In the Kitchen: Valerie Confections

We spent a morning with Valerie Gordon to chat about food, LA, and our 10 year collaboration.

So Valerie, take us to the beginning. When did you realize that you wanted to work in food?
I decided I wanted to work with food in my mid-20s, although I started baking at age 8.

Did your family cook?
My mother cooked dinner every night for my family, frequently traditional Cantonese dishes. I was definitely exposed to a wide range of ingredients and types of cuisine, growing up in San Francisco.

Tell us about what you like to cook at home?
I love cooking at home both for my family and guests. I am obsessed with winter salads, love tossing in sliced apples, boatloads of herbs, toasted pine nuts… I roast chicken at least once a week… and I’m cooking a lot of dhals right now too…

Are there any ingredients you are excited about at the moment?
I’m always excited about ingredients! Vanilla beans feel super indulgent right now because they cost a fortune, but I love the flavor… persimmons in salads and soft cakes, Japanese sweet potatoes are also on frequent rotation with salty french butter.

Favorite kitchen tool?
Microplane — I’m a real zest freak, in both sweet and savory foods citrus zest of all forms completely changes a dish.

Do you prefer sweets or savory foods?
Currently, I’d have to say savory… I tasted chocolates and desserts so frequently for so many years… I definitely go through phases, but right now savory has a big pull.

Favorite type of cake?
I have two! My coffee crunch cake — 2 layers of chiffon cake, coffee whipped cream, and coffee honey-comb. And Lady M’s crepe cake — it is so light and delicious, the thinnest crepes layered with lightly sweetened pastry cream, so simple and very satisfying.

You’re hosting a dinner party and can invite anyone, who would you invite?
Assuming alive or dead — Judy Rodgers of Zuni Cafe fame, Martha Stewart, Rick Rubin, Michelle Obama, my husband and my kids.

Who are your favorite farmers market vendors?
Tutti Frutti for tomatoes and daily vegetables, Weiser Farms for the beautiful Rossa radicchio and potatoes, McGrath for wild arugula, Autonomy Farms for the best lamb in the world.

Favorite season for produce?
That’s hard. I truly anticipate the beginning of each season, in fall it’s apples, in winter it’s citrus, in spring it’s green garlic…you get it…this is why I love food, it never stops! But if I had to choose I would pick summer because stonefruit and berries are so magnificent.

When did you move to LA and how has it changed since then?
I moved to LA in 1998 and it has changed so much, I miss the openness the city had when I arrived, Fountain really was a shortcut! LA was much more entertainment-focused in that era, whereas now we have a more varied landscape for food, art, design…so the influx of people certainly has its benefits.

How did the collaboration with Commune
Our collaboration with Commune began in 2009?? Roman and Steven were familiar with my husband and business partner, Stan…we had these great riff sessions in the early days. Now, the meetings are truly 5-minute conversations between Roman and I, he and I are both very decisive and have great trust in each other’s work. Our partnership is a treasure, I’m forever grateful for everything we have created together.