Kevin Hoskins Eats Out

Kevin Hoskins Eats Out.

Kevin Hoskins at Moby Dick

Kevin is one of my friends that agrees with me when I say – “Tripe sounds good today”. How many people can you say that about in your life? He’s a great cook. He likes things simple. One of my favorite things Kevin has ever made for me are his Black Olive Cookies. I probably get them about once a year – which isn’t nearly enough. They are rich from oil-cured black olives and have a great balance of sugar and salt. He confesses his love for Lemon Cake here – and this past year for his birthday I got to make him one. I don’t know if it matched up to his Aunts – but I think it satisfied his craving. Kevin is currently part of the team that brings you the weekly party Some Thing (the art, drag dance party) at The Stud.

What is your favorite dessert?

Hmmmm… My aunt always made a lemon bundt cake with lemon juice and powdered sugar frosting for my birthday. It was simple and refreshing. I love semi-sweets. When I do bake its usually olive cookies. And when the first strawberries come in around February when they have flavor but it hasn’t gotten warm enough for them to be sweet, I love dipping them in sour cream and brown sugar.

What restaurant would you call your home?

I just ate at Zuni Cafe and realized how much it is like my home. I’m friends with like half of the staff. Unfortunately its not exactly like my home since I don’t have a wood oven to roast my broccoli and cauliflower with my pork chop. It always inspires me to cook simply and a little out of my comfort zone.

What is the strangest thing you’ve eaten?

When I was fifteen I went on a student exchange to Kazakhstan. A Kazakh version of a toast is centered around a roasted goat head. The host hands a piece of the head to you with choice words and you eat it. My last night there – my host father gave me and my host brother each an eyeball saying he hoped “we would be such great friends that we always see in the same direction.” Eyeballs aside, I am always looking for Central Asian food, and I’d love to not have to go to Coney Island or Beijing to find it.

What was your favorite breakfast cereal as a kid?

My sister ate Golden Grahams, and the smell really grossed me out. So I liked Corn Bran, or when I was on vacation, Cap’n Crunch Berries. My sister and I were allergic to milk, so we used Mocha Mix which also may explain why I didn’t need sweet cereal. It was sweet enough.

What is your favorite food to pig-out on after the club?

If my neighbor is up, I like to go to his house and make baked eggs. I don’t mind cooking them, but I like him to clean the ramekins.

Kevin and I at an art opening in NYC, 2004

Justin Bond Eats Out

Justin Bond and I met in the early 90’s in San Francisco. At that time it seems a lot of us were finding ourselves in our community as artists. Justin has always been the perfect example of the arts . Talent, smarts and captivatingly  beautiful – it’s no wonder Justin has been dubbed “The greatest cabaret artist of (v’s) generation” by  the New Yorker’s Hilton Als.

Justin Vivian Bond

A couple of years back I got to hear Justin cover Bambi Lake’s “The Golden Age of Hustlers” – it was a truly magical moment.

If you haven’t already done so – get a copy of Justin’s latest adventure “Dendrophile” today. It was a joy to have Justin answer my foodie questionnaire.

What is your favorite dessert?

Personally, I love sticky toffee pudding. I’m not a big chocolate person. I like caramel and cake and I like it to be damp and hot. I like just about anything damp, hot, and spongy, preferably with a little cool cream on the side.

What restaurant would you call home?

There’s an italian restaurant here in the East Village in NYC called Lavagna, where I eat first thing upon my return to NY after a tour. The food is delicious, the wine is excellent, and it’s very unpretentious. Usually, I’ll show up with two or three people and end up with a party of ten or twelve. I’ve turned so many people on to it, and everybody loves it. My favorite dish is their Fresh pappardelle with braised rabbit, fresh thyme and Moroccan olives.

What is the strangest or most inspiring thing you’ve ever eaten?

I always get very excited when dishes include flower essences, like rose or lavender. I particularly enjoy Indian desserts with rose water, even though I far prefer savory dishes to sweet ones.

What was your favorite breakfast cereal as a kid?

Hands down, Captain Crunch. Not with crunch berries, not peanut butter crunch, just plain Captain Crunch. Followed closely by Fruity Pebbles, and Frosted Flakes.