Meet Our Intern Claire Fan
Where are you from? How do you describe the place you grew up to people who've never been there?
I’m from Potomac, MD—right outside of Washington, DC. I would describe it as a vibrant suburb that can give you the perfect taste of the Mid-Atlantic region. There’s an abundance of hiking trails along the C&O canal and, not surprisingly, we are known for our beautiful foliage during the fall and our blooming cherry blossoms in the spring. Most notably, though, we are known for our blue crabs. During the season, you can find my dad and dog crabbing every Friday on the Chesapeake!
What are you studying /or what did you study in college and how is it shaping your year?
I’m majoring in Education Studies and Economics. School takes up a ton of my time and I can typically be found in various study lounges on campus looking at incomprehensible graphs. All jokes aside, I’m truly passionate about both my majors and value how they push me to think critically and use all parts of my brain. This semester, I’m taking a class called The Craft of Teaching which is really driving me to recognize the countless difficulties of being an educator. In the spring, I’m going to be studying abroad in Copenhagen with a focus in food studies!
What are you most excited to learn/do/see in this internship?
I’m most excited to dive right into the Rhode Island foodie community and learn about the integral role food and culture plays in all of our lives. My life undoubtedly revolves around food—I am never not thinking about my next meal. I want to meet other people who also center their days around food and discover how RI food culture is changing with the times.
What's one question you have right now about local food in RI?
One question I have right now is where I can find the best calamari in RI. I’ve tried Trattoria Appia’s calamari at Padella in London which will be hard to top, but I would love to know if any locals have any secret spots!
What is your favorite way to enjoy food (cooking, dining out, shopping the farmers market, reading cookbooks, watching cooking videos, etc.)?
My absolute favorite way of enjoying and exploring food is rifling through cookbooks and food magazines. Pretty much every weekend, I can be found in the cookbook section of Symposium Books. My latest obsession has been Cherry Bombe which is actually printed in Rhode Island! I especially love Jessie Sheehan’s Cherry Bombe podcast, She’s My Cherry Pie, which highlights the most creative and innovative women in the culinary industry.
What's your spirit vegetable - and why?
I would say my spirit vegetable is broccolini! I love a simple but incredibly flavorful broccolini and spicy Italian sausage pasta—with pools of olive oil, of course. Broccolini feels like the elevated sister of broccoli with its long, tender stems and delicate florets. She’s able to brighten every dish she’s in without even trying! In my life, I aspire to exude that kind of fanciness with the same nonchalance of broccolini. That’s obviously only the dream though, the reality is certainly broccoli—maybe even frozen broccoli.
