What's Cooking?

Posted: May 19, 2004

The Mercury roster is stacked with a wide range of culinary talents and skills. While most of the team seems to know the difference between a strainer and cheese grater, there are those who feel more comfortable at the dining room table with a fork and knife than they are in the kitchen with a pot of boiling water and package of pasta. PhoenixMercury.com asked a few of your favorite players to share their degree of competency in the kitchen.

MERCURY GUARD DIANA TAURASI

"Yeah, I cook. Last night I made spaghetti with pesto sauce. I can make Chicken Milanese. So I cook a little bit. I did it sometimes in college, but back then you were so busy all the time. Now we have a lot of free time (laughs). We take turns as to who cooks. Shereka Wright, about a week ago, she had a shrimp fettuccini Alfredo. We trade off. At home, my mom and dad cook all the time. Chicken Milanese is my favorite dish there."

MERCURY FORWARD SHEREKA WRIGHT

"I’m somewhat of a cook. When I first met my boyfriend, I wanted to cook for him and my cooking skills weren’t that up to par. My first date I tried to make some chicken and rice. What I did was buy regular chicken and put some barbecue sauce on it, and put it in the microwave. He was like, 'Oh, you can make chicken with barbecue sauce on it!' It was not good. It was still red inside. From then on I made sure I practiced every day, trying different things and making sure I could cook and be up to par with him. I just wanted to make sure I could cook for him and myself. He’s worked with me. I’ve called my mom, called his mom so she could help. I got better at it."

MERCURY FORWARD PENNY TAYLOR

"I’m a horrible, horrible cook. Living in Italy for two years, I limit myself to a mean pasta, but that’s as far as it goes. Chicken and vegetables are my limit. Usually I stick to a lot of chicken and salads, vegetables and pasta. I tend to eat out a lot, too. I’ve had my mom here for three weeks, so my fridge is full. My cupboards are full. I’m well-fed at the moment. She’s a great cook. My dad’s the real chef in the family, but my mom’s not that bad."

MERCURY CENTER ASHLEY ROBINSON

"I’m just a pop-in-the-oven, warm-it-up type. I don’t like to cook a whole lot, unless it’s chicken or making a salad, something easy. I love hot pockets and things like that, frozen pizzas. I like frozen foods that you just put in the oven and it’s ready to go. I love eating but the cooking part gets me."

MERCURY CENTER (AND ARIZONA NATIVE) LINDSAY TAYLOR

"I don’t love to cook, but I like to eat steak, vegetables… If I’m eating it, I’ll cook it. Kayte (Christensen) always says I’m the luckiest rookie because I’m like, 'Mom, what are you cooking for breakfast?' My sister came over last night and cleaned my apartment. I’m really fortunate. I do my part. My mom always cooks, but it’s always the kids’ job to clean up afterwards. We do all the dishes and clean up the kitchen. It’s nice right now because I haven’t been home in five years. So my mom is always asking, 'What do you want for dinner?' I love everything my mom cooks. You always like your mom’s food."

MERCURY GUARD NIKKI MCCRAY

"I like to cook. I’m from the South. I like to cook small dishes. Tonight I’m cooking some fried corn. That’s my specialty."