School
University Of California, Irvine, The Arts Institute Culinary Arts School, San Diego
Expertise
Bold Red Wines, Home-Cooked Mexican Food, Food History
- In 1998, Erica got her first taste of Europe on a three-week exploration of five countries, igniting a passion for travel and food.
- She launched the blog for Southern California's Ponte Winery which highlighted food and wine pairings.
- Her first professional writing job came in 2008 when she was hired as the copywriter for the GNC website division.
Experience
When Erica was pursuing her bachelor's degree in film studies, she had no idea it would lead to a passion for writing. The hours spent analyzing films and writing essays revealed a knack for research and expression through written words, with her favorite topic being food. She has now been writing for various companies for 12 years in the form of website copy, newsletters, press releases, blogs, and emails. Some of the companies she has worked for include Ponte Family Estate Winery, General Nutrition Corporation, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, and Brickhouse Security in New York.
Education
Erica has a bachelor's degree in Film Studies from the University of California at Irvine. She studied abroad in Siena, Italy in college where she studied Film and Tuscan cuisine. She also spent a semester studying Culinary Arts in San Diego, CA.
The Takeout’s industry-leading editorial coverage is the result of collaboration between writers and editors with a wide array of experience and expertise in the world of food and drink. Every article is fact-checked by our team of editors to ensure accuracy. Outside experts are also consulted to help deliver factual, up-to-date information.
Our mission is to both inform and entertain our readers, telling them everything they want to know (and more) about food. We strive to always provide a well-rounded reading experience, bringing both the biggest food news of the day and a break from the news. Additional information on our editorial process available here.
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Restaurants
By Erica Martinez
The Roundhouse Restaurant in Sun Valley, Idaho offers spectacular views, cozy ambience, and food choices inspired by regional fare. There's just one catch.
By Erica Martinez
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Using a culinary torch on your food feels pretty great and can enhance most any dish's flavor so long as you don't forget to follow this one simple rule.
By Erica Martinez
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When it comes to cutting sandwiches, one type of knife stands head and shoulders above the rest. Fail to use this knife and you risk ruining your sandwich.
By Erica Martinez
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When we say butter, we mean it. If you love movie theater popcorn, get poppin' with the only microwave popcorn brand that tastes like the real deal.
By Erica Martinez
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Freezing soup is not only a great way to save food but a fast dinner solution for busy meal times. However, not all soups freeze and thaw well - save one.
By Erica Martinez
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Get big potato energy from a teeny appliance. Here's how you can use your toaster oven for baller baked potatoes, and what toppings to try out next.
By Erica Martinez
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Fast Food
By Erica Martinez
There aren't any Taco Bells in Paris, where the Netflix rom-com series "Emily in Paris" is being filmed, which has one star craving for late night tacos.
By Erica Martinez
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There's nothing better than crispy fish and chips, and nothing worse than soggy ones. Here's how to guarantee your fish and chips get that perfect crunch.
By Erica Martinez
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Chicken wings boast a whole host of dressings, but this underrated dipping sauce can moonlight as the perfect chicken wing coating on the grill or in the oven.
By Erica Martinez
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The colorful veins in your favorite Roquefort, Stilton, or Gorgonzola cheese do not happen by chance, it is a specific process that makes blue cheese blue.
By Erica Martinez
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You may have thought that criss-cross pattern on the tops of peanut butter cookies was just for looks, but it actually serves a very important purpose.
By Erica Martinez
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A perfect sugar cookie is a thing of beauty, but the cookies have a tendency to spread while cooking. There is, however, one way to prevent this from happening.
By Erica Martinez
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Riesling wine can be either sweet or dry, which makes it versatile but intimidating for newcomers. Here's how you can tell if a Riesling is dry from the label.
By Erica Martinez
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Fast Food
By Erica Martinez
The Egg McMuffin, McDonald's entry into breakfast, may not have been the first fast food breakfast sandwich on the market, but it certainly changed the game.
By Erica Martinez
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If you want to add a bold twist to tuna salad, try this Korean ingredient which brings a punch of umami, heat, and tangy depth to the dish.
By Erica Martinez
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Exclusives
By Erica Martinez
When we're shopping at the grocery store, fresh food is often seen as superior to canned, but many restaurants make good use of canned food.
By Erica Martinez
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By Erica Martinez
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In a committed relationship with your air fryer? Grab the ketchup and steer clear of a situationship with these tips for the crispiest air fryer fries.
By Erica Martinez
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History
By Erica Martinez
This Quaker recall wasn't because of harmful pathogens, foreign objects, contamination, or undisclosed allergens -- it was all because of a toy.
By Erica Martinez
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Guy Fieri has built his food empire in large part on burgers, so the guy knows what he's doing. Here's the ingredient he thinks deserves more attention.
By Erica Martinez
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Both tomato sauce and tomato paste are two pantry staples in many households around the world. But what makes them different and why choose one over the other?
By Erica Martinez
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Ravioli is quite simple to make from scratch but problems can arise when you start to cook it. We asked an expert how to fix this common ravioli mistake.
By Erica Martinez
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History
By Erica Martinez
Although it may seem obvious who inspired the name of Baby Ruth candy bars, the answer isn't all that clear. In fact, the debate has spent time in the courts.
By Erica Martinez
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Pączki look like sugar-coated jelly donuts, right up to the fruit jams that ooze out from their sides. So what makes these sweet treats different?
By Erica Martinez
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History
By Erica Martinez
It's the holidays, and you're ready to indulge in a few (or tons) of cordial cherries. But do they have alcohol in them, as their name suggests?
By Erica Martinez
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There are plenty of tips of how to cook multiple eggs at one time for several people, but sometimes you just need one fried egg but don't have a frying pan.
By Erica Martinez
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Ingredients
By Erica Martinez
By Erica Martinez
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