differences?

JR: I don’t know that it is that different I suppose. We have two different kinds of contemporary furniture. One is Eames, which is a totally different type of design and production and use of wood. The other is _____ and they are both American and developed new ways of doing furniture and new shapes, new ideas. Most of them and me included did it at the time. We knew each other well and admired each other. This is a problem in your country and mine. We need to get people to get used to not looking for traditional designs. Of course the whole thing started with Chippendale. Most of his designs were basically architectural, fitting into the houses, fitting in to the shape of living, fitting into people and so on and I think that is where British furniture shows up so well. As far as I am concerned England is a charming country and I like to work with them and that is what we’re looking forward to doing with Rocket. I hope people will come to see it. I hope people will come and take advantage of sitting in the chairs and using the tables and cabinets because it’s all designed very much for contemporary people, us, you and me to use and live with. I think maybe that’s one of the reasons I’ve been lucky to find them to still have this furniture selling or still being bought o many years later. Of course you are familiar with the Knoll furniture… Then I started my own company designing and manufacturing. But as I think I said my work was always with architects much more than interior decorators or designers because they appreciated my refinements and the combination of periods and all of that.

SC: do you have your own furniture at home?

JR: I have all of my own furniture in my own home with the exception of three of four pieces from designers I was close to. I went to design school in Copenhagen and my two closest friends in my class were Hans Wegner and ___ doesn’t matter. I knew the teachers and instructors as well and my father was an architect so I had lived with that for years before I got actually into it. I left Denmark in 1938 and I’ve had a wonderful time every since. I am happy here I’ve been accepted in this country, in both design and manufacturing and also business connections . We started a different way of manufacturing furniture by producing machine made parts for some of it and hand made parts for some wherever it would seem most practical, but it was a new way of producing good quality furniture by using the best methods and translating that to machining and to handwork so that the final combination comes out well. I think my furniture has been recognized as of very high quality and that’s of course the way it should be and the way I wanted it.

SC: I have one last question before I let you go - are you still designing or drawing today?

JR: I am always close to a piece of paper and a pencil. I must say I find myself surrounded by strange little details that give me ideas I thought about at one time. I would say I am staying very much abreast of it and sometimes ahead of it. People say to me “what do you mean you still design furniture?" and I have to tell them I do. I think furniture. I wake up in the middle of the night thinking of a particular detail I would like to incorporate in something I’m working on. It is a very healthy and attractive feeling.

The whole thing is about educating the people who buy furniture to do it the way it was done many, many, many years ago. People expected to buy the present style of the present time and that’s the important thing.

 
Lance Krall is the funniest person I know, and I hardly know the guy. Best known for playing DJ Lance on VH1's Free Radio and the extremely flaming Kip on The Joe Schmo Show, he specializes in irritating, slightly retarded but ultimately lovable characters - not unlike his true-life self. He is a new father, has been a competitive martial artist, and looks great in tights, as you can see above. His mother spied on the North Vietnamese for the American government during the war and I hope will someday be interviewed here.

Three Questions: Did you get to work closely with Steve Martin on The Downer Channel? Had his work had much of an impact on your own style, or did it change the way you worked after your experience at TDC? I'm assuming you may have been a little starstruck since this was your first big break after your success with Whole World.

Lance Krall: I worked with Steve Martin quite a bit when I was filming The Downer Channel. As you alluded to in your question, this was my first big gig and I was beyond starstruck. Steve has kind of a guarded personality, so none of us ever really got to know him very well outside of work. He was always encouraging and respectful on the set, but there wasn't any "Hey kids, let's get some drinks and yuk it up after we wrap." Actually, he took us all out for drinks once. He had a bottled water and left after about ten minutes. Like I said, very nice, but guarded.

I think the biggest impact that The Downer Channel had on me was that it taught me to trust my instincts. There were a lot of times on the set where I would just defer to people that I perceived had more experience than me, including Steve. Afterwards, I realized that Steve Martin was just really good at being Steve Martin. His direction and suggestions were right for him, but not necessarily right for me. This was pretty instrumental in giving me the confidence to create my own work.

3Q: Could you actually be friends with Kip or Lance in real life? Aside from your racist twitter alter-ego, what's the most irritating character you've ever played?

LK: I love DJ Lance. He is basically my wife with a Member's Only jacket. I don't know if I would want to hang with Kip, but apparently everyone that worked on Joe Schmo did. We had to stay in character on and off the set for two weeks when we shot the show. When it was finally over, everyone finally met the real, non Cuban, straight me. They were disappointed. I kept hearing, "Awww, I miss Kip. You're boring. Be him again!" Fuck those guys.

Probably the most irritating character I ever played was myself on The Cindy Margolis Show. UN WATCH ABLE.

3Q: With your new child and your recent professional successes, do you still have time to compete in martial arts competitions? What is your training/practice regimen like?

LK: I stopped competing in 1996, but I still train. I am actually gearing up for a martial arts comedy so I am training quite a bit. I can still kick most people's asses on any given day, which makes me very happy inside.

Jason Rotairo (above left) and Ed Chui (above right) are the Adobo Hobo, a two-man (and friends) operation serving delicious Filipino food to hungry folks all over the San Francisco Bay Area. Their success - due as much to their fantastic food as their relaxed attitude and sense of humor - is a good example of the rising popularity of street food (a staple of most countries) in many American cities.

I first ran into Jason and Ed at Oakland's Eat Real in 2009; this Jack London Square event was one of the most successful street food festivals ever produced, far superior to the similar event held in San Francisco. I look forward to trying their adobo again at Eat Real 2010, coming up at the end of August.

Qu3stions: Where do you get your recipes? Are they family hand-me-downs, the result of rigorous testing, or did you just try something from a cookbook? Have you had to adjust them for the restrictions of street food cooking/serving?

Jason Rotairo: I've gotten all my Filipino recipes from my mother. Now, she doesn't know how to cook everything, but everything she cooks is pretty much the best. I never noticed how great her cooking was because I grew up with it, but after trying Filipino food from restaurants and other households, I'd say Mom-Dukes got it on lock.

As far as adjustments, the only thing I've had to was figure out measurements. I'm sure most moms teach without measuring and rather by eyeballing everything. I figured if I was going to be making large quantities of food on a regular basis, I might as well keep things consistent.

3Q: Would you like to offer any other Filipino dishes from your cart/stall? Are there particular recipes or styles of cooking in the Philippines that lend themselves to street food (and is there a big street food culture in the Philippines)?

JR: We occasionally serve other dishes on our outings like sisig tacos as well as adobo tacos. There are other dishes I will be putting out, but everyones gonna have to wait for those.

There is a huge street food culture in the Philippines. I've been there 5 times and have been a huge fan of the street eats since first trying them back in 1990. I used to always get the BBQ pork on the skewers. Street food is very common there so it's not as big of a deal as it is here in San Francisco. A lot of Filipinos who pass by get surprised when they see the Adobo Hobo doing the streetfood thing. They say it's like back home.

3Q:How did you get into this business, and how did you end up working together? Have you had any cooking-related disagreements, and if so how did you reconcile them?

JR:Things got started late July of last year. My roommate, Ed, and his girlfriend, Amy, had just got home from hunting down the creme brulee cart and wanted to give it a shot. I'm the cook of the house so they really wanted me to be the guy behind the food. I was low on funds so I was open to the idea. A week later, we hit the streets, and have been doing it since. Now it's just Ed and I working on this thing.

We haven't really came across cooking disagreements probably because we focus on Filipino foods and he's Chinese. Ed hasn't really had too much experience with Filipino food in the past, so he's not too familiar with different dishes. Both of us love to eat and appreciate good food, so as the food I'm cooking is good, there isn't really much of a problem.

Creative Commons-licensed photography by Gary Soup

Usually we ask questions, but given that Jane Jacobs passed away in 2006, we will have to try a different technique: below are three questions - and Jacobs' answers - taken from some of her best interviews over the years.

"Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody." - The Death and Life of Great American Cities

For those of you not familiar with her or her work, Jane Jacobs was an activist and writer who focused the majority of her attention on urban planning and arresting the decay of urban spaces. Her most important book is The Death and Life of Great American Cities, which remains to this day the must-read for anyone with even a casual interest in planning and urbanism. She is also well-known for her activism, principally against gentrification projects that could destroy unique local neighborhoods.

from Reason, June 2001; interviewer: Bill Steigerwald (BS)

BS: What do you think you'll be remembered for most? You were the one who stood up to the federal bulldozers and the urban renewal people and said they were destroying the lifeblood of these cities. Is that what it will be?

JJ: No. If I were to be remembered as a really important thinker of the century, the most important thing I've contributed is my discussion of what makes economic expansion happen. This is something that has puzzled people always. I think I've figured out what it is.

Expansion and development are two different things. Development is differentiation of what already existed. Practically every new thing that happens is a differentiation of a previous thing, from a new shoe sole to changes in legal codes.

Expansion is an actual growth in size or volume of activity. That is a different thing.

I've gone at it two different ways. Way back when I wrote The Economy of Cities, I wrote about import replacing and how that expands, not just the economy of the place where it occurs, but economic life altogether. As a city replaces imports, it shifts its imports. It doesn't import less. And yet it has everything it had before.

from Government Technology, 2003 and widely reprinted; interviewer: Blake Harris (BH)

BH: A prevalent view today is that the old Industrial Age economy is now being replaced by an Information Age economy and that this new economy will somehow work differently. Your book starts from a very different view: That economic life is always ruled by basic processes and principles that we have not understood properly.

JJ: Well, as for there being a new and an old economy, defined in the way you just did, I think that this is the change that people are groping for: A lot of the production work, design work, economic work that is being done now has a much higher proportion of what we call human capital in it and a much lower proportion of natural resources and other materials in it than in the past. And that is an important change that is very promising for sustainable economies because, after all, human capital - the experience, the skills, the inspiration, the imagination that goes into these things - is not a resource that is subject to the laws of diminishing returns. The more human capital is used, the more it grows.

The smaller the amount of material in things that are used, the metals and so on, and/or the cheapness and ubiquity of the materials that are used – I'm thinking of silicon for instance -- the better. Better for the planet and better for us. So there is a change that has been occurring. It hasn't occurred as abruptly as people think. It has been happening for quite some time. It is comparable and is of the same sort of order of change as the change from craftwork to mass production. There was a time when people made one pot at a time or one pottery lamp at a time. And of course that changed even in very ancient times to mass production of pots. This kind of thing keeps happening in economic life. But that doesn't mean that the rules that govern the economy are actually changing. What we've just been talking about are all instances of development. The actual things that development produces change, and even the methods by which people make the things change. But the process of development, the process that yields these methods -- that doesn't change. That is what we can't transcend. And that is what we have to pay attention to.

I don't think I've been complete in any way in describing everything to do with development. That is a huge subject. But what I have tried to do is mention the underlying or overriding nature of the process. And the word nature is deliberately used both ways here because it is a natural thing. It is universal. I see economic development as a form of natural development. It follows the same rules. What is develop ment in nature? It is differentiations that are arising out of prior generalities. This is what evolution is, or is a definition for it.

Even before evolution was worked out by Darwin and others, embryologists picked up glimpses of this process, for instance. And they arrived at that notion. It applies to the development of life, the development of species, both animal and plant, the development of an embryo of any kind, including our own. Also to inanimate sorts of development. The features on the face of the earth are differentiations arising out of previous generalities. And this is how economies develop too. Long ago, when somebody picked up a stone and pounded a shell with it to get it open, the stone was a found generality. But when people began shaping the stone somewhat for various purposes, like prying open the shell or making a spear point, those were differentiations. And to move forward to today, the Internet is a differentiation from quite a number of generalities. So the second point about natural development is that as a new differentiation arises, it becomes a generality in its turn.

from Metropolis, March 2001; interviewer: Jim Kunstler (JHK)

JHK: You lived through most of the 20th century and it must make for a dizzying view of contemporary history. For instance, you’ve seen pretty much the whole rise of the automobile from its days of stupendous promise before WWII to its utter savaging of the American landscape and townscape. Can you tell us how your own view of the automobile and its consequences evolved and if your view changed over the decades of your life.

JJ: Well, my family had an automobile before I was born even. My father was a doctor and he needed an automobile to get around. A generation earlier, it would have been a horse and buggy. This automobile was a tool of my father's, just as much as the bag he carried. We never thought of it as an all-purpose conveyance. For instance, if we wanted to go to downtown, which was two miles from where we lived in Scranton, we went down to the corner and got the streetcar. We were never chauffeured to things. When my father's office hours started coincided with one of my brothers and me being in high school very close to where he worked, we used to ride down with him. And once in a while our family would take a trip. I remember when I was four years old going to Virginia in the car to visit his relatives. Oh and I saw how the White House lawn was cropped in those days – there were sheep on the lawn in those days.

I didn’t see the automobile as a pernicious thing. I saw what was happening to the roads as a pernicious thing – the widening of roads and the cutting down of trees and then later on of course knocking down buildings, existing buildings. It was the roads I saw as being the destroyers. Perhaps that is a foolish distinction to make. The automobiles weren’t running into the houses and knocking them down, the automobiles weren’t cutting down the trees and so forth. Again, I’m not an abstract thinker, as you can see. The immediate concrete thing was what the roads were doing.

Christian Caiazzo is the chef and proprietor of Osteria Stellina, a small Italian restaurant in Point Reyes Station, California. Stellina is particularly noteworthy for making all - or at least the vast majority - of its dishes from ingredients that are produced within 50 miles of the restaurant; it is also noteworthy for producing interesting and above all mouthwateringly delicious food. Christian also has a grilled cheese sandwich stand (GBD, aka Golden Brown Delicious) at the Point Reyes Farmer's Market, and is the owner of Toby's Coffebar.

Osteria Stellina was recently named one of the top 100 Bay Area restaurants (although it deserves to be in the top 10, and is one of the two best restaurants in Marin County, as well).

Three Questions: Did you always know that you wanted to own an Italian restaurant, and was the idea of basing an entire menu on locally-sourced ingredients something that had already interested you previously? I understand you worked at Postrio in San Francisco and the Union Square Cafe in New York; was your interest in local ingredients inspired from these well-known restaurants, or was it more a reaction against what you saw at those businesses?

Christian Caiazzo: I have wanted to own a restaurant for maybe 30 years, but what I have now is nothing like what I would think about when younger. From my training, I figured that the way to have/run a restaurant would be much more in the style of the places you mentioned. The reason for the restaurant I have now has much more to do with becoming very political within the food world, recovering (for the most part) from a horrific car accident & often being stuck without decent food options in many American small towns with my family.

I have a theory that tons of food goes to waste each year next to people in fields and forests because most have no idea of what is around them. We serve wild chicories, stinging nettle & miner's lettuce, when in season, to utilize a very small part of what is growing wild around us. This is nothing new or impressive to the cultures that have done this forever, but with the proliferation of national food distributors and the eating public increasingly becoming a mono-culture ... I felt that something had to be done to prove that even in a small town, where most restaurants rely on quesadilla, fish & chips and burgers to fill their clientele, it can be done.

3Q: I was really impressed with the genuine friendliness and familiarity with the menu and ingredients that your staff showed when I ate at Stellina. What have you had to do to get such an excellent front-room and kitchen staff? Have you been able to hire many locals, or have you had to lure specific people in from elsewhere?

CC: Firstly, I am so glad that is the experience you encountered ... it is my dream that Stellina shines as a representative of Pt. Reyes through our food, warmth in service and willingness to share information on the area.  Most of our staff are very local and many live only a few blocks away, like I had for some time. (My daughter, whose middle name is Stellina, was born at the end of the restaurant's cross street, 3rd street). I hope to convey trust, caring and the belief in personal responsibility to my staff and they in turn do the same to our guests. It isn't easy, but offering health care benefits, free employee meals & honest management is a start. Many came from Nick's Cove after they had a large decline in business when their first year ended. We are always searching for great help, but have been very lucky so far.

3Q: Of all the various local products you've tasted, tested and experimented with, what are your favorite new discoveries? Are there any ingredients that you would really love to be able to get locally, but just cannot and must do without?

CC: Some recent things we have tasted: fresh handmade organic mozzarella from Kuba (Hemmerling), cheese maker at Pt. Reyes Original Blue (I call it Kubarella); loganberries from a friend of a friend's farm in southern Sonoma county; taking part in/harvesting lambs from farm in Marshall (6 every other week) - including their internal organs - liver, hearts, tongue, kidneys, etc.; agretti from Annabelle of La Tercera farm in Bolinas.

There isn't anything I can think of that we want but don't get, maybe some wines, since many from Italy are so much cheaper, amazingly enough. If something is really cost prohibitive, we try to find another way, like buying whole animals or dividing several ways to recover the costs (using it for our coffeebar - Toby's CoffeeBar) or GBD - our grilled cheese stand at the Point Reyes Farmer's market.

Kevin Stewart is currently the style and fashion director for Men's Fitness and ESPN The Magazine. He's worked in a variety of design and fashion-related roles in publishing, at Details, Vibe, Gear, Savoy, and Essence magazines; he also worked as the manager of Creative Services at Joseph Abboud. He recently co-founded Roger Charles New York, a high-end mens shirtmaker, and is the proud daddy of twin daughters who will no doubt grow up to be spectacularly stylish.

Kevin is also known in some circles as "Professor Badass" due to a particular photograph taken a few years ago.

Three Questions: Women have a much wider selection of available clothing/styles - especially compared to mens' workplace clothing, which is often a very restrictive uniform in contrast. Why are we, as western men, so trapped by convention? I find that when I wear something unique, other men admire it quite often, but usually confess that they are not "brave" enough to try and wear something like that. If something is beautiful and makes you feel beautiful, why would it require "bravery" to wear it? And how do you think the corporate / professional workplace could benefit from men being more creative or individual in their dressing?

Kevin Stewart: To your point of western men being trapped. I think younger men have the best chance of what you call bravery. Guys now seek out style information. They are not afraid of looking good. We're also as men not ashamed to talk to each other about style.

Yes, as men we have fewer choices, but we have choices within the confines of masculine dressing. Some of us have to wear a suit as our uniform. The only place for expression when wearing a suit is in the cut. Single- or double-breasted. Two button or one button. The shirt and tie combination. The shoes worn. The watch. Pocket square. Attention to these details sets a man apart from other men. Standing out or being and individual can be subtle, yet effective.

Men do care and put and effort in to their appearance. Men are not afraid of the word style. It's apart of our lives. We as men do care. I only ask that men use good taste and common sense. Take note of others, learn from guys you respect. Men fully know that our appearance will get us in a door, open opportunities and attract others to us. Guys want to be attractive.

The workplace has limitation on self expression. Depending on the profession. If a guy works in a creative field he has a lot more room than a lawyer or CFO. A guy has to be appropriately dressed for the situation. I also believe there has to be a comfort level to dressing.

3Q: What makes the currently available Roger Charles shirts different, and can you tell us about future plans for new designs?

KS: The Future of Roger Charles Shirts New York Is on hold due to the economic climate. We still believe in producing fine shirts in The United States. I'm a big fan of things made in America.

3Q: Are there any new fabrics or textures you've worked with recently that you have found especially appealing or interesting? Are there any you'd like to but have not yet had the opportunity to wear or work with?

KS: Can't really say. I have not put on my shirt-making hat in a while. When I do it will really depend on the mood that I'm in at the time. Or what I'd like to be wearing. Sometimes it could be the music I'm listening to,or a concept I'd like to explore. We will see.

3Q: I usually only ask three questions, but I have one more for you: how do you feel about the "Professor Badass" meme, and the adulation that your own personal style has received as a result?

KS: Its funny that you've seen that photo. That was one moment many of my exploration of style. The beard I wore at the time had taken on a life of its own, and grew in salt and pepper. It made me look years older than I am. It just made sense to look that way at the time. I also had a thing for the civil war. It's a long story. Dressing for me is fun - it is a part of me. If other people get what I'm doing, great. That's always been my approach to dressing. "Professor Badass" will always be a part of me. It was very cool that I was given that name for that photo.

In the field of publishing I've had the liberty to try out different styles. Deep down I'm an updated-traditionalist. I believe in the tradition of looking good as a confident man.

Special thanks to Mark Teemer for his assistance with this interview.

Thy Tran is a chef-instructor and food writer living in San Francisco. She is the founder and executive director of the Asian Culinary Forum, a nonprofit dedicated to educating the public about the history and culture of Asian food around the world. Her writing has been featured in The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Fine Cooking and Saveur. Follow her recent forays into the hot, sweet, and sour world of pickles at Pickle Power.

Three Questions: You've traveled all over the world, talking to farmers and cooks and grocers, seeking out interesting food and recipes. Where were you most surprised to find something really sophisticated or interesting? What was your most unexpected food-related travel experience?

Thy Tran: Hmmm ... where to start? So many wonderful memories.

Sophisticated is relative, so I'll stick to the most unexpected. When I was walking around in northern Laos, I kept seeing these dark strips hanging high up on electrical lines in front of people's homes. It took me days to figure out that they were leather. And even longer to understand that those little dried bits of water buffalo hide were not for making sandals but were, in fact, the not-so-secret ingredient in jeow bong, a spicy-savory chile sauce that I was enjoying at practically every single meal. Also in Luang Prabang, I had sheets of fresh-water algae -- riverweed? -- that were spread thin, dried, sprinkled with aromatics and sun-toasted crisp. Like nori, but a thousand times tastier. I would go all the way back to Laos just for those two simple, elegant, delicious foods.

Hired as the first employee at Six Apart - the makers of Movable Type, Vox, and Typepad (which this site is run on), Anil Dash is a technologist and entrepreneur who writes and speaks widely on new media related topics. His current passion is Expert Labs, a non-profit organization that aims to help policymakers identify and communicate with experts on a wide variety of technical and policy topics.

Three Questions: 6A seems like it has been an incubator for bright, motivated, interesting people, a disproportionately large number of whom have gone on to either found or be instrumental in other exciting projects. Did Mena and Ben hire you, and if so did you have to sell yourself to them or did they come to you knowing that you were what they wanted? What do you think made them such good judges of character and ingenuity?

Anil Dash: Ben & Mena hired me, but we'd known each other (online) before they started Six Apart. So the process was much more of a "why should we trust you with our baby" vs. a "what are your skills and where do you see yourself in five years" kind of thing. Meaning, I think they thought I had the right abilities, but were just worried about trusting any outsiders at that point.

For my part, I didn't really do any selling, per se. I just said I'd work for them for free until they felt they could trust me, and that turned out to be a very short period of time. The first indication that I had that they trusted me to be part of helping support their vision was that they cut me a personal check from their own savings to pay me for helping them. That's real bootstrapping, and a real testament to how much they've been willing to believe in and invest in my career, and I'll never forget that.

I'm not sure they're good judges of character -- I was able to slip past their defenses! :) Seriously, they just really do follow the golden rule and look for people with a sense of humor who are willing to work hard. At least in the early days of a company, it's as simple as that. And it worked great -- a lot of the people I worked with at Six Apart are among my closest friends, and some of the smartest people I've ever met.

3Q: Expert Labs focuses its energy on the federal government, but I've seen first hand how state government policymakers can be even less clued-in to how technology can best be used to facilitate both communication with constituents and citizen participation. Is there room on your plate for state government-focused work as well, or will someone else need to run with that?

AD: Right now, our work at Expert Labs is focused on the federal level as our initial mandate. But part of what we think we can do is make our technology platforms widely available (ThinkTank, our flagship platform, is free and open source for anyone to use) so that other agencies, state and local governments, and even private companies and individuals can use it. Plus, we're also sharing what we've learned, which in many cases is the most valuable thing we can provide to a state government. Gina Trapani is our Project Director for ThinkTank, basically acting as our CTO, and during her work in founding Lifehacker and Smarterware, she's helped more people make smart use of productive technology than possibly anybody else on the web. So we've got the right team for the job when it comes to sharing what we've learned.

We also have some kindred spirits in groups like Code For America, which Jen Pahlka is leading to provide a "civic suite" of software for the municipal and state level. They're sort of a civic sibling to Expert Labs, and I can see all the tech and know-how that we create becoming part of their offerings for government that's not at the federal level.

3Q: You totally rock the bright colored shirt and dark suit look. Do you dress yourself? Got any fashion tips?

AD: I think that's the first time I've ever gotten a fashion question! I love bright, saturated colors, and being a brown-skinned person (often the only one onstage at a tech event), I can usually pull them off pretty well. I like the contrast with a dark jacket or suit, especially since a bright shirt on its own can seem a little too informal. While I'm always presenting for the people in the room, I am increasingly aware that most people who see my public presentations see me on a YouTube or streaming video of the talk, so I tend to wear bright colors because I think it helps my motions and gestures pop a little bit. That might just be psychological, but even if it's only in my head, it still helps the presentation, and I take public speaking pretty seriously.

I do dress myself, my wife and I joke that of the two of us, I'm much more the clothes horse. She's a great dresser, but doesn't really like shopping or any of that stuff, whereas I have no qualms about standing at a tailor for half an hour to get measured for a suit.

I'm not sure I'm in any position to give fashion advice to anybody else, but there are a few things I've always tried to keep in mind. I try to focus on fit, which is basically about ignoring numbers and what you *think* your size is and actually really looking to make sure an outfit is hanging correctly and draping the right way. In terms of color, my personality is pretty unrestrained and not at all shy, so bright colors and slightly more distinctive accessories are my style, but really you have to wear clothes (and shoes, and ties, and jewerly) that you feel confident in, so you can rock what you're wearing.

The last thing is to keep an eye out. I work and live in Manhattan, and between going to dinner in the East Village and going to meetings in Midtown, you can see a dozen amazing looks in a day, most of which aren't even expensive. Sometimes I make a mental note of what details I should look for the next time I'm shopping. Then it's just a matter of "how would I incorporate that into my own personal style?" and you're all set.

Creative Commons-licensed photograph by Joi Ito

Chandler Burr: James Fallows once said to me that the joy of being a journalist is having the freedom to stumble on something extremely interesting, learn about it in depth, share your knowledge and excitement with others, and then dive into something completely different. I got my MA in int'l econ and Japanese political economy because I was fascinated -- frustrated, baffled, intrigued -- by the rise of Japan and the decline of the United States. I wanted to understand why such huge shifts happen. I also thought I might wind up working for a Japanese company. Thank Christ I didn't, I would've offed myself; it would have been a hellish life for me, although it can be great for some people, including Westerners.

So I graduate with this degree, and because I like to write I write a play about differences in the Japanese and American economic systems and cultural values, and it gets produced. Meanwhile I send a piece I'd researched in Japan on cultural barriers to the import of foreign cars in the Japanese market, I send it to Jim, and he really likes it and sends it to the Atlantic's editors. He and I become friends, and I come out to him. A month later, he comes back and says the Atlantic would really like me to do a piece on sexual orientation; how does homosexuality in particular work biologically? I wasn't into it at first; I was an economist. But I did it and found it completely fascinating. My agent suggests I write a book from that piece (A Separate Creation). After the book, I'm writing about science and by complete chance I meet a scientist who's a perfume genius. I write a book about him (The Emperor of Scent). The New Yorker asks me to write a piece about the creation of a perfume, which at first I don't really want to write because now I'm a science writer. I go inside Hermes for a year and write The New Yorker piece, which I wind up finding fascinating and turn it into a book (The Perfect Scent). While writing it, I get a call from The NY Times. They want me to write on perfume for them. I say sure, if you make me the Times perfume critic. It's all logical, it's all happenstance, it's all about the ability to be open to things, and it's a little weird, but it's been fun.

3Q: Do you see the vibrational model gaining further acceptance and eventually becoming the accepted scientific explanation of the mechanics of scent?

CB: I get to answer that question this way: I don't care either way in as far as I found a terrific story and got to tell it. This scientist was, and is, brilliant, iconoclastic, hugely imaginative, difficult, earnest, stunningly interesting, quixotic, and terrific fun. His unusual theory  was not just met with skepticism; established scientists in the field actively sought to repress it, acted juvenile about it, and were jaw-droppingly unprofessional and dishonest in their assessment of it. That's my story. I know nothing more about inelastic electron tunneling than I learned in writing Emperor, and I'm not a scientist. I'll be extremely interested when they find the answer, which may or may not be in my lifetime, but I would never prognosticate about the theory's acceptance or validity. As a journalist, that's not my job. My job is to describe events and reveal to the reader both the facts and wonder of the story.

3Q: What is the single worst thing you have ever smelled, and what is the worst scent you have ever heard described?

CB: There are a lot of worst things. There are some smells in the streets of New York, in Mumbai, in Tokyo that are hideous. The smell of natto, Japanese fermented soy bean, is horrible, so it durian fruit in the Philippines and (why I have no idea) the smell in the RER trains in Paris, which smells like the Comme des Garcons brutalist perfume "Odeur 53," burning rubber, charred metal, stale air, and melting plastic. I can't believe people ride that train every day. As for the worst perfume -- I assume you're asking me about a perfume -- the worst may is probably Malibu, which was created for Pamela Anderson. It was much, much worse than almost any scent made for a basic shampoo. Pretty shocking. I gave it zero stars in The Times, and it's the only time I wished there was a negative 1.

Many thanks to the interviewee for his assistance and advice!

Gerald Lange: Right now I'm down to two presses, a Vandercook SP-15 and a Vandercook Universal III. I bought the 15 as new for about $200 in the early 1980s. It has served me very well, never had a problem with it, and I tend to use it for most work as the cylinder is very well balanced across the entirety of the press bed. The Universal is an automatic and I picked that up from a client a few years ago. He had to quit printing because of health problems and died shortly after. I have been working with a publisher of art prints/gig posters so the press has recently come in quite handy, because of it's size (20 inches) and the power assist. In the last 35 years I've had maybe a dozen Vandercooks but these seem the best by far.

3Q: If you can remember, what was the first full font of type you owned? Do you still have it?

GL: Yeah, I do remember. The first brand new type I ever bought was Goudy Old Style. Don't worry, I have gotten over that. But no, it's long gone. As I switched over from metal to digital in the 1990s I went from some three dozen cabinets down to four. I hung on to the new European foundry type. I recently did a type specimen/broadside of the Claudius Fraktur type that I have.

3Q: I was lucky enough to go to a high school with a very robust letterpress program (various C&Ps and proof presses, two working Linotypes, lots and lots of type). The school was torn down in the last decade and when they rebuilt the structure, letterpress was not in the cards - the entire printing program was eliminated. Do you see the resurgence in interest in craft printing among adults as a replacement or reaction to the loss of such school-age trade programs? What do you think the long-term effects of the loss of such programs will be on the book design, book publishing, and graphic design trades? Are we looking at letterpress being seen only as a kind of materialist fetish, or can it keep its value as a trade and craft?

GL: Most of the high school print shops disappeared ages ago. I remember taking a course in printing at my high school but it wasn't until I went to grad school that I encountered letterpress printing again and made the huge career mistake of getting enamored with it enough to start a printing/publishing business.

In the mid-1970s as commercial letterpress died out it also experienced a resurgence with the Fine Press Renaissance of the period. That itself loss its attraction by the turn of the century and was replaced with the current resurgence, which is quite a different animal altogether. This recent thing has far more to do with the "cult of the amateur" trend fostered by the web and to a degree by the "future shock" that has been associated with turn of the centuries, and of course by the promotion of it by celebrity Martha Stewart.

If one seriously considers the future of letterpress it doesn't look all that promising. It is limited by the very nature of its current attraction; its material basis. There are no new presses being built, there are no more commercially viable metal type foundries,  etc. The purposeful decline in film manufacture does not ultimately bode well for those who have switched over to photopolymer plates as the alternative.

Letterpress is very hot right now but trends evolve out, I can attest to that. Then again, no one can, with any certainty, predict the future.

photograph: Gerald Lange with his trusty Vandercook type-high gauge; courtesy of Paul Romaine