Morse, Kitty 1947-

views updated

MORSE, Kitty 1947-

PERSONAL: Born February 13, 1947, in Casablanca, Morocco; immigrated to the United States, 1964; naturalized U.S. citizen; daughter of Clive (a tour operator) and Nicole (a technical translator; maiden name, Darmon) Chandler; married Owen R. Morse, June 27, 1970. Ethnicity: "French mother, British father." Education: University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee, B.A., M.A., 1970. Hobbies and other interests: Travel.

ADDRESSES: Home and offıce—267 Mar Vista Dr., Vista, CA 92083. Agent—Julie Castiglia Literary Agency, Camino del Mar, Suite 510, Del Mar, CA 92014. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Cookbook author, food and travel writer, and teacher of cooking classes. Organizer and leader of gastronomic tours to Morocco, 1983—. Smithsonian Institution, seminar presenter on North African cuisine and culture, 1992, 1999; producer and host of Fresh from the Farm (television series), until 1994; cast member of California Heartland (television series); guest on television and radio programs, including On the Menu, Cable News Network.

MEMBER: International Association of Culinary Professionals, Slow Food.

AWARDS, HONORS: First place award in cookbook category, San Diego Book Awards, 1998, and named cookbook of the week, London Daily Telegraph, 1999, both for Cooking at the Kasbah: Recipes from My Moroccan Kitchen.

WRITINGS:

Come with Me to the Kasbah: A Cook's Tour ofMorocco, 1989.

The California Farm Cookbook, photographs by Kitty Morse and Owen Morse, Pelican Publishing, 1994.

365 Ways to Cook Vegetarian, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1994.

Edible Flowers: A Kitchen Companion with Recipes, Ten Speed Press (Berkeley, CA), 1995.

The Vegetarian Table: North Africa, photographs by Deborah Jones, Chronicle Books (San Francisco, CA), 1996.

A Biblical Feast: Foods from the Holy Land, Ten Speed Press (Berkeley, CA), 1998.

Cooking at the Kasbah: Recipes from My MoroccanKitchen, photographs by Owen Morse, Chronicle Books (San Francisco, CA), 1998.

Couscous: Fresh and Flavorful Contemporary Recipes, Chronicle Books (San Francisco, CA), 2000.

(With Danielle Mamane) The Scent of Orange Blossoms: Sephardic Cuisine from Morocco, photographs by Owen Morse, Ten Speed Press (Berkeley, CA), 2001.

Contributor to periodicals, including Bon Appetit, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Underground Wine Journal, Sunset, Fine Cooking, Cooking Pleasures, and San Jose Mercury News.

Morse's books have been translated into German, Czech, and Polish.

WORK IN PROGRESS: The Mother of Spring: A Memoir of Morocco.

SIDELIGHTS: Kitty Morse told CA: "Most of the dishes included in my Moroccan cookbooks are recipes I obtained from family and friends in Morocco. I have adapted them for the American kitchen without forsaking the original flavors. Couscous, tagines (exotic stews), and b'stila (sweetened chicken and pastry) are easily reproduced in an American kitchen.

"My book Couscous: Fresh and Flavorful Contemporary Recipes is a departure from traditional Moroccan cuisine in that I use this versatile Moroccan staple in such unconventional dishes as couscous mango mousse and couscous Vietnamese salad.

"Besides Moroccan cuisine, I am passionate about California agriculture. For The California Farm Cookbook I traveled all over the state, interviewing over 200 farmers and recording their favorite recipes for their own products.

"A Biblical Feast: Foods from the Holy Land is based upon the eighty or so ingredients mentioned in the Old and New Testaments. Recipes were developed bearing in mind biblical botany and historical research."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

periodicals

Library Journal, December, 2001, Judith C. Sutton, review of The Scent of Orange Blossoms: Sephardic Cuisine from Morocco, p. 160.

Nation's Restaurant News, November 13, 1989, Michael Schrader, review of Come with Me to the Kasbah: A Cook's Tour of Morocco, p. 41.

Publishers Weekly, July 3, 1995, review of EdibleFlowers: A Kitchen Companion with Recipes, p. 53; June 3, 1996, review of The Vegetarian Table: North Africa, p. 76; May 15, 2000, review of Couscous: Fresh and Flavorful Contemporary Recipes, p. 112; November 19, 2001, review of The Scent of Orange Blossoms, p. 60.

Vegetarian Times, August, 1995, Judy Krizmanic, review of 365 Ways to Cook Vegetarian, p. 94.